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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Blake Davis, post: 26690818, member: 91820&quot;]In the early 2000&#039;s I became and still am friends with an eastern European dealer, since forced into retirement - another story - who sold me coins which I sold on ebay for about 10 years.&nbsp; It was like a second job - at one time I was selling 25 coins a week - all auctions - there were reserves back then and &quot;buy it now&quot; was a rarity.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>People today forget how important ebay was as a place to sell ancient coins up until about 2010 - even CNG sold coins on ebay at one time.&nbsp; And it was ALL auctions.&nbsp; As a result I was able to afford to buy my passion- large bronzes - sestertius - which have held my interest for over 26 years.&nbsp; I bought these at a time when almost all of the newer sestertii on coinarchives were high grade - not the low grade stuff now being sold in huge numbers by mostly European auction houses. Higher grade can still be found - for a price.</p><p><br /></p><p>In about 2012 I put these sestertii in a safe deposit box and after that focused on the family of Septimius Severus and Hadrian travel series but mostly Septimius and sort of forgot the coins in the box - focused on other things.&nbsp; Although I didn&#039;t really forget about the earlier coins - how could I? each is like an old friend now - I didn&#039;t have easy access since the box is in New York City and I live in Jersey. </p><p><br /></p><p>However, two weeks ago the Capital One branch where the box is at told me the branch is closing, so I was forced to take the coins home.&nbsp; I picked out some of the more interesting ones, made some not so great but not too poor photographs - and here they are:</p><p><br /></p><p>1.<b> Titus sestertius</b> - <b>Mars</b> - when I purchased this on ebay, it was one of maybe five known but it seems like a dozen have appeared for sale since then. The coin is far nicer than the photograph, and is <i>high</i> relief:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1703131[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1703135[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>2.<b> Nero sestertius</b> - Temple of Janus - I believe this was purchased on ebay from Dianacoins and cleaned by a good friend in the UK - this is much nicer in hand, as is the Titus. The patina is simply perfect.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1703138[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1703139[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>3. <b>Drusus Germanicus </b>- Pax? - purchased on ebay from an Eastern European&nbsp; seller in the UK for $400. Yes in 2004 it was possible to find many coins like this for prices that would seem incredible today.&nbsp; Was it the war in Serbia?&nbsp; The fall of communism - or one person who told the gypsies in Bulgaria to stop tossing the coins with construction debris in the river, and sell these.&nbsp;&nbsp; Next thing you know two tons of coins are moving through Germany - one story I heard.&nbsp; I got into ancient coins from an interest in history - shame on me for not knowing who this is.[ATTACH=full]1703142[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1703143[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>4. <b>Domitian sestertius - on horseback with shield going after foe </b>- I purchased this coin from a woman in Italy - I think on ebay in about 2006 - who was selling other gorgeous coins at an incredible price.&nbsp; She would have sold one other to me but some ruthless Italian dealer told her she had to sell all of the coins to him as a group or no deal. So I missed out on another one which was far nicer than this extremely nice coin - this type always has a medallic flan and must be a special issue - perhaps not Rome mint?</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1703146[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1703147[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>5.&nbsp; <b>Trajan - eastern conquest&nbsp; platform</b> - The last one is from a CNG ebay sale I think ca. 2003 - I know it is CNG, not 100% certain about ebay.&nbsp; This was my first really nice sestertius - I love the history behind it and I really like the perfect medallic flan which were struck during this period - the last common use of the really large perfect flans - after this smaller became the norm, although there were exceptions.&nbsp; I will post some more but 10 pix is the limit - I will also post the size - the price was $700 and no buyers fee - the buyers fee is a pernicious aspect of online auctions.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1703148[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1703150[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The coin above has a beautiful green patina that I bolloxed in the photograph.&nbsp; None&nbsp; of the coins are perfect - but most are honest VF which was what I was always trying for.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have many more coming - Claudius, Caligula, Marcus Aurelius, Commodus even Gordian as Caesar.&nbsp; But 10 photographs is the limit so the rest will be replies.</p><p>Blake[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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