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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 3437505, member: 19463&quot;]I have to show two coins for this story. Both are Alexandria mint denarii of Septimius Severus. They were the first two coins of this group I acquired.&nbsp; I corresponded with someone at the British Museum who suggested I contact a UK citizen who shared my interest in Eastern mint Septimius Severus.&nbsp; This is how I met Roger Bickford-Smith.&nbsp; This was 1988 and only a very few people cared in the least that there were Eastern mint Septimius coins.&nbsp; Most scarce in those days before the &#039;opening&#039; of Eastern Europe were those of Alexandria.&nbsp; I had paid a total of under $50 for the two (and I dare say both sellers thought I was a sucker for buying them at all).&nbsp; Roger saw my photos and offered $250.&nbsp; That is more than most people would pay today despite the fact that both are rare varieties. (I know Martin has the first but I don&#039;t know about the second.)&nbsp; I declined.&nbsp; At that time I was buying Septimius almost exclusively and did not want to have none from the mint.&nbsp; Our correspondence developed into friendship and I even got to meet him in person when he was in Washington DC on business.&nbsp; His death hit me hard.&nbsp; Had I sold these two coins, our contact most likely would have gone no further.&nbsp; As it was, I learned most of what I know on the subject from him.&nbsp; I could go on and show the coins I bought when CNG auctioned his collection but I am already showing two when one was requested. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]912757[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]912759[/ATTACH]</p><p>I now have 42&nbsp; Septimius denarii from Alexandria and another 20 from other people that issued coins from this mint (Commodus, Pertinax, Domna and Albinus - I lack Pescennius). Oh, how I would love to show them to Roger![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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