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STRIKE 1… STRIKE 2… HOME RUN !


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Many of us are probably actually watching the baseball’s World Series. The game inspired me to tell you about an adventure which started 14 years ago. In 2008 appeared on the market a coin of Victorinus with the reverse FIDES MILITVM from the second issue with an engraver’s error: FIDIE MILITVM. Mairat noted it in his Coinage of the Gallic Empire written in 2014. It was the first known example at that moment. I missed it; STRIKE ONE.

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Last month, a second specimen was available in the Savoca Auction; a superb piece, well centered with a super sharp strike on both sides. I tried the best I could, but a collector with deepest pocket than mine acquired it for the modest amount of 400 euros + juice… STRIKE 2

 

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But one week later, I was very surprised to notice a third specimen for sale on ebay, with a fixed price of 65 euros… it didn’t took me long to push the BUY IT NOW button ! I have to admit the coin is not in the same category as that of the Savoca one, but I just couldn’t pass on it. HOME RUN !

 

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19 mm  2.28
 

Please show me your HOME RUN coins, or if you feel masochist, your THIRD STRIKES one…

Edited by Ocatarinetabellatchitchix
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Since I started collecting, there were a number of coins I specifically wanted. I was lucky enough to get most of them from strike 1, some from strike 2 and only one from strike 3. Usually after strike 3 my interest dramatically decreases (can't explain) and I simply don't want that coin anymore.
A perfect example for this is the most common Augustus denarius - with Caius and Lucius. I lost it 3 times (frustrating, since my bids should have been enough). Now I find myself ignoring these types completely, I don't have an Augustus denarius at all in my collection but I will buy sometime a different denarius, albeit more expensive.

Now regarding my only "strike 3" - one of my favorite Flavian types was the Divus Vespasian with capricorns. Pleasant design, common enough to be affordable - perfect.

Strike 1.

image.png.772beb17d3e0d89021992a06b42f9869.png

Fail!

Although the price was more than decent (especially since S C is visible, this is a feature missing in most of these examples), I was undecided as I had other targets coming after it. Of course those were also lost (and to make it more frustrating, I remember the prices for them were out of my range)

Strike 2.

image.png.a43b290e4d1cb3e2532eac557c9604fe.png

Fail!

This was a week after strike 1.

Although the reverse is better preserved, it misses the S C. Good enough, a pleasant one for my tastes overall. I was prepared to get this one, my bid was strong (in my opinion) - but somebody was much more determined than I was. I wasn't as annoyed as on strike 1 as the hammer was slightly higher than what I considered a good price. But I was still annoyed about strike 1 🙂

 

Strike 3!!!

image.png.f6fb6f11989d34a5ccf44226e162d93f.png

2 months after strike 2.

This time I was prepared, I wanted to pay as much as the hammer on strike 2, it was starting to become personal.

I won it with about 40% of the sum I wanted to pay. Less than my strike 1 bid.

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I consider the coin pictured below a home run with bases loaded 😏. I won the coin at AMCC 3, lot 311, on July 27, 2020.

1807493136_AMCC3Lot311.jpg.d57287c53e98ee31c257822dc7059f2f.jpg

Constantius as Caesar, AD 293-305 (struck AD 297/8). Alexandria Mint, 3rd Officina. Billon Nummus: 10.40 gm, 27 mm. Double strike on reverse. RIC VI Alexandria 27a. Ex Caesar Augustus Collection; Ex Inciatus Coin.

"This coin is rare and special do to the spelling error initiating the obverse inscription: FAL. The engraver no doubt got confused between GAL VAL for Galerius and FL VAL for Constantius". Photo Courtesy of Severus Alexander.

Edited by Al Kowsky
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