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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 2465742, member: 19463&quot;]I agree fully with r_s and TIF but insist there are two kinds of &#039;detract&#039;. I do not find a coin with marks less appealing unless they are placed in a way to detract from the coin BUT they certainly detract from the price I will pay simply because the market for coins with marks is lower than for &#039;perfect&#039; coins.&nbsp; In the case of the OP coin, I would discount it considerably for the nose but very little for the cheek.&nbsp; Banker&#039;s marks are part of the numismatic history of the coin as are adjustment scoops, flan flattening file marks and anything else done to the coin as part of the production process or when the coin was current.&nbsp; Damage from a shovel digging up a coin is many times more serious.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Countermarks are another matter altogether.&nbsp; In some cases they add to the desirability of a coin to me (not to everyone in the market, for certain).&nbsp; A good strike of a good c/m placed in a way that it does not destroy something important on the other side can make a coin much more desirable.&nbsp; The same mark poorly placed and damaging the reverse is equally a problem.&nbsp; Test cuts are bad.&nbsp; Well placed test cuts are not as bad.&nbsp; In other words, every coin is different.&nbsp; Few people pay more for coins with these situations so I suggest you don&#039;t either lest reselling the coin will require finding someone exactly like you. </p><p><br /></p><p>Some coins with these problems are easier to forgive than others.&nbsp; Some issues are hard to find without a mark so you have to decide just how badly you hate the &#039;problem&#039; as opposed to having no coin.&nbsp; Each of the c/m&#039;s below added o the appeal to me and made me want the coin enough to pay more.&nbsp; You may not agree.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pergamon AE with c/m owl in the belly of the snake and well placed flattening on the obverse. [ATTACH=full]517701[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Enough marks on one coin can reverse the detraction and make it more interesting as on the Persian siglos.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]517702[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Both coins below were off center enough that the c/m added balance and interest.&nbsp; In both cases the flat spot on the other side fell in an acceptable place.&nbsp; The same marks poorly placed could reduce the value of the coin by 75%.</p><p><br /></p><p>Aspendos</p><p>[ATTACH=full]517703[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Datames (same mark but not as good a strike)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]517704[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m publicizing my page on exactly that:</p><p><a href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/wabisabi.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/wabisabi.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/wabisabi.html</a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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