Calling all Experts
DantesDad
Posts: 113 ✭✭✭
Hello All, I never post, and when I do it's always on the lighter side as I am an IHC and Buffalo collector.
I recently bought a collection of coins because the estate had many partially completed DANSCOS and was very happy with those coins, but after finally taking the time to go through everything; I came across around 100 coins(?) that I couldn't identify. I brought them to a B & M and they told me that most of them were ancient copper coins in various levels of cleaning.
I don't know anything of Ancient coins, and the guy said they were real but not of any actual value. I left and put them in a box and was going to just leave them there forever; 2 days ago he called and made me an offer on the whole lot of them. I got a little nervous being that I was of the assumption that they were of little value, now I'm not sure what to think.
Is there anyone whom might be able to help by looking at them for me and at least telling me that they are authentic? If someone is willing to help, I'd gladly split whatever they sell for in half.
Thanks for whatever help you guys could give.
Comments
Can you post some images?
Sure, I will take some pictures when I get home. It will have to be by my phone camera, and some of them don't even look like coins per se, some of the shapes are just strange. A small sample are posted below. If anyone wants closer pics of any coin just let me know
Looks like someone bought a uncleaned lot on ebay and cleaned some. Most of the coins are pretty worthless. 1 greek on the bottom photo, top left is about the best of the bunch mainly due to the obverse. One of the silvers is muslim and may be Ottoman Empire, not sure. Other silver is roman, maybe worth $15 since the reverse is rough. And another silver roman that is about $10 at most.
Whole lot....maybe $30 total in worth & thats being a bit generous.
Thanks Bronzeman, I have over 100 of these things and want them to be with someone who cares about this stuff. Do you know if there's any coin clubs for ancients I can donate them too?
If the other 88+ coins are of similar quality, the lot could be worth $240 or so.
You could put them on the World & Ancient Coins Forum Buy, Sell & Trade at something above his offer;
if they sell, they would be with someone who wants them....
At least they do look to be genuine ancients.
I just don't want to have someone on here to buy a bunch of coins that turn out to be junk. The money couldn't be enough to have a bad reputation.
Maybe take a picture of the whole group and then we can see if there is anything else special.
But if they are all the same, yosclimber could be right about the value.
Some ancient collectors or collectors in general don't get too scuffed about condition. I've seen many ugly lots go for $100+ on ebay.
Thank you again Bronze, I will take some pictures tonight. There are some in 2 by 2s but the guy at the shop said they weren't any better than the rest.
Just curious, what was the offer from the shop?
https://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/collectors-showcase/world-coins/one-coin-per-year-1600-2017/2422
350.00
Speaking completely from ignorance (because I have not seen all of the coins), that seems like a reasonable offer. A lot comes down to what can be identified.
https://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/collectors-showcase/world-coins/one-coin-per-year-1600-2017/2422
I actually thought it was to high of an offer. The money isn't really something I'm worried about, I more of want them to go to someone who will appreciate them. The fact that he told me they were worthless and didn't want them, and then he called after with a much higher offer than I asked for made me feel as if I couldn't trust him, and that he didn't know much about them. Rather give them away for free to someone who collects them and will be happy.
Here are some partial identifications, extending those given by bronzemat.
A1 - Calibria is a wild guess, because reverse shape is similar to "boy on dolphin".
It's probably a rider on a horse, though.
A2 - Constantine era. Victory angel reverse.
A3 - I probably have the reverse upside down.
A6 - Constantine era; could ID by shape of portrait. Soldier with spear on reverse.
B1 - looks like IMP GORDIANVS PIVS ... on obverse.
B2 - large head relative to coin size. Might be Greek or Alexandria?
B3 - 2 rulers on throne, partial obv. legend
B5 has complete legends. SMTSA = Thessalonica mint.
Unfortunately for value, this is a very common type. Maybe worth $3.
There are 223 total pieces, some are extremely small. I took some pictures of all the loose ones as well as a few closer up that details can be seen well in hand, not so much in the pics unfortunately.
It all looks like it was from an ebay uncleaned lot pretty much, or similar. Not seeing too much of anything special.
It would be a good lot for a newbie ancient collector.
Thanks for sharing the photos.
I agree with bronzemat that it looks like an uncleaned / low grade lot from ebay.
Overall, the average quality is less than the more identifiable coins in your original 4 photos.
The final 2 photos show what I labelled as B5 from your original photos 3 and 4 - see my ID of it above.
I'd take the $350! Perhaps the guy will be more motivated to ID some of them and sell them to others.
You guys are all awesome! Thank you all so much for the help!
Interesting lot, but if offered $350 for that, I'd accept in an eyeblink!
I agree with the comments above from Bronzemat and Lordmarcovan. Looks like an uncleaned lot that someone got bored of and stopped cleaning. You are also right to distrust the brick and mortar guy too. It seems as if he saw something of value in there and tried to make you snap accept his offer of $350. Is it worth it to you to spend the time cleaning the coins to then get rid of them another way? No. If you have no one you would like to give them to who would enjoy them, take the money and forget all about them.
I agree with yosclimber, Lordmarcovan and nicholasz219 , take the $350 , before he changes his mind.
Since the offer isn't really anything I need, and i would rather have someone who enjoys them to have them, is there anyone on the forums here who would want them for shipping costs?
The biggest reason I won't sell to him is that he just isn't pleasant as well as I think he's dishonest. I can see him selling these as rare to some poor person for a lot of money.
Sure, I'd like to have them, It would be fun to ID as many as possible.
I have helped a friend ID many ancients, but I don't own any myself.
For shipping cost is a pretty friendly deal.
Maybe we could do a gift exchange? Do you like (lower grade) half dimes?
For shipping cost is a VERY generous deal.
I hope whomever you send them to reciprocates with a fun swap!
Yosclimber, any swap would be wonderful, especially since I'd love to get some stuff for my boy. He's just starting to get his interests peaked. I've never even seen a half dime in person.
When all is said and done with your swap, tell us what you got in exchange. For low grade items, swaps seem like a nice way to instruct your son and keep him interested. Thanks for sharing.
Great thread.
Looks like a fun swap is in the making
If I had that lot I would donate them to the Kid's Korner, YN group, at our local club show.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
I wish I had one of those around here, would absolutely love for my boy to get a chance to meet other youths interested in coins.
The Buffalo Numismatic Association's YN program is well attended. The kids earn 'dollars' by doing research, answering questions, and projects. With that money they can buy numismatic items from an auction that consists of donated goods.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Really? Do you have any contact information for them? I couldn probably look it up, but I could also be working instead of playing on the forums too. Buffalo is only about an hour away, not too bad.
I have frequently given ajaan items for the YN program and I'm an hour away North, across the border. He does some great things for the kids.
That's great, programs like this help fuel the future of this hobby/obsession that we have.
Update: I received the coins on December 9, and had a lot of fun the next day, sorting them into groups by "chances to identify".
That day, I identified 26 Constantine era coins, 2 earlier and 2 Seleucid Empire:
I will have more fun later, working on the ones I didn't quite identify yet, including all the Justinian era coins.
As for the swaps, I thought about what a young lad might find interesting, so I sent these:
I heard back that Dante + Dad had a lot of fun looking through them, and especially holding them! (the tiny 3 cent silver, half dime and the heavy 2 cent were in flips).
I remember way back in the day when my grandma asked me if I had ever seen a 3 cent piece. I thought she was joking. But she showed me one, and I was blown away!!
Incidentally, that's my grandpa's writing on the 1909 VDB holder, my dad's writing on the 1895 Indian cent, and the 3c copper nickel was once in my great grandfather's small collection! It was good to get these out of the box and into new hands; I have many more of these so I'm not short on family coins.
I haven't seen this thread till today. It was very generous of you to trade these and I think it is great that you want to get/keep your kids interested in coin collecting.
If you were unaware, here is a program through the ANA that rewards kids for doing well in school with some free coins. I'll post this on the US Coin forum as a reminder for parents too.
https://www.money.org/young-numismatists/coin-education/coins-for-as
https://www.money.org/uploads/pdfs/CoinsForA's2015.pdf