Theodosius

Posting a new coin in a forum and having a self-proclaimed expert tell you in gory detail why it's a fake. Sending it to David Sear and spending over $100 on postage and authentication fees, but finding out it is authentic and a very nice example of the type according to David. The coin being authentic was awesome, risking it in the mail there and back and waiting months was not.

Finding out from an expert that a coin you bought is a fake. Returning it to the dealer, getting a refund, and then seeing the coin for sale in an auction a few weeks later.

A lot of forums I have seen have a what did you do on your XYZ today depending on the forum type? Maybe that's a place for casual chat?

Change the water every day too.

That is a really nice coin. Look at the fins on the tuna fish. That's some pretty cool detail there.

I think you've got it.

It sure looks like it to me...

This one is at the tail end of the archaic period. I really like the style of both Apollo and Lion head. Sicily, Leontini AR Tetradrachm, 450-430 BC, 17.18g Obverse: Fine archaic style laureate head of Apollo right. Reverse: Lion head right surrounded by four barley corns, LEONTININ around. References: SNG ANS 247. Ex: ECIN, 1/11/2013, Winter FUN Show John

Some Syracusan bronzes are just as well done as the silver. I really need to re-shoot this one. SICILY, Syracuse. Timoleon and the Third Democracy. 344-317 BC. Æ Hemidrachm, 24mm, 16.08 grams. Timoleontic Symmachy coinage. 1st series, circa 344-339/8 BC. Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus Eleutherios right. Reverse: Upright thunderbolt; to right, eagle standing right. References: Castrizio Series I, 1γ; CNS 72; HGC 2, 1440. Ex Continental Collection John

Another I have had for a long time: Sicily, Syracuse, Dionysius I, 405 - 367 BC, AR Tetradrachm, Struck 405/399 BC, 17.32 g Obverse: Quadriga with chariot, Nike flies above with wreath, ear of grain in the exergue. Reverse: Head of Arethusa with hair in ampyx and sphendone, decorated with stars made from points, wearing pendant earrings with three drops, surrounded by 4 dolphins, one emerging from behind her head. References: Tudeer 83 (O56/R30) Dewing Coll. 850, SNG ANS 291 Fine style, very rare, likely the unsigned work of Eukleidas, who used the dolphin emerging from behind Arethusa’s head on another tetradrachm (Tudeer 58-59), which he signed. Ex Fred Shore, August 26, 1989 John

I really enjoy coins from Syracuse. Sicily, Syracuse. Deinomenid Tyranny. Hieron I, 485-466 BC. AR Tetradrachm, struck 478-475 BC, 17.08 grams, 1h. Obverse: Charioteer driving quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses. Reverse: Diademed head of Arethusa right; hair in band and pearl diadem, four dolphins around. References: Boehringer series VIIIa, 114 (V52?/R88); Randazzo 287. It is very unusual that Arethusa has her hair in a band in addition to a pearl diadem. Later coins often show Arethusa with her hair restrained by a band, but it is very rare for this to be shown on archaic style tetradrachms from Syracuse. Fine style. Very rare. John

Welcome to the forum! I like Greek and Byzantine coins too. John

When I was a new collector many moons ago, before the internet, I had the one volume sear Roman coins and their values and the two volume Greek coins in their values. They are short enough that you can take a bookmark and steadily flip through them over a few pleasant weeks. Read the parts that grab your attention and look at the pictures for the rest. Then you will have seen a lot of the major rulers, types, portraits, cities, etc. and when you're looking at coins online you will have a much better idea of what they are. You may not remember all of the coins from the book but you will retain a surprising amount. I flipped through all three books several times over the course of the years and it has helped broaden my knowledge. John

I don't know what mint it is from, but I like the portrait style. Is it supposed to be silver? Could it be billon? John

Looks genuine to me too.

That is an amazing coin... John

I love it, great work. John

Really glad to see you here. I learned so much about this type from your posts. I love this type and I'm still looking for one for my collection. I love all the stephanophoric types! There are so many artistic dies in the series. They are also very big and spread out flans that make them a pleasure to hold. John

Thanks @Alegandronand @Kazuma78. I have been waiting a while for an "affordable" one to come along. John

I like the cleaned version. I like nice TONING, but I am not a fan of DEPOSITS that were not there when the coin was struck. Think what the coin looked like when the workers took it off the anvil and dropped it into a leather bag. I realize it is somewhat a matter of taste with no right or wrong answers. Wish I could go there to pick a few choice ones out. 😁 John

My wife bought this for me for Christmas in 2020. I have wanted this type for 30 years. There are still a couple of Carthaginian tetradrachm types left that I might be able to afford, then the crazy rarities are left. 🙂 Sicily, Entella (“The Camp”) Siculo-Punic, AR Tetradrachm, 350-320/315 BC, 17.07 grams, 23mm Obverse: Anepigraphic Koré head right, hair pulled back with crown of ears, earring and necklace. Reverse: Anepigraphic horse prancing right, lifting right front leg. Palm tree behind, all on exergual line. References: MIAMG.5512 var. (5000) CPS.81 pl. 3 (A/ 25' - R/ 73) (6 existing specimens) GC.6431 var. (1750) HGC 2, 270; Jenkins 1977, nos. 77-85. Pedigree: From the Luc Corso collection, with export certificate (No. 216287). Perfectly centered on both sides. Nice, well struck portrait. Small metal defect under Koré's chin. Old collection grey patina with golden highlights on the right. Rarity: R2 (6 known specimens) John

The only Greek tetradrachm I bought in 2021. I could not resist it. 🙂 Sicily, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC AR Tetradrachm, struck circa 466-460 BC, 16.97 grams, 24-27mm Obverse: Charioteer driving biga right, Nike above flying right, crowning horses; ketos right in exergue. Reverse: Diademed head of Arethusa right, surrounded by four dolphins. References: SNG ANS 146; SNG Copenhagen 646ff; HGC 2, 1311; [Boehringer 473] John

Even with the die break and maybe flan lamination, that is an unusually detailed and nice obverse for this series. A very attractive coin. John

It is nice that it is also very well preserved. Could it have been clipped in antiquity? Was that a common practice for gold coins back then? John

Love the video, it really captures the coin nicely.