Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ambr0zie, post: 8275624, member: 80952&quot;]I only buy from auctions. And I rarely overpaid on a coin - on 2-3 occasions I <b>really </b>wanted that particular coin so I paid more than I was expecting.</p><p>But I am a bottom feeder so this is not dramatic (including the fees, and indeed many people don&#039;t consider them). </p><p><br /></p><p>The best fun in auctions, for me, is identifying rare coins (even if far from mint state) and hoping nobody else spots them. I know this is not a <i>correct</i> strategy when you think about profit in the future, but personally I don&#039;t care about this.</p><p>I bought many coins, most of them presentable (for my standards) and below market &quot;normal&quot; price. </p><p><br /></p><p>Some auction houses do not provide full attribution - just city for Greek and emperor and city for imperials and provincials - this has helped me a lot to learn how to identify coins as usually before an auction, I browse the offer and try to find out more about the coins I am interested in.</p><p><br /></p><p>For a while I am staying out of purchases but here is an example of a very interesting coin I saw in an auction this weekend </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461076[/ATTACH]</p><p>Posted in the Republican section - described as </p><p>Q. Titius 90 BC. Rome</p><p>Denarius AR</p><p><br /></p><p>So a very modest and quite common RR denarius, right?</p><p><br /></p><p>Wrong. It&#039;s a Trajan restitution issue (RIC II Trajan 776) and the difference is that it has a reverse legend. As far as I know, extremely rare and desirable even in this condition. </p><p><br /></p><p>2 collectors noticed the error and started a mini war. Hammer - 460 EUR + taxes. </p><p>I wouldn&#039;t pay this sum on this coin, but this is the kind of situation when you <b>hope </b>you are the only bidder who noticed that ... the owls are not what they seem. </p><p>I think a dealer would have spotted this and the price would have been bigger. </p><p>I found no examples on acsearch or coin archives and only 1 example in sixbid archives </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461090[/ATTACH]</p><p>2700 EUR + taxes in 2012. </p><p>Indeed, much better example, but I still think many collectors would have loved a Trajan Q. Titius restitution (perhaps at the price of a modest RR, but it wasn&#039;t exactly the case <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> ) </p><p><br /></p><p>My impression - for coins in medium/sub medium condition, you have a better chance to win them in auctions at decent prices (I certainly did this a lot). Unless some other collectors want them badly. But an attractive and scarce or rare coin will get lots of bids and you might find them at better prices in dealers&#039; offers. </p><p>But when I browse Vcoins I often see normal coins in average conditions at high prices. </p><p><br /></p><p>Just the first example that came in my mind. I looked for DAC CAP denarii currently available in Vcoins. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461079[/ATTACH]</p><p>For me, both prices are too high compared to what I usually see in auctions, perhaps the one in the right is closer to the truth but I think you can find a similar one at a better price. They are pretty common. </p><p>The only Trajan denarius from MA shops with the Dacian sword in exergue (my favorite from these types)</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461097[/ATTACH]</p><p>271 EUR</p><p>My recently acquired example in an auction - 60 EUR + 18% fees</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1461098[/ATTACH]</p><p>Theirs is better but I think for 1/4 of the price it is a much better deal, judging after the condition. Again, my 2 cents.</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, even if you are a collector of 2, or 3, or 4 figures coins you need to do your homework properly to avoid overpaying or missing very good deals.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in