CNG Annual Calendar for 2023

[Al Kowsky]

Yesterday the annual CNG calendar for 2023 arrived along with the hefty catalog for CNG Triton XXVI 😃. I always look forward to seeing the calendar because it pictures 12 coins of great beauty or importance. The cover & coin for January pictures a 10 aurei Medallion of Diocletian, struck at the Aquileia mint in AD 294. The description states "Of the highest rarity, the only denio offered at public auction since 1922." This coin is a masterpiece of late classical antiquity & has an estimate of $500,000.00. NGC slabbed Ch AU*, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, Fine Style.

Diocletian, AD 284-305. AV Medallion of 10 aurei: 53.65 gm, 38 mm, 12 h. Aquileia Mint. Obverse: Bare head of Diocletian facing right. Reverse: Jupiter sitting in an ornate throne, holding a long scepter & thunderbolt, facing right, while an eagle holding a wreath stands at his feet. 

https://auctions.cngcoins.com/lots/view/4-85ZA4I/diocletian-ad-284-305-av-medallion-of-ten-aurei-38mm-5365-g-12h-aquileia-mint-struck-ad-294-in-ngc-encapsulation-5872664-001-graded-ch-au-strike-55-surface-55-fine-style

One coin that immediately caught my eye was a tetradrachm of Septimius Severus, struck at the Laodicea ad Mare mint, representing the month of May.

Septimius Severus, AD 193-211 (struck c. AD 205-207). Laodicea ad Mare Mint. AR Tetradrachm: 13.87 gm, 27 mm, 11 h. Obverse: Laureate & cuirassed bust of Severus facing right, with gorgonian on breastplate. Reverse: Eagle standing facing, head & tail right, star below eagle. Prieur 1119. Ex Collection Michel Prieur.

https://auctions.cngcoins.com/lots/view/4-85Z9PM/seleucis-and-pieria-laodicea-ad-mare-septimius-severus-ad-193-211-bi-tetradrachm-27mm-1387-g-11h-struck-circa-ad-205-207-choice-ef

This coin represents Phase 1, of Prieur's designation for this mint, & can be easily distinguished from the later issues because the eagle is not holding a wreath in it's beak. The coin is in mint state & struck with perfect centering from fresh dies. Truly a treasure to behold 🤩! Much to my delight, I've got a tetradrachm struck from Phase 2 that has the same obverse die as the CNG example pictured below 😊. My coin shows the die wear that should be expected from a later strike.

Pictured below is a comparison of the two coins together.

I spotted only one blooper on the calendar, the coin pictured for the month of September has the wrong description below it 🙄. Pictured below is that coin along with a correct link that describes it 🤨.

https://auctions.cngcoins.com/lots/view/4-85Z9TE/the-republicans-brutus-early-42-bc-ar-denarius-18mm-396-g-12h-military-mint-p-cornelius-lentulus-spinther-legatus-ngc-graded-ms-55-55

[Limes]

Nice tet! Will you be trying to go for the phase 1 type too? 🙂

Never knew they made (I assume printed) calenders. They send these out to customers, or does one need to buy it? Kind of bad for a ancient coins dealer to add a wrong description, on a well known coin, and on a printed calender... no way to easily correct that one 🙄

My budget type of the brutus coin below. I don't think it will score a 5/5 in a plastic tomb though, let alone get an estimate of 5.000. 😁

[TheTrachyEnjoyer]

48 minutes ago, Limes said:

Nice tet! Will you be trying to go for the phase 1 type too? 🙂

Never knew they made (I assume printed) calenders. They send these out to customers, or does one need to buy it? Kind of bad for a ancient coins dealer to add a wrong description, on a well known coin, and on a printed calender... no way to easily correct that one 🙄

My budget type of the brutus coin below. I don't think it will score a 5/5 in a plastic tomb though, let alone get an estimate of 5.000. 😁

Im not sure what it takes to qualify. Perhaps a certain buyer or consigner threshold? Ive consigned more than bought from cng recently and received one 🤷‍♂️ 

[Al Kowsky]

1 hour ago, Limes said:

Nice tet! Will you be trying to go for the phase 1 type too? 🙂

Never knew they made (I assume printed) calenders. They send these out to customers, or does one need to buy it? Kind of bad for a ancient coins dealer to add a wrong description, on a well known coin, and on a printed calender... no way to easily correct that one 🙄

My budget type of the brutus coin below. I don't think it will score a 5/5 in a plastic tomb though, let alone get an estimate of 5.000. 😁

I've been on the hunt for a choice Phase 1 Tet for a long time 😏. They are hard to nail down at a price that isn't crazy. The CNG example will probably set a record price, so I have no dreams of snagging that one ☹️. I'm not sure what criteria CNG uses to distribute their calendars, but I've been getting them for a long time.

Edited December 9, 2022 by Al Kowsky
added info

[CPK]

I also just received a calendar and catalog. Both are very nicely done! I will be poring over the catalog first chance I get. A very pleasant surprise!

[DonnaML]

I got the very impressive catalog and calendar in the mail a couple of days ago, and have enjoyed browsing through them. Even though I doubt that there's a single lot on which I could even think of bidding! This is the first year I've gotten anything like this from CNG, even though I've been bidding fairly regularly in their regular electronic auctions for about two years now. Perhaps that's how long it takes to get on their mailing list.

[SteveJBrinkman]

I've been a regular customer for CNG for many decades and except for early on, I only get sporadic printed catalogs.  I was happy to receive the Triton. XXVI catalog and the calendar.  Not sure what triggers a mailing?  Years ago, I was told it was a purchase threshold but I've received some in years when I was somewhat dormant and not received them in some years when I had significant purchases.  CNG's formula for shipping printed catalogs appears to be... Complicated.

[jdmKY]

Well, I was pretty proud of my Brutus until I saw CNG’s!

[rvk]

I was completely surprised by the calendar, I thought it was going to be another auction book. That Diocletian is incredible!

[AncientJoe]

I believe I only own one CNG "calendar coin" from Triton XXIV in 2021. Alas, I'm notoriously bad at keeping on top of calendars so I never put it up on a wall:

Ex. Jameson, Ex. Grand Duke Mikailovitch:

[kirispupis]

Well, this is a bit weird.

I recently received a notification that I was receiving a 4 lb package from Pennsylvania via FedEx. Who sent it? I had no idea.

Then I read about the Triton catalog and calendar here, and I figured that may be it. Sure enough, the package arrives yesterday and the outside of the envelope listed CNG but...

There was nothing in the envelope! It was just an empty sealed envelope, quite beat up.

I don't really care about the catalog + calendar. I was in the process of writing them to ask to remove me from the list for them, since in my case it's really just a waste of paper. However, I do worry that someone in FedEx thought there may be coins inside. I've never had a coin stole in the mail, but this is alarming.

I don't think the theft was on my side. I receive coins all the time without issues. 

[robinjojo]

The CNG calendar was a welcome and unexpected arrival this year, showing up at my door in a soaked and partially destroyed package  Now a I have a beautiful actual calendar for 2023!  For this year I've relied on a printed page of months that I've kept posted on my refrigerator door.  This is a significant life-style upgrade for me.

The catalog, as expected from an auction house such as CNG, is a wonderfully photographed procession of credibly rare and choice coins in general, with equally excellent lot descriptions, often extensive where warranted.  As a primarily, actually solely for all practical purposes, participant in e-auctions, the CNG Triton lots for the NYC Coin Fair are simply out of my league.  Still, another reference has been added to my mostly disorganized library. 

 

[Al Kowsky]

18 hours ago, AncientJoe said:

I believe I only own one CNG "calendar coin" from Triton XXIV in 2021. Alas, I'm notoriously bad at keeping on top of calendars so I never put it up on a wall:

Ex. Jameson, Ex. Grand Duke Mikailovitch:

Breathtaking 😮! A real treasure 🤩.

[Al Kowsky]

14 hours ago, kirispupis said:

Well, this is a bit weird.

I recently received a notification that I was receiving a 4 lb package from Pennsylvania via FedEx. Who sent it? I had no idea.

Then I read about the Triton catalog and calendar here, and I figured that may be it. Sure enough, the package arrives yesterday and the outside of the envelope listed CNG but...

There was nothing in the envelope! It was just an empty sealed envelope, quite beat up.

I don't really care about the catalog + calendar. I was in the process of writing them to ask to remove me from the list for them, since in my case it's really just a waste of paper. However, I do worry that someone in FedEx thought there may be coins inside. I've never had a coin stole in the mail, but this is alarming.

I don't think the theft was on my side. I receive coins all the time without issues. 

I was pulling out of my garage when the FedEx truck arrived, & snagged the envelope at that point. The envelope was in tatters & the catalog could easily have slipped out 🤔....

[Bailathacl]

Interesting. The envelope bringing my auction catalog and calendar was also torn and beaten and barely containing its contents.  Fortunately both its only had minor cosmetic damage.