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Gold Byzantine Coin Question (Previously "Is there a gold Constantine X coin around 6 grams?")


thenickelguy

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I have my eye on a cupped gold coin of Constantine X.

It has all kinds of info on the NGC holder and I thought it was 6 grams or 6.4 but maybe it was ONLY 4.6.

I don't have an image of it at the moment and the more I look around the more I think it probably says 4.6 grams and is a Histamenon Nomisma.

I don't know much about these things at all but I like that coin. Maybe somebody can give me some info on the different gold Constantine X denominations and the general weights and diameters. Maybe there is a link with this narrowed down?

I plan to call the dealer and ask for the cert number. I would imagine there is an image of it online. Like a Tru View. Then I can ask for more advice. These don't exactly look rare to me but it appears that strike and surface are important.

Thank you!

Edited by thenickelguy
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Posted (edited)

I have one of Constantine X that is 4.41 grams. 4.6 sounds like an upward range but still in the ballpark. When you think about it the nomismata were around the same weight as the solidus but with a broader, thinner flan. 6 would be unusual.

Edited by Ancient Coin Hunter
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OK , so I have found the coin on NGC/ I apologize for the weight question. It is 4.40 g

I was going by memory and I was quite busy with other things at the time I saw it. I also apologize for having this mentioned in two different threads. I'll leave it here and post on the other that this is where it can be commented on.

The grade is lower than I thought, the strike and surface as well but the coin in hand is quite a bit more attractive than these NGC pictures. The gold is deeper in color. The haggled down price I got is more than I would pay but since i started this mess, I thought I'd better follow through.

I promise to disclose the out the door price I was given after I get some feedback here. I think you all will agree with me that the price I got is way too high. The coin however is an attractive example. I think it has great eye appeal.

Can somebody tell me more? The side with Jesus on it is concave.

Here are the images. I believe they will get larger if you click on them.

Thank you!

NGC6707844-002_OBV.jpg.3f91c11892e1c63be8f1aba5e485922a.jpg

 

NGC6707844-002_REV.jpg.8b063c32c856ba8fdfd8df371052da45.jpg

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  • thenickelguy changed the title to Gold Byzantine Coin Question (Previously "Is there a gold Constantine X coin around 6 grams?")

I didn't buy it and I'm sure I won't. She wants $1250 for it. I can't even haggle at that asking price. I am thinking from other comments, it is probably an $800.00 coin at best. Prettier than images, but they also strike me as fairly common, especially in this grade.

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Posted (edited)
On 8/18/2023 at 12:03 PM, thenickelguy said:

I didn't buy it and I'm sure I won't. She wants $1250 for it. I can't even haggle at that asking price. I am thinking from other comments, it is probably an $800.00 coin at best. Prettier than images, but they also strike me as fairly common, especially in this grade.

That is a nice example, but the asking price is quite steep. 

With patience you should be able to locate a more affordable example.  This type for Constantine X does crop up quite often.

Here's a link to VCoins for Constantine X.  This should give you a general idea of price range.  

https://www.vcoins.com/en/Search.aspx?search=true&searchQuery=constantine+X+Histamenon+Nomisma&searchQueryExclude=&searchCategory=0&searchCategoryLevel=2&searchCategoryAncient=True&searchCategoryUs=True&searchCategoryWorld=True&searchCategoryMints=True&searchBetween=0&searchBetweenAnd=0&searchDate=&searchUseThesaurus=True&searchDisplayCurrency=&searchDisplay=1&searchIdStore=0&searchQueryAnyWords=&searchExactPhrase=&searchTitleAndDescription=True&searchDateType=0&searchMaxRecords=500&SearchOnSale=False&Unassigned=False

 

Edited by robinjojo
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6 hours ago, thenickelguy said:

No longer in my sights. I turned it down. Someday another ancient or byzantine gold coin will come my way. Thanks to all who joined me in this post and to those who read. You saved me from making a mistake and I appreciate that.

As others have noted, it is a nice coin. But for that price, probably a bit too much. I would have been tempted for $1000.

Also, I wouldn't worry about "grading" in Byzantine coins. If you like the look, that's what matters.

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  • 1 month later...

It is about a third too much IMHO. I bought one in an auction of better grade for 800USD just a week or so ago. The coin you have listed here, I have seen fairly recently - the reverse has a distinctive hollow. Where was this listed? Vcoins? Grading on byzantine (and other ancients) is really a matter of eye appeal. I have recently seen a bunch of coins on Berk's listing, the Leu auction and others - some graded MS or mint state or even FDC. My comment on these gradings borders on being meaningless and appears to be about marketing! If you look at these coins, many do not have their legends fully struck, many have small flans where the legend is missing, some have been struck with worn dies, some are really flat strikes others have wonderful depth although worn but show all details, others have other details not fully struck, some have smoothing and other enhancements. Using a grading system that really was intended for modern coins and applying it to ancient coins, makes no sense. The production process was entirely different. In the final analysis, it is the eye appeal of an ancient coin that entices a buyer as well as rarity that entices a buyer and collector. 

Edited by Electrumguy
Grammar
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