Gordian III Sestertius in a Jewelry Mount - Apollo Relaxing

Sometimes I like to troll eBay's jewelry listings for coins. Sometimes you can find some interesting things, if you don't mind mount marks, holes, etc. This is my first ancient from such digging. It was a $20 "best offer" deal. I think it is this:

Gordian III.238-244 AD. Æ Sestertius
Rome mint,
5th officina. 10th emission, 242 AD. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG,
laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: P M TR P V COS III P P, Apollo seated left, holding branch in right hand, resting left arm on back of seat; S C in ex. RIC IV 303a

I think it is a real one (please tell me if I'm wrong - I'm hoping this isn't some mass-produced Gordian fake sold to tourists all over Europe - if so, break it to me gently) - it weighs 23.7 grams (the mount does not appear to be silver - some shiny cheap pot metal, I'm guessing). The coins color is off in my photos - it is more brown.

The mounting, of course, may be hiding some real horrors. Since I'd look even more goofier than usual wearing it, I will probably have the mount removed at some point.

Any other coin jewelry fans out there?

 

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My guess is that it's probably genuine although any photo and the wear makes it impossible for me to be at all confident. As far as I can tell the attribution seems correct but with COS II.....So, unless you can see an edge seam when you remove the mount, it may be legit. I think very few of us are jewelry fans though.

 

Ah well, sometimes the gamble doesn't pay off. It's a phony. Unless some celator cunningly smoothed the edges and added a little seam... it looked a lot "realer" still in the mount. It weighs 10.48 grams, a bit lights even for the 3rd century.

 

c'est la vie

 

Can you get a refund?

 

You won't find many jewellery fans here. If you can't get a refund (you can't return it in its "original" condition), make it into a key fob. It will serve as a reminder that we have all been "had" at some time or other.

 

I asked here about making one of my coins into a pendant and everyone tore me a new one. Some guy got out of pocket and used some four letter words at me, and when I told him where to go, I got banned for 2 months. Pretty crazy. I never heard of a 2 month ban. But I get it. Numismatics crowd is very ned flanders.

By the way, this came in my mail today

 

The CT member that gave you the hard time has been banned for good. He shouldn't have used the language he did. But he was one of our most prolific posters and he was well liked. It's too bad you got off to a bad start here. Perhaps you can become an active member. What is "ned flanders"? I know he is a character on the Simpsons, but I'm unsure of your meaning.

BTW, that's a nice Tet

 

At least no real coins were harmed in the making of this jewelry item. Here's an example of the same Gordy III sestertius from my collection:


Gordian III, AD 238-244
Roman AE Sestertius
Rome, 5th officina. 9th emission, AD 241, 20.01 gm; 28.2 mm
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PM TRP IIII COS II PP SC, Apollo seated left, holding laurel branch and resting left arm on lyre.
Refs: RIC 302; Cohen 252; Sear --; Banti 72

 

I didn't realize coin jewelry raised so many passions. I can understand to some extent that a coin in jewelry is numismatically "ruined". And yet I much prefer coins that show evidence of actual use. High grade coins, ancient or otherwise, can be beautiful. Sometimes, perhaps they can be a bit sterile too (all those slabbed MS Morgans)? My budget eliminates the temptation to go high grade anyway. Coins in jewelry is a wonderful (and inexpensive) way to go in my opinion - besides, use in jewelry is another way coins are utilized.

Below is a selection from my collection of ruined coins. My favorite is that Ragusa 2 Ducati (listed on eBay under jewelry - I paid $25 for it). No ancients in my collection (I had high hopes for that Gordo sestertius):

 

Nah. The seller did not in any way represent it as an ancient coin. It was just a jewelry piece plain & simple. Besides, I sawed through the mount to get the coin out. I gambled and lost and I'll take my lumps. Ouch!

 

Thank you.

Well I feel a little bad then. I dont think he deserved a permanent ban but the same time out I did. I will become a permanent member. I patiently waited those 2 months to return and my interest in ancient coins only continues to grow. Im reading several books and learning how to assess coins on my own.

The members did convince me not to punch a hole in any of my coins. However I went to a coin show today and found an Alexander pendant. Judging by the look and style of the mount, it was done long long ago. So I feel okay wearing it as whats done is done. It will be a nice conversation piece.

 

Show the reverse. I would be interested.