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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 4106935, member: 85693&quot;]Welcome to CT and ancients in general. </p><p><br /></p><p>Buying unidentified lots is one of my favorite things to do - I just posted one I bought this month for $4.99:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/odd-lot-from-ebay-ancients-papal-states-mystery-provincial.354876/#post-4103850" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/odd-lot-from-ebay-ancients-papal-states-mystery-provincial.354876/#post-4103850">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/odd-lot-from-ebay-ancients-papal-states-mystery-provincial.354876/#post-4103850</a></p><p><br /></p><p>That being said, I do not care for the typical &quot;uncleaned lot&quot; that are so commonly sold - LRB (late Roman bronze) worn slick then crusted over do not seem to clean up very well - I base this on many posts here on Coin Talk by folks who have tried these.&nbsp; Such results can discourage a new collector.&nbsp; I avoid such lots. </p><p><br /></p><p>As for specific coins:</p><p><br /></p><p>The lot noted above came with a Claudius II Gothicus with a double-strike (cost:&nbsp; $0.83) - it takes a bit of work to attribute these - in this case, there a several &quot;Annona&quot; reverse types.&nbsp; The obverse legend (with a C before the C in CLAVDIVS) and the delta in the reverse field is what determined the ID. </p><p><br /></p><p>When I first started out, this was a very intimidating, sometimes frustrating experience.&nbsp; But you&#039;ll get the hang of it - and I got a lot of help (and still do) from Coin Talk members, who are quite generous with their expertise and time:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1066751[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Claudius II&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Æ Antoninianus </b></p><p><b>(268-270 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Rome Mint </b></p><p>IMP C CLAVDIVS [AVG], radiate head right / A[NNON]A AVG, Annona standing left, foot on prow, holding corn ears and cornucopiae, Δ in right field. </p><p>RIC 18 radiate head </p><p><b>Note:</b>&nbsp; doublestruck</p><p>(4.01 grams / 22 x 18 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>As for Crusty Macedonians (sounds like the name of an ironic coffee shop), here is one I paid $3 for (not from a lot) - these too can be tricky to attribute, there being many reverse symbols, arrangement of the bow/club, etc.:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1066752[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Macedon&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Æ Half Unit&nbsp; </b></p><p><b>Alexander III </b></p><p><b>(c. 336-323 B.C.)</b></p><p><b>Uncertain Macedon Mint</b></p><p>Head of Herakles right, with lionskin head-dress /[AΛ]EΞ[AN]ΔΡOY, between quiver above and club below; Δ above, star below.</p><p>Price 277.&nbsp; </p><p>(6.58 grams / 17 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>Is it worth $3?&nbsp; It is to me - the obverse is nice and it&#039;s 2000 years old Greek art and I like colorful patina and I still get all excited about paying $3 for stuff like this.&nbsp; But that&#039;s just me - others would say it&#039;s nasty.&nbsp; Maybe I&#039;ll mature into a more discerning collector...but probably not.&nbsp; I&#039;m about as mature as I&#039;m going to get, I&#039;m afraid.&nbsp; And I&#039;m a cheapskate. </p><p><br /></p><p>As for cleaning, both of the above coins could probably be improved by an expert.&nbsp; I am no expert, so I don&#039;t try anything beyond removing loose surface dirt.&nbsp; Beyond that, I am certain I&#039;d just ruin these.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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