My question is whether I should put this coin in my collection or in my 'trade stock'. The mailman just brought it today but I did not buy it. I bought and paid for a coin last month on eBay but I never got a notice it had shipped. I inquired and was told that the seller sold it on his vCoins site. The seller asked if I wanted a refund. I guess he figured anyone that would buy the piece of trash I won would be happy with any coin. I replied that not only did I expect a refund but that he should have made that refund back when he double-sold the coin not waiting for me to inquire. I did not mention that I consider people who sell the same coin to two buyers sub-standard (putting it nicely). If you post coins on eBay, deactivate them on vCoins. Leaving both up and seeing which brings more is not an acceptable business practice. He then issued a refund and said he was sending me a free coin. This is that coin. The fact is I would not buy it but, since I have it, do I give it a home or find it a new one? Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine AE follis Constantinople year 4 Sear 805 mentions that most of these are overstruck on coins of Maurice or Phocas but some are on earlier coins. My only interest in the coin is that I suspect it may be on a cut part of a much earlier coin. There appears to be a couple rather large letters (P??? at 2 o'clock) in the blank obverse margin but I really can not read them with any confidence. Letters that size were commonly used by Anastasius. The coin is off center losing the left obverse legend but retaining the right side with good clarity. The type comes in year 3 and 4 but the ones I find online with 3 have the bottom I between the two upper ones while the year 4 coins have the two rows aligned as seen here. I usually avoid dateless coins like this but there is no doubt about the year. The question here is whether the coin has enough going for it to keep. It would not be my ugliest Byzantine. Comments or help reading the undertype would be appreciated.
I get that accidents happen, but sellers needs to come clean right away with stuff like this happens and quickly find a solution. Noble roman coins did something similar to me.
Never had that but I have gone and bought a coin on VC and then get a message a day or two later that it was already bought at a show or something and wasnt marked as sold on VC. I know stuff like this happens but it sucks. I dont hold it against them. At least he gave you a refund and something for your troubles. I like that coin, i'd keep it.
I bought a coin on ebay from a Vcoins seller over a year ago, the coin is still listed in his Vcoins store. He's an honest seller and I assume it's just an oversight in this case. Sorry to hear you were on the flip side of the coin Doug, so to speak.
If you don’t have other coins of Heraclius then keep it as he is among the famous one for the right reasons. He won a pyrrhic victory over the Persians against all odds when the Slavs and Avars were raving in Balkans at the same time. Had the Byzantine Empire experienced a couple of decades to restore instead of facing a fresh new Arab army immediately right after, the course of the history may have take a completely another direction. I would keep it as he is legendary and as his extra heavily crude coins would make the coin tray more interesting giving the variation. Here a new one from me minted in Thessalonica and even a 40-nummi:
Doug, I would definitely keep your cool new freebie ... the coin is a bit like a homeless pooch (who is gonna turn-away young homeless Larry? ... found abandoned, wandering on the side of the highway!!) Ummm, I don't have any actual coins of this dude, but I do have a couple of pretty cool overstrikes ... wanna see 'em? Sicilian Overstrike (Heraclius/Justin I) Syracuse Overstrike (Heraclius/Anastasius)
I had not thought of it this way. I have half a dozen coins of Heraclius including a really messy one of the same type and a Sicilian overstrike different from the ones Steve posted. I'm back to the poit that the only reason I'd want it is if it is overstruck on Anastasius as I suspected but that is hardly even likely. Thanks for the help.
rhere's a free coin a vcoins dealer sent me for a delay in shipping.. I asked myself the same question and decided to keep it, even if it's my ugliest nabatean. I don't think your coin is bad at all DS, has an attractive black and tan desert patina...keep it. If you decide to get rid of it later you can, if you decide you want it after you've sold it off..well, that doesn't work so well. here's my first and favorite Heraclius and son...
