Kevin in quality control was working at NCGS, apparently, when this one was slabbed. Diocletian? I don't like slabs and I especially don't like erroneously attributed slabs. I did what any reasonable numismatist would have done. Free at last and now with a proper attribution! Aurelian, AD 270-275. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.94 g, 23.6 mm, 11 h. Cyzicus, issue 8, phase 2, spring 273 – spring 274. Obv: IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: RESTITVTOR ORBIS, female, draped, standing right, presenting wreath to Aurelian, standing left, holding spear or scepter. Refs: MER/RIC temp 2988; RIC 437 var.; Cohen 210; La Venera 10345-46; RCV --.
I only own one slabbed coin but I can't bring myself to free it. The coin has been sentenced to solitary confinement for impersonating his brother.
Doug's NNC is similar. I have bought some of these basement graders slabs just for fun if they are cheap.
The seller where I bought mine had two other error slabs so they are not rare. It is sad but the fact remains that anyone can put coins in plastic and call themselves an expert just like they can set up an Internet business and issue certificates of authenticity. If a person can't tell one ruler from another, how are they to know good from bad?
LOL - pretty hard to get those two mixed up. Kevin apparently was employed at ANACS for a while too. I freed a coin from this plastic case: In this case, his mother and grandmother might be proud of the mis-attribution. Not quite as incomprehensible as your example - although the "horn" should have been a clue: Elagabalus (218-222), AR Denarius, Rome, AD 221 Obv: IMP ANTONINVS - PIVS AVG, laureate, horned, cuirassed and draped bust right Rev: P M TR P IIII COS - III P P, emperor standing left, sacrificing out of patera over altar and holding branch on left, star above patera on his right, two standards on his left
This is just another example of someone setting up an ancient coin 'grading' service without bothering to learn ancient coins. This is not a particularly tricky ID.
I sell coins on eBay. I occasionally have a customer request a CoA with a coin, as if my writing something down a paper changes anything. I usually tell them that anything I sell comes with a lifetime authenticity guarantee (it states that on the listing), but that I'll write up a CoA, too, if they want one. I'm always careful to include the word "certify". That usually makes them happy. As long as they're happy, I'm happy. As they say at Amazon, the customer is sometimes right.
Actually ANACS is a legit service like PCGS & NGC, but they are usually ranked #3 in graded coins over the other two. ICG is legit too, but I think they rank lower then ANACS. I'm not up to snuff in the slab grading world.
To be fair that "Diocletian" is a really spectacular silvered ant! Hard to find with that silvering intact.
