One Magna Graecia, one not!

I hope I’m not tempting fate by posting these two recent acquisitions before they arrive. I won them in Nomos 12 last Sunday with much lower bids than expected. The coin I won from Nomos (Obolos 4) in February arrived 31 days after the auction closed, so once again I will be chewing my fingernails for a month...



Gela, Sicily, AR Tetradrachm, c 450-440 BC, 29mm, 16.45 g 5h. OBV: Quadriga driven slowly to right by a bearded charioteer; above, Nike flying right to crown the horses; in exergue, palmette with tendrils / REV: ϹΕΛΑΣ Forepart of man-headed bull to right. Gulbenkian 199. Jenkins, Gela 354 (same dies). Rizzo pl. XVII, 20. SNG ANS 65 (same dies), HGC 2 343 (Scarce).
Ex: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc., Auction 100, October 7, 2015, lot 1267.
Ex: Numismatik Lanz Munchen, Auction 50, November 27, 1989, lot 61.

Another Magna Graecia city crossed off the list. The winning bid was about 75% of what it sold for 7 months ago and 70% of what my dealer/advisor said was very reasonable for the coin.



Kyzikos, Mysia, EL stater, 450-430 BC, 19x15mm, 16.09 g. OBV: Youthful Dionysos reclining left, on the back of a panther moving to right, holding a kantharos in his extended right hand and resting his left on the side of the panther; to left, below knee, tip of his thyrsos; below, over panther’s legs, tunny fish left. REV: Quadripartite incuse square. BMFA 1541. SNG Paris 302-303. Von Fritze 155.

I was the only bidder on this coin, perhaps because NAC 92, with lots of choice coins, was held the next day. I much prefer it to the example which sold in CNG 102 May 18:

 

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Both are fantastic. Congratulations!!

 

Outstanding wins...Congratulations!

 

They're all drool-worthy* I mean great coins ANut!

 

Utterly fantastic coins!!! I'd LOVE to include any one of them in my collection!!

The gold stater is wonderful, but I'm still mesmerized by that gorgeous silver TET.

Huge congrats @ancientnut !!!

 

Really spectacular coins. Congrats.

 

That Gela tetradrachm is awe-inspiring. I was floored when I saw it in the catalog and am now floored all over again. Congrats!

 

Wonderful coins, congrats! I especially like the MFB.

 

Love the Gela. That is one of the nicest ones I have seen.

 

I agree 100% with the 'drool-worthy' grade Aidan assigned to these coins (and suggest there is a future in professional grading here). I am one who does not believe in posting new purchases before they arrive and have had three coins so far this year that did not arrive. One was lost in the mail; one was sold by the dealer to me on eBay and to someone else on vCoins and the dealer honored the other payment (Paypal takes your money but they don't remove the coin from all the venues you listed it on) and one was switched by a Spanish dealer who expects me to pay to return it before he sends the correct coin or refund. I really hope you get the coins but this business of having to wonder for a month takes a lot of the fun out of the hobby. Of course you have to suffer more to get super coins than when you buy junk like I do.

It is interesting how we sometimes buy coins for 75% of what they last sold for and sometimes 150% two weeks later. I suppose it all works out in the end and we should be happy with out little victories and not go getting upset when we make an error. Again, it is a fun hobby. If you are interested in money rather than coins perhaps you should be reading the Wall Street Journal rather than Coin Talk. Both of those coins are 'worth' a lot more in 'feel-good' than they represent in cash outlay. 'Drool-worthy!'

 

I agree with you completely, Doug, especially that "it is a fun hobby" and that the coins are worth more in "'feel-good' than in "cash outlay." However, your Wall Street Journal comment makes me feel like I've had my knuckles whacked with a ruler! The reason I collect ancient coins is to appreciate the history and beauty of these miniature works of art. But I'm not ashamed that I can also feel a little satisfaction when I acquire one for a lot less than it's worth. I don't think it's an insult to anyone to mention money. I love Coin Talk and the Wall Street Journal is boring, which is why I don't read it.

 

what everyone else said!

congrats to you on these wins ancientnut.

 

Thought you don't like slabs Doug, having a change of heart here? XD

nvm, going to my corner now...

 

great winners above i love MFB's

i post them before arrival only one time had a no arrival (grrrrrrrr)

 

Both are nice but I really want that Gela!!!!!!!

 

Congrats! Both are highly desirable coins!
I also prefer the tet of Gela. The obverse is fantastic. It is not that easy to find one with an obverse as nice as yours. A lot of these tet were struck with very worn obverse dies.

 

You jumped back into the hobby with both feet and a satchel full of cash.

I can't tell which I like more because I like both very much. I would certainly take either into my collection.

You bought another gold nugget in January, didn't you? I'm too lazy to look. I keep looking at these staters and backing out at the last minute or getting outbid.

Very nice additions. I think you are punching above my weight, but I may check with you next time I bid in this area. No need to compete needlessly.

 

4to2: Thanks! Yes, I bought the Kyzikos stater with Orestes in the February 2 Goldberg auction and started this thread:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/save-me-from-the-furies-a-new-acquisition.274154/
in which you and I discussed the appeal of "phat fat gold."

Discussing upcoming sales by PM is something I already do with AncientJoe and TIF and I would welcome comparing notes with you as well.

 

I appreciate the comments, Prokles. And you're right about the obverses of Gela tetradrachms often being mushy. Here's an example from Roma XI. The winning bid was GBP 12,000 for what is basically a one-sided coin:

 

Sweet score, ancientnut ... congrats

Both are amazingly awesome => but the man-headed bull is always a winner, eh?