[ancients] A disappointing mixed lot.

From the photo, I see no reason to doubt it. The fact that it still has the A on the amphora (usually an early wear point on these) makes me wonder why it was not lotted separately. I was unable to find the coin in Svoronos. It would seem to belong on his plate 52 with other coins of Diotimos and Magas but the third name (across the bottom) is Nikodamos and not one of the choices listed. The coins of the two listed are unusual in their lack of a minor type symbol in the field and this one matches that. It is a coin that, were it mine, I would want to show to someone interested in New Style. I do not have references other than Svoronos and do not know how seriously to take its not being shown there. Who has access to Thompson?

I apologize for the offence but, in all truth, I considered your naming the dealer and saying you were burned to be inappropriate under the circumstances. It is true that you went on to take the blame but those who only read headlines (sometimes the majority) would come away with a feeling that this dealer was someone to avoid. The thread went on to take them to task for selling a 'fake' which only those who read closely would know you considered OK since the coin was not needed for the count given. I would prefer we not post negatively about dealers unless we are ready to add them to our list of crooks.

I remain curious about the coins in lot 20100 they described as tooled. Was the Vespasian a tooled Judaea Capta?


I do prefer, in these days of technology, dealers that spring for a picture of at least representative coins of the lot as shown in the link below. In some cases there are half a dozen coins representing a lot of ten times that many while others shows the whole lot in trays but the picture is so small that I have to question what it tells me beyond 'small Greeks'. I rarely bid and less often win lots like these because I'm always afraid the photo was staged with the good side up. I will be interested in seeing the prices on some of these (like the 751 decent looking ants). I assume most will go to dealers. It might amaze some of us that there are so many decent looking common coins that they get sold in huge groups.

http://www.cngcoins.com/Coins.aspx?CATEGORY_ID=4294&VIEW_TYPE=0

 

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Thank you for the attribution guidance on the Athens tet, Doug.

And I do see your point about the thread title. It was a poor choice of wording and I have changed it. I do not blame Stack's for my disappointment. Well, maybe a teeeeensy bit I certainly take no issue with the two fakes, since the description said 'approximately 93 coins' and there were 95, including the two fakes.

I haven't taken a close look at the Vespasians yet but will do so over the next few days. It is curious that many (most?) of the Roman coins in this lot appear to have been aggressively (over)cleaned. I wonder if they were purchased that way by the last buyer or if that was done afterwards?

 

Looks real to me. Nice pickup. These don't go cheap.

 

Ugh. I see this too often - those coins were probably stripped by electrolysis, which removes most if not all of the patina.

 

I believe it was King Farouk of Egypt who was known for cleaning his coins and he once owned the 1933 Double Eagle that makes news quite regularly.

I once had a scare thinking I had a fake. After buying a rare coin, I discovered its match in an old auction catalog. The two images matched in shape of flan and major details but mine had fewer deposits and some extra scratches. I contacted the earlier dealer who did not give me a name but said the guy he sold it to was known (not in a good sense) for trying to improve his coins and his opinion was that the two were the same coin just before and after the guy did his thing. I paid well under half what it sold for in its earlier state but a lot of that was that the first seller was a bigger deal than the smaller sale from which I bought it. The current attitude regarding cleaning coins and the popular desirability of toned silver has changed a lot in the last 50 years. Many more collectors in 1963 would dip a blotchy mess of a silver dollar than would today. I suspect in another 50 years we will pass through another period where bright and shiny is preferred to rainbow toned.

 

Doug, I don't have the coins with me at work but earlier this morning I took pictures of a few, including a Vespasian sestertius. Not tooled per se but pitted and aggressively cleaned. It's not a Judea Capta and I haven't check the other Vespasians to see if they are.

Having only looked at ERIC, it appears to be RIC II 435, Cohen 313 (I think I see a bit of lettering on the right but the strike is off center; should read AVGVST).

Obv: IMP CAES VESPAS AVG PM TR P P P COS III, laureate head right
Rev: PAX, S-C; Pax standing left, branch in outstretched right hand, holding cornucopia in left arm.

 

I've seen a lot worse sell for more than the average you paid per coin. On what you have shown so far, you are well ahead but I assume there are worse coins. I suspected the Judaea type because there was a time where it was fashionable to tool common reverses into rare ones of VG examples into VF examples. You see more tooled Judaea coins simply because the demand for them is great.

 

There are definitely worse coins, most of them, and most of them mid or later Roman bronze. I'm showing the better ones first, of course. I wouldn't have been so disappointed had there been more Greeks. Live and learn.

 

I kinda like it lol

 

I thought coin communists, sorry, coin community, was great for a while and then having subscribed and contributed, i was abused by another member who didnt like the fact that I sold coins too, only problem being his coins were, well, shoddy!
Unforunately, the site owner banned us both without looking at the facts. I hope that doesnt happen here, I certainly wont break the rules, but I am running out of coin forums, so......
can I sell coins here one day?

 

You can sell right away. Buying/Selling forums are at the bottom of the page. Here are the rules...

http://www.cointalk.com/threads/hey-read-this-before-posting-here-for-sale-forum-rules.190428/

As far as I know, I'm the only member that's sold any ancient coins here, but it's not my style to pick fights. There's room enough for everyone.

 

Welcome YOC!

Feel free to sell ancients here, we won't judge.

 

Again, welcome YOC. You are joining a band of misfits (some of us) who are banned from CCF for various reasons. I think you will find a comfortable family here. I know I have.

 

Question: How many of us ever bother to look at the CT sales page? I did tonight just because it was mentioned here but had not before on the assumption that everything there would be US. If I took the trouble to write up some of my spare coins, how many people would see them (other than the US crowd)? We might be able to get something going there if enough of us knew when to look. I am also concerned that we represent more than one country and international postage and customs might make selling some coins (cheap ones?) less appealing.

 

Ive sold some ancients on the advertising section. Also bought some too.

Best was my Sept Sev. I got from Stainless, first ancient purchase ever which ended up causing me to go and collect ancients.

Who knows, maybe some u.s. or otherwise collector may get the ancient bug like I did, buying one on here.

 

I've sold a handful of Romans to members of the forum that don't post in the ancients, curiously.

 

I rarely look there lol

 

Huh, I didn't even know that CT has a sales page?

 

it struck me as slightly odd when i joined that ancients and world coins were on the same section.......I wonder whether ancients having their own section and sales, might make people more inclined to look without having to wade through the masses of bulk sale wheat cents etc etc.? just a thought.

 

I have looked at the CNG lots....I am always excited by the large lots, then I look at the estimates and starting bids and my heart sinks. Sometimes these values are close to resale, so i wonder which dealers will buy them as the mark up wont be great?? I have bought and sold a few large lots and I can claim a few minor successes, but also a few fails too.