Everyone Has One of These Threads.....

I'd probably keep the more eye-appealing Gordian and sell the Greek to someone who truly relishes it and appreciates the rarity of it. Not being a dealer, I doubt I will ever sell off any of my coins, yet I have gifted many. It seems I develop an emotional connection to each for so many varied reasons as I learn more and more about them but I must be a bit shallow since I learn to love the 'good-looking' ones more

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I agree with Ed, the drachm should go to a specialist. If listed by a high profile firm, eg CNG, it should be able to find a good home. The sestertius is quite appealing but not really special. I would probably just sell. With the volume of nice coins you see in the trade, Ken, it just doesn’t seem worth keeping coins that aren’t something special.

 

I agree with Jay. If you have no passion for either...sell them both.

 

To parafrase a famous film line(and metal album name);
"Sell 'em All!"
Let the plebs have a chance to enjoy their ownership.

 

All dealers, including little fish like myself, will more than occasionally come across some much scarcer types. I've learned that if it doesn't fit my collection (late Roman, early Byzantine) than I have to let it go. Sometimes it hurts but there's no other way to be in the business ... and the only regrets I've ever had is when I begrudgingly sell something from my collecting arena.

 

It must be very hard to be both a collector and a dealer. Most dealers define the proper next owner for a coin as the person who will pay the most. Some of us non-dealers would just as well give a coin to someone who would appreciate it than to sell it to a dealer who will turn it into jewelry. I personally have not one bit of interest in the rare Greek here so I would be an absolutely terrible owner. I would bid little and care less. Somewhere there is someone who would be offended hearing of my terrible attitude to the most wonderful coin they have ever seen. That difference is what makes the hobby run.

The Gordian is, however just one little detail away from being a coin high on my want list. I want a Gordian AE with Laetitia reverse but this one is too large. I want an as not a sestertius. I have a sestertius (not as nice as the one in question) which I bought as a space filler until I find the as I want at a price I will pay (that could be a problem since I am a well renowned cheapskate). The tale has been told here before so I'll just offer the link if anyone cares to look and see why someone would want an as and not a sestertius of the same type.
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/f18.html
Like I said, that is what makes the hobby run. We are all different.

 

If I were you, I’d sell both of them as I think they’re both eminently worthy of sale. I think someone upthread mentioned consigning a rare Greek to CNG, where it might find some appreciative buyers willing to compete to acquire it. This makes sense to me, but obviously you’re a dealer and can simply sell it yourself. On the other hand, this has me wondering if you’re ever put in a situation where you realise you’re better off selling a coin that finds its way into your hands at a venue other than your own store and if that happens often at all. Sorry, the question is quite off-topic, so of course feel free to ignore it, it was just something that popped into my mind.

 

I know dealers that have a VCoins shop that also consign to auction groups like Agora for example.