Post Your Stories of Great eBay Finds

This was also back in the day ...let's say the 2000's, but most of the decade, maybe a Little into the 2010's. Back then, people on French ebay used to list earlier feudal deniers (late 10th-earlier 13th c.) completely innocent of attribution. Or very under- or misattributed. That was how I got the spine of my collection of those. Prices averaged around $25 apiece, for ones in decent grades --usually fully legible. That was already cheap for them. Nowadays, probably like elsewhere, it takes a real time investment to spot anything like that. There's still plenty of stuff that's unattributed, but it runs heavily to what anyone, even with relatively relaxed standards, would call junk.

 

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Interesting...I've only used eBay Canada (for Canadian coins). I'll have to check out the others.

In 2008, I was looking for the right 1858 Canadian large cent for my Unc. collection when I stumbled across an OBW roll of 1958 Totem Pole silver dollars in gorgeous condition. I paid $168 (American) at the time.

 

...Yeah, before shipping became the issue it is, it was terrific fun (even then, at moderately increased risk) to make the rounds of the main European sites.
As with Latin, there's French and then there's 'Coin French.' And lots of people are fluent in English.
(...Going back to what I like to say: In America (thank you, you're off the hook), the overwhelming majority of people speak English as a second language. Of those, most of them do so in the absence of a first.)

 

My big score involves the classic single slightly-out-of-focus photo and the description of “BU Coins, wheat Lincolns and Jefferson nickels”. The minimum bid was $8.00 for nineteen coins. I could see that the coins were indeed red, so I figured “how bad can this be?”, bid the minimum, and wound up winning. When the coins arrived, instead of being many dates as expected, there were groups of similar coins – but all were red and appeared to be MS or Proof. They were:

1. eight proof small date 1960 Lincoln cents

2. eight 1938-s Lincolns, MS quality supposed to be s/s and s/s/s

3. There was also a 1952 d/s Lincoln,( and a couple of proof Jefferson nickels).

Sent three of these to ANACS during their summer promotion just to see if the coins were as good as they seemed. The 1960 small date is coming back as a PRF66RD. It seems that the 1938-s overpunches were a figment of the previous owner’s imagination, but is still a “regular” MS64RD. The 1952 d/s is really a d/s at MS64RD.

Not too shabby!

 

Bid melt on a bunch of random gold right out of university won on a 1857-S quarter eagle which is lower mintage . It low grade it’s cleaned and I think had a mount but it is still cool

 

nice nickel

 

Slabbed low pop world coins. Have retailed a few this year cost x 2. 100 pct markup.

 

I used to be a devil at buying large lots/hoards of Roman coins, at a cost of between $0.73 and $0.89 each. most of the time the coins are trash, but I did manage to get this spectacular Commodus Herculi Romano denarius, probably worth a couple hundreds bucks.
After keeping it like that for a while, I finally cleaned it.

 

Just, Hang On One Minute! Congratulations!
I'd never heard of this issue, but the historical content is top drawer. Right, Commodus' penchant for (effectively fictional) gladiatorial combat. Right up there with Nero's for (similar) musical and thespian pursuits. ...Two career narcissists, both of them particularly badly timed for the ensuing fate of the empire.

 

Thank you! I am glad someone on this thread can appreciate this amazing find. I admit I needed Cointalk assistance to identify it to begin with, as the only Wildwinds issue was an aureus (unfortunately, mine isn't gold LOL)

I was honestly flabbergasted when this little guy came out of the woodwork. That day, I was about 350 or so coins into a bunch of literal junk and I was feeling a little bummed. Then I saw the "COMM" and I knew I had something good! (Disclaimer: 1100 coins later, I have not found anything nearly as great)

I really like the story of Commodus's "insanity." Apparently he felt himself the literal reincarnation of Hercules, and played the part.

When I went to the Getty Villa few years ago, I spent quite a while circumambulating the bust of Commodus, since I was so enamored. What a guy, what a history!
Also, Joaquin Phoenix's depiction of Commodus in Gladiator was to DIE FOR.

 

...Tres cool. ...Huh; on that bust, apparently early, the beard looks more Hadrianic than Antonine (...or even Severan). ...No, I believe you!
And, Yep, saw the movie. Damn good, as far as what Hollywood is capable of doing with historical drama. (I have "Kingdom of Heaven," about the events leading up to the Third Crusade, on dvd --was that the same director?) Didn't mention that, but I'm glad you did.
...The echo of Alexander III's issues, with the lion skin on Commodus' head --and, Yep, the reverse too-- is especially evocative.