A few Stolen Ancient Coins if you ever see them

These were stolen 3 years ago this month (theft Nov 2012). I had a medal that was stolen but recovered (because someone saw it on-line) As far as I am concerned, I still own them, so I am posting them here. If anyone ever does see one of these, I am offering rewards. If not, well enjoy the photos.

Thanks for looking. A few of these were some of my favorites. It's a shame that people will sell these for melt value. The medal that was recovered was sold to a pawn broker for $32 and was worth $1,200.


Ptolemy tet 15.65gms

Thasos Tet (36mm, 16.81 g, 12h)

Thasos Imitative (31mm, 16.08 g, 12h)

Nero Dupondius (29mm, 13.18 g, 7h)

Henry VIII Groat 24mm, 2.6g

Cnut Penny (19mm, 1.15 g, 9h)

Constantine 18.5mm, 2.45g

Al-Walid dirhem 26.5mm 2.91Gm

Henry V Medal 38.3mm 34.3gm

 

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Oh how painful! They're all wonderful but that Ptolemy I satrapal tetradrachm is a stunner.

 

Those are some incredible pieces. Just how were they stolen?

 

Wow man sorry to hear that, wonderful pieces.

 

Damn, those are stunning coins....I can't even begin to say how much I hate hearing they were stolen.

 

I recall your painful story from a few years ago and wondered whether or not any of the other coins had been recovered. Too bad this still does not have a happy ending.

 

Those are great coins. It is horrible that someone stole them from you. I hope that someday they will find their way back to you.

 

Also wondering how they were stolen. I've had a few things missing after throwing a party and that was my fault trusting so called "friends".

 

Ouch!!!!

 

My ancients means the world to me, so I cannot begin to imagine how painful this loss must be.

These coins are gorgeous! I hope they are recovered soon.

 

wow...lovely coins.

was the online seller the pawn broker that purchased the coin for 32 dollars?

 

I was wondering the same thing. If it was the seller (Crook), they should have water-boarded him to give up the other coins.

 

I remember when your coins got stolen. I think I helped post some of them out of your gallery on the thread while you were dealing with the situation. I also had thought you recovered a bunch of them, but I guess not. Sucks big time but I'm glad to see you are getting back into the hobby.

 

Wow, those are amazing!!

=> but man, that really sucks that you got ripped-off!!

 

The Thasos tets, both the original and the imitative are my favourites here.

Hey do we all have our collections insured?

 

Fantastic coins. Sad to say burglars sometimes have good taste.
Hope you'll recover them all

Q

 

Yes, indeed, you did. I will recount the story here in pieces. As some have already mentioned, it was a painful thing to go through. But it does have some upside to it all. I was asked once to document it and I never really have. If you indulge me, I will do it here, now, for anyone interested to hear my little tale.

Part I

I started collecting ancients about 10 years ago. I stumbled across an ancient coin on ebay and it rekindled a childhood interest in coin collecting. I was not going to trust an ebay seller so I found some good dealers and bought by first coin from Freeman and Sear. It was a $425 ATG. Over the next 3-4 years, I collected about 15 very nice coins when I hit a money crunch and had to sell most of them. I only mention this because, as you will see, this is my third attempt to build a collection and this initial sale effects the story later on.

BTW my first ancient


AR tetradrachm (17.24 gm). Macedonia (Amphipolis), ca. 334 ca. 323 BC. (possibly 325-323BC per Alex B) Head of young Heracles right in lion skin headdress / Zeus enthroned left, holding eagle and scepter, stern in left field. Price 5. A few minor planchet flaws around Heracles’ ear. Extremely fine
Ex Commander David R. Hinkle Collection. Freeman & Sear Mail Bid 12 Oct 28, 2005

Of the coins I sold, one had been more special than the others and I priced it high hoping it would not sell. In fact, when the others sold, I no longer had to sell this special coin so I contacted the dealer to pull the coin from sale. I was a couple days too late and the coin had just sold and shipped. I was pretty upset. I had money, but I wanted the coin.

Here is that coin


AUGUSTUS. 27 BC-14 AD. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm (24mm, 11.89 gm, Die Axis 1:00). Ephesus mint. Struck 24-20 BC. IMP. CAE-SAR, bare head right / AVGVSTVS, capricorn right, head left, holding cornucopiae; all within laurel wreath. References: BMC (Vol. I) No. 696; CBN (Vol. I) 916; RIC (Vol. I) 480; RPC (Vol. I) 2213; RSC (Vol. I) 16; Sutherland Group VI No. 239 (O33/R43) THIS COIN (illustrated). Toned. Satin brown patina. Silver highlights
Sutherland plate coin (The Cistophori of Augustus)
Ex Rodolfo Ratto Sale, Lugano Switzerland (Feb. 8, 1928), Lot 1719
Ex Lempertz (23 February 1939), lot 960.
Ex CNG via private sale
Ex John Malcolm Hayes Collection (corinthstater.com)

I have to stop here for now...........

 

Both are beautiful coins, but that Augustus is spectacular!

 

I remember as if it were yesterday that Augustus cistophor, a gem !

Q

 

I'm curious now, have you had the coin in hand? Or do you remember it by reputation?

Part II

So I had the money for the Augustus coming my way from BeastCoins (Zach handled my sales for me) but I really wanted the coin instead. I was pretty disappointed but I carried on and used the money from the Augustus to start buying the coins in the OP.

Unbeknownst to me, the purchaser of the Augustus heard that I had tried to pull the sale from Zach and he began a conversation with Zach to bequeath the coin back to me upon his death. He was in his 70's, an avid collector and no kin to share his love. I thought the offer too much and protested quite a bit. In a series of emails thru Zach, I finally consented to the generous offer and laid the thought to rest. I never thought of it again.

Fast forward a few years to the autumn of 2012 and my collection had grown to the coins in the OP. The Ptolemy was the first and came out of a Gemini Auction in NYC. I sat in a hot room for almost 5 hrs waiting for it to come up on the block late that night. I won it and over the years I won or bought the others..............including this medal.



George I and James III, The South Sea Bubble (Appeal against the House of Hannover), Silver Medal (50 mm, 51 gm.) 1721, by O. Hamerani EF Rare
Obv: VNICA SALVS, Bust of the Pretender James III right,
Rev: QVID GRAVIVS CAPTA, Britannia seated weeps as the Horse of Hanover tramples on the Lion and Unicorn, behind a family escape with a few possessions, view of the City of London in the distance Eimer 493. A few small marks, some patches of dark toning, otherwise EF. Rare

I include the medal here and not above, with the missing coins, because as I mentioned in the OP this is the only stolen piece that was recovered. This wonderful piece of history was traded for $32 in silver melt value. Hastily stuffed in the countertop drawer of a dingy pawnshop. A literal den of thieves hidden behind darkened windows in a neglected, forgotten strip mall. Just another piece of looted treasure on its way to another time and place in its long circuitous trip thru history. A trip that remarkably led it.......................back to me.

But I am getting a bit ahead of myself. In November 2012 all these pieces sat snugly in their tray. As well admired by me as many of you admire your hard earned collections. Sadly it was one of the last times this little collection would ever be together again. Bad people with bad intentions lurked just around the corner.

Gotta stop here for now.