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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2688418, member: 19463&quot;]I ran across a coin on eBay that I really wanted but it came in packaging that was probably worth as much as the coin to most people in the hobby.&nbsp; However, I could not see it well let alone photograph it so I had to set it free.&nbsp; In this case, that meant removing a rusty staple that both attached and closed the half flip that had contained the coin since 10 Dec 1976.&nbsp; The text on the certificate identified the coin and explained it quite accurately.&nbsp; It was signed by the expert then charging 40 pence for his services (this one had no photo so it did not cost a whole pound for the upgrade service).&nbsp; A previous owner had blacked out the estimated value of the coin; I blacked the owners name on this photo.</p><p>Why was I a bit sad to open up a stapled proto-slab signed by some expert?&nbsp; Read below.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]602562[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The expert was David R. Sear.&nbsp; You may have heard of him.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]602561[/ATTACH]</p><p>The coin is exactly as described (no surprise - Mr. Sear is known for knowing these things).&nbsp;&nbsp; I&#039;m not David Sear so it took me a few minutes to confirm what he had said and expand the ID just a bit.&nbsp; The coin is a 21.5mm bronze of Magnentius weighing 2.63g (my scales, Mr. Sear did not weigh it).&nbsp; As stated, it was the two Victories with shield type and the Cohen 68 reference given is correct.&nbsp; LRBC 58 may be but my edition of <b>Late Roman Bronze Coins</b> is a 1978 so he was using an older copy.&nbsp; We will forgive the lack of an RIC number since it was still five years in the future when this certificate was issued.</p><p><br /></p><p>It was &quot;overstruck on a reduced follis of Constantine II Caesar&quot; but 40d did not get you &#039;which&#039; follis.&nbsp; My photo shows the coin right side up for the Magnentius strike above a second pair right side up for the Constantine II strike.&nbsp; The top photo shows Magnentius&#039; nose is messed up.&nbsp; The one below shows that the reason was the undertype of a diagonal staff running under a T in the field.&nbsp; To the left is a clear strike of .PRINCIPI making the undertype RIC 144 page 175 or something similar.&nbsp; The one below is from acsearch making it much more clear than words alone could do.</p><p><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544913" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544913" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2544913</a></p><p><img src="https://www.acsearch.info/media/images/archive/93/2481/2544913.m.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>The type was also issued for Crispus but any hopes of catching Mr. Sear in a forty year old error were dashed by a weak trace LCON (large inset and yellow arrow) from he name FLCLCONSTANTINVS.&nbsp; Crispus would have had LCRI here.&nbsp; If you can recognize the back of Constantine&#039;s head under the Magnentius reverse, more power to you.</p><p><br /></p><p>I mentioned forgiving Mr. Sear&#039;s not giving an RIC number but I can not cut myself similar slack.&nbsp; I&#039;d like to say that the coin is RIC 310 page 162.&nbsp; RIC allows this coin a weight of 2.00g which is as close to my 2.63g as allowed on a coin with A behind the bust as seen here.&nbsp; RIC 316A has no A but is given 2.60g.&nbsp; 316A also lacks the shoert column supporting the shield but this area of the coin is flat making this a judgement call.&nbsp; We also suffer from the lack of the CAE or CAES at the end of the reverse legend which will separate a few of the minor variations listed in RIC.&nbsp; Such things are easier to see on mint state coins not struck on older coins. </p><p><br /></p><p>Current Sear Certificates are no longer 40p so I am spared the desire to send in the coin an see if he matches the quality of this 1976 paper.&nbsp; Even though I cracked out the coin, I will be saving this paper.&nbsp; I suspect I reduced the value of the item when I pried out that staple but I&#039;m one of those guys that like to lay hands on my coins without intervening plastic.</p><p><br /></p><p>I know a couple of you have similar old Sear certificates.&nbsp; Post &#039;em.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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