Harry G

Yours is in exceptional condition for the issue! That's the nicest coin of that type I've seen.

Here's my not so perfect example

Here's my only military bust" antoninianus of Gallienus. It's in horrible condition, but it was very cheap so I can't complain too much!

My most interesting bust on a Gallienus coin is my "VICT GAL AVG" example, which shows Gallienus wearing a lion-skin headdress on the obverse. Very few examples seem to exist (mine is the 4th one I know of). It has somewhat rough surfaces and patchy deposits.

It looks fine to me. I've bought from that seller several times before and they've always been great.

I see the R you're talking about, and I'm not sure what it means. Maybe some modern graffiti (although I don't know why anyone would do that)

When I've consigned with them in the past, they've sometimes suggested putting a rare coin in a lot to get some interest in the whole lot, and I assume that's what's happened here. I remember there was another lot that came up for sale around the same time as the Didius Julianus lot posted above - It included a sole reign Vabalathus antoninianus and several very rare quinarii of the tetrarchy, as well as lots of other very nice coins (Claudius II Smyrna ant, Maximian under Carausius ant eyc.) Unfortunately, I was the underbidder of that lot.

I have actually consigned a very rare antoninianus of Postumus (as well as  several separate lots) in the current auction, which isn't labelled as a "special lot" (a black box around it to indicate the rarity of the coin). I'm hoping buyers will notice it, as it looks like it should be a very common coin...

Sold (nicer) example: https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?lot=498&p=lot&sid=3466

Hi all,

I've had this coin for a while, but I've recently done some more research into it, and I just thought I'd share my findings.

It is a very unusual antoninianus of Carausius.

The coin has wolf suckling twins on the reverse, with some illegible letters in the exergue. The legend appears to read [...]ISIIIIC

I have found a very similar coin in the "Unattributed coins" section in RIC, which cites a coin having the save reverse image, with the legend PM COS IIII or PTI COS IIII, and CLA in exergue.

This coin is also cited in the introduction to coins of Carausius earlier in RIC. 

Finding a coin with CLA in the exergue could (or could not be) important in determining the location of the "C" mint of Carausius. The most likely locations seem to be Colchester, Cirencester or Clausentum, and finding this elusive coin could point towards Clausentum being the likely answer. I think Colechester is currently considered to be the most likely at the moment?

William Stukeley (1687 - 1765) alledgedly found this "CLA" coin, but unfortunately no examples can be found today. RIC also mentions that Stukeley was prone to errors, and often got "carried by his enthusiasm", so it is likely he was incorrect when attributing this CLA coin. However, the RIC listing mentions a plate of "Stukeley 2. XXIX", although I can't find this anywhere.

Is it possible that my coin is the same coin, or has been struck from the same dies?

If he had owned a worn example of this coin, could it have been interpreted as having CLA in the exergue? Also, if the last "C" in the legend was worn off as well, the last four letters of the legend could clearly read "IIII", with the 5th last possibly being an "S".

Unfortunately, the style of the coin is clearly barbarous, so it is unlikely it points to Clausentium being the correct C mint. However, is it possible this coin was struck from the same dies as the coin Stukeley wrote about in 1759?

Also, does anyone know where to access the plate? 

Thanks for reading!

Here are a few of mine!

Same type as the coin above

But this one is probably the nicest example I own

My Valens Miliarense probably fits in here. It was broken and repaired by the finder (hence why I was able to afford it lol)

I am generally against melting coins down for their precious metal content but this... needs to go

Here are a couple of mine:

Pudicitia standing

Pudicitia seated

Here are a couple of mine

Obverse: IMP C TETRICVS•P•F•AVG, Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right

Reverse: SPES PVBLICA, Spes holding flower and lifting skirt

This one gives Tetricus' full name.

Obverse: IMP C G P ESVVIVS TETRICVS AVG, Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right

Reverse: VICTORIA AVG, Victory advancing left holding wreath

Neat piece. I would say it is a double die match; the obverse certainly is (looking particularly at the strange N and Victorinus' eyelid), and the reverse probably is too, looking at the slightly joined ends of the C and the angled top of the T

The guy that originally discovered the theft has described what happened. It's an interesting read.

Paywalled article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/23/ittai-gradel-british-museum-theft-evidence/

Free article: https://demo.thisischip.com/?q=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/23/ittai-gradel-british-museum-theft-evidence/&o=reddit

I almost exclusively buy from auctions and eBay, and have so far only made one purchase on VCoins: this scarcer antoninianus of Claudius II Gothicus with a funeral pyre (not altar) reverse from Tom Vossen. It was surprisingly cheap, and a bargain at €21 including postage

I find mashops and VCoins are generally far more expensive than auctions, which is why I don't tend to buy from them.

With that said, I still check VCoins daily in case a bargain turns up, and also have email alerts set up for certain criteria

I would also be tempted to sell on VCoins, were it not for the €400 set up fee

Apparently the BM have managed to recover approx. 2000 items from the theft

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66626619

10 minutes ago, Deinomenid said:

Their Wise account seems suspended. Possibly  unrelated.

I just paid for my invoice with no issues (yet). I didn't use Wise though 

Neat coin, and great write-up! Here's my example

This one's currently in the "eBay pile" but I think it fits the brief!

 Constantine I Follis - MARTI PATRI CONSERVATORI [Trier] 

That's amazing! The 3D printed coin is a nice touch

I think 3D models is definitely the future of coin photography (or at least auction listings)

My guess is that it's some kind of large silver coin (probably a tetradrachm) of a slightly scarcer ruler. My final guess is a tetradrachm of Philip V.

4 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said:

In... your... face!  😄 So - now I am the highest bidder...

 

Good luck in winning the coin and, if you do win, good luck on getting a good coin!

I was the underbidder (in fact the only other bidder) of that lot! Small world lol

I didn't actually know about the Owl tet; I assumed it was fake based on my (very poor) knowledge of Greek coins and the bad seller photos, and was mainly hoping to get a bargain on the other coins. I'm glad it's genuine though, and you got a good deal!

Very Suspicious

Crispus Nummus

Pretty soapy details (but worn) and with a filed edge. The reverse strike is a little weird, and I'm not sure if it's genuine. Part of a large lot of ~100 poor condition coins. ex. eBay

Probus Antoninianus - PAX AVGVSTI

I'm not sure on this one. It was part of the same group as the coin above, and has a very weird patina; similar to lots of other that have come up on eBay as obvious fakes. It has realistic deposits, though, which is confusing me a little. Part of a large lot of ~100 poor condition coins. ex. eBay

Septimius Severus Denarius - FVNDATOR PACIS

This coin has very soapy details, and the strike looks weird. However, it appears to be plated so could be a fourree?

Please show me your modern fakes!

Hi all! I thought it would be interesting to share some of the modern fakes I've bought (knowingly or unknowingly) while I've been collecting, and hopefully see some of yours!

I've sorted them into two groups: Definitely Fake and Very Suspicious (if I suspect, but can't prove, that it's fake)

Definitely Fake

Nero Tetradrachm

Poorly cast with an obvious casting seam on the edge. I foolishly didn't consider that it might be fake (the photos were very blurry). It's not a huge loss as it was very cheap and came with 8 other (genuine) coins, including a Pontius Pilate prutah. ex. eBay (cost £25 for 9 coins)

Constantine II Nummus / Probus Antoninianus

I bought this intentionally (knowing it was fake) because I thought it was cool. It is pretty well struck, but has fake deposits and an impossible die combination; the obverse of a Constantine II Nummus with the reverse of a Probus antoninianus. ex. Aphrodite Art Coins (correctly labelled as a reproduction) (bought for €5)

Celtic Stater

I didn't actually know this was included in the lot it came in, so it was a bit of a shock that I may have inadvertently bought a gold Celtic stater. Unfortunately, I contacted an expert on Celtic coins and they thought it was fake. The strike on the horse is very strange. It came in a small lot of mixed coins that I got for cheap (the lot was in an auction that had lots of coins in, but came after all of the "main" ones and in a different section of the auction). It was still an excellent buy (£30 for 17 coins). ex. "The Saleroom" auction.

Constantine II "Nummus"

Very fake but I thought it was cool that the reverse dated the coin to 1965 (REPLICA MCMLXV). Bought intentionally knowing it was fake. (1 other genuine coin was included) ex. eBay (£6)

Probus Antoninianus - ADVENTVS AVG

This coin was the first fake I ever bought. It has a die match to a well known fake of Probus. Bought as part of a small lot of genuine coins from a well-known dealer on eBay (cost £12 for 4 coins)

Constantius II Nummus - FEL TEMP REPARATIO

It came in part of a large collection I bought. It has very soapy details, and obvious casting seam on the edge, and is struck in the wrong metal for the type. ex. "The Saleroom" auction (£80 for 54 coins, the others genuine)

Obligatory "Are you sure this is the real DHL and not a scam text?"

I've received a ton of spam emails claiming import fees need to be paid

Here are a few of mine!

Gordian III - PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS

IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG  - Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust r.

RINCIPI IVVENTVTIS (sic!) - Herennius Etruscus standing left, holding baton and spear

Combines the obverse of a Gordian III antoninianus with the reverse of an antoninianus of Herennius Etruscus.

Otacilia Severa - AEQVITAS AVG

M OTACIL SEVERA AVG  - Diademed, draped bust r. on crescent

AEQVITAS AVG - Aequitas standing left holding scales and cornucopiae.

Obviously plated but apparently extremely rare. It combines the obverse of Otacilia Severa and the reverse of Philip I.

Postumus as Hercules - ORIENS AVG

POSTVMVS AVG  - Radiate bust left, holding club and wearing lion's skin

ORIENS AVG - Sol advancing left, holding whip and raising hand

Unpublished and apparently unique with ORIENS AVG reverse. Way too light to be an official issue.

Arcadius Solidus

D N ARCADI[VS P F AVG] - Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing, holding spear and shield.

[CONCORDI]A AVGG A - Constantinopolis seated facing on throne, head right, with foot set upon prow, holding sceptre and Victory on globe.

Technically my first gold coin. In terrible condition (hence why I was able to afford it), and with the plating wearing off.

Tetricus I - CONSECRATIO 

IMP C TETRICVS P F AVG  - Radiate, cuirassed bust r.

CONSECRATIO - Altar

A decent style hybrid issue, combining a Tetricus I obverse and a Claudius II reverse

Tetricus I - FIDES MILITVM (Clasped Hands)

[IMP C] TETRICVS P A[VG] - Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust r.

CONCORDIA MILITVM (Blundered) - Clasped Hands

Horrible condition, but an otherwise very rare coin. It combines the obverse of Tetricus I with a reverse of Marius. I've only found only other (much nicer condition) example here.

Found my new doorstop