Simon

A win from last night. I have several of his electrum trachea, they are always low in gold content. The price on this one made it a steal. Alexius III Angelus-Comnenus (AD 1195-1203). EL aspron trachy (29mm, 4.30 gm, 6h). NGC Choice XF 4/5 - 3/5, edge chips. Constantinople, AD 1197-1203. IC-XC (barred), full length figure of Christ seated facing on backless throne, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, book of Gospels on lap / AΛЄZIΩΩ Δ-ЄCΠ KOMNHNΩ, Alexius III (on left) and St. Constantine (on right) standing facing, each wearing crown, divitision and loros, cruciform scepter on outer arm, both holding labarum between them. Sear 2010. Ex Freeman & Sear, Mail Bid Sale 8 (5 February 2003), lot 548.

How about a nice A2.

One of the first coin reform Billion trachea. These are difficult to find. Not full struck on obv but beautiful reverse. Alexius I SBCV -1919 28mm 3.62g

To be honest I don't know these sellers, nor do I follow them, therefore I won't condemn them fully. Just the coins they are offering now. Last year I saw a fake on one of the lower end dealers on vcoins. All of his other material was good, so I just let him know about the issue with that coin. It came down. On the list of fake sellers, I saw one that I have purchased legit coins from, I am not doubting they sold fakes to get on that list but was it malicious or ignorance?

Here is a lesser known article by an excellent researcher, he is talking about crusader coins but it is the same style for the tetartera. https://www.academia.edu/39265926/NEW_FACTS_ON_MODERN_FAKE_COINS_OF_THE_CRUSADER_STATES Currently on ebay, there are 6 under new listing's for tetarteron that are all fake. The sellers are vintage items, coinhub, vallface. I don't know if the sellers were duped, but the coins are clearly not right. One is very good that I question if it is fake or not. Know the coin or know the seller.

They are just guidelines Ram, no time limit, I just thought it would be better to limit each post to one coin. Like visiting a museum, you don't just look at a wall of art you visit each piece.

I am.sorry to say it is a modern forgery, commonly seen on ebay. Most of these forgery are being sold by UK sellers and are being made in Eastern europe. It is based off an Alexius coin half tetarteron SBCV,-1932, it is not a hard coin to find,just hard to find nicely stuck. It was originally attributed to an unknown Greek mint but recently this is being rethought because of the excavation in Thessalonica for the new subway, these coins are being found in the hundreds there. OBV Patriarchal cross on two steps. REV Bust of emperor wearing stemma divitision and jeweled loros and in r. hand holding jeweled scepter and in l. Globus cruciger.Europe. DOC lists 42 examples with weights ranging from .59gm to 3.22gm and sizes ranging from 13mm to 18mm

You do not see this type this nice, that's a treasure. @Valentinian

Beautiful Large example. Manuel -SBCV-1976 24mm 5.78gm. Simple design, simple beauty.

I think you will know more when it is in hand. It looks well worn but congratulations.

No a stupid question, in the late empire the coins were used primarily by the government, the saw less circulation than the copper and billion coins. So more detail and normally better struck. I collected for many years before I owned my first gold coin. Thank you, I photograph on thimble sized stands, however I use a tiny box with black cloth wrapped over that, I will change it to white, I will see if it makes it easier. Thanks again. I like the word professional, thank you for the info. That is valuable info for me working on a long-term project.

I do not know. I was wondering that myself. I do have another coin decades later with the emperor looking left. Maurice Tiberius ( 582-602 AD.) 10 nummi, I think I bought it for that novelty alone.

Damn Ed, I never realized so much variation of photography in one coin, I was just trying to get the best picture without manipulation. Thank you for pointing it out, I now know I am not the only one with a problem. Thank you CPK, my added headache is these coins are concaved. since my specialty is after the coin reform. the dull gold is easier but anything still shiny is a pain. I am trying to keep to my rules but I am finding it more difficult. I am going to take your suggestion on light but I will try more indirect light. Right now I have a light ring I use for most of the coppers and the results are very good. My photograph table is not set up to be portable but I do live in Florida, perhaps I can move it outside for a experiment. Here is another problem coin, again too much shine. This shot did not come out badly but at the same time it barely shows the luster. Silvered trachea are rarely like this one.

I have had success with my photography of copper coins, most silver and even electrum coinage but gold coins I rarely do well with. I have issues with the glare, I am trying not to change the photos for the sake of trying to capture the true image of each coin. I am going to try to rephotograph my entire collection but I cringe when I am trying to work with the gold coins. Here is a beautiful coin but I just cant get the shot. In this case I darkened it. here is an electrum coin, It came out much better. If anyone has basic tips , I would very much appreciate it. Thank You in advance. Simon

Another delightful coin.