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 Replies: 20 / Views: 3,461 |
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Moderator
 United States
34416 Posts |
It's been a little while since I've posted one of my coins here, but was super-excited to win this in an auction a few weeks ago. I have been thinking about buying an owl for a long time and decided to go big in picking up this tet. It weighs about 17 g, but looks trimmed down a bit to me. This coin dates to between 393 and 294 BC and came slabbed. First thing I did was crack it out of that little plastic tomb--Athena needs to breathe!   "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Sweet pick-up, Dave. Some more nice Greek silver for your collection. I recall a great Alexander tet you posted earlier in the year. Congrats.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
564 Posts |
Ooooooooo the reverse is awesome looking. The obverse has more details than mine. Mine only has a super light looks kinda crude outline. I like it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3184 Posts |
I would have left it in the plastic tomb......helps with authenticity and selling later on!
Congrats on the nice owl
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Sweet coin Dave, Glad that you freed it from it's tomb. Now you have to go for the new style owl tet. One of these days I have to get one of these. Congrats buddy.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
701 Posts |
Nice addition Dave, I run scared of these types due to lack of knowledge & the amount of fakes out there. I own a little bronze which will do for now. +1 on cracking the slab  Just for info purposes, NGC offers no guarantee that any of the ancients they slab are authentic & in no way should it be implied that they do. Very odd that a company that has a name with Guarantee in it wont offer any Guarantee at all and nor should it be implied that they do  P.S sorry Dave, I just had to get that off my chest  |
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Moderator
 United States
34416 Posts |
Thanks everyone for your comments and honest feedback. I agree that it is a bit of caveat emptor out there and this is one reason why it took me a while to pull the trigger.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5242 Posts |
Quote:
NGC offers no guarantee that any of the ancients they slab are authentic I find this astonishing. In my mind this is the main reason one might send an ancient coin out to be slabbed. |
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Moderator
United States
34416 Posts |
Yep, here is what they say on the NGC Ancients website: Quote:
NGC Ancients Guarantee
Coins that bear the NGC Ancients label are subject and limited to the terms and conditions of this section.
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. NGC Ancients will only holder coins it considers genuine at the time of submission, but it cannot guarantee the authenticity, genuineness, type, attribution or date of any coin it holders. Unlike modern coins, which often benefit from well-documented, scientific parameters for the verification of authenticity, there rarely is conclusive data for ancient coins, and generally there is no surviving documentation to verify production characteristics.
Almost without exception, ancient coins have been recovered from burial, either under land or water. Some recoveries date back centuries, while others are more recent. Even in ancient times, coins were counterfeited, copied and imitated. If a particular submitted coin can positively be connected to a specific find or recovery that is documented, or is on track for documentation, it will be so designated if requested to do so by the submitter. However, even with these coins there can be no guarantee of their genuineness.
The dating and attribution of an ancient coin (the basic identification of a coin's place of origin, issuing authority, date of issue, design elements, specific variety, etc.) is oftentimes uncertain or is a matter of scholarly conjecture. Multiple and different attributions can coexist, each simultaneously finding acceptance within the numismatic community; in these cases NGC Ancients will use the attribution it considers most valid. New research or archeological evidence may challenge or change the consensus about an ancient coin's attribution, date, identification and even its authenticity. Consequently, the opinion of NGC Ancients on these matters is subject to change with the introduction of new information, or of existing information of which its grading staff was unaware at the time of holdering. Every effort will be made in good faith by NGC Ancients to properly attribute ancient coins, but no guarantee is made as to these qualities.
Therefore, with ancient coins NGC Ancients will only guarantee the grade. It is recommended that buyers purchase ancient coins from sellers who offer unconditional lifetime guaranties of authenticity, and who otherwise stand behind their sales... "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
What a beauty!
I agree that the reverse is superb - love the detailing on the owl and the crispness of the lettering. Sincere congratulations!
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Pillar of the Community
Belgium
1194 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
Very nice pick up Spence!
Congrats
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
I love this series of coins but alas I am a cynic. I have some reservations about this one that are perhaps unfounded but I will mention them and maybe someone else can clear them up.
Firstly I don't like the nose on Athena, its too big and kind of merges with the lip, the details are kind of mushy including the eye.
Second the reverse picture of the Owl looks more promising then I see the line on the edge at three o'clock and wonder if this is cast.
I hope I am incorrect but I wouldn't have gambled on this particular example. Have you got any edge shots?
Edited by DavidUK
12/30/2017 09:07 am
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Moderator
United States
34416 Posts |
Thanks for the references Albert! @davidUK, see below for some edge pics. I see no evidence of a parting line, but rather the edge shows some areas of layering and a couple small flan cracks. I do note that under magnification, there are small pores. Any additional thoughts?   "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
Belgium
1194 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
Nothing to give conclusive condemnation from those edge shots. Though with a lost wax method of casting the lines are usually light and can be removed easily (only slight traces getting left behind) and pourosity is often a clue since any discrepancy in casying temp is liable to cause bubbles (though this can occur on genuine pieces too just to make our life more difficult)
The coins Antwerpen posts have definately sharper details but the nose and eye show similarities which lessens my concern somewhat.
I'll say congrats too because an owl is a great addition to any collection, a famous and iconic coin.
Maybe I am being paranoid, though with certain coin varieties you can understand it. I still think its worth asking the question though.
Edited by DavidUK
12/30/2017 10:11 am
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Replies: 20 / Views: 3,461 |
Posted 12/29/2017 11:23 pm
