http://www.ebay.com/itm/111193194249?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 I've never seen one of these before, but this is apparently a 1528 Bohemia thaler struck during the time of the Black Plague. I find the reverse especially fascinating—12 men kneeling before a snake (the devil?) on a crucifix, with four dead bodies underneath the crucifix. If I had more coin funds right now I'd be all over this one.
I do not collect enough early modern coins to have an opinion on this one but how is it that the cut on oneside raised the opposite surface but did not flatten detail? Was it cut on a leather pad? This is an interesting type. Is this a good specimen?
How come I just did a search at various coin auction search sites and big dealers and cant even find one other example of this type?
Yeah it is a bit strange, I wasn't able to find any other examples of it either. I just assumed that an eBay dealer that well-established wouldn't be selling fakes. But maybe it's a good thing I didn't have the money to buy this coin! edit--I just found this, also identified as a 16th century German thaler. So at least it's a common motif. Just found an example on a page of the ANS. Identified as a "pestilence thaler." "From the Joachimsthal region of the old central European state of Bohemia come several curious 16th-century pieces which were brought to our attention in connection with a recent inquiry from Professor Suzanne Stetkevych, of the University of Indiana. Stetkevych was researching the motif of the serpent in the Garden of Eden in respect to connections with the crucifixion. A so-called "pestilence taler" (Katz 8; Donebauer 4291) bears an image of a snake entwined on a cross, with a reference to Numbers: 21, while on its obverse is a crucifixion scene of Jesus on the cross with twelve kneeling apostles to the sides and a reference John: 3."
Removed from a mount. That's a big problem on coins of this period. There's a number on Coinarchives from the German houses, attributed to Joachimstal or Erzebirge (probably two names for the same area). Most going for less than 500 (for a damaged specimen) to 1600 EU.
How was that established? I missed it. I should have read the whole listing first since it admits repairs to cut, removed loop and chased fields so the coin has a right to look odd. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thrace-Mese...4702065?pt=US_World_Coins&hash=item19e3b880f1 Any opinions on this one from the same seller? I like to check what else a seller is offering and see this one has mostly coins that I do not know (including a lot of modern Chinese). This seller has exactly one ancient and that coin is one of the most commonly faked types there is. That is never a good sign.
