Ancients, NEWP: AE of Pontos, Amisos; Gorgon Aegis, Nike.

Hey friends. Here's a coin I've been looking to collect for over a year, but I could not find an example that satisfied me aesthetically and stayed in my cheapskate budget. Well today the hunt is over.

If you follow these types, as common as they are, you'll know that even the high-end examples that CNG occasionally sells have their share of problems, mostly off-center strikes. I've seen XF specimens that are wildly off-center sell for hundreds of dollars.

The budget examples have even worse problems. Sometimes they are harshly brick-cleaned, frequently the Gorgon's face is obliterated, either by a weak strike or wear, and Nike can be all over the map.

Today I decided to take another look at the offerings at vcoins and came across this piece. I would only grade it a gF, but there is enough detail in the Gorgon's face to satisfy me, Nike is nicely centered on the reverse, the legend AMIΣOY is all there, and it's even got the right-field monogram. There aren't any ugly flan anomalies, and the residue gives the devices a pleasing contrast. And the coin came well within my budget. It was not difficult to pull the trigger on this one.

Pontic Kingdom, Amisos
AE21, 6.95g; 85-65 BC
Obv: Aegis with Gorgon head at center.
Rev: Nike advancing right carrying palm branch. AMI-ΣOY in field with mongrams.
Reference: SNG XI Stancomb 688.



This is the seller's image, to which I added a black background. I'll update the thread with my own pics when I receive it.

 

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congrats my coin friend,

 

Sweet, sweet addition, JA (congrats!)

... that's one of the Pontos coins that has eluded my clutches

 

Get crackin' Steve-o! On your budget you could do a lot better than I did. Still, like I said, some of the higher end pieces with XF detail have major issues. Here's one from CNG's archives. Would you have paid $210 before buyer's fees for such an off-center strike? The detail is superb, but I just can't get over the fact that so much of the reverse is missing. If this coin was perfectly centered, I can't imagine it selling for less than five Franklins.

 

I've been keeping an eye out for one but have run into all the issues you described. You found a very nice example!

 

Nice example you found. Here is my budget friendly example:

 

Gorgeous! I would have been pleased with it myself. I've been on the look out for one of these too, and preferably one without a smooshed up gorgon's face. You did really well with this one.

 

Nice coin! Yours shows the fringe detail on the shield, which is missing on mine. But apparently you can't have everything with these coins.

 

While I certainly agree that the centering keeps this last coin way out of the $200 bracket, it does have a nice face for these. Yours is OK on the obverse and exceptional on the reverse.

JA mentioned these being 'brick cleaned' a term I apply to coins raped by archaeologists interested in seeing the type but not wanting the coinafter it has been IDed. This issue was struck on flans smoothed by filing and many show residual file marks. All the coins shown have them but the OP coin is faint and just at the top. When you find one with the CNG obverse and OP reverse and no file marks, you may have to pay more than the CNG price unless the seller does not know the issue. Patience!

 

I think you may be right, especially at budget prices. Mine has no face on the Gorgon, while yours is still there. The monograms on mine are clear while they are not on yours. I didn't come close to $210 for mine and I'll bet you didn't either. I guess the old saying "you get what you pay for" holds true.

 

I can't tell the difference between flan adjustment and brick-cleaning. On some coins, it makes little difference to me, as I'm collecting them for reasons other than aesthetics, ie. my Nabataean types. With this particular type, because of its distinctive design, I was specifically looking for a "nice" coin. I'm glad you think the scratches on my example are adjustment marks though. I'll take that over brick-cleaning any day.

 

I agree. Most of these have problems like John said. John's indeed is an above average coin, especially the reverse!

Btw, I also agree wholeheartedly with Doug that these were adjustment marks. It must have been something at the mint, but I do not recall ever seeing one without file marks on the flan.

 

that is a pretty nice one, and great color.

here's my budget coin, but one of the better bad ones.

 

=> although the obverse is Über-cool, I am all about the symmetry lately (sadly, a few of my earlier purchases make me cringe, for I didn't sweat the small stuff and wait for an example that had great balance ... it's all about the symmetry, my friends!!)

 

Nice coin. I've been looking for one in good condition and centering too. But the prices have kept me away so far.

 

Good example! I also see a lot of harshly cleaned ones.

 

Here is mine.

One of the first ancients I acquired. Purchased at a local coin show.

 

Fantastic piece of detail JA.

 

Wow, that's a beauty. Nicely-balanced details, well-centered, great color.

 

Well here's the JA tru-view. A bit tough to image, but I'm extremely pleased with the coin in hand....