My adrenaline really started pumping when I saw this relatively modest bronze at auction. Some of you may know I discussed this exact variety in my recent KOINON essay. Sure, the obverse was scratched a bit and as a general type these are very common--but the varieties featuring Acheloios are not, and this is easily the second nicest example known. I put in a bid of 250 EUR assuming no one would come close--but it sold for precisely that amount (coincidence?). The seller might have felt bad that I "overpaid" because he included another nice bronze (different variety) in about the same condition as a bonus. I'm glad I didn't put in 500 EUR, which I would pay for this piece. Please post any coins you happily "overpaid" for.
What is the age of your coin and where is it from? Tarsos? It looks like a very fine coin but I am not initiated into the cult of Acheloios and don't really understand the significance? More elaboration would be great! I like the various coins of Temnos in Aeolis and randomly stumbled across an "unknown/uncertain" listing which was immediately obvious; it was a worn-down slug with a perfectly unambiguous countermark of Temnos almost perfectly centered. I had never seen one before and was unable to find any references to such a mark, or any other countermark linked to Temnos for that matter. I figured that it would be a sleeper and I'd probably get it for 20-30 bucks but wisely put in a hefty bid. I was astonished to see that someone else must have recognized that it was something special and had to pay about 131.00 shipped for it, but I'm very happy to own it as to my limited knowledge it is quite a rarity, and represents a superb addition to my Temnos accumulation. If anyone has seen one before please let me know! A few typical coins of Temnos with the 17mm, 3.27g countermarked coin bottom center. Reverse is completely flat with no discernible details remaining.
Well, it is a mystery cult, so I’m not allowed to divulge too much, but if you read the essay from the hyperlink it is a good introduction. That is a nice countermark. I’ve never seen it before.
Overpaid? Certainly I overpay for every coin I buy at auction. After all the auction winner is the person willing to pay more than all other bidders so everyone else must have thought the coin was worth less. This coin cost me a little over $7000. OK, maybe the thing wasn't exactly all that expensive since it came as part of a group of 27 coins but I bid on the lot almost entirely for this coin. I do not really know how much I paid for the coin and 1/27th of the total is not a reasonable fraction. It makes no difference. I consider it a 'die with' coin. It will not be sold. For the few who have not seen my previous posts, the coin shows Julia Domna and is dated LK using the numbers of Septimius Severus making the coin September 211 to August 212. The reverse shows Caracalla and Geta shaking hands. There are quite a few coins showing the two together while Septimius lived and made them play nice. This is the only coin I have seen struck after Septimius died hat shows the two together. Caracalla killed Geta 26 December 211 or less than four months into the LK period. How many were made? I don't know. How many exist? I have seen this one. I wanted the coin. We pay too much when we want something.
I believe I overpaid for this one, but I would do so again. I bought it from Ed Waddell's fixed price lit on his website for 400.00 USD plus shipping. I loved the portrait and the coin was the best of a few I had seen. It did not hurt that it has an excellent provenance. It was part of the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection and it was sold in NAC 92 part 2. Vespasian RIC 544
Possibly my favorite ancient coin; I paid about double ($100) the average price for an XF Caracalla (especially considering the worn reverse!) I just had to have the lifelike snarl complete with scrunched nose! I normally get excellent deals on my Indo-Sassanian coins; the average example set me back less than $10. Rarely do any trigger bidding wars - I have only lost out on maybe five coins when it came to a bidding war. A recent win that arrived yesterday; a degenerate Pratihara "Sri Ma" with stylized Kalasha; the only one I've ever seen in this style. Bid $90, won for $77. More pedestrian types usually go for not more than $20. Won this in a lot of three coins for $60; the other two were nothing special. This one is one of the most exaggerated "Neanderthal" types of early Gadhaiya (1.2.7) I've ever seen From the same seller; same day - I won this one for about $35 on a $50 bid; a delightful double strike. It was a hard day on the wallet. Here is one that had been sitting on ebay for at least four years when I finally bought it, $100 or best offer. It is the only one of the type ("Distinctive nose") to show the moon that I have ever seen. Made many offers, seller wouldn't budge from $50. Finally sucked it up and paid
These go from $500 to $2000 in decent grades, but you never know when another will come up so I grabbed it somewhere in the middle of that range and for more than one would go at auction. I think 2 appeared in the 500 to 600 range after I bought this one from Nathan which no longer sells on vcoins. Plus I needed it to complete the series.
I probably overpaid by $50 for this one, but I would gladly do so again. It is just such a beautiful portrait and the coin has such beautiful patina. The picture captures much of the color, but it's even nicer in hand.
This may have set the price record for a Gallienus LIBERO P CONS AVG type, but I HAD to have it for the tiger.
