I want this coin....talk me out of it!

Mucho-thanks! Now what will I spend that $325 on??

 

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As rooman9 said:

 

Now I'm feeling guilty but when we pay a price over what we believe appropriate we cause the next round of prices to rise for everyone. I wonder how easily the seller will find another buyer. Certainly that means that we don't add that coin to our collection but the question is whether that coin is one we will be missing every time it comes to mind or one we will never think about again. I have made both mistakes. I have coins that I bought 'high' and never looked at again; I have thoughts of coins for which I really wish I had paid too much so they would not continue to haunt me. I this case, you will probably be fine when you get an XVI in better condition for half the price. If you turn out to be a Republican specialist and that denarius is the last one that keeps you from a complete set, you will curse my memory for all time.

 

I tried that! She still wouldn't leave me.

Chris

 

You have a GREAT COIN! Different variety than mine of 141BC. Better condition than the one I have:

 

LOL, so THAT is why you asked me if I had that one! Me wish I did TOO!

 

Post script on this thread. I did get my XVI republic denarius and paid $140. Much better than the OP coin price of $325. Thanks for talking me out of it!

 

Go ahead, Ken! My ex would probably slug you just for mentioning my name.

Chris

 

Of course he will if you say it like that!

"Dear Seller,
I saw your listing for this coin, and I would really like to have it. However, I am on a very limited budget. I don't want to offend you, but would you consider taking $XXX.XX for this coin? Thank you for your time."

 

The bottom line of this thread is that the $325 coin reduced by half is still not as nice a coin as the $140 coin which did not require grovelling. I know there are some that think they should be able to charge CNG prices for eBay level coins and can show how they have sold some coins at three time what they are worth but I am glad you found what I would call a nice coin at what I would call a fair price. It would be nice to know if the $325 coin sold and for how much. It might very well now be on the market for $650 on the theory that its current owner is entitled to doubling his money. The number of people who actually believe that line of thought is scary.

 

You are on the market for $650? Do you have a strong back? Can you lift heavy loads? I may buy you. Mulching is hard work and I don't have it in me anymore.

 

I don't collect ancients, so I wouldn't know anything about the value. I was simply making the point that there are ways in which you can offer less without irritating the seller.

Chris

 

The discussion of values in this thread conflates all XVI-marked denarii with the biga types of Titinius. JB didn't buy a denarius of Titinius - he bought a much more common coin, Dioscuri reverse by L. IVLIVS - at what I agree is a fair price.

The OP coin is considerably more rare, and I find examples in comparable grades hammering at acsearch in the $250-$350 range, with some scarcer varieties going over $500 and even $800. Let's not confuse our types here.

If all you want is a denarius with XVI, Warren is correct - you certainly don't need to spend $325. But the OP coin isn't grossly overpriced imo, for what it is. Still, I would personally ask for a discount, if I really wanted the coin, as I don't care for busts crowding the flans to the right.

 

Typo corrected.

The OP coin may be more rare but rarity is not what makes a coin sell for more. The demand producing feature here and the feature JB was seeking is the XVI which allows either type equally well. Certainly there are people who want to own ever type of every Republican and will need to pay more for the rare one. I do not specialize in Republicans and will not live or die on whether I have a complete set of XVI coins. Those who care about the difference will pay more.

 

I agree, it seems a bit high.

 

As someone who is not a RR collector - for the benefit of my understanding, what is the significance of the "XVI"?

 

In 141 BC the denarii were revalued at 16 asses. Certain issues were marked as such for a short time.

 

Here's mine, of the OP type, bought late last year well under $200.