Auction Houses: The Good, The Bad and the The Ugly + My new Celtic Tet!

Just fell down a rabbit hole reading about a bad auction house that kinda turned into a confusing diatribe.
To wash that down, like a good scotch after eating a child's birthday cake, I thought I would remind everyone that there are a LOT of good, reputable auction houses. It's just that there are some, usually newer, that should be avoided.
So I am starting a list of auction houses that I have bought from and had experiences with.
To those that are new to auction houses, you are welcome. To those that frequent these auction houses, sorry for filling a couple of buddies in on our little secrets
I am pretty new to the auction game myself, but still have purchased from these places so can at least vouch from my own experiences. I would enjoy seeing if there are others who share similar sentiment or vice versa.



The heavy hitters are just that for a reason. They have been around for a long time and have shown repeatedly that we can trust them...even if we have to pay extra for the reassurance. And yes, they all have probably had a few fakes slip threw their experienced hands and into ours, they still are the best that we have.

I'm thinking of places like:

CNG
Heritage
Nomos
Tauler & Fau
Numismatik Naumann
Stack's Bowers

All I have purchased from and received the excellent experience that you expect from a top notch firm.

Others that I have really enjoyed my purchasing experiences are:

Savoca (NOBODY ships faster)
Aureo & Calico
Artemide
Ibercoin
BAC

I hear good things but haven't purchased from:
NAC
ROMA
Kunker



Though some of these are auction houses that I haven't purchased from, I have either seen fakes reported in their auctions, had negative experiences myself or read of sketchy experiences and personally avoid:

LANZ
KATZ
Zeus
Biga
Ares
Kairos




EBAY! It's pretty easy; anytime you purchase from a new, to you, seller on ebay you MUST check Forvm's Notorious Fake Sellers list: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=18502.0
and even then, you are putting your coin collections integrity at risk more than purchasing from an established auction house.

I'd love to read others thoughts on these auction houses, any corrections about where you would put them and other auction houses that you feel are...



Oh, and I promised my new Celtic Tet! Check him out and post those Celts!
*Edit: was told the tet wasn't showing up, so I posted it both ways to make sure all could enjoy:


Danubian Celts - Imitative Alexander Tetradrachm
300-200 BCE
Obv: traces of greatly degraded stylised head of Herakles right. Rev: garbled legend to right, stylised Zeus seated left on throne, holding eagle and sceptre; IML monogram in left field. 16.8 grams. Fine.

 

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I can add a few good:

Spink
Dix Noonan Webb
Chris Rudd
Davissons
Stephen Album

These seem good but I haven't used them much:

HD Rauch
Leu
Noble (the shipping from Australia is the issue)

I might even add Coins.ee to this list, who are based in Estonia (much maligned in the Katz post) but seem competent, and Numisbalt in Lithuania. I mean, if you want Eastern European coins and can't use Katz because of their general incompetence (I believe it's that rather than dishonesty)...

As for ugly - I think London Coins are reputable but their auction 'technology' is terrible.

Here's my latest, a Northumbrian sceatta from CNG:

Eanbald II Archbishop of York Sceatt, 796-837

York. Silver, 13.5mm, 1.10g EA • (NB) A • LD • (retrograde, read from outside-in) around central cross pattée. + EDILVARD (Æthelweard moneyer) around central cross pattée (SCBI 29 Merseyside, 123 var; EMC 1997.0430; CNG 111, lot 1057). Only the SCBI, EMC and CNG 111 pieces published with this obverse.

 

I'm fighting with the British Numismatic Guild over a problem I've had with Roma Numismatics. I won two Roman coins at one of their auctions, they harassed me daily for payment. Then I sent payment and they misplaced the coins: apparently, they moved offices.

Then they said they couldn't find the coins (by telephone). By email they said they would not refund my money. Thus they have the coins AND my payment for them. Still trying to get the British Numismatic Guild to intervene.

I've had good experiences with Heritage (am a legacy client), Stacks, Gorny - Mosch, & Leu Numismatics. Leu is very friendly. Also have been dealing with some auction firms in Poland who are very nice.

 

I can certainly vouch for NAC, ROMA and Kunker. I have done a lot of business with each and highly respect and trust them.

I've also done a lot of business with Bertalomi, and although they have been known to unintentionally misrepresent some lots, I still consider them a good source for ancient coins.

I can't disagree with any of the other trusted firms so far put forward in this list. Either I have had good experience with them or never dealt with them.

I would also add the following to my highly trusted list:
Nomisma Spa
Gorny & Mosch
Naville
Dr. Busso Peus
Jean Elsen
Goldberg

 

Others I have dealt with and had a good experience with:

Auctiones GmbH
Naville
Bertolami
Timeline
Davisson's
Ken Dorney
Stephen Album
AMCC
Jesus Vico

Here is my naughty list:

I won't recommend Roma. I paid within hours after receiving an invoice and they hassled me for payment as if I were a deadbeat despite emailed receipts. I ultimately received my coins and an apology. This happened TWICE, so I haven't bought anything from them in four years.

Agora treated me the same way. I paid Alfredo immediately after I received an electronic invoice. When no shipping notification came, I sent him three e-mails asking about it, and he ignored every one of them. THREE WEEKS later, he sent an e-mail asking that I pay him for the coin. I called him, urging him to check his records and he did and admitted that I had, in fact, paid him and that for some reason I was listed as delinquent on the account. He did mail it, but it was a month before the coin arrived in the mail. After I had the coin in my possession, I saw it listed at Sergey Nechayev's V-Coins store and ostensibly STILL FOR SALE. See this thread about it.

Heritage misdescribed a middle bronze as a sestertius, leading me to bid more on the coin than it was worth.

 

Haven't seen mention of Pars Coins yet (they do occasional auctions through vauctions.com), very trustworthy seller and they have lots of scarce and high-grade Persian (Parthian, Sasanian, etc.) coins.

 

A Danubian imitative Celtic tet, got it from an Australian seller for extremely cheap!
14.9g

 

Mine are mostly the same as mentioned, but I'll add some extra plugs for them.

Have ordered from and had a good experience:
CNG
Roma
Nomos
Savoca
Numismatik Naumann
Dr Busso Peus
CoinIndia
Bargain Bin Ancients
N&N Collection
Forum Ancient Coins
CGB

Have dealt with, didn't buy - but gladly would
Marc Breitsprecher
Kuenker
Heritage
Stacks Bowers

Honestly, I have yet to have a negative experience with a dealer, mainly because I only stick to those with positive reviews here.

 

I have had 2 recent fraudulent buys show up in my bank. I had to get a new account and transfer my funds from one account to the new account. The bank said the buyers had all account information including routing numbers so I am still fighting the buyer, Nguyen.
I haven't bought from Ebay in at least a year but they somehow got all the info. Ebay finally said there was no buy and shows no sale at all but paypal still charging for a sale that never occurred

 

By and large, I agree with all the mentions, both negative and positive.

Leu, Roma, Nomos, CNG, all excellent, with good costumer service, helpful and knowledgeable.

Never miss a new Artemide listing.

Jesus Vico comes recommended for antiques (although they need some gentle prodding when it comes to shipping once they've received the required export license).

Heritage is out for me. In it for the money, not for the love of numismatics.
I bought from them once. The coin was good and cheap. The $120 in 'shipping and handling' (more than the price of the coin!) put me off for always.
In my book, 'handling' is included in the fees. Whoever charges $100 for putting a coin in an envelope is out. The complementary book on 'Coins as Investment' (or whatever it was called) ended up as kindling.

Nice tet @Ryro!

Might as well post a recent win myself. From Roma:

 

OK, folks...where does GC (Great Coins, I think...?) fall in...? Didn't see it mentioned/listed anywhere, unless I missed it/sorry. Hope I'm not embarrassing myself...aren't they an auction house, or the kind we're talking about...?

 

I notice some people are listing retail dealers as well as auction firms. I could list a number of them that I recommend, but it would probably be off-topic. The only auction I've bid on was a Nomos Obolos auction, and they were great.

 

I have had good experiences with Muenzen & Medaillen, Westfaelische Auktions Gesellschaft (WAG) and Kunker, as well as Stephen Album, Artemide Aste, Numismatik Naumann, Bertolami. I've bought from London Ancient Coins (LAC) as well without issue so far.

I have heard good things but never bought from CNG, Spink, or Jean Elsen.

I haven't yet been severely burned on an auction house buy, although I have gotten dinged frequently by underestimating shipping & handling costs. I did have one auction house recently where I won the coin and they sold it to the next lowest buyer because their online auction technology failed to recognize my (several days earlier, not last-minute) higher bid. Oh well - you can't win them all.

In terms of numismatists, I did buy frequently from Lanz for over a decade, but with all the fakes showing up in his stock now, I'm more wary of buying from him. I'm still upset and disappointed that the Lanz business has decided to continue selling fake coins salted in with its stock, because to me it means they don't truly see their previously established reputation as worth upholding in an age where online buyers are more fickle.

Where I've really taken my lumps is buying and selling on EBay. I've given up selling because the risk simply isn't worth it. Shipping prices and risk is too high and Ebay refunds the money and takes it out of your account if the buyer complains or says the coin never arrived. I've inadvertently bought quite a few fakes over my 30+ years of online collecting (and amassed a decent "black cabinet"), but have also gotten some pretty solid coins as well. I think the fakes problem has become a lot worse in recent years - many pages (like the Medievals section) are so infested there are more fakes than real coins. It is kind of a joke in that sense. That being said, if you're patient, do your due diligence, and never let your guard down, there is still the odd bargain to be had.

 

Among the ones I hold in the highest regard are, Keunker, Elsen, CNG,
Numismatic Nauman, H.D. Rauch, Hohn, Steven Album, Great Collections
and WAGO. Except for Great Collections, I've been buying from the rest for several years. There are a few others, but they don't come to mind. In 2020, I sold several Morgan and VAM dollars thru Great Collections. Went very smoothly and they stayed in contact every step of the way. What few that didn't sell were shipped back after their offer to relist. COVID was taking hold
and I don't trust the USPS. Their check arrived 3 days later. I was a happy
consigner. Getting another group ready for them. The above dealers all
accept PayPal. This is very important to me, not for returning of items,
which I never have, but it is so easy to use them.

 

thank you experts/!

 

They are an auction house and I've purchased a few coins from them without problems. HOWEVER, all of their coins are slabbed, which turns a $45 denarius of Trajan into something not worth their typical starting bid. Overpriced stuff for people who buy plastic and not coins.

 

In my 'best' category: CNG and Nomos/Obolos. It is not only about fast service, but also trust. I used to enjoy buying from Triskeles, I totally trust John Lavender who now works for Nomos.

As to ugly: I am presenting a coin that is even uglier in hand. Now sure what I was thinking. AtG tets from Mesembria and Odessos have a certain charm, just not this one. CNG picture.

 

I've had good experiences with:

CNG: In my eyes, CNG is the gold standard for buying ancient coins at auction in the US. They are absolutely reliable, very knowlegdeable, and as professional as it gets. Their coins tend to be expensive, though.

AMCC: A favorite place to buy coins, which is run by @Severus Alexander. Many coins previously owned by CT members are sold there. It's obvious that a lot of diligence and effort go into AMCC's online catalogues and photography. They offer a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. I'm very much looking forward to AMCC 3, which I hear is going to go online very soon!

Artemide: They tend to have an interesting mixture of ancient coins, including medium and lower grades. Their Vienna branch (Artemide Kunstauktionen) ships from Austria, the main auction house (Artemide Aste) from San Marino. I've purchased from them often and never had any reason to complain. A while ago, a very deceptive fake was spotted in one of their auctions by another forum member, and they immediately pulled it and apologized after I contacted them. That speaks in their favor.

Tauler & Fau: I buy from them frequently and was always happy with their service. Their auctions usually have very reasonable starting prices and include good Roman Republican selections, which I'm partial to. When some coins I won (value c. $200) vanished in the shipping chaos caused by Covid, they went to great lengths to recover the parcel and make sure the coins arrived in the end. They are based in Spain, which can cause shipping delays due to export bureaucracy.

Savoca: In their "blue" auctions, they sell a great number of ancient coins in various grades, at low starting prices, and with minimal attributions that you should probably check before bidding. Something for bargain hunters. Savoca is based in Munich. They ship extremely fast using FedEx and accept PayPal with no additional fees.

Frank S. Robinson: His website, auction catalogues, and business practice are old-fashioned and sometimes a little quirky. At least for the most part, I appreciate that. All coins I bought from him were better than expected, and Frank is upstanding, honest, and fun to deal with.

Ken Dorney: A sympathetic coin dealer who sometimes does auctions on biddr. Reliable and recommendable.

Kölner Münzkabinett: A well-respected and larger German firm with more than fifty years of experience in selling ancient coins. On occasion, they do auctions on biddr. Their starting prices and fees are reasonable, and their service is top notch.

Teutoburger Münzauktionen: A long-standing and experienced German auction house. Their auctions consist mostly of medieval and "serious" world coins as well as a small ancients section. I bought from them several times and had only positive experiences. They ship to the US at reasonable costs.

I had okay or neutral experiences with Leu, whose coins and service I can't complain about, although I find their practice of sending out massive amounts of advertising e-mails and physical mail somewhat obtrusive. Aureo&Calico at one point "lost" a bid that I entered via their website. This might have been a software glitch but was still irksome.

As for negative experiences, Lanz has absolutely no scruples to sell fakes or heavily tooled coins – caveat emptor! I haven't bought from Zeus/Biga/Demos/Ares etc. personally, but they appear to be run by the same person using different names, have often offered heavily tooled and other problem coins, and are at least somewhat intransparent in their business practice. Emporium (Hamburg, Germany) has offered large amounts of migration period fakes in their auctions and was apparently more than reluctant to pull them. I once bought an authentic bracteate from them but now make sure to stay away from their auctions.

 

Do you mean the British Numismatic Trade Association (BNTA)? I haven't heard of the British Numismatic Guild.

 

Zeus is in the Netherlands and Demos is in Poland. I don't think they are one and the same.