Hello all, I am proud to post my first store bought coin and would appreciate any feedback. It really made a difference holding and examining the coins (I bought 3 altogether) as a pose to viewing online. *** Amisos, Pontos, AE20, c100 BC. Aegis with facing Gorgon in the centre. AMI-SOY Nike advancing right, holding palm over shoulder with both hands. monogram to left & right fields. ***
Nice score Jules . What store did you buy the coin from & what did it cost you, if you don't mind me asking ?
Good start. This type does not always come so well centered and with clear legends. It needs no cleaning (might benefit from toning with time) and is an interesting coin much better than most firsts. Share more.
Nice coin - that is a fine specimen to start your collection with. As Doug says, these are rarely this well centered. And to demonstrate, another beauty from my collection - the Gorgon almost completely off-center. Interesting to note, the OP and this one have the same monograms on the reverse. There are several variations, as I recall:
That's a most respectable example of this type! My first Gorgon from Amisos was much, much worse, and thus I upgraded to the coin below, which I bought in hand from Ken Dorney at the Santa Clara coin show this summer: Pontos, Amisos (Kingdom of Pontos under Mithridates VI Eupator), AE 21, ca. 105–85 BC. Obv: Gorgoneion in aegis. Rev: [A]MI-ΣΟ[Υ]; Nike advancing r. with palm branch; in fields, monograms. 21mm, 7.40g. Ref: SNG BM Black Sea 1177–1191.
Yes, i see what you mean. Thanks for posting. Not the first coin of my collection, the first (real world) non-internet one. Which is why i’m so proud.
Ah, non-Internet! Sorry I misunderstood. I am so old all my coins were pre-Internet for about 10 years or so. Now I rarely buy in the real world, but I did just buy a couple of Byzantines from a local shop - it was fun - the co-owner torments me the entire time for not spending enough money and I critique her customer service failures while her daughter is laughing in the background. Like I said, it was a lot of fun, of the sort you cannot get Online.
There is a problem with coins bought 'in person' that is not as severe with online purchases. When you suffer buyer's remorse because you decide you should have been more selective, there is no one to blame but yourself.
Nice example. Nice centering and the reverse legend is much better than my example. I look forward to seeing your other purchases. PONTOS, Amisos. Time of Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 85-65 BC. Æ 21 Dia.: 21 mm Wt.: 7.3 g Obv.: Aegis. Rev.: Nike advancing right, holding palm; monograms flanking. Ref.: RG 44; cf. Callataÿ pl. XLIX, D; SNG BM Black Sea 1177-1179. Ex Arnoldoe Collection A photo I took at the Uffizi in Florence.
Great start, @JulesUK ! Too funny, I used to be with a company that had one of factories in Nottingham. Great area. Pontic Kingdom, Amisos AE21, 6.95g; 85-65 BC Obv: Aegis with Gorgon head at center. Rev: Nike advancing right carrying palm branch. AMI-ΣOY in field with mongrams. Reference: SNG XI Stancomb 688. Ex: @John Anthony
ah, Pontus Amios, Mithradates Vl...very nice one too..i'm still needing one o dese...so you have one that i don't already....
Great looking coin @JulesUK ! I picked my rather gnarly example up for $5 from a bin at the Baltimore Whitman Coin Show last year. I'm kind of embarrassed to even post it after seeing everyone else's examples.
Sometimes it is hard to accept that there is such a thing as a genuine 2000 year old coin that is overpriced at $5 but the fact is there are many worth under $1 when you compare them to what even a little more will buy. We all must make the decision whether $1000 worth of collectible coins is one piece or 1000+. I buy ugly coins when they are not available otherwise but for $5, we should expect something, perhaps a bit more. My $5 treasure is a double strike with obverse dies of Constantius II and Constantius Gallus but both with falling horseman reverses. I got $5 worth of enjoyment form it the day I found it. Will it incite a bidding riot when my coins are sold? I won't know.
That's pretty cool @dougsmit I bought this one at the show that was my and FFIVN's first foray into ancients at a coin show. I figured that for $5 it was worth it to learn something. We definitely learned something and still enjoy it for what it is.
It’s funny how i spotted this listed today on ebay (UK seller). What do you think of it? https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/392521465918
These are common coins. While it may be worth a few pounds, I would prefer to have one twice as nice on the revers for four times the price. You?
Agree, i’m glad i found mine when I did. I’m going to watch this sale and see where it finishes, price wise.
