This was a perfectly good sestertius of Antoninus Pius but that greedy Postumus decided to up its worth to a double sestertius by overstriking it with a radiate crown die and galley reverse. Now it is such a mess I can't make out what the original reverse was (I'd like a wolf) or even figure out all the legends. On the obverse left, I see VSAVGP from ANTONINVSAVGPIVS. Larger letters continue VMV S but what is that TLA mixed in and what is the SVDV at lower left??? This will take come contemplation. Help!
those don't go together well do they? i think my pic fits together a bit better than that reverse. but what an interesting coin...I'd love to have it. that gives the byzantine overstirkes a run for their money.
These are pretty common. They also come in Faustina, Commodus and others of the era. The coin to end all is a Postumus on Faustina that was later cut with XLII for Vandal use in the 5th century. I still fail to find a photo of it but I remember the coin from a sale long ago.
=> yah, I think I'm a sucka for dealers, for I actually hunt for coins that look kinda worn!! (I'm a sucker for a comfy-coin!!) ... ... mmmmmm, *comfy* ...
In general I agree, but it depends on the amount of wear. I'll take a pleasing coin in F, but if significant details that interest me are missing, it just won't do.
As it should be. In my opinion, being able to recognize good surfaces is what separates the men from the boys in this hobby.
I suppose I could just be suffering from the longing for the 'good old days' common to old fools but I really think that today's market includes a great deal more coins with poor surfaces than did the coins I was offered in my earlier days in the hobby. We see rough survivors of bulk cleaning amateurs and even big name dealers who sell mostly freshly cleaned material. I get the idea that a small percentage of coins offered have actually done time in a private collection. They may have made the rounds of a dozen dealers but we just don't see as many old collection coins as I recall before the popularization of metal detectors. We have plenty of people willing to pay for 'high grade' coins with bad or doctored surfaces so it should be no surprise that so many of our look 2000 years old (or 2 weeks, depending on where you get them).
I agree with all the comments. Having cleaned several thousand coins....I can see the coins which have been stripped and toned (as i am sure many of you can) and I have to say this really puts me off a coin. I can spot these coins, not because I have ever toned mine, but because I recognise the pitting and wear caused by an inexperienced cleaner and can therefore know with almost certainty that the coin should be shiny and devoid of patina, and not possess an 'even brown patina' which the listing almost always describes. Methods I employ are sympathetic and so some of the coins i have offered in the past have been sold with almost perfect surfaces and intact patinas, but these methods have cost me many thousands in order to 'buy' techniques, which use no chemicals. You take what is on offer if you really want a coin so badly, that you cannot wait for a genuine patina, but I agree with Dougs comments..... that bulk cleaning by people who should leave them well alone has littered the market with badly cleaned and doctored coins. 'Cabinet toned' doesnt seem to be an expression I see in many listings.......
