12 Caesars' Set - Advice!

$2,400 plus buyers premium which is 15% ! So add $360 which gives you $2,760.
Add on something for insured shipping so lets just call it $2,800 even (close enough).
Now of course ebay and paypal take a cut when he sells things so lets just figure another ten percent to pay off the 'men in pinstripe suits'. We are close to $3,100.
Now add on his profit margin.

I suspect he will not bite for less than $4,000 ....... more probably $5,000 !

Hell give me a 'grand' and a $4,000 budget and I will assemble you a set in bronze that will 'knock your socks off' !!!

Well that is very subjective. I myself am what you might call a "bargain hound". I enjoy searching through thousands of coins listed online (auctions generally). I bid on many and win but few ! This is how I know I am doing it right. If I win more than 5% of the things I like ....... well its time to take a deep breath. There are exceptions of course. I once found a large group of later folli that were going for between $5-10 dollars ! I scooped up most of them !

My main interest is in bronze. I am not exactly up to speed on much of the silver coinage. But I strongly suspect you could do much much better by being patient. These denarii in this group are not exactly gems and you are getting no bulk discount either. In fact he is charging you a premium for having the group ! Which ain't even a group as it is missing Caligula !

J Caesar,Caligula,Claudius, Galba, Otho and Vitellius are by far the hardest. To get each in a 'respectable' condition I would budget $500 at minimum which puts you at $3,000 straight off.
Augustus you could land for approximately $250 ..... same for Tiberius and Nero. So we are at $3,750 ..... call it $3,800.

Vespasian, Titus and Domitian you could find VF or better for around $100 each. So $4,100 is my guesstimate !

I emphasize that I think most of the ones in this group being offered are of a lower grade than I would select. Add in the fact that you still need a Caligula ! Well ........

We here in the wild and wooly regions would gladly assist you. And it is so much more fun doing it yourself !

Doubt he will accept an offer of $3,500 based on what he paid on various on-costs. But I think that will be lucky for you because you will end up with a personal and better set including Caligula.
If I were to work on that set myself, I would try to get the more difficult ones first in a decent quality and after go for the rest in the best quality (or most interesting type) I can readily afford at that stage.

To Be honest assembling the "set" should be secondary to getting all twelve Caesars !
As I emphasize many of these characters can be obtained in bronze for a fraction of the cost. I could find you a 'buff' set of Augustus Tiberius Caligula and Claudius in the bronze As denomination for $1000.

Something similar to these
(Not For Sale !)









Remember that Nero recalled the silver coinage for debasement and Claudius denarii would have been the major subject of that edict. Caligula had also been withdrawn (quietly) so those two guys alone are going to cost big bucks in VF silver.
They can be had in VF bronze for a reasonable sum !

Just for information, lowest price estimate for portrait coins in VF condition given by Sear (latest edition):

Caligula denarius $2,240
Caligula provincial silver drachm $800
Caligul brass sestertius $1,200
Caligula copper as $400

Claudius denarius $1,040
Claudius provincial silver didrachm $960
Claudius brass sestertius $640
CLaudius copper as $200

Maybe with patience you could get a respectable coin lower than those quoted estimates, but it is clear that what 'FVRIVS RVFVS' said is a valid point.

Plus, the majority of the coins in the set quoted in the op are less than VF.

You are welcome - if you are on a mission to select the most pleasing reverses for your set, you should consider buying the first volume of Sear's 'Roman Coins' (covers all up to AD96), the approximate $100 investment should be worth it.

Wouldnt be it more fun (and probably cheaper) to buy these 12 emperors separate? Just give yourself more time and pick these coins 1 by 1