Ancient and Medieval Coins Canada - First Auction

I just noticed that this coin is an R5, so maybe not so common at all. Does the delta-epsilon in the field mean it's from the ninth, or so-called "thanatos" or "death" workshop?

 

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I just paid too. Man, everything about this auction, at least in my experience, has been smooth.

It's encouraging to me that this appears to have been the first non-eBay auction for some folks active on CoinTalk, and perhaps some lurkers as well. (I myself participated in my first real non-eBay auction a little over a year ago.) It really is a user-friendly format. Increased numbers can only be good. While increased traffic may mean fewer steals next time around, obviously a new auction venture needs to do well enough to stay in business and attract future consignors. I'm happy to pay a little more for that to happen. If it doesn't, nobody wins, including future buyers.

 

Yep, this would be the "death workshop". I'm not sure about rare, though, considering Antioch had 15 officinae striking this particular issue.

 

Well this coin is getting more interesting all the time.

 

Was any of the CT members the proud winner of the Claudius Antioch coin? Lot #92?

 

Congratulations to @Severus Alexander for conducting a pleasant, successful and obviously well-liked Auction! I was well pleased with my showing. Thank you Sev!

My objective in consigning coins was not to realize a significant profit from their sale - in my opinion a fools errand with Ancient coins anyway - but rather to make my coins available to fellow enthusiasts at attractive prices (I have gifted coins in the past, but I now think it is healthier for new enthusiasts to have, as they say, “some skin the game” in order to appreciate the coins more). I also wanted to maybe make enough money to buy Beverly a sentimental Christmas present this year in appreciation for her forebearance while I have spent so many, many, hours pursuing my Ancient coin hobby. And, of course, I wanted to able to buy just a couple (right!) of early to mid Roman empire nicely worn sestertii from the proceeds! (They were my first love when I started collecting Ancient coins).

Following are some extracts from postings I made here prior to the auction:

“I previously said that the time has come for me to downsize my Ancient coin collection I so that my family will not be burdened with disposing of so many great artifacts they know nothing (or very little) about when I depart this wonderful world. But how to do that and still retain a very small “swan song” collection of coins that I can fondle and admire and read about in my “golden years”? Well, I think I have achieved that goal: I have consigned the majority of my Tetrarchic Romano Britannic coins for Auction by a highly respected Dealer - and retained just a few coins to satisfy my need to have some to fondle, admire and study”

“But, how weak willed or lacking in resolve some of us (me, actually) are ...... I forgot that there are a couple more - absolutely the last for sure (!!!)”

“My goal was to retain 16 coins and my final (ahem) count is 15”

…………… and a few more now - which goes to emphasize my weakness when it comes to a Roman Imperial coins!

 

@jamesicus, thanks for consigning your coins to AMCC. I'm very happy to have acquired a special coin from your collection .

 

I am so pleased you thought enough of the coin to purchase it TIF - thank you!

 

I am very pleased you got that coin, Gavin - thank you!

 

I was also pleased to pick up another @jamesicus coin in the auction. The coins I have acquired from James will always have a special place in my collection.

 

Yes, and I PM’d Gavin seeking his input for I respect his opinions. We discussed different approaches but I eventually settled on SA’s (excellent) Auction as the way to do it - thanks again SA!

This was my inspiration for another posting I recently made to this thread including “skin in the game”. Thanks, Gavin!

 

And thank you Curtis - that gladdens my heart!

 

Thank you so so much, James, for giving us the opportunity to own a coin from your carefully crafted collection! I won a couple from your collection, and I am very excited in receiving them and then studying them and all of the details surrounding them. Quoting @Curtisimo, "The coins I have acquired from James will always have a special place in my collection.".

 

Maybe an early question @Severus Alexander but what are the periods of time between auctions? For example an auction every three months or is it just randomly chosen?

 

I did not. However, I did snare your Lot #3, cuz our recent discussion about Quadrunx:

Maximian looks like a tetrarch

 

APULIA, Luceria, 211-200 BCE, AE Quadrunx. 9.79g, 24mm.
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress; four pellets behind.
Rev: LOVCERI, Quiver, club and bow.
SNG Copenhagen 660.
From the Justin Lee collection.

 

You are my kind of Ancient coin collector, Justin. I like my coins that way also.

 

This is great news for those looking for some of these coins. I was hoping Sev would not feel pressured to take a loss on these coins. I suppose the 120% guarantee was a good idea in attracting consignments but none of us benefit from driving a new source of coins into the poorhouse.

I have to disagree here but just a little. Many sales have pick bin sections but they are not labeled. Sales like the big boys have hype the $four digit coins but include lesser coins as well some of which are ignored by the people who can only tolerate the very finest. The problem here is the bidder has to sort out the $100 coins going for $60 from the $50 coins started at $60 because that particular dealer does not bother with cheap coins no matter how nice they might be. Where does one get such sorting ability? Coin Talk is one place. Studying the results of past sales like AMCC1 or the Robinson, Triskles, etc. offerings is another. You can learn more from seeing which lots did not sell than you can from how high a price the finest brought. The results for the finest coins show what happens when two people with lots of money bump heads. Unsolds force you to ask why.

It most certainly does. That coin has a lot going for it and should have gone higher were it not for the bit heavy handed 'sand patina'.

 

I appreciate those comments very much @Caesar_Augustus - thank you! I am honored that you consider those coins to have such high merit.