Ancient Coins: How'd I do?

I've really enjoyed seeing everyone's Ancient coins on here, so after 20 years of collecting only United States coins, you've finally turned me to the dark side. And it's great!
It seems to take a vast and infinite amount of knowledge to really understand ancient coins, but I must get a few examples to begin the journey. I downloaded a couple free books from the Google store and am trying to spend more time on Wildwinds, but needed some actual study pieces........ (I told myself with a sinister grin). So...if you don't mind me asking: How did I do on these? Are they genuine? Are the attributions correct?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/350937016040?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/350937014732?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281213330584?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I don't like spending the extra money on graded examples, but figured it would be a good reference for this newb.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ROMAN-EMPIRE-Sept-Severus-AD-193-211-AR-Denarius-NGC-XF-/251372884478?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&nma=true&si=sxsQ%2Bd50W0GyunoxgVqsDXI8v7Y%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

At least he combined shipping
Thank you all very much in advance for taking the time to look at them and any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

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I like your picks. If I had any qualms it would be the MA. Especially when starting out, try to go for quality over rarity. Wait toget rarer pieces until you know more what conditions you will accept.

One thing about slabbed ancients, they do not use the same grading scale we use. What Us collectors call a XF we will call at best a VF. I very highly recommend Doug Smith's excellent website for beginners.

Btw, welcome. I also spent about 20 years only collecting US before discovering the rich history and freedom of ancients. No tyranny of a 09s vdb or 16 d dime here. Collect what you find beautiful and interesting.

 

Thank you right kindly Medoraman, I greatly appreciate the welcome and look forward learning more about this "new world".
Hate to say it, but the reason that Marcus Aurelius was purchased is because I thought it was (sigh) actually 2 coins. lol Guess it's Ric catalog # is 415a (or is that 417b), but at the time I had never seen a coin with 2 busts! C'est la Vie.
Will look into that "ancients.info" site more (if that's the one) and thanks for the tip about it.

 

welcome Trav! i think there very nice denari..i'd gladly take any of them.

good advice from med...but you did well i think well. if you not sure if about a coin, post it here first and friendly folks will give you a hand before you purchase.

 

I like the first two ants and the denarius. You overpaid for the MA, and it's got some crud on it - maybe it can be cleaned up a bit. Try soaking it in distilled water for starters, and see if anything dissolves or loosens up.

I've bought some coins from the seller of the slab - they seem to be a pawn shop outfit, and I've managed to buy a few slabs from them without any added premium. Avoid expensive slabs in general, unless they're housing very rare coins, or gold.

Dealers and TPG's have been trying to foist encapsulated coins on collectors of ancients for a while now. A lot of the coins are quite common and the premiums are high. That same S. Severus denarius you bought is probably being offered by David Lawrence for $200, just because it's in a slab (and I imagine David Lawrence has a lot of overhead.) But somebody must be overpaying for the stuff because we keep seeing it - probably non-educated collectors that worry about getting fakes.

 

Welcome to the dark side, it's so much fun!

I agree with all of the above.

Doug's site is http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/

The link you found in this CT thread below (which has other good ancient resources) is incorrect, as is the link to his member page on that site
http://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients.13991/

On Doug's site, be sure to keep scrolling down landing page. For some reason for my first several visits I stopped scrolling at the Forvm award banner thinking it was the end... but that is just the beginning. Tons of links to other pages of specific and useful information are below that banner.

 

The denarius of Antoninus Pius with Marcus Aurelius usually brings a slightly premium, so even in that rough condition it was a fair buy. In my opinion, every coin you bought is worth about $20 - you came in a little under on the antoniniani, overpaid slightly for the raw denarius, and overpaid by double on the slab. Don't sweat it - they are still all fine coins.

 

You did well IMHO. A very nice start to your trip on the Dark Side. I do believe you are in for an exciting trip.

 

I agree with others, you did very well with what you bought. Its always nice to see new ancient collectors doing some homework and getting their first coins that are NOT "uncleaned lots" or a common constantine.

 

I agree with Ardatirion's list. When moving from US to ancients, you need to learn some new rules but you can bring with you some old ideas as well. The Aurelius/Pius denarius has what one might term VF details but the poor surfaces and deposits would keep it from being slabbed if it were a US coin. On ancients, we forgive little problems but ugly is not required. This is one of the most common and lowest priced 2 headed coins so it is not rare enough that there is a lot of demand for really low grade ones. My example has similar details but better surfaces. I suspect it is worth something on the order of 7-8 times as much? Just like with US, a little less wear on the hair curls would make that twenty times. We are also a bit condition centered but the rules are just a bit different.

 

I don't know where you guys are buying your denarii, but if you know of someone that's willing to part with coins as nice as the S. Severus for $20, please tell me! I'll take a dozen.

I have exactly the same Gordian III as the OP's. These coins are neither rare nor expensive, and the Apollo-seated design is one of my favorites: a Roman adaptation of a far older Greek design.

Gordian III, 225-244
AR Double Denarius, 23mm. 4.58g, 6h: Rome mint, 241-243
Obv.: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: PM TR P IIII COS II PP; Apollo, bare to waist, seated left, holding branch and resting elbow on lyre
Reference: RIC IV(c) 88 (p. 25)

 

Welcome, TravIntiques!!

=> man, you're gonna "love" collecting ancient coins!! (they're so cool, yet soooo addictive ... geeesh, I can hardy wait until you fall for your first mini-set within a set!! ... or perhaps decide that coins from "X" (eg. Syracuse) are gonna be your thing!! ... yup, then the fun starts, brother!!)

=> I also think that you've purchased some pretty sound coins (not too adventurous, but certainly at pretty good lookin' prices) ...

Congrats, and again => "welcome!!"

 

Welcome aboard the ancient train, next stop Rome....peep peeep!! (or Greece), (or come to think of it everywhere, but a long time ago)

 

Wow, thank you all for the wonderful responses! I'm glad for the info and to hear these were fairly sound purchases. Over paying by a little sounds just fine, it's over paying by a lot that scares me.....so rarer pieces will not be in my sights for a while. And I'll post 'em here first! I downloaded a couple of free auction catalogs from Kunker today and am just overwhelmed by the beauty of these little pieces of history. The idea that one can acquire a coin with less than 500 examples known for under $100 is down right astonishing to a US coin collector (though I'm pretty sure none from the catalogs were under $100, lol).
I'll have more questions and "newps" to come, but thank you for the welcome!

 

Yup, some of us have single digit examples known in our collections, does that mean we can retire? No, but it does give a boost in pride & coolness. You cant do that with u.s. coins unless you have major deep pockets.

 

Because they are all hammered, they are all unique and one of a kind. They may be of the same mint and even the same dies, but you will never find two identical ancient coins.......

 

Indeed, and I like this more personalized method of manufacturing as well as thinking of who owned the coin before me. Yes, this is going to be a lot of fun

DougSmith after all my lurking how did I not know you had a web site..... And it looks amazing! Kudos good sir, consider it bookmarked!

Stevex, my current trend is roman silver with Greeks as part of the future plan, but ruler\mint should also be interesting..... Knowledge permitting lol!

 

Great start! Now the fun starts of learning about each of the emperors you just acquired

 

I could not agree more. Owning coins is nice nut if that nudges you toward understanding not only the coins but the civilizations that made them, so much the better. Whether your coin cost $10 or $10,000, you are missing much of the value if you do not learning about the emperor, the figures on the revers, the metallurgy, the technical and artistic factors that went into making your coin and other bonuses that come with the coins if you want them. If all you want is monetary gain, perhaps there is a better 'hobby'. I may make a lifetime profit when my coins are all sold but I won't if you figure in the minimum wage job of studying that this hobby has required and the side expenses like travel, supplies and books (the ones that wore out and were not resold with the coins for what they cost). (95% of all coin collectors will first ask about a coin, "What's it worth?" For ancients, the answer is hard to express only in dollars.

 

Bingo, you guys have hit upon another reason for my current quest...
Everyone knows about Caesar, but Caracalla, Gordian(s), Claudius, etc. don't enter into the common lexicon.
I found a nice chronological list of Roman Emperors and Doug's illustrated list of Personifications has been invaluable...and a lot of fun!