Came across this denarius. I believe it is RIC #719? Also, noticed scratches in the fields. Any thoughts appreciated
It's a nice looking example. The minor scratches look to be the result of cleaning. I suppose they could also be ancient scratches. I have one coin which was described "with ancient scratches". MARCUS ANTONIUS Ionia Silver Cistophoric Tetradrachm OBVERSE: M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, head of Antony right, wreathed in ivy, lituus below, all within wreath of ivy and grapes REVERSE: III VIR R P C, bust of Octavia right on cista flanked by snakes Ephesus 39 BC 11.8gm, 26mm RPC I 2201, Sydenham 1197, Sear 262 VF with ancient scraches, nice dark toning
Thanks! That's a nice example you have as well. I primarily collect US coins, but have been reading up on ancients after acquiring vol. 1-5 by Seaby. Still trying to get accustomed to the grading scale/leniency on flaws that ancients seem to have compared to contemporary coins.
Don't try to equate Ancient and modern. Completely different. Just for example, when was the last time you held a modern coin graded at VF/EF? With Ancients, they have all been handled at some point in their history, especially after they have been found buried in the soil for hundreds/thousands of years. Like many who collect Ancients, we enjoy holding history in our grubby little fingers, and in most cases this will not harm them or their value.
Your coin appears to be lot 584 from Gitbud & Naumann (now Numismatik Naumann) Auction 15 in April, 2014. It sold at that time for the equivalent of $178 not including buyer's fees. It was graded Good VF.
Gradings are opinions. In the old days, a VF needed to have details on the laural wreath intact. This is reasonable for that but the scratches would strike me as too much to be 'Good VF'. There are dealers who would go up a grade or down a grade so most of us don't grade coins beyond 'I like it' or 'No'.
I agree with @Bing . Toss out virtually EVERYTHING you learned in Moderns collecting, especially US Coins. Waste of time and thought when you explore the Ancients area. I gave up Moderns years ago, specifically due to the slabbing and silly grading scales. Ancients represent incredible History, that, to me, is why I enjoy it as a HOBBY vs. worrying about "what is the Grade" and "How much it is Worth". Those are the questions of a commodities market and not a Hobby... I enjoy the wear and tear on the coins because they are proof that they were used for their original intention: transactions between people in the everyday life of ancient people. THAT is a wonderful story to tell! And, it is nice to TOUCH these coins, WITHOUT wearing gloves. Many have lasted 1500 to 2500 years, and no one worried about gloves. I have your same coin: RI Domitian AR Denarius 81-96 CE Minerva spear shield COS XVI CENS PPP RIC 719 And, this one has a few scratches, but, I guess, how many coins can you say that were minted within 2 Weeks before Julius Caesar was killed? Roman Imperiatorial Julius Caesar Lifetime P Sepullius Macer AR Denarius 4.03g. Minted first 2 weeks of Mar 44 BCE CAESAR – DICT PERPETVO Veiled - Venus holding Victory, sceptre, star at base Syd 1074a, Sear Imperators 107e, Craw 480-14 Minted within 2 weeks prior to Caesar's death. Rare -2
That is a lovely example with a very strong portrait. Yes it is RIC 719. RIC notes that the coins of this issue are "exceedingly common". However, that does not change the fact that the one you have shown is a very nice coin.
I think CNG has the best grading standards among the auction houses. I imagine they would have graded it «good very fine, scratches». Nice coin!
It's natural for most new collectors of ancient coins to be interested in knowing the grade of a coin they own or are considering buying. You'll learn that, at least on this site, most veteran collectors of ancients consider a coin's grade a curiosity at best, one that rarely if ever influences a collecting decision. You can get a better sense of why this is true if you try the following: go to the website cngcoins.com and click RESEARCH near the top of the page. Next, when the RESEARCH page appears, leave all the entry fields blank except the one labeled SEARCH and just type "domitian denarius" into this search field. Click the FIND button and you get a SEARCH RESULTS (903) page that has, literally, 903 hits in a variety of CNG's archives: The Coin Shop, eAuctions, Feature Auctions, Time Auctions, and Live Auctions. Browse through these archives and look at the various coins -- not just of the type you own, but all of them. Look at the obverse portraits, reverses, etc., and think about which ones appeal to you and which ones don't. Maybe part of the appeal is the coin's condition, but the coin's grade is probably irrelevant, especially if, say, one particular reverse is more appealing than another. Even among a set of similar coins you like, that may all be graded similarly, you'll find that you have preferences for one or two more than others. The grade doesn't really matter. The more research you do, the more you'll find that, well, grade is rarely if ever part of your decision to collect a coin.
Thanks for everyone's advice and tips! Not to compare, but I had built my other collections focusing on strong strike and natural patina. I can see some similarities with ancients; those with nice centering and strike tend to be more appealing to me. Look forward to posting here more and learning.
That's a very nice coin. The reverse detail on Minerva is exquisite! Compare it to the British Museum plate coin: BMCRE2-178; RIC2.1-719.
Steelers72, Your denarius is a handsome, well struck coin . As you've probably noticed most CT members don't like slabbed coins . I have no problem with NGC slabbed ancient coins that are high grade or very rare, however, I don't like to see large bronze coins in slabs. By NGC standards your coin would probably grade AU, but the cleaning scratches would most likely be noted on the slab too. One thing to keep in mind is high grade slabbed coins usually bring higher prices at auction . The coin pictured below I sold long ago at auction, it fetched $460.00. There is no doubt in my mind it would have sold for at least $100.00 less in a raw state .
