What are the best and/or worst deals you’ve made?

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

As the title says: coins you overpaid and coins you underpaid 🙂 

I’ll start:

Worst deal: My Constantius II bronze (also my very first ancient coin) paid 60€ in a shop in Rome in 2022:

I still like it though, as it was my very first coin and I consider the 60€ an ‘entry fee’ or the price of a valuable lesson. Plus, the portrait is quite pleasing!

 

Best deal: probably my latest coin, a nice Titus with anchor and dolphin reverse. It’s a quite desirable type with a very interesting story, and if we ignore the surface roughness, it’s very well preserved! I paid it 240€, I was prepared for a bloodbath but I just offered 20€ over the pre-bids during the live auction and I won it! Phew!

 

Bonus ‘great deal’: my Septimius Severus ‘mint state’ Neptune at 110€:

 

What about you? What are your worst and best deals?

[ela126]

Worst probably has to be a slabbed Henry III I bought on Heritage for $550 all in… didn’t know what I was doing. Still tell myself it must be a rare one, only paid 5-7x what I should have if not.. oh well.

Best is tough to say, I hunt for dirty coins that I can clean and make a nice increase on. This Michael VII half follis, SB 1880A I believe, is not only great quality, but not a common follis 1878. Tough to say for certain but the 2 column loros is extremely rare and CNG has a slightly better die match piece they sold for 10x what I paid.

[Al Kowsky]

I won this coin at auction 9 years ago for $200.00. The coin was a discovery example & still remains unique. It is listed & pictured in RPC VIII, unassigned; ID 48130.

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/48130

 

[Roman Collector]

This is perhaps the best bargain in my collection. I'm not talking flyspecking, such as "rare with this hairstyle" or similar. No. A genuine rarity. There are four other examples known: 1. Paris specimen cited by Cohen and Strack, 2. Naples specimen cited by Strack, 3. Yale University Art Gallery 2009.110.36 = Münzhandlung Basel (Auction 1), June 28, 1934, pl. 29, 1171, cited by Strack. 4. Specimen owned by collector captnCoin at Coin Talk. Here's a link to his post on my nearly five-year-old thread. Mine is the fifth known example.

It was overlooked by the condition cranks at auction and hammered for 45 GBP. Including shipping and all fees, it was less than $100.

Here is my specimen, ex-Bertolami.

 

Faustina I, 138-140 CE.
Roman orichalcum dupondius, 16.19 g, 26.1 mm, 10 h.
Rome, 140-141 CE.
Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Funerary ustrinum in three stories, set on base, ornamented and garlanded, surmounted by Faustina in biga right.
Refs: RIC 1189; BMCRE p. 236 *; Cohen 187; RCV --; Strack 1238.
Notes: Bertolami E-Auction 61, lot 550, 9 September 2018.

[rasiel]

Gorgeous pic on that Constantius II!

I've had some good deals over the years. This Julian I was a bargain at only $450 on ebay. Sometimes you just luck out!

Rasiel

[JayAg47]

A not so great deal:

When I first started collecting ancient coins, I wanted to assemble a tri-metal set for the Chola Empire. While copper coins are common, their silver coins are actually rarer than gold ones. I only saw silver issues at auctions, often fetching hundreds of dollars, far beyond my budget. I had never encountered one in retail until I came across this worn silver coin. I decided to buy it, even though it wasn't cheap and also really decrepit. I ended up spending $100 usd, making it one of my pricier ancient coins at the time. At least to make it worth my money, I did some cleaning.

Before

After

While I looks way better, I still wanted a better one,

so I got this upgrade. 

Uttama Chola
Silver Stater
4.15g
970-985 AD
Coin of Uttama Chola portraying the subjugation of neighboring kingdoms of Chera, and Pandya, depicted as the royal emblems-Cholan tiger, flanked by the Pandyan twin fish to its right, and the Cheran bow behind the tiger, all under the single rule symbolized by the umbrella, also there are two lamps on the either end of the fish and the bow to denote auspiciousness. And the legends in Nagari states, Uttama Chola.
MCSI2 326, R
Mitchiner 713-725

On the other hand, I consider this to be one of my best deals and also one of my favourite coins in my collection: I saw this following coin covered in horn silver on eBay listed by a dealer from France for around 60 euros, seller's photo:

After receiving the coin I treated it with sodium thiosulphate, and here's the result:

Augustus
AR Denarius (3.32 gm), Lugdunum mint.
circa 15-13 BC.
Obv.: AVGVSTVS DIVI•F, bare headright with chopmarks.
Rev.: IMP•X Bull butting to right.

Edited September 26, 2024 by JayAg47

[Finn235]

Worst purchase was probably when I first started out and had no idea what I was doing, a member from another forum reached out to "mentor" me and ended up selling me some near-cull LRBs at $10-20 each, telling me he was giving me a great deal. I eventually stopped licking my wounds on that one and put them all in a group lot to be rid of them.

Excluding lot finds, I still have a bunch of purchases I'm really proud of

This Lucius Caesar was about $150 from I think Ares in one of their first auctions - it was attributed as Augustus but I recognized the LEUKOIC KAICAR legend. It wasn't until I had the coin in hand that I started searching for the reference number and found out that I had purchased a discovery specimen! About a dozen more have surfaced, with lesser specimens usually bringing multiples of my purchase price.

 

This Agrippa AE As was sold by Leu fairly recently, and I still have no clue how it only fetched $100

This Caesonia provincial (the actual Caesonia, not "Salus" from Carthago Nova) was slept on at Naville a couple years back - it hammered for £280 which is about 1/10 of the typical price

 

Same auction, £130 - I had been striking out on $500+ bids for Volusian Caesar for years (Volusian was Caesar for only a couple months under Hostilian)

This Maximus sestertius was an ebay find, only $35 shipped - the seller deleted their account after the auction was over 😞

[JAZ Numismatics]

15 hours ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

As the title says: coins you overpaid and coins you underpaid 🙂 

I’ll start:

Worst deal: My Constantius II bronze (also my very first ancient coin) paid 60€ in a shop in Rome in 2022:

 

This coin has a couple odd characteristics. Typically the break in the reverse inscription is FELTEMPRE-PARATIO. Once in a rare while you find FELTEMPR-EPARATIO, as on your coin. But I've never seen an X in the left field. Is it an incomplete star? I don't have RIC handy at the moment, but maybe someone could look the coin up and see if it's listed. CONZ with an unusual legend break and X...

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

1 hour ago, JAZ Numismatics said:

This coin has a couple odd characteristics. Typically the break in the reverse inscription is FELTEMPRE-PARATIO. Once in a rare while you find FELTEMPR-EPARATIO, as on your coin. But I've never seen an X in the left field. Is it an incomplete star? I don't have RIC handy at the moment, but maybe someone could look the coin up and see if it's listed. CONZ with an unusual legend break and X...

Thanks! I had initially asked on Reddit if it was an unlisted variety, but apparently that is not the case I think (link below). I’d love to be corrected though 🙂

• Constantinople RIC VIII 123
• http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.8.cnp.123
• https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constantius_II/i.html
• https://www.tesorillo.com/aes/024/024i.htm
• https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCoins/s/slUi3P73Lk

EDIT: True, my coin has an unusual break, but Exonumist on Reddit opened RIC and confirmed that both variants of the legend are listed 🙂 Good eye though!

Edited September 26, 2024 by AncientCoinnoisseur
Added details

[Croatian Coin Collector]

My biggest bargain is winning this unique Zand Gold 1/2 Mohur of Karim Khan Zand (minted in Isfahan) for 400 CHF:

Edited September 26, 2024 by Croatian Coin Collector

[JAZ Numismatics]

46 minutes ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

Thanks! I had initially asked on Reddit if it was an unlisted variety, but apparently that is not the case I think (link below). I’d love to be corrected though 🙂

• Constantinople RIC VIII 123
• http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.8.cnp.123
• https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constantius_II/i.html
• https://www.tesorillo.com/aes/024/024i.htm
• https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCoins/s/slUi3P73Lk

EDIT: True, my coin has an unusual break, but Exonumist on Reddit opened RIC and confirmed that both variants of the legend are listed 🙂 Good eye though!

Ok cool, but it isn't your everyday run-of-the mill falling horseman, so hopefully that takes some of the sting out of the price! 🙂

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

2 hours ago, JAZ Numismatics said:

Ok cool, but it isn't your everyday run-of-the mill falling horseman, so hopefully that takes some of the sting out of the price! 🙂

Thanks, that actually makes me feel a little better 🙂  

As for everyone else, great bargains you got, keep’em coming 😁 

[jdmKY]

$12,005 ($5 was the shipping)

[kirispupis]

In terms of my best bargain, it probably would be this coin, though the attribution depends on whether you also see the BA to the right of the krater. It certainly looks like it to me. There is only one other example on ACSearch and the type is extremely rare. I paid 2 Euros because it was misidentified.

Praxippos of Lapethos
circa 330-312 BCE
Æ 15mm, 2,38g
Head of Apollo left; [ΠΡ behind] /
Krater; [BA] to right
Tziambazis 49; BMC pl. XX, 2; Sear 5749; Traité II 1364, pl. CXXXVI

 

Here's one that I didn't think was a bargain at the time, but is now looking better. I paid 200 euros at the time, which I felt was high but I really liked the crab. Since then, another copy that's either similar or mine's a bit better was listed at a major auction site for a starting bid of 600. (not linking because it's an active auction)

Islands off Caria. Kos
circa 400-300 BC.
Æ 13 mm, 1,68 g
Head of Herakles left, wearing lion’s skin. Rev. K Crab. shton, Beginning, n. 34 and pl. 4, 40. HGC 6, 1336 var.

 

Here's one case where I believe I paid too much. I went for this copy because I wanted the inscription, which is entirely visible on the reverse. However, the centering is off on both the reverse and obverse and there are many reverse dies that are better. I paid 600 pounds for this example and that was before I realized that auctions shill bid and thus I was pushed to my max. The coin is probably worth half that.

Kings of Paeonia, Patraos
AR Tetradrachm 12.46g, 24mm, 1h.
Uncertain Paeonian mint (Astibus or Damastion?) circa 335-315 BCE
Laureate head of Apollo to right / Warrior on horse rearing to right, spearing enemy who defends himself with raised shield; bukranion to left, ΠATPAOY (retrograde) around.
Paeonian Hoard I, 227 (same dies).

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Well, I guess my 'best' deal would be the c. 2000 bulk coins from Classical Cash.  One could get as-sized 1st/2nd century (mostly 2nd) imperial AE's and similar sized 2nd-3rd c. provincials for $1.50 each. Also small billon trachea.  They weren't any beauty queens, but were generally nice for the price.  Most of the imperials were stripped, but around a strong VG to Fine.  The provincials were slightly more natural but around the same grade.

I'm not sure about the worst.  I generally don't grossly overpay.

[CPK]

I think I usually do a pretty good job at staying within the market. The most I ever overpaid for a coin was probably that Pompey the Great AE I posted not long ago in a different thread. The best deal might have been an R3-rated PONT denarius of Domitian - the 4th one known - for something like $25. The seller evidently hadn't done any research on the type - and to be fair, neither did I! I only found out about its rarity later in my research. I've since sold it, obviously for a nice profit but still at a very good price for a collector.

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

I know I have posted this coin ad-nauseam, so forgive me, but I think it fits in this thread as it is probably my best deal ever:

• Rare type (Bare-headed Antoninus with Pharos and Isis, Regnal Year 2)
• Desirable coin (7 wonders of the ancient world)
• Among the best preserved Antoninus Pius with Isis and Pharos in the world
• Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri collection
• Ex Giovanni Dattari collection
• Illustrated by Dattari with his pencil rubbings (8561)
• Illustrated in Figari-Mosconi (645)
• On the RPC website (RPC IV.4 74, n.13)
• Plate coin for the printed RPC!
• 800 CHF hammer price

Do you think it was actually a great deal or I’m just too excited and it was really a fair price / just a bit below market? How much would you value it?

Coin:

Colorised version:

Giovanni Dattari pencil rubbing:

On RPC Online:

Plate coin for the printed RPC (74/13):

@Anaximander is it plate number 7? Am I reading this correctly? BTW, thanks for checking it for me 🙏🏻

[CPK]

13 minutes ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

I know I have posted this coin ad-nauseam, so forgive me, but I think it fits in this thread as it is probably my best deal ever:

• Rare type (Bare-headed Antoninus with Pharos and Isis, Regnal Year 2)
• Desirable coin (7 wonders of the ancient world)
• Among the best preserved Antoninus Pius with Isis and Pharos in the world
• Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri collection
• Ex Giovanni Dattari collection
• Illustrated by Dattari with his pencil rubbings (8561)
• Illustrated in Figari-Mosconi (645)
• On the RPC website (RPC IV.4 74, n.13)
• Plate coin for the printed RPC!
• 800 CHF hammer price

Do you think it was actually a great deal or I’m just too excited and it was really a fair price / just a bit below market? How much would you value it?

Coin:

Colorised version:

Giovanni Dattari pencil rubbing:

On RPC Online:

Plate coin for the printed RPC (74/13):

@Anaximander is it plate number 7? Am I reading this correctly? BTW, thanks for checking it for me 🙏🏻

I for one have not gotten tired of seeing it 😉 The only thing better than acquiring a spectacular coin is acquiring it at a great price!

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

@CPK Thanks, I feel like I’m posting it everywhere and people are probably tired. I should post it in the ‘What are the crown jewels of your collection?’ thread too, but I think I’ll stop here 😂

How much would you value it? I think it was a good price, but I have no idea how good, honestly.

[CPK]

1 minute ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

@CPK Thanks, I feel like I’m posting it everywhere and people are probably tired. I should post it in the ‘What are the crown jewels of your collection?’ thread too, but I think I’ll stop here 😂

How much would you value it? I think it was a good price, but I have no idea how good, honestly.

Hard to say - I haven't focused on those types very much. But they are very popular and a rare type like yours in that condition ought to be worth at least that by itself, and a good bit more when you factor in the outstanding provenance.

[panzerman]

My best deal/

Bought this from Teutonburger as 'unsold lot" for 7200E

AV Aureus ND (UNIQUE) Calico Plate coin / fast stempelglanz

Roma Mint

Gallienius & Valerian I Joint Reign 

 

second best buy (MA-shops)

Regensburg

AV Doppel Dukat 1637 (Unique)

Ferdinand III 1637-53 HRE

[Molag Bal]

I like hunting for deals and I'm fortunate that my collecting focus a less desired one. I have a number of coins picked up on the "cheap" compared to other hammers at least. 

Here is one of my latest I still haven't photographed so using the dealer's picture here. This is an extremely rare antoninianus of Gallienus from the sole reign. Göbl didn't find any examples for his book and there are just two cited but not pictured in Wolkow's 2021 book from hoards. The longer IMP legend added to a common coin makes this extremely rare. Luckily neither the dealer nor other bidders noticed and I got it for $17.50. I let Cedric Wolkow know and I think it will be plated in a revised edition.

I have two more interesting and extremely rare coins coming I won't show until they arrive. 😉

Edited November 19, 2024 by Molag Bal

[wuntbedruv]

I picked up a Claudius denarius in a dealer's junk tray of low-grade denarii at a UK coin fair in January 2023 for £20.

[CPK]

3 hours ago, wuntbedruv said:

I picked up a Claudius denarius in a dealer's junk tray of low-grade denarii at a UK coin fair in January 2023 for £20.

That's a crazy deal. I'd love to see photos!

[maridvnvm]

My worst purchase was in my relatively early days of collecting where I bought a coin (BuyItNow) of Valentinian from Highrating_Lowprice (Ilya Zlobin). It turned out to be zapped (electrolysis) and worn and worth a fraction of what I paid. A lesson learned. I don't think I even bothered to 

My best purchase is probably the following:-

Septimius Severus denarius

Obv:– IMP CA L SE SEV PER AG COS II, Laureate head right
Rev:– FORT REDVC, Fortuna standing left, holding long scepter & cornucopia
Minted in "Emesa", A.D. 194
References:– RIC -. BMCRE -. RSC -.

3.17g, 18.54mm, 0o

This coin was being sold as a contemporary imitation. I knew it was an obverse die match to a coin in the Doug Smith collection. I managed to buy it for US$ 7 shipped.

This started a 25 year interest in a sub-series of coin from this odd set of shortened obverse legends. As an example I haven't managed to obtain an example matching the Doug Smith coin but have managed to obtain several other reverse dies linked to this obverse die.