The most benign definition of "smoothing" is that it's the removal of surface encrustations that were not originally part of the coin, but rather...
True Boscoreale toning on gold coins usually commands a premium over non-toned gold coins. This is because Boscoreale toning is associated with...
Elemental gold is inert and will not easily form ions that combine with other elements to form this discoloration. Gold can be dissolved in aqua...
Interestingly, I agree with both of the quotes above. They're not mutually exclusive and here's why: First, Al Kowsky's observations about the...
This information agrees with my copy of RIC. In particular, on p. 168, there is a footnote stating "309. A Vatican example has S C in ex." So it...
Is there any chance that you could: 1. Post the size and weight of your coin? Maybe it's a dupondius and not an as. 2. Post both the obverse and...
Hey! Thanks a lot for posting this. Even in high school chemistry, I studied crystals and crystal-growing, and I thought that alloyed metals...
So, did the pharmacist manually calculate that change from $1.00 for an $0.83 charge is $0.13, or did she use a calculator to get this wrong amount?
The short answer to this specific question is that yes, you can find dealers to whom you can pay a consulting fee for their professional opinion...
It likely is a hippo. It was a popular theme with Hadrian in Egypt: [ATTACH] HADRIAN 117 - 138 A.D. AV Aureus (7.14 g.) Rome ca. 134 - 138...
Non-relevant picture, posted without further comment: [ATTACH]
I would observe that, to my eye, the original CNG photo makes this coin much more attractive than the photo of the coin in the slab. I wonder if...
For archival storage I also store my coins in slabs, but they're re-openable slabs, along with a desiccant. But overall, for ancient coins, there...
I'm curious about your reasoning for doing this. Here's why: (1) dealers and auctioneers in "high grade coins" almost uniformly provide a...
Agreed. This coin simply does not look as if it were struck (rather than cast). The details, even as worn as they appear to be, are too soft and...
I would encourage you to try this, although my preference would be Hadrian due to the consistent high-quality artistry of his coins. However, you...
I find this trend disturbing in the extreme -- specifically, the increasing evidence that non-collectors are getting into the ancient coin market...
It's highly, highly unlikely that your coin was never cleaned. Essentially, 100% of ancient coins have been cleaned. They simply don't come out...
This is a fairly common Vespasian denarius, RIC II 546. The obverse is well centered with good detail and a good portrait, while the reverse is...
In addition to mythological animals on ancient coins, I love the depiction of lions: [ATTACH] HADRIAN 117 - 138 A.D. AV Aureus (7.15 g.) Rome...
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