Such a shame

A recent acquisition that I thought worth sharing. It has been largely destroyed by the cleaner but I thought it interesting despite the damage.

Constantine the Great - Follis

Obv:– FL VALERIVS CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate head right
Rev:– BONO GENIO PII IMPERATORIS, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in Alexandria (crescent / K G / P //ALE)
Reference:– RIC VI 138 var. (unlisted officina).

26.94 mm, 6.05g, 0 degrees

 

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How did they try to clean the coin--looks like they took a wire brush to it

 

Wow, did they use a grill brush on that?

 

That's the numismatic equivalent of this:

 

I have a similarly scraped up coin from a large mixed lot. The type itself is desirable and uncommon. Despite its obvious problem, I like it and am keeping it. Maybe someday if one is available that isn't so scratched, and if the price isn't exorbitant, and if I have funds at that moment I may "upgrade" (upgrade in quotes because I never seem to get rid of the upgraded coins ).

Alexander taming Bucephalus. How cool is that?

Macedon Koinon
3rd century AD (in the time of Severus Alexander? Gordian III? Caracalla? This type was minted during several reigns)
AE27, 13.5 gm
Obv: (in theory...) AΛEΞANΔPOC; head of Alexander right (flowing hair? lion skin? helmeted?)
Rev: KOINON MAKEΔONΩN [somethingNEsomething]; Alexander standing right, naked except for chlamys which flies behind him, taming his horse Bucephalus who rears left before him
Ref: SNG Copenhagen 1357?

 

Long ago I was introduced to the term 'brick cleaned' meaning a coin rubbed on a brick to expose the high points and allow ID. straight, parallel scratches are visible if you click to enlarge.

 

I LOVE the subject matter of the reverse! Never have seen that.
I had a dog and a horse named Bucephalus years ago.

 

hahahahaha this^

 

Scratches on any coin is a shame. Scratches on a rarity is a tragedy.

This is the only example of this rare Titus denarius Harry Sneh and I ever came across in trade.

Titus
AR Denarius, 2.92g
Rome mint, 80 AD
RIC 132 (R2), BMC - , RSC -
Obv: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, l.
Rev: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P; Tripod, with fillets streaming out l. and r., on which are ravens r. and l., and in the center, dolphin over wreath
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.

Very rare left facing portrait with ravens on the reverse.

 

Unfortunately that coin has been badly mishandled. However, Like you I do not shy away from taking coins into my collection which are significant to me, even if damaged. This Follis is significant to you, and that is what counts.

I have my share of scratched, holed, brushed and clipped coins, but I still like them in my collection.

 

Definitely a shame about the OP follis ....

Regardless of the 'flaws', cool post guys!

 

a real pity. it could have been a nice coin. Before buying always try to look at a larger image of the coin to watch details.

 

oh yeah, that's from jerry's coin cleaning service.....

 

I bought it knowing the scratches were there. It is rare. The only other example I have seen was a nice example sold by cng which made just under $600.

 

Nice addition, Martin. If your happy, thats all that matter.

My most scratched up coin.


CLODIUS ALBINUS (193 - 195 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: D CLOD SEPT ALBIN CAES, bare head right.
R: MINER PACIF COS II, helmeted Minerva, standing front, head left, holding olive-branch, resting hand on shield set on the ground, spear against arm.
19mm
3.34g
RIC IV 7; BMCRE 98; RSC 44.

Ex Allan Barker Collection

 

Wow, I have done some cleaning (and harsh cleaning) on coins (particularly ancients), but have never done anything like that. I use a cut-down toothbrush and a copper brush and neither of those would leave marks like that! Stripping that one down to bare metal would be an improvement.

 

That is the kind of stuff that pisses me off. This type of "cleaning" is absolutely unacceptable and leads to destroying beautiful coins.

 

The words squad and firing, in no particular order, come to mind.

 

There is a REMOTE resemblance of that guy in green to @Bing ! Maybe he is the supervising culprit to those coin scratches.