El Cazador

13 hours ago, Ocatarinetabellatchitchix said:

Archeology is second nature to many lovers of ancient coins. Here are my top 4 of the best archaeological discoveries of the year 2023, all for the pleasure of your eyes!

 

MARCH – Funding has been signed to restore more than 20 large ancient statues, unearthed in recent years under the ruins of ancient sacred Roman baths (San Casciano dei Bagni). Artifacts from the 1st century B.C. depict ancient gods and offerings.

 

 

 

JULY – Four very well preserved swords (three of which are still in their wooden sheaths) are found in a cave near the Dead Sea. They date from the year 134 or 135 B.C., when the Jews rebelled against Roman rule.

 

 

 

JULY – A fragment of what appears to be the world's oldest book, 2,300 years old, was discovered on a mummy. Papyrus had been used to wrap it. There are written, in Greek, the details of taxes on beer and oil. The discovery pushes back the origin of books by several centuries.

 

 

JULY – The exact location of the theater of Emperor Nero (AD 54-68), known for his love of the performing arts, was until now a mystery. The ruins were discovered during renovation work on the Palazzo Della Rovere in Rome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are fascinating, thanks for sharing!

On 1/1/2024 at 6:52 AM, Prieure de Sion said:

And I'll use the thread right away - but first a Happy New Year 2024 to you all! Please all stay healthy!

 

What I am upset about today is a phenomenon when you are selling something and a prospective buyer wants to start a price negotiation. 
 
It's not a problem for me if someone writes to me saying "I really like your goods, is it possible to do something about the price? That's a completely legitimate question - and I have no problem with perhaps negotiating the price.
 
What I don't always understand, however, is when a prospective buyer writes to me with the words: "Hello, I'm interested in your goods - but there are lots of them at better prices! So how much discount can you give me?".

I don't understand this! If - according to the interested party - there are a lot of offers (like my goods) and at better prices (so that my price is not realistic) - then why doesn't he just buy one of the apparently many other offers? 

The truth is - I think - he still likes my offer best (look, condition, quality, features, etc.) - but he wants my goods at the lower price of the not so good goods. But that's just the problem. Item A only costs 500 USD because the quality and features are perhaps slightly worse. And my item B costs 750 USD because it has better features or condition. It is simply worth a little more than the other (poor) goods on the market. But the interested party now wants goods B at the price of goods A. Because if goods A were in the same condition as my goods for 500 USD - then he wouldn't have contacted me in the first place.

Just say you like my products best and whether it is possible to get a small discount. But don't say that there are so many of your goods on the market, I'm too expensive and you can get the same thing for less money everywhere else. Then don't write to me - and buy there! But why don't you do that? 😄 

 

First day of the new year and something like that. No - it doesn't really upset me. But it's a phenomenon that I have again and again when I sell something.

Do you know that too?

Totally fine, i see nothing wrong with it! Its a market, so everyone has to negotiate…

10 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

Given the off topic nature, I thought I'd share some photos from our recent trip to Curacao.

It will be about 2000 years before there's any ancient coins from Curacao, so just the photos for now...

 

Curacao is super cool, especially the island itself, diving is superb and its more fun than more marketed Aruba!

great pictures, as always!

On 1/1/2024 at 2:25 PM, panzerman said:

In 2023 there was one leader who inspired resistance to tyranny/ evil just as Arminius had in 9AD Germany vs Rome.

Slava Ukraine!!!🇺🇦 

Solid list @Kazuma78

 I voted for #1,# 4 and #9 Lysimachos 

4 hours ago, Brennos said:

The year 2023 only brought 36 more coins to my trays, but some of them have a place of honour. The advantage is that selecting the top 10 is an easier task 🙂. I post the acquisitions in chronological order.

 

I had to wait until March to win my first coin, but what a coin! This type has been on my wish list for a long time.

1. CARTHAGE. Circa 270-264 BC. AV  Trihemistater (22mm, 12.48 g). 
O/ Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and necklace with eleven pendants 
R/ Horse standing right, head left. 
Jenkins & Lewis group IX, 389 (same dies); MAA 26; SNG Copenhagen (North Africa) 181; de Luynes 3749 (same obv. die). 

An addition to my "Sicilian big bronzes" sub collection, the famous δραχμαὶ καττιτέρου (drachm in tin), the cornerstone of Dionysios of Syracuse's reform of the monetary system.

2. SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. Æ Drachm (28.5mm, 34.15 g). 
O/ ΣYPA. Head of Athena left, wearing Corinthian helmet with neck guard and bowl decorated with wreath 
R/ Sea-star between two dolphins. 
CNS 62; HGC 2, 1436. 

An interesting addition to my "incuse coinage of Magna Graecia”: A very rare stater of Kroton from the early stage coinage with a spread flan depicting an eagle incuse on the revers.

3. ITALY, Bruttium, Kroton. c. 530-500 BC. AR Stater, (28.0 mm, 7.95g).
O/ ϘPO. Tripod, legs surmounted by wreaths and terminating in lion's feet. 
R/ Eagle flying right, incuse. 
HN Italy 2084; HGC 1, 145.

4. SICILY, Gela. circa 490-475 BC. AR Didrachm 8.64 g. 
O/ Naked and helmeted rider on prancing horse r., wielding spear in raised r. hand, l. arm behind horse's mane, holding reins. 
R/ CE – ΛΑ partially retrograde Forepart of man-headed bull r.; all within shallow circular incuse. Boston, MFA 241 (these dies). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 55, 156 (these dies). Hunterian 210 (these dies). Jenkins, Gela 28.

5. KINGS of THRACE. Lysimachos. 305-281 BC. AV Stater (21.0 mm, 8.55 g). Alexandria Troas mint (?). Struck 297/6-281 BC. 
O/ Diademed head of the deified Alexander right 
R/ BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΛYΣIMAXOY. Athena Nikephoros seated left; HE monogram to inner left, eagle head in exergue. 
Cf. Thompson 141 (same obv die). 

The next coin comes from the collection of professor, grammarian, hellenist and numismatist Marc Bar which was dispersed by Elsen this year. For many years he edited the "Bulletin du Cercle d'études numismatiques" and donated his collection of Greek bronze coins to the Brussels cabinet which published it (SNG Belgique La collection de Bronzes grecs de Marc Bar) together with interesting personal notes by the collector. 

6. PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter as satrap, 323-305/4 BC, or king, 305/4-282 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 15.26 g). Ptolemaic standard. In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Uncertain Mint 3, probably Memphis. Struck circa 306-303 BC. 
O/ Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, wearing elephant skin, aegis around neck 
R/ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔPOY. Athena Alkidemos advancing right; monogram to inner left; to right, monogram and eagle standing right on thunderbolt. 
Svoronos 139; SNG Copenhagen 23

another coin that has long been on my wish list.

7. SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AV 100 Litrai – Double Dekadrachm (13.5mm, 5.79 g). Struck circa 405-400 BC. Unsigned dies in the style of Kimon.
O/ ΣYPAKOΣION. Head of Arethusa to left, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace, hair in sphendone ornamented with two stars; A behind.
R/ Herakles kneeling right, strangling the Nemean Lion; rocks below.
Bérend 30; Gulbenkian 324 (same dies); SNG ANS 332-333 (same dies) HGC 2, 1275

SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-400 BC. AV 20 Litrai – Tetradrachm (11mm, 1.13 g). Struck circa 405-400 BC. 
O/ ΣYPA. Head of Herakles left, wearing lion skin 
R/ Quadripartite incuse square, ethnic in quarters; in deeper incuse circle in center, small female head (Arethousa?) left, wearing necklace. 
Bérend pl. XI, 3; HGC 2, 1289

MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AV stater (19mm, 8.64 gm). Posthumous issue of Phoenicia, Tyre, ca. 305-290 BC. 
O/ Head of Athena to right, wearing Corinthian helmet pushed back on head, the bowl adorned with coiled serpent 
R/ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Nike standing left, holding wreath in her right hand and stylis with her left; monograms within circles in left field and below right wing. 
Price 3528 (same dies). Müller 1588. 

I had no intention of buying the next coin when I attended the sale but I couldn't resist once I had it in hand 😇
An old pedigree was pretty easy to find : a 1932 Bourgey sale, two years too late to be included in the Gallatin's corpus. 

SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I. 405-367 BC. AR Dekadrachm (37mm, 41.65 g). Reverse die signed by Euainetos. Struck circa 405-390 BC. 
O/ Charioteer, holding kentron in extended right hand and reins in left, driving fast quadriga left; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with wreath held in her extended hands; below heavy exergual line, [military harness], shield, greaves, cuirass, and crested Attic helmet, all connected by a horizontal spear; [AΘΛA below] 
R/ Head of Arethousa left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; ΣΥ-ΡΑ-ΚΟ-ΣΙΩΝ behind hair, four dolphins swimming around, [EY-AINE] along lower edge. 
Gallatin R IV C X; Ex: collection Galice sale Bourgey 4/12/1932

 

I wish you all, your family and your dear loved ones a Happy New Year, joy, good health and great acquisitions !

 

@Brennos

Happy New Year!

I am always excited to see your list and my vote goes for your #1 , Gela didrachm and Lysimachos stater!

overall fantastic list, congratulations!

Nice coins, but top for me are Nerva denarius and Hispan RR denarius 

This was absolutely amazing to read, thank you and happy New Year!!

37 minutes ago, Shea19 said:

Thanks!  Yours is one of the best Valerian portraits I’ve seen, great coin.

I got lucky on mine…I got it on the last day of one of those 4-day marathon Leu auctions for very cheap (I think most bidders had lost interest by the time it got to Valerian 😁)

Absolutely fantastic Valerian you got, really neat as those usually pretty ugly 🤣

48 minutes ago, Ryro said:

Next: a coin you bought for the portrait

Fantastic 

I chose 1 and 11, I know how hard it can be to get a quality Valerian portrait- really well done!!

here is mine for comparison- took me 5 years… cc @savitale

#4 & # 7 are fantastic , especially 7

Always enjoy your selection @Octavius, but special coins for me are #3, #5, #9, #11

10 hours ago, savitale said:

savitale’s Top 10 coins of 2023

I have had the pleasure of reviewing many of the 2023 Top Coin lists these past couple days. I have learned quite a lot from those, both about the coins themselves and about the people who collect them. This year was numismatically quite good to me and so quite unexpectedly I find myself with enough new coins from my Roman Imperial collection to offer my own Top 10 list.

The coins below are in chronological order, since that seems appropriate for a Roman Imperial collection. Feel free to leave comments including which, if any, you enjoy.

 

1.      Augustus (r. 27 BC – 14 AD)

Description from Edward J. Waddell:

Augustus, 27 B.C.-14 A.D. AR Denarius, 3.78g. 20mm. Spanish mint, c.19 B.C. CAESAR AVGVSTVS. Bare head of Augustus to right. Rev. OB CIVIS SERVATOS. SPQR CL V on shield surrounded by oak wreath. RIC 79a. BMC 381. BN 1144. Virtually as struck with luster under iridescent toning.

Ex Hirsch, Munich, Auction April 26, 1954, lot 155.

Ex UBS, Zurich, Auction 78, September 9, 2008, lot 1307.

Ex Edward J. Waddell, 12 January 2023, Inv. No. 52936.

 

Probably the most important two things I look for are a fine portrait and complete obverse legends. Though Augustus reigned for 41 years, I find surprisingly few of his coins have nice portraits. I was enamored enough by the obverse that I was willing to compromise on an off-center reverse.

 

2.      Nero (r. 54 – 68 AD)

Description from NAC:

 

Nero augustus, 54 – 68. Denarius circa 64-65, AR 3.51 g. NERO CAESAR – AVGVSTVS Laureate head r. Rev. IVPPITER – CVSTOS Jupiter seated l., holding thunderbolt and sceptre. C 119. BMC 74. RIC 53. CBN 220. A bold portrait of excellent style and a superb old cabinet tone. A minor area of weakness on reverse, otherwise virtually as struck and almost FDC.

Ex. NAC Auction 138, May 18-19, 2023

 

If you ask any member of the general public to name a Roman emperor, they would probably be most likely to say “Nero”, if they could name any one at all. So if I had to show non-numismatic folks one coin from my collection it would be this one. So I decided to splurge on what I consider to be a very attractive example.

 

3.      Vespasian (r. 69 – 79 AD)

Description from CNG:

Vespasian. AD 69-79. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.32 g, 6h). Ephesus mint. Struck AD 69-70. IMP • CAES VESPAS • AVG, laureate head right / CONCORDIΛ ΛVG, Ceres seated left on ornate, high-backed chair, holding poppy and grain ears in right hand and cornucopia in left; sideways (Φ) in exergue. RIC II.1 1400 (this coin cited and illustrated); RPC II 809; RSC 65c; cf. BMCRE 434A. Light iridescent tone. Choice EF. Struck from dies of artistic merit. Rare.

Ex. Roma XVIII (29 September 2019), lot 1117

Ex. Gorny & Mosch 126 (14 October 2003), lot 2325

Ex. CNG Triton XXVI Lot 732, 01/11/2023

 

Vespasian denarii come in two major portrait types: Eastern and Western. The Western is more severe and the Eastern is, well, plumper. I have a slight preference for the Eastern type and so this example, with the nicely detailed reverse, fit the bill.

 

4.      Titus (r. 79-81)

Description from Davisson’s:

Titus. A.D. 79-81. AR denarius. 3.52 gm. 17.5 mm. Rome mint. Struck 1 January-30 June A.D. 80. His laureate head right; IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M / Tripod with fillets; above, dolphin right on wreath, flanked by raven left and right; TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P. RIC II.1 131 (Rare). RSC 323a. Mint State; exceptionally crisply struck with lustrous minty surfaces; very light mark in obverse field before chin; upper right of tripod not fully struck (perhaps due to clogged die), and very fine die polishing marks on reverse. In remarkable condition. Fine style.

Ex. Davisson’s, E-Auction 47 Lot 97, 9/6/2023

 

Coins of Titus are very common. But nice Titus portraits are not, most of them leave me flat. This one is quite good, relatively speaking, but it is the technical qualities that make this coin. Except for a minor filled die on the reverse it is superbly struck, and the surfaces are absolutely proof-like.

 

 

5.      Hadrian (r. 117 – 138 AD)

Description from Leu:

Hadrian, 117-138. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.62 g, 6 h), Rome, circa 121. IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG Laureate and draped bust of Hadrian to right. Rev. P M TR P COS III / LIB - PVB Libertas standing front, head to left, holding pileus in her right hand and long scepter in her left. BMC 289. Cohen 907. RIC 373. Lustrous and beautifully toned, a splendid piece. Virtually as struck.

Ex. the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection, Künker 377, 20 October 2022, 5814.

Ex. Leu Fixed Price List 1, 1/12/2023

 

The only reason Hadrian is tough in a one-per-emperor collection is because you know a better one will always come along eventually. This example will be difficult to beat however, with essentially perfect centering and strike. I found this coin in person at NYINC this year and it is the only coin I bought off the bourse floor.

 

 

6.      Commodus (r. 177 – 192 AD)

From NGC label:

Commodus AD 177 – 192. AR Denarius (3.25g). Rev. Salus feeds snake rising from altar. MS Strike 4/5. Surface 4/5.

Ex. Sarasota Rare Coin Galleries, 8/9/2023

 

This Commodus has spectacular rainbow toning on the obverse and a hint of the same on the reverse. The contrast with the white fields produces exceptional eye appeal, and so I was willing to compromise a bit on the obverse legend.

 

7.      Gordian I (r. 238 AD)

Description from Edward J. Waddell:

Gordian I, Africanus, 238 A.D. AR Denarius, 3.05g. 20mm. IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian to right. Rev. P M TR P COS P P. Emperor standing to left holding branch and parazonium. BMC 1. RIC 1.  Attractive toning with underlying luster and excellent metal quality. Extremely Fine / about Extremely Fine

Ex: Numismatic Fine Arts, Beverly Hillis, Auction XX, March 9, 1988, lot 334.

Ex: Superior, Los Angeles, Auction, August 13, 1995, lot 911.

Ex. Ed Waddell, inv. 56376, 4/17/2023

 

Although not rare and often found with good centering and strike, Gordian coinage is interesting in that it occurs near the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century. Gordian coins do not show the same abasement as later 3^rd century issues but we do find that many examples have poor metal quality. This one is in atypically good metal.

 

8.      Aemilian (r. 253 AD)

 

Description from CGB:

Aemilian Antoninien, 253, Roma, billon 350 ‰,  20,5 mm, 6 h, 3,22 g, Rarity: R2. IMP CAES AEMILIANVS P F AVG Buste radié, drapé et cuirassé d'Émilien à droite, vu de trois quarts en arrière (A2) / VIRTVS AVG Virtus (la Virilité) debout à gauche, tenant une longue haste de la main gauche et une branche d’olivier de la main droite. Superbe exemplaire, idéalement centré des deux côtés. Buste de toute beauté, finement détaillé. Patine grise. CATALOGUE REFERENCES: C.59 - RIC.22 - RCV.9849.

Ex. CGB Live Auction 05 December 2023, lot 684239

 

Moving deeper into the “Crisis”, it becomes harder to find finely executed coins. Aemilian can be quite tough to find with a nice portrait and a complete legend. All things considered, I suspect it will prove very difficult to improve upon the obverse of this Aemilian, so I compromised on the weak reverse.

 

9.      Constantine I (r. 309 – 337 AD) 

Description from Kunker:

Constantine I 306-337. Au-Solidus, 320/321, Ticinum; 4.46g. head r. with laurel wreath//Concordia seated l. with caduceus and cornucopia. RIC 101. R Good Very Fine.

Ex. NAC 46, Zürich 2008, Nr. 1167.

Ex. Kunker Auction 383, Lot 2133, 3/17/2023

 

I plan to collect the coins through the 3^rd century in denarii or antoninianii, and the remainder in soldii when solidii are available. A Choice Constantine I solidus is out of reach for me, so tradeoffs have to be made. This example has excellent centering, strike, and artistry, in my opinion. The tradeoff is that it has some honest wear, which I am very comfortable with. Coins were made to circulate, after all. For some reason I’m not a fan of the “eyes to God” Constantine design, so the present one is a great fit for my collection.

 

10.  Valentinian II (r. 375 – 392 AD)

Description from Edward J. Waddell:

Valentinian II. AV Solidus, 4.51g., 21mm. Antioch. Struck 9 Aug AD 378 – Aug. 383. RIC IX 39a 1. Deperot 42/1. Biaggi 2296.

Ex: MDC Monaco 7, June 12, 2021, lot 57

Ex. Ed Waddell, inv. 56763

 

In contrast to the Constantine I, here Valentinian II is basically a no-compromises coin except for the die break at the top of the obverse which personally I don’t find distracting at all. If you like crisp, shiny solidi, this one’s for you.

Wow, what a fantastic selection, Nero takes a prime spot for me, followed by Augustus 

All fantastic coins, thank you for sharing!

I voted for a wonderful Vitellius

1 minute ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Something general. No retailer makes 200% on their goods - not even CGB. There are exceptions. If you accidentally discover a great coin that everyone forgets - and you don't know why you just won a Cleopatra or a Caligula in an auction for 500 euros. Yes, then - then the dealer sometimes makes more than 200% profit. But that's the one lottery win that you win every now and then. And every dealer needs it - because he not only wins a valuable coin by chance for little money a few times a year - he also loses a lot of money several times a year (just as an example) to fraudsters. This is what is called commercially sound mixed costing. But the fact that you constantly make 100-200% profit is nonsense. If you think so, you should try it out yourself as a dealer. But the money isn't on the street.

And why do collectors buy from dealers - even though they could buy cheaper at auctions themselves?

This is explained very simply. I have many customers who are very busy at work. You don't have the time or desire to go through auction catalogs. They would rather spend their time with the coins or with the family. You don't want to spend time constantly watching auctions, sitting in front of them, bidding. You don’t want any hassle with foreign transfers. With customs fees. With shipping problems. And then the dealers do that. We spend time watching auctions, bidding, taking care of payment, customs and shipping. I even create special videos for my customers so they can see the quality. and this service costs us dealers time and the customer money. It's a service - and customers are willing to pay for good service.

But numismatists are educated people. My customers know what a coin costs and is worth. You can't fool customers. They're not dumb. Customers are willing to pay for the service. But not at ridiculous prices. If I charged 200%, I wouldn't have any customers tomorrow. This also applies to other retailers. We do a service. And we don't work for free. If you don't want to use this service - that's no problem. Buy your coins directly from the auction house. It's a free world. You can do everything yourself - or use a service. But don't expect the service to be free for you!

Merry Christmas!

1 minute ago, Prieure de Sion said:

 

Thanks.

Salomon Cat is one of my customers. I shouldn't praise yourself too much. Sorry for that. But my customers usually know exactly my purchase prices. Because for most coins I also write down which auction the coin comes from. Anyone can check the purchase price with me and calculate it themselves.

And I can write this publicly without a bad conscience - because my buyers confirm it - my markups are very moderate and very fair - sometimes even very low.

Please excuse me if I'm upset here. But 100-200% profit and then especially calling myself greedy - that makes me angry. Because that is actually an assumption that is not true.

I am upset - because the auction house did not do its job to my satisfaction - which other auction houses do. I had expected a loss because that was clear when I decided not to sell the whole pack of coins myself. I wanted them out of storage in one fell swoop. I knew there was a loss. But if he had done a good job he wouldn't have had to pay so much. That annoys me. Because it was unnecessary. Loss is often unavoidable. However, losses due to mistakes that you didn't have to make are annoying - because they are avoidable.

But don't pretend I'm a salesman who's all about greed. You're making a mistake in your tone - clearly.

Ok, let’s close the topic but please stop blaming auction house for your own mistakes 

6 minutes ago, Salomons Cat said:

@Prieure de Sion is one of the best sellers that I know. He studies all of his coins, he adds perfect and detailled information to each of his offers. 
This IS actually adding value to the coins. And usually there is only a rather small mark-up, compaired to the auction prices.

He‘s absolutely not acting like others - CGB for example, where the descriptions are not correct and they still sell the coins for 2.5x the recent auction price.

@El Cazador, what you‘re doing is just diffamation, from my point of view. @Prieure de Sion contributes a lot to the numismatic community. And what he mentioned here are just facts, that doesn‘t have anything to do with greed.

It‘s also in your interest, @El Cazador, that people like this stay in this business.

How is it in the interest of a fellow collectors to pay 200% on the coin that was sold 2 days ago?

before using words like defamation @Salomons Catplease refer to its meaning. Stating facts is reasonable. And please refrain from tagging me going forward in your posts…

1 minute ago, Prieure de Sion said:

So you didn't read it correctly? I didn't expect a 100-200% profit on the Leu auction. Where is that? Show me the text please? Where did I write that I expected this? On the contrary - I wrote that I expected a LOSS. But not with a 70-80% loss on some coins! And especially not - if such a high loss could have been avoided!

 

Don't be mad at me - but you apparently just skimmed everything and don't seem to know either the coins or the text here.

Which 30 euro coins where I expected high winnings? Do you read what I write? I'm talking about EXPENSIVE coins. Coins from a great collection or coins that are not available in the RIC / RPC (or other standard references). The lot includes an expensive Commodus coin, a Commodus RPC unique piece and a province coin that is a newly discovered type. And these expensive coins were sold off in a lot for 20 euros.

You are constructing something here that I expected a 100-200% profit and there were only 30 euro coins in the auction that I wanted to sell at a high price. Maybe you'll read the text correctly - and then comment. Thanks.

NOTHING from what you consigned was either valuable or expensive.

I will recap here, those were 30-40 euro coins that deserved to be in group lots.

Please try consigning interesting, valuable coins from your store and don’t anticipate minimum 100% profit on each coin (like you currently do)

Greed - is not good, as it turns out!

✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼 🎄🎅

17 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Ah, so you would also be perfectly happy if a large number of your coins (some of them expensive) were put into group lots without being asked, without a description, photographed on one side only, so that nobody could recognise which type they were?
 
Don't be angry with me - but don't tell me something like that 😉 

 

It's easy to talk when you haven't lost any money yourself. But - I repeat myself - if you had delivered your coins to an auction house, your information would have been disregarded and your coins would have been put into group lots without asking (in a mess, without a description, only one side photographed), then you would get a ridiculous 20 euros per coin - You would be pissed off and upset too.

And that has nothing to do with quick buying and quick selling. I keep buying coins (in my shop) last week and selling them again just 1-2 days later. I know the market prices. In the last two years I have sold almost 1,100 coins. Successful. This has nothing to do with bought quick, sold quick.

But there is an extreme difference in how I offer the coins. If I try hard, I'll get decent money. If I just put a picture and write a quick 0815 text - then a coin will sell worse or not at all.

 

Well, appreciate the paragraph here, but as @ajaxindicated your business model was built on flipping coins rather quickly and charging 100-200% markups above what the coin recently sold.

secondly, you kept best coins in your store, yet consigned a bunch of common, 30 euro coins and expected different results.

Totally rational from the AH perspective to put these common, low value, low interest, mass produced coins in the lots.- I would have done exactly the same.

🤗

11 minutes ago, ajax said:

 

There are 2 reasons your consignment did not do well:

1.  You won the coins in auctions and tried to flip them after short time. Do you think the underbidders whom you blocked from getting the coins they wanted, would happily bid again to give you flipping profit?

2. You tried to flip in an auction where the auctioneers themselves are also flipping and consigning. 

If you can't realise how the reasons above affected your consignments, you should better quit the flipping business. 

Very, very true statement 

7 hours ago, panzerman said:

1/ Mysia/ Kyzikos

EL Hemihekte ND (550-25BC)

Bull/ Tuna

Provenance back to Greta Shield Hackett coll. died 1941

Unpublished

Lansky

2/ Kyrenaica/ Kyrene

AV Obol ND

Struck under Ptolemaic Governor Magas 308-5BC)

Zeus Ammon R/ Arethusa R

Noble Auction

Unpublished

3/ Achaia/ Phliasia

Philolaus Mint

EL Myshemihekte ND 600-550BC

Human Leg or "Z" =zorro

Unpublished

Shanna Schmitt

4/ Ionia/ Uncertain City State

EL 1/48 Stater ND 600-575BC

Human Leg/ Three Pellets

Unpublished

Hirsch Nachfolger

5/ Magna Graecia/ Etruria

AV 10 Asses ND (3rd century BC)

"X"/ Blank

Unpublished 3-5 known

Artemide LX

6/ Same

AV As

"1"/ blank

Artemide LX

Unpublished/ 2-3 known

7/ Ionia/ Uncertain/ Lydo-Milesian Standard

EL Trite ND 625-600BC

Blank/ "W" symbols

CNG

 8/ Cyprus/ Salamis

AV 1/10 Stater ND

Evagoras I 411-373BC

Herakles/Lionheaddress/ Man-Headed Goat

Roma Auction

9/ Mytilene/ Lesbos

EL Hekte ND (387-50BC)

Head of Io Left

Leu Auction

10/ Lesbos/ Mytilene

EL Hekte ND (378-56BC)

Mytilene Mint

Apollo Kernelos R/ Eagle

CNG

Please pick your fav. trio....

John

Roman World after Christmas.

 

 

The last coin screams of details!! Very cool

5 hours ago, Romancollector said:

 

Hi everyone, 

I'm a bit late, but here are my top 10 coins of 2023. This year, my list is notably shorter compared to previous years as I was less successful in acquiring coins. Nevertheless, I managed to find several coins that have eluded me for some time, and with the help of rnumis, I've also managed to uncover some of their hidden provenances. Unlike in previous years, my list is not arranged chronologically. Without further delay, here are the first five: 

1. Nero (AD 54-68)

A sestertius Nero has been one of my top collecting grails for years. I was particularly disappointed when the example I liked in the Triton auction hammered for well above my price level. However, I was very happy to pick up this example from a Heritage auction a few months later. My example also boasts a much better pedigree, having once been in the Vierordt collection (joining my Volusian sestertius and Claudius/Agrippina denarius). Through rnumis, I also found an earlier Cahn pedigree (see below). 

AE Sestertius (34mm, 23.57 g). Rome mint. AD 64. NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P, laureate head of Nero left / View of triumphal arch, showing front and left hand side; above, the Emperor in a quadriga escorted by Victory; arch is heavily ornamented and decorated with statues of Pax, Mars and two soldiers; RIC I 150. 

Ex George Joseph Bauer (1870-1961) Collection; M. L. Vierordt of Bloemendaal Collection; Alfred Oertel Collection; Heritage Auctions CSNS World Coins Platinum Session and Signature Auction (4 May 2023), lot 31177; Glendining (23 January 1963), lot 1184; J. Schulman 145 (17 June 1924), lot 683; J. Schulman 139 (5 March 1923), lot 889; Adolph E. Cahn 32 (17 March 1913), lot 1133.

Photo Credit Heritage/NGC

Photo Credit Adolf Cahn via Rnumis

2. Ptolemy II (285-246 BC)

A portrait coin of Ptolemy I has been on my list for several years. I was drawn to this particular example when I initially spotted it on the dealer's website; although it is technically a posthumous issue, I thought its style was captivating. However, I held off on purchasing until I found a pedigree, which I found a few weeks later (see below).

AR Tetradrachm (27mm, 14.17 g). Sidon mint. 249-248 BC. Diademed Head of Ptolemy I right, aegis tied around neck, dotted border / ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt, dotted border, in left field ΣΙ above and ΔΙ below, in right field Λ𝖨. Lorber 539. Svoronos 751.

Ex Ed Waddell. Inventory No. 56915; Pegasi Numismatics (1995); Italo Vecchi, Sale 5 (5 March 1997), lot 324.

 

Photo Credit Italo Vecchi via Rnumis

3. Valens (AD 364-378)

I really like late Roman silver, especially miliarenses. When I saw this coin at NYINC, I thought it was too overpriced, so I was very happy to score this later in the year at auction.

AR Light Miliarense (23 mm, 4.40 g), Treveri mint, AD 367-375. D N VALENS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VIRTVS EXERCITVS, emperor standing front, head to left, holding labarum in his right hand and placing his left on shield set on ground. Mintmark TRPS. RIC 26b.

Ex Leu Numismatik Auction 14 (14 October 2023), lot 251; Fritz Rudolf Künker Auction 243 (21 November 2013), lot 5281.

4. Nero & Drusus Caesars. d. AD 31 and AD 33, respectively.

As a Julio-Claudian fanatic, I was thrilled to acquire this coin of Caligula's ill-fated brothers.

AE Dupondius (29mm, 15.59 g). Rome mint. AD 40-41, struck under Gaius (Caligula). NERO ET DRVSVS CAESARES, Nero and Drusus on horseback galloping right / C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG P M TR P IIII PP around large SC. RIC I 49.

Ex Ernst Ploil Collection; Classical Numismatic Group Feature Auction 123 (24 May 2023), lot 592;  Numismatica Ars Classica 125 (24 June 2021), lot 622; Numismatica Ars Classica 101 (24 October 2017), lot 107; Künker 83 (17 June 2003), lot 752.

Photo Credit CNG

5. Valentinian I (AD 364-375)

AR Siliqua (18mm, 2.23 g). Thessalonica mint. AD 364-367. DN VALENTINIANVS PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / RESTITVTOR REIP, emperor standing front, looking right, holding labarum and Victory on globe. Mintmark TES. RIC IX 12a.

Ex Stack's Bowers World Collectors Choice Online Auction (27 February 2023), lot 71154; Spink Auction 16006 (27 September 2016), lot 2903; East Harptree Hoard (1887).

Stay tuned for part 2!

Absolutely fantastic Ptolemy II Tetradrachm, really a neat acquisition 

I voted for #2, such an iconic coin in wonderful style, toning and state of preservation.

Truly a neat coin!