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 Replies: 18 / Views: 2,031 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Okay so I've had an itching for another Byzantine for a while now, preferably a forward-facing one, and narrowed it down to the best 3 for my budget. Was wondering what the majority of you all would go for if you were considering one of these. Please try to consider as well best detail for the price. Thanks guys! Justinian I half-follis (around 21-24 mm wide) Yeah the photo is bleh but you can still tell that the coin would have pretty good details in hand. The portrait and the full obverse legend are the main things bringing me to this coin - $24 shipped  Maurice Tiberius follis (29-31 mm wide) Always like these large sized folles. And the portrait, while slightly flat, looks great imo. Obv legend is full but is one of those blundered types, and looks like some hard dirt on the reverse (which I wouldn't mind cleaning off) - $24 shipped  Maurice Tiberius follis (29 wide) Love the detail in the portrait and the nearly full obverse legend, and while is weak in some spots, and a bit irregular in shape, it is pretty cheap - $18 shipped  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
#2 is the best coin for the money. Justinian half folles are fairly common, Maurice Tiberius with pretty much fully legible legends are less common. The crusties at the top of the reverse (covering up the cross) look like they might clear up a bit with a brass brush (50 cents each from Harbor Freight). If you're careful a brass brush won't mess up the patina. Looks like Theoupolis (Antioch), Year 5 (586-87), SBCV 533. Most types of these folles have blundered legends, it's the norm for M.T. follesOnly his Soldi have correct legends it seems.
I like these large chunky Byzantine coins, they're great fun and you can still get them relatively inexpensively.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
i would say number 2 VK, nice big and round...plus I like a little dirt to clean off (or not).
second choice is number 3, the face is great.
let us know which you get!
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
937 Posts |
I go for the Antioch follis as well. The other two coins are nice, but fairly common, and the follis looks in decent shape. I'd leave off cleaning it though; the coin is nice enough the way it is and you don't want to risk harming it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2044 Posts |
Well, I've been thinking about purchasing that third one for awhile now but haven't gotten to it. It's even on my wish list. But if you end up getting it, I'd rather you get it than someone else.
Since I want the last one even with the weak strike, I'll say get the 1st coin. That's up to you, of course.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks all, really appreciate the inputs. I was leaning towards number 2 a little more tjan the others but really liked the other two enough to feel conflicted lol. Yeah, I'm going to buy coin 2. Thanks again all.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Good choice  Could be very nice if it does indeed clean up further. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
While you already made the right choice I will endorse it ! "Gotta go with Moe". Happiness is a nice large sized (30mm+) bronze ..... something you can dent someones head with.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Oh, and this is my first Byzantine coin purchase in over a year, so I am pretty psyched to get it lol.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
With ancients, always better to have them with complete designs and legends.
These components contribute to the overall grading (and thus value), of any ancient coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
I like of the three shown, Number 2 is what I would go for. Number 1 would be second choice.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2044 Posts |
I would take #1 because it's a half follis.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Quote:
I would take #1 because it's a half follis That (since I don't have a half-follis yet) and the fact that it has nice detail are what drew me to it. But it is still on my to-buy list, so hopefully I'll come back to it and get it in the future. Edited by VisigothKing
03/27/2013 02:27 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
But why settle for 1/2 a follis when for a 'few Sestertii more'* you can get the whole follis !
The Classic late Roman drama "For a Few Sestertii More" written by my famous ancestor Sergius Leonis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
VK, number 2 for me, looks good, whatever you buy, will be great...  |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 2,031 |
Posted 03/23/2013 11:05 am
