A Rare One I Guess I Won't Be Getting

I'm very sure you have checked out his DSR Stats, in any case, they are:

Item as described: 4.8 / 5.0
Communication: 4.7 / 5.0
Dispatch time: 4.3 / 5.0
Postage and packaging charges: 4.7 / 5.0

And 2 Negative Feedbacks, one this February where it seems the Seller cancelled the transaction, and that Buyer was French.

I think sometimes, we need to reign in our Eyeballs and what "we desire" and Whip our Brain into activity.

Hey, Paul. I hope you get lucky and it actually arrives. That coin illustrates one thing we can like about late Roman bronze--some types are very rare and yet occasionally offered and if you have studied enough to know the special types you can sometimes pick one up inexpensively. But, you have to look at thousands of coins and keep your eyes open for the unusual. I remark that If I had seen that one offered you would not have gotten it so cheaply. Congratulations!

Searching through thousands of coins was what I always enjoyed about going to major coin shows. But ebay has the added benefit of being able to do it in my spare time and search places that would never have been possible. The sheer volume of the listings means some coins will slip through unnoticed. Not too long ago I made some buys in faraway places which made me 'dizzy' with delight. Coins I could never have afforded from a dealer at a 'Major' show. Some just didn't get the attention they were due (sestertius of Elagabalus with that 'thing' on his head ...... $105 !) or my all time favorite a Caligula copper as with the wrong reverse ! Even after making the payment ($65) I was sure it would never arrive ............ But it did !
But there is a price to pay. Hours and hours searching through world. But it's more fun than watching old movies !

I'm happy to announce that this one has a happy ending. The rare Valens FELICITAS ROMANORVM AE-3 from Aquileia arrived in the mail today, nearly 40 days after the auction ended.

It looks to be very nice. I've got it soaking in hydrogen peroxide right now to loosen up the dirt on it and will post photos later.

I soaked the coin in hydrogen peroxide and did some light brushing to remove some of the dirt in the fields. The obverse is very nice, but there is some minor corrosion in the reverse fields. I stopped cleaning it when I saw the corrosion.

It is attributed as RIC, Vol. IX, #16b of Aquileia with mint mark SMAQP. It is listed as "Rarity 5" in RIC. RIC speculates that this type, struck for Gratian, Valens and Valentinian I, commemorated a visit by Gratian to Aquileia shortly after he ascended to the throne.

Where it concerns LRB, I'd advise to take RIC R5's as a very loose guide of actual rarity. In this case it is apparently rare but probably only because it takes a careful eye to spot the legend among the far more common SECVRITAS.

Ras

How much was it it won't let me access the site