In the weeks before Christmas (as is my wont) I had instructed the wife and children to omit me from any gift giving. Finances were a tad stretched and I had actually liquidated some of my inventory/collection (often hard to tell the difference !) in order to buy the kids some quality gifts. I prefer quality over quantity at Christmas.
For my son (13) I found some great deals.
Knowing my funds were limited I stopped by the local pawn shop and was astonished to acquire some (like new) top shelf guitar equipment for my budding Jimi Hendrix.
BTW
His music teacher plans on having him play the Star Spangled Banner at the year end assembly.
I believe he just might get the whole audience to stand
which is quite an accomplishment these days !
My daughter (18) likewise made out nicely
Although for her it was the cash money that shown the brightest.
So one week before Christmas I found myself short of coinage and not as poor as I had anticipated.
Time to go shopping !!!
In very short order I spied something "completely different".
The listing title was rather sparse
SACERDOS SEMIS EXCELLENTE
Upon closer inspection it appeared I had stumbled upon something unknown to me. A quick google search and a wildwinds visit showed me that what I had on my screen was a Spanish issued AE semis bearing the portrait of Gnaeus Statilius Libo, Praefectus (Governor) of one of the two primary Roman provinces of Hispania. I wasn't able to find much information about this piece and one the few was actually a CCF posting from 2013 !
http://goccf.com/t/145580The few I did found offered for sale had astonishingly high asking prices and were really nothing to dream about either.
The auction listing had an end time of December 25 4:57 PM EST.
By my calculations that put it at an ideal time to "steal" it !
Just one problem .......
It had a buy it now option which while significant put it somewhat close to the others I had seen for sale or having been sold in recent years.
But it was around 10 times nicer !
The description offered nothing besides 22-3mm and 9.6 grams.
The size was in line with the others but the weight !
The weight was nearly 2 grams better than the others. Likely due in part to the fact that the portrait was 10 times better !
What to do
Buy it now ?
Or wait out the auction ......
As Christmas approached the high bid never moved
Around 1/12 of the buy it now.
Three days before Christmas as I viewed my prey an advert appeared on my computer screen.
"Similar Items"
Looking me in the face was another not unattractive semis of Mssr Libo.
The title ?
SACERDOS SEMIS EXCELLENTE
No weight no diameter
Hmmmmmm
Someone is copying around here
But the price was very very reasonable and it had a "make offer" option too. Well after viewing the humble sellers other items I could see that here was someone who appeared to be in nearly the same predicament as I a few weeks earlier.
Perhaps I could help out ...... and replenish part of my sold off inventory. I made five offers (including Mssr Libo) and was glad to learn that a deal was possible.
So now I was satisfied that short of a postal shortcoming PRAEFECTVS LIBO would be joining my collection
AE Semis Unknown Spanish Mint
Obv. GN STATI LIBO PRAEF
Bareheaded bust of Statilius Libo right
Rv. Priestly implements patera & capis
SACERDOS below
7.72 grams 21-2mm
RPC I 483 Burgos 449
One down .....
One to go !
As Christmas Day approached I realized that the afternoon of the 25th would be somewhat busy. Not wanting to take any chances I opted to make use of a "sniping" service in case I was indisposed. An hour before the close I decided to "make" time and sat down with my Iphone and watched the clock tick down. I decided that should the auction price exceed 50% of the Buy it Now I would pull the trigger and make an end of it.
I decided that but for some reason did not follow through.
As the seconds ticked down towards zero I actually typed in a price above the Buy it Now price and pressed the screen.
I pressed the screen and to my horror saw a message
"Error .... please try again"
The Snipe bid came in and I was the high bid !
Just as suddenly the outbid message came up and to my horror I had lost the auction !!!
Zut Alors !
I cursed Apple Computer ! I cursed Tim Cook ! I cursed Steven Jobs (may he rest in peace) and most of all I cursed myself ! How could I have been so stupid after reading how Apple had slowed down and otherwise sabotaged Apple Iphones by having updates incline the users to buy new Iphones !!
I could not believe it and for days I grumbled to my wife and daughter "how could I have been so stupid !"
My son doesn't understand these things .....
He's still plotting how to get me to buy him a white Fender.
Three days later I was discarding my junk emails and I stopped short. I was ripping them off and nearly discarded by reflex.
"
ebay Second Chance Offer"
Second chance offer ? What second chance offer ?
I haven't bid ... on .... any ..... thiiiiiiiiiing !
Unbelievable
Only the second time in my life have I had this occur.
Now I have never really liked the option as someone has reneged and instead of me outbidding the 3rd place bid I am being asked to offer my maximum bid which in this case was 43.45 euros more than Mr 3.
But I had already cursed myself for not going the Buy it Now route which as 11.55 euros more than my snipe bid !
I hit the BUY option faster than lightning and thanked Zeus , Apollo and all the gods that Mssr Libo had in mind when he issued this bronze coin.
9.6 grams 22-3mm
I have not found one of these anywhere which I think is superior. I am sure that there must be one and would be very interested to see it !
As to the Prefect Statilius Libo. The references all seem to be sure that he served under "Augustus 27 BC-14 AD. One source which I found believed Libo to be a Prefect in Spain from 44-35 BC. If so he was likely a Caesar appointee or at least a member in good standing of the Caesarian party. I find it hard to believe that Augustus after consolidating power would allow one of his governors to issue coins bearing anything other than his own likeness. Especially a governor in control of a province which had such a large population of veterans colonies !
Surely someone interested in starting a revolt could make use of veterans and the strapping young sons of veterans !
I am inclined to think the Prefect Libo belongs in the 30's BC.
When the internal affairs of the empire were less settled.
Perhaps he was an ally of Lepidus who would appear to have taken the prudent option of accepting Octavian as his master and unlike the other alpha males of the period lived out a natural life.
So in the end
All was right with the world
And I got what I really wanted for Christmas
And a hey nanny nanny and a hot cha cha !
Posted 01/15/2018 7:42 pm
