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Owl from Heritage Gemini VIII
Weiss
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In case you missed it (or in the event it's been posted: in case I missed it 
)
Attica. Athens. c. 465-460 BC. Decadrachm, 41.86g. (2h). Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over spiral palmette and three-piece drop earrings. Rx: A - Θ - Ε Owl standing facing, wings spread; olive sprig at upper left; all within incuse square. Fischer-Bossert, unlisted dies. In itself, this coin is one of the finest of all Greek coins in existence. It is, according to Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert, one of three coins tied for the finest known, with only one of the other two being in private hands and the second in a museum, and it is one of the most significant issues ever struck by the Greeks. The head of Athena is struck in high relief. The smile produces an apple-cheek face, which blends with a slightly elliptical archaic eye. A fair amount of the crest is present and all of the pearls along the neck and under the helmet are complete, as well as full detail on all of the leaves, the helmet and the complete hairline and complete ear. The owl, which normally has large planchet defects in the chest, in this case is completely and fully struck, including the chest, the tail, and even the feet which are absolutely sharp. Only the very top of the A is off the flan and there is a tiny bit of corrosion in the right wing and an even smaller miniscule spot in the lower part of the left wing. Near Mint State.
This coin was graded by NGC with a photo certificate, but not encapsulated. If the buyer requests the coin encapsulated, NGC will oblige. When NGC does register sets of ancient coins, the person owning this coin would no doubt have the number one register set. NGC Cert. #3443360-001. NGC Grade is Choice AU*, Fine Style, Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5.
Lot# 45Estimate: US$875000
Attica Athens Decadrachm
)Attica. Athens. c. 465-460 BC. Decadrachm, 41.86g. (2h). Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over spiral palmette and three-piece drop earrings. Rx: A - Θ - Ε Owl standing facing, wings spread; olive sprig at upper left; all within incuse square. Fischer-Bossert, unlisted dies. In itself, this coin is one of the finest of all Greek coins in existence. It is, according to Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert, one of three coins tied for the finest known, with only one of the other two being in private hands and the second in a museum, and it is one of the most significant issues ever struck by the Greeks. The head of Athena is struck in high relief. The smile produces an apple-cheek face, which blends with a slightly elliptical archaic eye. A fair amount of the crest is present and all of the pearls along the neck and under the helmet are complete, as well as full detail on all of the leaves, the helmet and the complete hairline and complete ear. The owl, which normally has large planchet defects in the chest, in this case is completely and fully struck, including the chest, the tail, and even the feet which are absolutely sharp. Only the very top of the A is off the flan and there is a tiny bit of corrosion in the right wing and an even smaller miniscule spot in the lower part of the left wing. Near Mint State.
This coin was graded by NGC with a photo certificate, but not encapsulated. If the buyer requests the coin encapsulated, NGC will oblige. When NGC does register sets of ancient coins, the person owning this coin would no doubt have the number one register set. NGC Cert. #3443360-001. NGC Grade is Choice AU*, Fine Style, Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5.
Lot# 45Estimate: US$875000
Attica Athens Decadrachm
We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
--Severian the Lame
--Severian the Lame
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Now if I can just sell everything I own by the auction....
World Collection
British Collection
German States Collection
Do you think this will sell to a private collector or a museum of some sort?
I'm really just curious as to just how much museums have to invest in numismatic items.
Collecting:
Conder tokens
19th & 20th Century coins from Great Britain and the Realm
Taler Custom Set
Ancient Custom Set
Kind of makes me nostalgic of the time of the National benefactors of the 19th century, wealthy individuals that would step in when the always poor state couldn't.
myEbay
DPOTD 3
http://www.geminiauction.com/details.asp?LotNumber=45
In the last few years a few mint examples of the Athenian Decadrachm have come to market. Interestingly, and alarmingly, they have all been mint examples and with no previously known die examples. And all have a lack of provenance. Red flags abound.
This has been discussed on other forums. And the whistle blowers have been vindicated by the removal of this coin.
Be careful out there.
Wow, what a disappointment (especially for the owner). It had an extensive and interesting writeup so one would have thought it had been thoroughly vetted. I guess putting it on the cover of your auction provided the ultimate test.
A beautiful thing either way and the reverse is still going to stay as the background on my desktop for a while. And maybe I can afford it now (LOL)
--Severian the Lame
But NGC doesn't have to worry. They don't guarantee the authenticity of the ancients they grade.
From: NGC Ancients Guarantee
"NGC Ancients is committed to grading only genuine coins, but it does not guarantee authenticity, genuineness or attribution, nor is any guarantee of these aspects implied."
"WARNING: THIS GUARANTEE IS LIMITED TO GRADING ONLY"
But this has been discussed before.
It's troubling.
8 Reales Madness Collection
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
<< <i>Yeah it makes my $1K purchase of what might be a modern forgery seem pretty trivial. These days I stick to what I know, Scots, Russians and 'Mericans. >>
Even some of those get dicier by the day , it sure put the skids on my hammered collecting when i seen what comes out of China. I'll need to get pics of the Mary ll bawbee for your inspection Saor Alba , i really would appreciate an expert taking a look.Another thread of course , i love that owl in this one and am learning a lot from you guys , thanks
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Even some of those get dicier by the day , it sure put the skids on my hammered collecting when i seen what comes out of China. I'll need to get pics of the Mary ll bawbee for your inspection Saor Alba , i really would appreciate an expert taking a look.Another thread of course , i love that owl in this one and am learning a lot from you guys , thanks
With Mary bawbees, I hope to find counterfeits - really - because the French troops in Edinburgh were caught forging the lions and hardheads and probably worked on the bawbees as well. The contemporary forgeries from that era in Scottish history are far far more fascinating than the real coins. There is conjecture that James Hepburn, Lord Bothwell, got in on the act too in 1567 just prior to her flight to England. I have one of the French forged hardheads.
That's some interesting history there Saor Alba , ive spent many evenings on google books downloading extremely old original books and documents directly concerning various Scottish towns and soforth , currently i'm sourcing all i can about the Bass rock and North Berwick alnong with Haddington and Dunbar.I knew our history was one of bloodshed but what i'm reading is just mindboggling,i had no idea.I thought i did until i got the facts.
Once i get that new camera down pat i'll put some pics up and have a wee Scottish thread
A coin I looked long and far for before I found a nice full flan, heavily weighed example of.