Roma E-Sale 98 discussion

[Steppenfool]

Now this auction is over, it is no longer uncouth to discuss it. Did you participate? Any wins?

[Steppenfool]

I had my eye on a few:

 

• The cheaper Vespasian IVDAEA. I was the second highest bidder on that one, my limit was £200 (160 not including buyers fee) and someone beat me to this value and it hammered for the same.
• The Gaius and Lucius Augustus Denarius, my limit again was £200 all in. It went for £250 including the buyers fee.
•  The Brutus Libertas, I was playing this one by ear, but the hammer of £200 all in was too much for me considering how busted up it was.

Overall an unfortunate experience, my targets were out of my reach, much like the last few Roma e-sales.

[kirispupis]

This was a decent auction for me, and probably the last I'll participate in for a couple of months.

Wins

• I wanted a coin with a clear Andragoras logo, and lost badly on my first attempt. I did get one though. It's a bit worn but the symbol is clear and I paid a lot less for it.
• I won the Rhizous obol for a near minimum bid. This denomination is super rare, but I really just wanted an example from the city.
• Similarly, I won the Elaia obol for near minimum bid. Again, a rare denomination but I just wanted an example.
• I went back and forth on it, and eventually picked up the Ariarathes III for minimum bid.
• Although Roman coins aren't my focus, I went after a few low cost samples for the first time in awhile. I won denarii of Vitellius, Nerva, Aelius, and Macrinus, which exceeded by expectations because I felt all of my bids on these were low.
• I decided to go for some late romans too. I put low-ball bids on eight and won three - Numerian, Galerius, and Maxentius.

Losses

• I went after the Alexander Soli unit, but bowed out. The thing is the tets are more common from here, and since this was getting in their range I didn't feel it was worth it.
• Another target I thought I'd have a chance given its rough condition, but I was blown out of the water. Not mentioning the type since I expect there will be more.
• I put a minimum bid on a Ptolemy IV drachm. I didn't really think I'd get it, and I didn't.

Overall I won 11 coins, which is the most I've won in some time. Since I've been unexpectedly successful lately, I need some time to lick my wounds... 🙂

[jfp7375]

3 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

This was a decent auction for me, and probably the last I'll participate in for a couple of months.

Wins

• I wanted a coin with a clear Andragoras logo, and lost badly on my first attempt. I did get one though. It's a bit worn but the symbol is clear and I paid a lot less for it.
• I won the Rhizous obol for a near minimum bid. This denomination is super rare, but I really just wanted an example from the city.
• Similarly, I won the Elaia obol for near minimum bid. Again, a rare denomination but I just wanted an example.
• I went back and forth on it, and eventually picked up the Ariarathes III for minimum bid.
• Although Roman coins aren't my focus, I went after a few low cost samples for the first time in awhile. I won denarii of Vitellius, Nerva, Aelius, and Macrinus, which exceeded by expectations because I felt all of my bids on these were low.
• I decided to go for some late romans too. I put low-ball bids on eight and won three - Numerian, Galerius, and Maxentius.

Losses

• I went after the Alexander Soli unit, but bowed out. The thing is the tets are more common from here, and since this was getting in their range I didn't feel it was worth it.
• Another target I thought I'd have a chance given its rough condition, but I was blown out of the water. Not mentioning the type since I expect there will be more.
• I put a minimum bid on a Ptolemy IV drachm. I didn't really think I'd get it, and I didn't.

Overall I won 11 coins, which is the most I've won in some time. Since I've been unexpectedly successful lately, I need some time to lick my wounds... 🙂

that's a big haul! Congrats. let me know if you want to resell the Nerva denarius I'm looking for one 😉

[Molag Bal]

I won 3 lots today at the Roma E-Sale:

Lot 1458

Lot 1461

Lot 1523

 

The Aurelian/Vabalathus ants look a little rough but I saw one that someone else bought at the last auction and it looked far better in hand, so I am taking a chance!

[kirispupis]

44 minutes ago, jfp7375 said:

that's a big haul! Congrats. let me know if you want to resell the Nerva denarius I'm looking for one 😉

Honestly, just wait for the next auction and you should have one. Prices for these coins seem to be down about 25% right now. Who knows, maybe they'll go down more?

This is the one I got. I think some shied away from it because the emperor's name is corroded on the side, but I preferred this portrait over the other low priced ones with a better legend. The coin won't win any beauty contests, but IMHO it's a good pickup for the price and I've long wanted an example from him.

[robinjojo]

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. 

[happy_collector]

I over-slept this morning, and missed all the Greek coins on my list.  😴

However, I was successful in adding a RR coin to my "biga fleet". Not a quality piece, but good price. 🙂

Edited June 16, 2022 by happy_collector

[Agricantus]

I watched this coin in disbelief. It went for over 500 gbp including bp. Extremely finely tooled. Photo courtesy of Roma Numismatics.

[DonnaML]

I don't want to jinx their impending trans-Atlantic journey, but here are photos of the three coins I won in today's auction. I'll wait to post the write-ups, of course, until after they arrive.

Crawford 307/1b. The reverse is off-center and scratched, but this is otherwise quite nice, I think:

Crawford 366/1b. I don't usually go in for "Victory in a quadriga" types, but there was something about the fourth horse turning its head to look back at the other three that appealed to me:

RIC V.1 294.  Nothing special, but my only other Valerian I isn't great, and I liked the palm tree.

Edited June 17, 2022 by DonnaML

[Prieure de Sion]

As mentioned in the other thread of mine, as a collector of Roman coins, I have won the bid on two Greeks. With the first coin I am satisfied with the price, with the second coin I had actually set myself a limit. But it's like a casino. Ten still go, and if ten go, 20 more go. Now it doesn't matter, now I can offer 50 more. Auctions are sometimes a sobering test of one's will.
 

😇

 

 

[robinjojo]

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.

 

 

[kirispupis]

3 hours ago, robinjojo said:

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.

 

It's in very nice condition, though that does sound too rich. FWIW, here's my Baktrian owl, also from Roma. Clearly the above coin is much finer, but I only paid £320 for mine. 🙂

Sophytes, 'Athenian Series' AR Tetradrachm Uncertain mint, circa 323-240 BCE 16.48g, 21mm, 1h. Attic standard. Head of Athena to right, wearing earring, necklace, and crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor and a spiral palmette and grape bunch on the bowl / Owl standing to right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind, AΘE before; all within incuse square Cf. Bopearachchi, Sophytes Series 1A; cf. Roma XIV, 341 corr. (grape bunch on rev.) Ex 1960s Andragoras-Sophytes Group Ex Roma

[robinjojo]

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!

Edited June 18, 2022 by robinjojo

[Roman Collector]

Too broke to participate!