CPK

If those are normal-sized dollar bills, yes. But in that case the burglars must be about 3 feet tall. 😆

Thank you! Both of your coins are remarkable - the denarius portrait especially. I agree that Severus Alexander's sideburns must have made a deep impression on whoever engraved that die. 😄

Lovely landscaping @panzerman - and that torte looks delicious!

That's interesting! We used to have a CO2 laser, but now all we have are fiber lasers. Fiber is just so much faster than CO2 and way more efficient. Of course, they're more expensive up front, too. As a matter of fact, I'm doing an etching job right now on our smallest laser, a 6KW which probably cost somewhere around $600K. 😉 These are stainless steel parts:

Nice! It's always fun to discover new and interesting aspects to coins already in your collection. That happened to me with this coin here: SICILY, SYRACUSE Time of Agathokles, 317-289 BC AE14 (14.22mm, 2.14g, 7h) Struck 305-295 BC Obverse: Head of Athena left, wearing crested Corinthian helmet Reverse: ΣΥΡΑ-ΚΟΣΙΩΝ above and below winged thunderbolt References: CNS 118, Favorito 38a (this coin illustrated) Attractive green patina. This coin is the illustrated plate coin in Emilo N. Favorito’s reference manual "The Bronze Coinage of Ancient Syracuse", published in 1990 by the Society Historia Numorum. Notated as being from the collection of Favorito himself. I bought this coin in a group lot with little to no description, and only much later found that it is actually a plate coin. I now own a copy of Favorito's reference catalog, which itself happens to be autographed by the author for one of the contributors.

Beautiful coin @CassiusMarcus!

That is a stunning portrait indeed! And you can even see Domitian's features in the reverse figure, too. Truly, a magnificent coin! In my opinion, this is artistry fully on par with the famed "Alphaeus Master" of Hadrian's coinage.

Whoa! That alligator - how common is it to see one crossing the street like that?? Shrimp looks good, too. 😉 Here's a view from my daily life - working at adjusting parameters for one of our fiber lasers. Boring? 😉 Perhaps slightly more interesting - a family trip to a local lake from a week or two ago. This is our youngest, 2 years old and about to turn 3 next month. Saw a black snake there too. Our oldest, 5, staring at the sun in the eerie half-light just before totality:

No doubt, Carthage produced some spectacular coins! Totally my coin: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4575650 Actually, I don't think I have any coins from Carthage. They're on my lengthy wish-list, though.

Lovely coin!

Apollo right SICILY, SYRACUSE Time of Timoleon and the Third Democracy, 337-317 BC AE (15.09mm, 3.00g, 8h) Struck 336-317 BC Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right Reverse: ΣΥΡΑ, Pegasus flying right References: SNG Munich 1185 A very rare variant. Timoleon was a Corinthian general commissioned to aid the Syracusans against both the Carthaginian invaders and the local ruling tyrants. Timoleon brilliantly accomplished both objectives, ushering in the period of cultural and economic renewal and recovery known as the Third Democracy.

Beautiful photography @HipShot Photography - I really like your work and website. (And looking forward to your book!) 1 Kilo coin?? That is wild!

I've noticed that too. It seems that if there is a price difference between the two platforms, MA-Shops is always slightly higher. My guess is that the cost of listing on MA-Shops must be a bit higher and the dealer is passing that extra cost along to the customer. But I could be wrong.

Trident & dolphin MARCUS AGRIPPA, died 12 BC AE As (29.08mm, 11.54g, 6h) Struck under Caligula, AD 37-41. Rome mint Obverse: M AGRIPPA L F COS III, head of Marcus Agrippa left, wearing rostral crown Reverse: Neptune, draped, standing left, holding dolphin in extended right hand and trident in left References: RIC I 58, RCV 1812 Rich brown patina. A characteristically stern portrait of Marcus Agrippa, loyal friend of Augustus and grandfather to the emperor Caligula.

LYSIMACHOS, 306-281 BC AR Tetradrachm (28.30mm, 16.15g, 12h) Struck 297 - 281 BC. Alexandreia Troas mint Obverse: Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with the horn of Ammon Reverse: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣIMAXOY, Athena Nikephoros seated left, left arm resting on shield, transverse spear in background; cornucopia to inner left, Λ under throne References: SNG Stockholm 845 (same dies) A rare variant. Toned with scratches on reverse. Well centered portrait of Alexander the Great in fine style. Next: another Diadochi tetradrachm

A Tetrarch CONSTANTIUS I as Caesar, AD 293-305 AE Follis (25.21mm, 9.06g, 12h) Struck AD 304/5. Alexandria mint Obverse: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head of Constantius I right Reverse: HERCVLI VICTORI, Hercules, draped in lion skin, standing facing, head left, leaning on club with right hand and holding apples in left; Δ / S / P in fields, ALE in exergue References: RIC VI 40, RCV 14078 Well centered and well struck. An extraordinary portrait, in a style more reminiscent of the earlier Flavian/Antonine coinage than that of the Tetrarchy. Detailed reverse.

I don't think it needs to be that way. Image editing programs, properly used, help bring a photo closer to a coin's real-life appearance. The OP is interested (as most of us are) in getting a photo that is as close to reality as possible and using software tools to achieve this end is not being deceptive at all. After all your digital camera uses its own image building software to adjust and create the photo internally. What's the difference with using an external program to further adjust the same parameters?

What is better than a new pachyderm coin? A great new acquisition, @DonnaML! My own hippo is pretty worn, as seems to be the case for most of this type. EGYPT, ALEXANDRIA Time of Claudius AE Diobol (22.41mm, 5.79g, 1h) Struck AD 41-46 Obverse: ΤΙ ΚΛΑV ΚΑΙ ϹƐΒΑϹ ΓƐΡΜΑ, laureate head of Claudius right, star to lower right Reverse: ΑVΤΟΚΡΑ, hippopotamus standing right, [uncertain] date in exergue cf. RPC I 5124 Worn surfaces with edge irregularity. A decent hippopotamus.

I do occasionally, if the service was particularly good, or if I am extra pleased with the coin.

"very little to show" - perhaps quantity wise, but you are certainly not lacking for quality! That middle coin is especially fine, and again shows outstanding quality of production. Hitting it out of the park as always Octavius! Thank you! Thanks! That is a great example with some really sharp detail!

Interesting coin. I'll bet @galba68 could point you to some resources for cleaning!

Not Modern Dutch, I presume? I don't know if you are a fan of P.G. Wodehouse, but this brings irresistibly to mind his novel The Code of The Woosters, and the silver cow creamer. 😄

Thanks! 🙂 Thank you! Those are beautiful coins - I think your Sev. Alex tops mine. 👍 And that Pupienus is exquisite! Now that is a lovely coin! I love Jupiter's dynamic pose, about to hurl his thunderbolt.

Perhaps. I did try an online background remover, and Paint 3D has a tool they call "magic select" which is the same thing. It worked, but sometimes it would trim the coin a bit too much, or not enough. I found I can do a better job manually, even though it takes more time.

Such gorgeous coins! 🤩 I'd love to get an aureus someday but I doubt it will happen. Ditto an Alexander the Great AV.