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Message:: [QUOTE="IdesOfMarch01, post: 2227763, member: 39084"]One of the most difficult issues in grappling with the condition and grading of ancients is the somewhat nebulous definition of "style."  This is NOT a term you'll generally see on NGC's slabs, yet it may be the most important factor in an ancient coin's overall appeal and price. To illustrate, consider the two Galba sestertii below: [ATTACH=full]437505[/ATTACH] This coin's obverse is graded EF, and the reverse is even better -- good EF.  While there are some surface imperfections, the level of detail in this coin is simply extraordinary, and there is no apparent tooling.  There is a slight double-strike on the obverse but this doesn't detract from the overall grade.  Yet compare this with the following coin: [ATTACH=full]437506[/ATTACH] This coin's grade is slightly lower than the first one, and it too suffers from a slight double-strike (on the reverse).  Yet the quality of the obverse portrait is far superior to the first coin, and as a result it's a much more appealing (and valuable) coin. Evaluating a coin's "style" is a bit of an art, and learned only gradually with experience in collecting ancients.[/QUOTE]