robinjojo

Yes, I suppose the mass standardized owls are banal, when compared to other owls, and especially when they're compared to the emissions of Syracuse. The standardized classical owls reflect the times in which they were produced, and if I had to choose between one of those owls and a Morgan dollar - no brainer!

Thanks! Yes. I was buying native gold specimens back around the late 90s to around 2000. I haven't since then, turning more to ancients and world coins since then.

The magnificent gold aurei, solidi, drachms, staters, escudos, soles and 20 dollar gold coins, to name a few, those coins whose images grace this website and auction catalogs all had their origins in the extraction of gold from in-situ, placer and lode deposits over the thousands of year that human kind sought, discovered and processed this coveted metal into coinage. The purpose of this thread is to provide a general guide of this different types of gold deposits that were exploited by empires, kingdoms and republics to enhance their economic status throughout the ancient and modern worlds. The photos illustrate the different forms that gold can take depending of the mode of deposit. Placer and lode alluvial surface deposits Gold, despite its softness, is an extremely durable native element. In sufficient concentrations, that is having relatively little associated quartz, massive water worn nuggets can be found on the the surface of deserts and plains where rivers used to flow eons ago, or in rivers or creeks. The alluvial gold deposits of ancient Lydia are an example of what is probably the first effort by human civilization to extract gold for the purpose for producing gold coinage. Gold nugget, Western Australia, 104.80 grams This specimen is basically solid gold. The surfaces are water worn, even though it was found in the vast desert of Western Australia. The surface display pits or cavities in which other minerals, mostly quartz weathered away. Gold nugget, Western Australia, 75.02 grams Gold found in alluvial deposits can vary in composition, as can be seen . Australia has produced nuggets that vary greatly in weight, with some weighing a kilo or more! Gold in quartz nugget, Western Australia, 120.56 grams Here, the nugget has a preponderance of quartz, which is a light tan color due to microscopic deposits of gold. Hard Rock (In-Situ) Deposits As civilizations developed, so did the techniques used to extract gold, notably through mining and refining ore. Here are some examples. Electrum, Seven Troughs Mining District, Fairview Mine, Pershing County, Nevada, 13.51 grams Native Gold, crystalline and quartz, Coulterville, California, 51.7 grams Native Gold, crystalline and quartz California 85.58 grams Native Gold, crystalline, with arsenopyrite and quartz Alleghany Co, California, 43.23 grams Native Gold in quartz with silver telluride Hessite (dark grey areas), Old Campbell Mine, Balmertown, Ontario, Canada, 43.5 grams In addition to quartz, gold is often associated with silver tellurides and pyrite. Native Gold, crystalline with quartz and pyrite, Turpin Mine, Gwanda, Zimbabwe, 21.71 grams The gold bearing ores that are more typically encountered show little, if any visual evidence of gold, even with normal hand magnification. The specimens shown are very rich examples. Here's a more typical example, and even this one is out of the ordinary. This a large piece of quartz with a very small spot of native gold visible. There might other minerals, including silver sulfide minerals. Do you see the gold? An old friend and retired school teacher owned a mine in the Sierra. When she passed away several years ago, her house, two doors down from mine, was the scene of chaos. Her nephew wanted the house emptied out quickly so it could be put on the market. The courtyard of the house was heaped with minerals that were ultimately destined for the landfill. I retrieved as many as I could, including this gold ore specimen, which I think came from the mine. Well, I hope this thread was informative. Gold really is where you find it, but it does comes in different forms.

Nice coins! The centering on the tetradrachm is especially nice. I can just make out the Aramaic M on the drachm - neat coin! This is a leftover Pharaonic owl that I purchased post auction from Roma a couple of months ago, also a Buttrey Type M . Pharaonic Kingdom of Egypt, uncertain pharaoh(s) AR Tetradrachm. Late 5th-mid 4th centuries BC. Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena to right, with frontal eye / Owl standing to right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Van Alfen pl. 9; Van Alfen, Mechanisms, Group III.A.1, fig. 1 = Buttrey Type M. 17.19g, 24mm, 8h.

The Chinese, in addition to the traditional cash coins, also created silver ingots call sycee, issued by banks and other private sources. Here's a typical "saddleback" example from Yunnan Province of around 4.5 taels by weight:

I suspect that Fedex is experiencing the same problem as other shippers: a shortage of pilots. This shortage has affected the airlines as well. The pandemic caused many pilots to be terminated by their employers, or furloughed or offered early retirement. Now that the economy globally is exploding in pent up demand, the air transportation and transport industry has been caught unprepared, with passengers in long queues and packages piling up ports of entry . Flights are being cancelled and I imagine cargo flights have been reduced as well. Compounding the problem is the soaring cost of aviation fuel. I would imagine this cost incentivizes airlines and cargo carriers to reduce flight and maximized all the seats or capacity available on the reduce number of flights. For passengers that means uncertainty that a flight will even occur with last minute cancellations by the airlines a frequent occurrence. I've notice some slight delays with shipments from Europe to the US by USPS, but nothing exceptionally long, so far.

Nice coin! The reverse is nicely centered in particular, and, yes, that price is far more down to earth. These Bactrian, Parthenian and Unknown Eastern Mint owls can fetch hammer prices that are all over the map, but they do follow the general trend of higher prices for either rare varieties or higher grade examples. Another factor going for these coins is the provenance to the 1960s hoard (Andragoras-Sophytes Group) . Here's one of mine from Roma XX, a Bactria Athenian Series imitation Owl, 261-239 BC. This owl cost me £950, so with the 20% buyer's fee, the total was £1,140. 16.64 grams The owl on the reverse looks as if he or she is wearing a pair of in-line roller skates!

I think the relative obscurity of this type of imitative owl limits the number of collectors who are more at home collecting owls with firmer roots. Over the years I have collected many imitations, coins that are not Athenian in origin due to style and weight, primarily, but that's just about as far as it goes with them. Unfortunately hoard information is hard to come by, since these coins are found and dispersed pretty quickly. However, this situation does not preclude the uncovering and documenting of future hoards that may shed more light on these coins. Until that happens, they remain objects of conjecture and speculation for the most part.

That is a beautiful coin and an excellent start! The reference for your coin is in the description, RIC (Roman Imperial Coins) 969, which makes your coin a Roman Imperial coin.

That's right. I added an "I". Sorry.

Would this journal have a cross index that would allow searches across different subjects, such as empires/kingdoms, coin types, emperors/empresses/kings, mythology, metal types/denominations, etc.? It is an intriguing and ambitious concept, one that would necessitate a considerable amount of time and cost, but one that is really sorely needed in this vast, complex field of ancient and world numismatics.

The hammer price for this Bactrian owl was £1,600 (not including buyer's fee), on a £500 estimate , a little too rich for my budget. It is a very nice example, nonetheless.

On the other hand, the facing portraits coins, especially the late ones, really convey the king's age and decline.

This is an owl that came out of an auction last month. Pharaonic Kingdom of Egypt, uncertain pharaoh(s) AR Tetradrachm. Late 5th-mid 4th centuries BC. Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena to right, with frontal eye / Owl standing to right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Van Alfen pl. 11; Van Alfen, Mechanisms, Group III.A.1, Fig. 3 = Buttrey Type X. 16.91g, 25mm, 9h. This type of pharaonic owl has an owl on the reverse with very exaggerated feet, so with feet so long as these, why not take to the waves near Santa Cruz. And some surfin' music - Have a great summer! Hit that groove in Santa Cruz!

I was able to secure a Syracusan tetradrachm, in E-Auction 518,, one, for many years, that I've been seeking. The tetradrachms of the Second Democracy have some of the most beautiful dies created by the artisans of the mint, and some of the most atrocious strikes and quality issues (badly worn/rusted dies, flan flaws, off-center strikes, etc.) in the series, hands down. So, I was pleased to add this mid-grade tet to the collection, completing the main hair styles for this period. Here's the auction picture, which is quite pixelated. Once the coin arrives I take more snaps of it. The coin does have some flan flaws, as is very typical of this type and period, but overall it is very pleasing.

I didn't see much of anything of great interest to me, and besides, it looks as if I will need to fork over $14,000 to have the sewer line replaced. I got a few Byzantine bronzes and an interesting Islamic AE dirham. When they arrive I'll take some pics.

My most recent experience of an "inbound customs" notification occurred with the Qataban tetradrachm that was shipped from Canada. My guess is that if such a notice is not part of the tracking, that the shipment, as indicated above that it cleared the ISC and the International Sort Center is a good sign that Customs did not slow it down, that it was probably given a cursory inspection and sent on its way. When I saw the inbound customs notification, followed by a delay of three weeks, followed by the letter of detention, I knew I was in for a protracted period of uncertainty. Once a shipment goes into the US Customs system, it falls off the USPS tracking radar. US Customs is an opaque system, with absolutely no status information posted online. If one receives a letter of detention, one must provide documentation that will satisfy US Customs' requirements. My situation was compounded by an incorrect telephone number. I remember finally able to find the correct number, after considerable inquiring. The agent that I talked to was nice, but he told me that he wasn't sure if the documents that I sent by certified mail were received, and that the coin was in Washington DC at the time. So, I was given an email address, which I used to attach all of the documentation, including legal forms. The saga dragged on for another week or two, and then bingo! the outbound customs notice appeared, and the coin arrived a few days later. This is a long-winded account, but I think it illustrates when a customs notification may appear in the tracking. Basically, I think, it means that the shipment is being looked at in more detail. Perhaps the outcome could be an outbound notice in a few days, or it could be an indication of a more complicated situation.

Here are few: Eastern Celts, AR tetradrachm, Serbia, 4th century BCE Janus head type. 12.73 grams Eastern Celts, AR tetradrachm, Dionysus, LT 9685 variety rare 10.36 grams Eastern Celts, AR tetradrachm Dionysus, Karl 612, rare. 16.10 grams Eastern Celts, AR tetradrachm, Leierblume type, circa 3rd century BC. Eastern Celts, Transylvania, AR tetradrachm, circa 2nd century BC, Lanz 656 (this coin) 12.23 grams

This game looks vaguely familiar..... Paeonia, Patraos, AR tetradrachm, 335-315 BC. 12.6 grams Next: An equestrian theme coin.

Notification regarding US Customs inbound and outbound status does not usually appear on the USPS tracking. When the tracking status indicates that a shipment is being processed though the Jamaica International Sort Center (aka JFK) that includes US Customs. Now, my understanding with US Customs is that a notification will appear ("Inbound Customs" or something like that) if a shipment has been selected for further examination. No other information will be forthcoming until the shipment is released by US Customs ("Outbound Customs). Between those two notices there's no status information, even if the shipment has been detained. Generally if something has been in US Customs for two weeks they are required to send the sender and recipient a letter, which in my case last year was a letter of detention. Still, I prefer to use regular "snail mail" due to cost plus a pretty good reliability record overall. In all the years (decades) of mail deliveries, one coin disappeared when a mail truck was robbed. Another coin was stolen from my external mail box (I changed that to a slot many years ago). Still another coin got temporary waylaid during that upheaval in the summer of 2020, when the sorting machines were yanked by the head of the Postal Service. I have up on the coin's arrival after a few months and got a refund. About a year later it showed up at the seller's address in Israel! I have had a few coins sent by DHL Express. The service was quick, very trackable, and expensive, but the coin cost $1,500 so I suppose the cost was justified.

Speaking of stone carvings, here one made from a stone that had high esteem in ancient times, as well as today: lapis lazuli. This is a tiny frog or toad (18.13 grams), carved in Thailand. It is a modern object, but the detail and modeling are excellent.

You have two netsuke carvings. Netsuke is a traditional Japanese carved object, out of ivory, wood and now resin, which is supposed to resemble ivory. The two holes at the bottom are to secure a cord, since traditional Japanese clothing did not include belts. The cords were attached to a purse or pouch, for holding various items. Traditional Japanese kimonos did not have pockets. Here's one from my collection, and the nicest one, made of fossil ivory, from the first to second decade of the 20th century, by my estimate. Note the two holes in the back.

The gothic florin of Victoria has really nicely engraved dies, very much in the gothic style of that period. Here's my "young head" crown, 1845, KM 741, a mid-grade coin, with an edge knock on the obverse, at around 11 o'clock.

The coins that I have showing a mix of cultures/religions are the Arab imitations of Byzantine folles from the 7th century AD. Byzantine-Arab follis, Scythopolos, Baysan, circa 660-680 AD 11.06 grams Arab-Byzantine Fals, Imitating Justin II, Gerasa Arab Umayyad Fals, Amman Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan AH 73-78 (693-697AD) 2.7 grams

Here's my Swedish frisbee: Sweden Charles XII, 1697-1718 Half dalder copper plate money, 1716 Avesta mint 371.51 grams