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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 3226331, member: 19463&quot;]If I had lasted one more round, I would have played my Magnentius overstruck on Constantine II &#039;slabbed&#039; in 1976 by David Sear.&nbsp; The write up would have featured explanation of how great ideas do not always jump fully formed from the heads of their creators.&nbsp; The 1976 slab consisted of a half flip held shut and attached to the certificate by one now rusty staple.&nbsp; The certificate states the fee to have been 40p which is in the new, decimal currency (introduced 1971) which was $0.67 US using December 10th, 1976, exchange rates.&nbsp; I would say that this is still a bit less than the value of the coin in that year.&nbsp; It might have been worth a whole dollar???&nbsp; Certainly that is a bargain compared to the 2018 certification cost by any major brand.&nbsp; </p><p>[ATTACH=full]841126[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Before anyone asks, yes I did crack it out of its plasticy tomb sacrificing that rusty staple and risking injury to life and fingernail.&nbsp; Hitting the thing with a hammer and squeezing with a vice accomplished absolutely nothing but a little prying accomplished the desired result.&nbsp; You know I had to crack it out so I could take a photo or, for that matter, see the thing.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>I bought this treasure on eBay from a relative of the original certificate owner whose name was blacked out on the certificate to protect the family from the ignominy of being identified with slabbing ancient coins before it was fashionable. A couple of my CT friends also bought similar &#039;slabs&#039; but mine was the best coin and the oldest date.&nbsp; I do wonder how much cash value I lost by destroying that stapled plastic tomb.&nbsp; Please don&#039;t tell me that there is a market for vintage Sear products in like new condition.&nbsp; How many 40p certificates still exist?&nbsp; Was the number 2036 on this one a sign that there were 2035 earlier ones issued?&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>For an early round late Roman sacrificial entry, I might have identified the coin more fully but the fact remains&nbsp; that the old certificate is a power of ten cooler than the coin so this armchair entry will let anyone who chooses do their own research.&nbsp; I do have a practice of trying to buy an example of the undertype of my overstruck coins just for comparison.&nbsp; Not surprisedly, the plain non-overstruck Constantine II cost more than the Magnentius. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]841135[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]841143[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Sorry you asked?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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