My most expensive coin so far

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Marsman, Jun 2, 2019.

  1. RichardT

    RichardT Well-Known Member

    This is my most expensive coin so far. A consular solidus, issued by Valentinian and Valens. The (unfortunate) result of an online bidding war.

    Depeyrot 22/2, RIC 16b Nicomedia mint, 367-375 CE, 4.52g. 21mm. Die axis 6h. Obverse: D N VALENS P F AVG. Pearl-diademed bust left, wearing consular robes, holding mappa in raised right hand and scepter in left . Reverse: VOTA PVBLICA, S M N I in exergue (MN ligatured). Valentinian I and Valens enthroned facing, each nimbate and in consular robes, and holding mappa and sceptre, in exergue, two bound captives.

    Possibly one of the last solidus issues from the mint of Nicomedia before gold striking was fully concentrated at Constantinople.
    OIP00009.jpg
     
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  3. Nvb

    Nvb Well-Known Member

    Here is my priciest Roman coin, no regrets!

    Didrachm or Quadrigatus, Anonymous, Rome, Silver, Crawford:28/3 AU(50-53)

    [​IMG]
    Grade: AU(50-53) | Abbreviations
    Material: Silver
    Weight: 6.65 g
    Diameter: 24.50 mm
    Coin, Anonymous, Didrachm, Rome, AU(50-53), Silver, Crawford:28/3,Anonymous, Didrachm or Quadrigatus, Rome, 225-212 BC, AU(50-53), Silver, Crawford:28/3,Laureate head of Janus, Jupiter, hurling thunderbolt and holding scepter, in galloping quadriga right driven by Victory ROMA
     
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  4. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I know where you bought it from, based on the description alone! ;)

    (PS- it's awesome, of course.)
     
    akeady likes this.
  5. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Not my most expensive but they are of Caligula
    1. Denarius RIC 16 Rv Augustus
    2. Sestertius RIC 36 Obv. Pietas sestedl.
    Rv. Caligula sacrificing before temple Picture is in reverse order
    3. Sestertius RIC 37 Rv wreath caiusd1.jpeg caiuss6.jpg caiuss7.jpg
     
  6. tenbobbit

    tenbobbit Well-Known Member

    Here is my most expensive purchase to date, nothing great to look at with multiple signs of a hard life.
    A case of " find me another " over Condition.
    Macrinus
    Capitolias, Decapolis
    16810.8.49_1[1].jpg
    Picture courtesy of www.romanumismatics.com
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2019
    Cucumbor, Ryro, Sallent and 14 others like this.
  7. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    My most expensive by a fair margin still falls shy of the $1k mark, though not by much.
    Didius Julianus AR Denarius
    Didius julianus denarius concord militvm.jpg

    After Julianus come Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, each about $600-700
    Balbinus antoninianus concordia avgg.jpg Pupienus antoninianus caritas mvtva avgg.jpg

    Non-quantifiable purchases as they were both part of group lots, but probably would have been $300+ coins individually

    Julius Caesar - Came with 2 posthumous portrait issues and 1 fourree for about $800; sold all the others for about $650
    Julius caesar lifetime denarius macer sear 1414.jpg

    Caligula - Came in an ebay lot of about 10 coins for $750; three high ticket items, and the remainder were filler.
    Caligula ae as vesta.jpg

    I kept the Nero Claudius Drusus sestertius and the Caracalla, and ended up paying about $150 for both thanks to selling this one; the fifth most expensive coin I've ever owned, and by far the most expensive I've ever sold
    Augustus funeral sestertius elephant quadriga.jpg
     
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  8. Makanudo

    Makanudo Well-Known Member

  9. philologus_1

    philologus_1 Supporter! Supporter

    MANY splendid coins on this thread! Unless I someday achieve my dream of adding a 1st century AD aureus, this Judea Capta sestertius of Vespasian will remain my most costly Roman coin.
    upload_2019-6-4_10-37-8.png
    upload_2019-6-4_10-41-7.png
     
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  10. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Well, since everyone else is joining this party, might as well play...

    My most expensive is fairly obvious.

    Julius Caesar.jpg

    I believe it was $912 including shipping and insurance. Don't know how good that is except to say that's a $1,400 on Vcoins any day of the week.
     
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  11. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    My Marcus Aurelius sestertius... can't recall exactly but I think I paid $1,000,000.00
    or was it $30? Probably somewhere in between.

    MarcusAureliusMERGE.jpg
     
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  12. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    So that's where my coin ended up. Paid $2,500,000 for it, but after my mail order Ukranian bride filed for divorce, I had to sell it to a back alley dealer for 900,000 to buy her a Louis Vuitton bag so she would sign the papers. You got it for a steal at $1,000,000.

    Hey, are we still up for the cigar lounge later today? Got $4000 cigars and a stack of $100 bills to light the cigars with.:rolleyes:
     
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  13. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Yep - I'm in... just let me print up some money and I'll head right over. :woot:
     
    Sallent likes this.
  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

  15. philologus_1

    philologus_1 Supporter! Supporter

    OOOPS! I've already posted my Judea Capta sestertius to this thread. But as I was eating dinner my mind drifted to coins (can anybody relate?), and it dawned on me that I have a Roman coin for which I paid more dearly.

    It isn't a beauty, but it is a bonafide example of a well-known and quite rare type. I purchased it from a European dealer on VCoins in 2014, but the provenance goes back to Giesseber Munzhandlung 73, Lot 495, in October 1995.
    upload_2019-6-4_20-21-32.png
    upload_2019-6-4_20-40-54.png

    I know that "better in hand" is an over-used and somewhat suspect phrase, but in this case it is true. The patina is not as green as the above image shows. Instead it has a more brownish color -- almost chocolate. Expensive candy!
     
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  16. octavius

    octavius Well-Known Member

    This Aug. denarius of AEGYPTO CAPTA is the coin I paid the most for - got into a Triton auction bidding war. I don't know if it's still the most valuable.

    92000999.jpg
     
  17. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    I think I met his cousin once....

    IMG_20180617_200643.jpg

    He came closer and asked if I wanted to jump right in so he could show me his ancient coin collection. It was tempting, but I was in a hurry and had to take a rain check.

    IMG_20180617_194201.jpg
     
  18. octavius

    octavius Well-Known Member

    I think I'll just stick with my croc and call it a day!
     
  19. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    Good plan! Wow, what a coin. :greedy:

    BTW, in my earlier post I covered my most expensive Romans.

    This Greek coin is probably the most expensive coin remaining in my collection after my big March selloff/downsizing. I believe it is the last remaining piece I have for which I paid more than $500 (and then only barely).

    It is my current favorite, though that has little to do with its dollar value.

    Original seller pix by FORUM (Photoshopped into my standard template, of course).
    [​IMG]

    Pix by Phil Arnold, the PCGS Photo TrueView wizard (as a freelance hire, since PCGS does not grade ancients).
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Here is the slab pic. I'll be cracking this and the rest of my ancients from their slabs soon, and transitioning to a more traditional touchy-feely album with flips and pocket pages. But only for the Ancients. All the rest- medieval and later- will remain in PCGS plastic.

    [​IMG]


    This electrum hekte was pretty close to the $500 mark after slabbing (and now I'm gonna be cracking it out soon, but I'll keep the slab label.)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Grading is always an opinion but I would not crack that one. If you don't like it as is, sell it to someone who looks at the label rather than the wear and dings. I doubt the coin out of holder will get such high praise from a raw dealer catalog. gVF?
     
    PeteB likes this.
  21. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    My most expensive ancient :

    [​IMG]
    ROMAN IMPERATORS, Sextus Pompeius and Q. Nasidius, Denarius Mint moving with Sextus Pompeius, Sicily, 42-39 BC
    NEPTVNI, head of Pompey the great right, trident before head, dolphin below
    Q.NASIDIVS at exergue, galley sailing right, star in upper field
    3.92 gr
    Ref : HCRI # 235, RCV # 1390, Crawford # 483/2, Sydenham # 1350, Cohen # 20

    Q
     
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