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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2247779, member: 19463&quot;]What people new to the hobby generally fail to realize is that these things (ancient coins) exist in a million variations with anywhere from one unique specimen to a few million examples of each surviving.&nbsp; Perfect specimens of rare types can cost a lot while ratty examples of the most common are next to worthless.&nbsp; Some of us will only own coins perfect in every way while others of us are happy with nice examples.&nbsp; The real junkers of the common types are generally sold to people who believe anything that old has to look bad.&nbsp; In most cases, only a fraction of a percent will be as good looking as yours but when you start with millions, there will probably be a mix.&nbsp; When dealing with a type that exists only in a few coins, all can be nice or all can be awful.&nbsp; There are types where the best example is less than Fine. We suggest new collectors buy from people they trust not to tell them they are buying a perfect rarity when they actually have an average condition common item (or, worse, a fake).&nbsp; You have a nice coin but the surfaces are not perfect.&nbsp; If it were a Lincoln cent and you sent it to a TPG what would they say?&nbsp; Few of us own a coin that would be graded without a &#039;details&#039; or other modifier.&nbsp; They do exist.&nbsp; The expectations for ancients are different but they cover the same range from perfect to poor.&nbsp; Being poor does not make a coin genuine.&nbsp; There are people who make a living &#039;aging&#039; new fakes and selling them to the unwary.&nbsp; Hang around here and look at a few thousand coins shown by members.&nbsp; I suspect you will be amazed at the variety.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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