Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 8300345, member: 85693&quot;]Very interesting [USER=44316]@Valentinian[/USER]...and in this case, perhaps a bit depressing.&nbsp; Below is a drachm of Alexander the Great (actually, post-Alexander), which cost $75 in 1987.&nbsp; It is one of my first ancients; I was in school and that was a fortune, but I was so happy with it in hand...I couldn&#039;t believe I owned something this old and this beautiful - a typical ancient coin collector&#039;s early experience (I still feel this way now, but you never forget your first big purchase).</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m horrible at math, but if I am doing this right, $75.00 x 2.53 = $189.75.</p><p><br /></p><p>The style and strike are pretty good, with a full reverse legend, the metal is nicely toned, <i>and</i> there is a bonus half o&#039; Pegasus in the field.&nbsp; However, my guess is $189.75 is high-side retail for something like this at best.&nbsp; Here is one just like mine on Vcoins for $195.00 - but the obverse is grossly off-center:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/vaughn_rare_coin_gallery/160/product/antigonos_monopthalmos_306301_bc_silver_drachm_lampsakos_mint_price__1393/601925/Default.aspx" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/vaughn_rare_coin_gallery/160/product/antigonos_monopthalmos_306301_bc_silver_drachm_lampsakos_mint_price__1393/601925/Default.aspx" rel="nofollow">https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/vaughn_rare_coin_gallery/160/product/antigonos_monopthalmos_306301_bc_silver_drachm_lampsakos_mint_price__1393/601925/Default.aspx</a></p><p><br /></p><p>More realistic is this mid-grade, nicely-centered example that sold at auction for € 81 in 2020 (about $87 today). </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/41764995-kings-of-macedonia-antigonos-i-monophthalmus-as-strategos-of-asia-320-306-5-bc-ar-drachm-in-the-name-and-types-of-alexander-iii-kolophon-mint-circa-310-301-bc" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/41764995-kings-of-macedonia-antigonos-i-monophthalmus-as-strategos-of-asia-320-306-5-bc-ar-drachm-in-the-name-and-types-of-alexander-iii-kolophon-mint-circa-310-301-bc" rel="nofollow">https://www.catawiki.com/en/l/41764995-kings-of-macedonia-antigonos-i-monophthalmus-as-strategos-of-asia-320-306-5-bc-ar-drachm-in-the-name-and-types-of-alexander-iii-kolophon-mint-circa-310-301-bc</a></p><p><br /></p><p>A whole bunch of metal detector finds, eBay, etc. has made these quite common.&nbsp; If I listed this on eBay I might get a hundred bucks for it on a good day (or $87.00).&nbsp; Which is to say it has not been a very good investment.&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie10" alt=":oops:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1468300[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Macedonia</b> <b>Kingdom</b> <b>Drachm </b></p><p><b>Antigonus I Monophthalmus</b></p><p><b>(c. 320-306 B.C.)</b></p><p><b>Lampsakos Mint</b></p><p>Head of Herakles in lion skin / AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus std. left on throne, eagle &amp; sceptre. Controls: obv. forepart Pegasos left; rev. AI below throne.</p><p>Price 1385; S-6731.</p><p>(4.22 grams / 17 mm)</p><p>Argos Num. Aug. 1987&nbsp;&nbsp; $75.00 </p><p><br /></p><p>Back in &#039;87 I was limited to professional dealer&#039;s mail order catalogues and brick-and-mortar stores, and it was hard to find cheap stuff, at least in my experience.&nbsp; That is why I went dormant on ancients for a long time, until I found I could get some real deals on eBay if I didn&#039;t mind wading through a bunch of junk.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>For instance, this one is not quite as nice as the one above, but I paid $33.88 for it in 2019 (eBay).&nbsp; $33.88 x 1.12 = $37.95.&nbsp; I think I could get that back easily - probably more like $50.00.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1468301[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Macedonia</b> <b>Kingdom&nbsp;&nbsp; Drachm </b></p><p><b>Antigonus I Monophthalmus</b></p><p><b>(c. 320-301 B.C.)</b></p><p><b>Kolophon Mint</b></p><p>Head of Herakles in lion skin / AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟ[Υ], Zeus seated left on throne, eagle &amp; sceptre; Φ in left field, Π beneath throne.</p><p>Price 1817; Müller 811; SNG Copenhagen 920.</p><p>(4.15 grams / 16 mm)</p><p>eBay Oct. 2019&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; $33.88</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m not into ancients because of the investment - the low-grade stuff I get does not qualify as &quot;investment grade&quot; but I&#039;d like to think I could at least break even somewhere down the line (or my heirs).&nbsp; If not, well, it&#039;s been fun and I&#039;ve spent money on stupider stuff![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in