Did anyone buy anything in the latest Frank Robinson auction?

I only picked up one coin in the last FSR auction - this hemidrachm from Neapolis in Macedon. I was impressed by the level of detail in such a small coin.




Macedon, Neapolis AR hemidrachm
424-350 BC
Obverse: Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue.
Reverse: Head of nymph right; N-E-O-Π to right.
References: Sear 1417; SNG COP 229; SNG ANS 458.

-Jeremy

 

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Tres, Tres Cool. Liking the contrast of motifs!
...But, Yes, this is the beauty of small silver coins, for those of us who've gotten bit: the amount of detail an engraver can squeeze onto them. My Greek AR runs overwhelmingly to fractional drachms.
A case of budgetary constraints evolving into its own esthetic thing. ...Back in the day, I put together a type set of late Tudor-early Restoration halfgroats and pennies. In that case, only more preemptively, and less apologetically, for the esthetics. A Lot going on in a very limited space. It's habit-forming!
...The best that happens along these lines in European medieval are the petit-deniers /mailles /oboles (but it's Frenche, soe use the 'e') of northeastern France and the Low Countries, by the 12th and through the 13th centuries.

 

My three coins arrived in the mail today. They're all extremely nice. Too bad I have to return one of them! I'll try to take and post photos of the other two soon.

 

Sorry to hear Donna. My worn Antony example could not be a fake, and it is a coin only a mother could love, I suppose, but it fills a slot in the collection. Nice to see that Frank was so accommodating.

 

Actually, since Frank sends coins out on approval to previous customers, I never did pay for it. I just have to return the coin. But I'm confident that he would have been equally cooperative even if I had already made payment.

 

I bowed out of FB long ago. Although the Ancients were nice, even a few auctions, the venue was horrible. Druther be here.

And, agreed, PRIVATE messaging concerns are MUCH better. A good friend saw me bid on a very convincing and potentially expensive coin in an Auction. He PM’d me with a convincing concern that the coin was fake, saving me a several thousands of dollars worth of hassle. Discrete and effective.

 

My two wins arrived yesterday. Both included a level of disappointment but not a level that would result in a return. I believe it is just plain wrong to look at any auction including Frank's as 'approvals'. You are agreeing to buy the coins. Frank owns the coins he auctions rather than taking consignments and can sell returns for poor reasons to someone else. It is not like many auctions who have consignors awaiting payment. In the past 30 years, I recall a couple instances when I was offered a coin on which I was underbidder but I do not know if those were returns or coins never paid when won by people not trusted with his early shipment practice. We all make mistakes and there will always be differences in opinions. My coins this time were one of each.

The mistake (actually two mistakes) was lot 185, a Livia, dupondius. The original listing said the coin was the Restitution by "Vespasian". When I bid (very early) I told Frank to look again and he agreed that it was a Titus. The printed list still shows the error but Frank corrected the one online. There are no coins of this type by Vespasian and this one does show the T. When the coin (beneath the notice of those of you who will not touch a Fine) arrived it was housed in a flip from Asta (83,323) in San Marino identifying it as the original Drusus issue. That is a much more embarrassing error to be made by a seller claiming to deserve a high buyer's premium. I do note that I paid a lot more for the coin than it was sold for by Asta but I do not know if Frank made that profit or if it passed through several hands between the two sales. I paid too much but that is the only way we buy things at auction. I like the concept of the later restitution coins and did not have this type either original or restored. Sure, I would rather have a prettier one but this is what it is and was accurately shown in the photo.
PIETAS / IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG RESTIT - SC


The difference of opinion was lot 396, a Sasanian drachm of Peroz. It was listed as a clear mintmark of Gor mint. Frank uses a difference resource for Sasanian ID's than I do and I failed to double check the listing. It is a nice coin and upgrades my previous one that I had identified as AT mint. That means I have another duplicate for disposal. Interestingly Frank graded his coin as Choice AEF while my other one was ex. Triskles (January 2018) as EF. That, folks, is why I spend a lot more on FSR sales than on Triskles. As usual with Frank, this Sasanian came in a hard plastic round. Some Sasanians are thin and could break in the mail. I assume Frank has had a problem with that in the past. Peroz is not from the fragile period but there is nothing wrong with being careful.

FSR AEF (my new one) - weaker reverse but better portrait


Triskles EF (my old one) - You might argue it has less wear but that striking void across the face does not support EF IMHO. Obviously, the reason I won the coin was other bidders were more careful and did not bid on it. I would appreciate it if any of our Sasanian experts disagrees with my feeling the two are the same type/mint or could see any reason to keep both. The old one is not a bad coin but the new one is better.

 

Making value judgements based on auction pictures is also not ideal.

 

Doug Smith said: “Interestingly Frank graded his coin as Choice AEF while my other one was ex. Triskles (January 2018) as EF. That, folks, is why I spend a lot more on FSR sales than on Triskles. As usual with Frank, this Sasanian came in a hard plastic round.”

Interesting that Frank shipped an apparently inadequately protected Chinese ancient coin to me, which arrived in two pieces. Off course he accepted the return and sent me another of equal or better value of the same type. Since that time, he has relatively thin coins in the hard plastic rounds.

 

I wrote up descriptions of my two wins for my personal catalog, and attempted my own photos of them. I would never dream of claiming that any photo I take is better than Frank's or anyone else's -- after all, I take them all with my LG Android cellphone camera -- but at least they're at a higher resolution than Frank's and capable of being enlarged without becoming unacceptably blurred!

1. Julian II, AE Double Maiorina, 361-363 AD, Sirmium [Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia] Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG / Bull standing right, two stars above, SECVRITAS REIPVB; in exergue: mintmark star-BSIRM-palm branch. RIC VIII Sirmium 107B (p. 392), Sear RCV V 19152 (ill.), Cohen 38. 28 mm., 8.48 g.





After receiving this coin, I believe even more that it's one of the better Julian II obverses on this type of coin that I've ever seen. And the reverse isn't bad either!

2. Nero, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 12 (65/66 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Radiate bust of Nero with aegis, right, ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑV ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ / Rev. Bust of Alexandria, right, wearing elephant headdress, AYTO-KPA around, LIB [Year 12] in right field. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. I 5289 (1992); RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5289; Emmett 109.12 [Emmett, Keith, Alexandrian Coins (Lodi, WI, 2001)]; Milne 238 [Milne, J., A Catalogue of the Alexandrian Coins in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford, 1933, reprints with supplement by Colin M. Kraay)]. 20x23 mm., 12.11 g.





The downside of this coin -- which I already knew from Frank's pictures -- is that most of the legend is off the flan, especially on the reverse. What I like is that the portraits are nice on both sides, and that the coin is much more silvery in color than the three other Alexandria tetradrachms I have (all from Hadrian). I don't know if 60 years made that much difference in the silver content of these coins, or if it just depends on the particular examples one has.

 

DonnaML, the Alexandria with the elephant headdress is Brilliant! ...Some of the motifs on Alexandrian coins and Hadrian's 'travel' denarii almost evoke post cards. 'Wish You Were Here....'

 

This is a great thread about the bull

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/julian-the-beard-and-the-bull.341242/

 

I was very tempted by the Julian II. Congrats!

 

No coins this time, but I did get the copy of Lindgren III. I got to meet Professor Lindgren once, late in his life, so am very happy to have the book. Still need Lindgren I ....

 

I bid on several coins in the last FSR auction. I lost every singe one. I hope someone who really wanted them won and will appreciate them

 

Still waiting for them to arrive... I am starting to get worried; anyway as soon as they arrive, will share them

 

@furryfrog02, I like to hope the same thing. But as the stuff gets really stratospheric, it gets more reminiscent of the Van Gogh irises (from memory), that set a record for art sometime in the past few decades. The guy who bought it was interviewed, and said, Nope, it's going in Safe.
It's hard for me to collect without the hope that some day, this stuff might go to some appreciative audience.

 

Nice Nero Donna. Mine also was more silvery than I expected (Serapis reverse).

Speaking of Alexandria, just pulled the trigger today on a giant drachma of Ptolemy IV (75.57 grams) which will be my largest coin. Hope to post something about it tomorrow.

 

I also have not received my lot. At this point, I’m mildly concerned, based upon your post and a response to my email from FSR with a similar concern. He also mentioned that snail mail is indeed slow nowadays.

 

I don’t know if this would alleviate anyone’s concerns, but I did not win the coins I bid on, but apparently I was second for a coin Frank had a duplicate which he sent with a bill (and which I happily paid!). I didn’t even know until the coin arrived in the mail today! So it sure seems like these coins are in the system and on their way.