lordmarcovan Posted September 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 15, 2023 I paid too much, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. AR Litra (12mm, 0.62 g, 10h). Struck circa 460-450 BC. Head of Arethousa right, wearing pearl tainia / Octopus. Boehringer Series XIIIa, 415–422 var. (unlisted dies); HGC 2, 1375. Old cabinet tone. VF. Ex Stack’s (5 August 2020), lot 22017, hammer $440; Spink 325 (21 June 2016), lot 84. 23 1 1 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Anthos Posted September 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 15, 2023 I like these, but could never find a nice one when I actually had money. Late archaic style so representative of the period, what's not to love? Yours is quite lovely, well centered with a decent strike. Congratulations! ~ Peter 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted September 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted September 15, 2023 3 hours ago, lordmarcovan said: I paid too much, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. AR Litra (12mm, 0.62 g, 10h). Struck circa 460-450 BC. Head of Arethousa right, wearing pearl tainia / Octopus. Boehringer Series XIIIa, 415–422 var. (unlisted dies); HGC 2, 1375. Old cabinet tone. VF. Ex Stack’s (5 August 2020), lot 22017, hammer $440; Spink 325 (21 June 2016), lot 84. What a beautiful little coin! 🤩 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayAg47 Posted September 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 15, 2023 (edited) Definitely worth it! this octopus was the reason why I paid nearly 80 aud for the coin below, the highest I've ever paid for a numismatic coin 5 years back! But here's my question, if your coin was hammered for $440? am I right in assuming the end cost would be around $550 with all the premiums and shipping? Edited September 15, 2023 by JayAg47 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deinomenid Posted September 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted September 15, 2023 Fairly sure this is a lovely CNG coin from a few days ago. (The $440 was a price paid a few years ago.) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted September 16, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted September 16, 2023 Fantastic octopus! Love it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted September 16, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted September 16, 2023 My hammer price was $750 at CNG. Like I said, probably too much. I would have loved to pay the $440 archive price from a few years ago, but that would not have won this month’s auction. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayAg47 Posted September 16, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 16, 2023 1 hour ago, lordmarcovan said: My hammer price was $750 at CNG. Like I said, probably too much. I would have loved to pay the $440 archive price from a few years ago, but that would not have won this month’s auction. Would you have bought this coin for 150 USD, it's on offer by a local ebay dealer, albeit a chipped example with some horn silver. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted September 16, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted September 16, 2023 No, that’s a neat coin, but not up to my intended quality standards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennos Posted September 17, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 17, 2023 It's a nice coin for sure. Not so long ago, it was possible to have a decent tetradrachm of the same period at that price... damned inflation ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Cazador Posted September 19, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 19, 2023 On 9/17/2023 at 1:53 AM, Brennos said: It's a nice coin for sure. Not so long ago, it was possible to have a decent tetradrachm of the same period at that price... damned inflation ! Haha, i wish! Now tetra will go for 12-15K 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted December 11, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 11, 2023 I’ve got images from NGC. No grade yet. 8 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted December 13, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 13, 2023 That is a real nice coin/ you should be happy that you snagged it for $750.00. It will only keep going up in price/ so you made a great decision. I once thought I had gone overboard bidding on a AV Quarter Noble (Stack's Theo Law event) $4200 for a FDC ex. Once I got coin in mail/ I felt different and was OK with $ spent. Today 7 years later/ I am even more happy. Here is one of my Octopus AV 10 Litrai (MA-shops/ Andreas Fenzl) 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted December 13, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 13, 2023 7 hours ago, panzerman said: That is a real nice coin/ you should be happy that you snagged it for $750.00. It will only keep going up in price/ so you made a great decision. I once thought I had gone overboard bidding on a AV Quarter Noble (Stack's Theo Law event) $4200 for a FDC ex. Once I got coin in mail/ I felt different and was OK with $ spent. Today 7 years later/ I am even more happy. Here is one of my Octopus AV 10 Litrai (MA-shops/ Andreas Fenzl) Thanks. It’s good to hear you say that. Wow- a gold octopus! Amazing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted December 13, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 13, 2023 I really meant it! You and I collect not for speculation/ fast buck/ we both love the hobby for the pleasure it bring us. I know collectors here who need "coin investment advisors", please buy books/ research the coins and make your own decisions. Actually/ I have sideline business were I help a few of my lawn clients (lawyers/ dentists) people with big $$$ who want to secure rare gold coins as hedge vs inflation. I then reap reward of 15% which they pay a couple of my auction invoices. Fifteen percent adds up really fast with ancients/ and everything helps. But again books are a must. Another beautifull thing/ you can even fantasize about rare coins while working! That AV Obol Kyrene from Noble arrived this morning/ Man! its NICE! My coins are all "keepers" forever🤩 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmarcovan Posted January 17 · Member Author Share Posted January 17 Final results from NGC are now in. Considering the strong money I paid for this coin, I’m rather disappointed in the outcome. Still happy with the photos, though, and I’m happy to see they put it into a prongless Air View holder. The prongs on a standard NGC slab would have swallowed this little coin. I reckon it’s a keeper. I’m so underwater on the purchase that I’d never be able to sell it without taking a really big hit anyway. Besides, it’s a nice coin. https://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/6828625-001/NGCAncients/ 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougsmit Posted January 18 · Member Share Posted January 18 Nice coin. I doubt that there are many of these that would get higher surface grades. They tend to be grainy. For comparison, mine is the less often seen variation with the city name spelled out but it lacks in condition, was poorly cleaned and would bring much, much less. I'd like to see a nice one but I know it would go way over my head. There are spelled out legend litra with left facing heads that show up every so often. . 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deinomenid Posted January 18 · Supporter Share Posted January 18 20 hours ago, lordmarcovan said: Final results from NGC are now in I'm glad they made a better attempt at dating it too than that CNG! Though 470 is probably ~15 years too early. (Pardon the pedantry!) 13 hours ago, dougsmit said: There are spelled out legend litra with left facing heads that show up every so often. Here's one of mine, similar to Doug's but later than lordmarcovan's. Litra, around 410/395 BC; 0.78g Arethusa head l. behind dolphin//octopus. Bérend, Histoire de Poulpes, Pl. VI, 18; Kreutzer litra 2. 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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