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 Replies: 36 / Views: 5,545 |
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
I would like to hear from collectors who specialize in these coins -- or have more than just a passing interest in them.
James
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Well, I now (as of the last few weeks) have more than just a passing interest but have a pitifully small collection so far. I also think it could be a while before I have anything to offer knowledge wise.
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Valued Member
 United States
167 Posts |
Hi, again, bobbyhelmet. A few questions please:
Do you have any difficulty finding London Mint coins?
What are your main sources for buying?
What reference are you using for attribution? -- Do you own (or have available) RIC Vol VI & VII?
Are you doing any specializing or just collecting London Mint coins in general?
Thanks, bobbyhelmet.
James
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Quote:
Do you have any difficulty finding London Mint coins? Not really - sellers seem to use the London aspect as a main selling point so they are not too hard to find. However I often wonder how many poorly described items I miss because its impossible to look at everything. Quote:
What are your main sources for buying? Almost exclusively ebay atm, occasional old fashioned auctions too. Quote:
What reference are you using for attribution? -- Do you own (or have available) RIC Vol VI & VII I have access to: RICs V1-10 ERIC Sear (Roman Coins and Their Values 4th Edition) Cohen (Description Historique des Monnaies) V1-4 & 6-8 Seaby (Roman Silver Coins) V1-5 I mainly use Helveticas Tables and Wildwinds and only revert to the books for confirmation / if I cant find anything. I have about 25 websites saved (including yours) and use them regularly. Quote:
Are you doing any specializing or just collecting London Mint coins in general? Atm I'm looking for every Sol Invictus mint and field variation from London and also any 'TF PLN' that takes my fancy. I'm intrigued  Edited because I hyper-linked instead of quoting! Edited by bobbyhelmet
08/31/2011 10:56 pm
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
bobbyhelmet: I haven't collected RIC Vol VII, LONDON coins (Constantine & family and Licinius) for some time now (I only collect Britannic coins of Constantius). I was cleaning out an old box today and found a few coins I overlooked. One was:  Attribution: RIC Volume VII, LONDON * No. 300 - Reduced weight follis - AD 324 to 325 * O: Fausta bust right - FLAV MAX FAVSTA AG * R: Fausta, wife of Constantine, holding two infant sons (Constantine II and Constantius II) - SALVS REIPVBLICAE - PLON (exergue) It is not in very good shape, but it is genuine with readable inscriptions. This coin is quite rare and hard to come by -- I have only come across a very few specimens in all my years of collecting. Anyway, if you do not have this coin and would like to have it, I will send it to you -- just PM me your snail mail address. James Edited by jamesicus
08/31/2011 11:25 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
That would be fantastic Jamesicus, very generous indeed!
The coin looks great and I love the fact it has the two sons on it. I do have plans to complete the Constantine family but time, money and other collecting areas have been getting the better of me.
My four current interests are British barbarous radiates, Sol coins with the emphasis on London, Constantine family (I bought a Helena recently and had a Crispus but thats about it) and radiates of the 3rd Century.
I'll send you my details now but you must at least let me pay the postage.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
BTW - Is a PM the same as an Email? I've never needed to send one before.
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
I hadn't thought about how to PM on this Forum -- just use my email address: *** Email Removed by Staff ***
James
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
All good - sent both ways just to make sure  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Sorry for the dumb question, but are London mint Roman coins expensive?
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
Hi JangoFett -- you wrote: "Sorry for the dumb question, but are London mint Roman coins expensive?" Not a dumb question at all. I am not really that up to date with prevailing coin values, but as a general rule the post Ad 312 reduced London Mint folles of Constantine/Licinius are relatively inexpensive. However, as with all Roman collecting specialties, there are many variables at play: * As always, condition. While such coins in "fair to good" condition may be had for $10 or even less, "extremely fine" coins may cost $100 or more. * Collectors living in the UK may put a premium on London mint coins due to historical association with British history. * Rarity: issues with very low minting numbers may command a premium - but not always. * Coins Associated with significant historical events sometimes command a premium - but not always. Note: As with all Roman coins, the RIC rarity designations are not at all reliable: they were derived from coin counts in major museums and collections at the time of publication. Subsequent hoard finds and recent research projects have often changed the RIC assessments -- sometimes considerably. It is a different story for the early (especially AD 296-305) unreduced London Mint folles. LON marked coins in even fair to good condition often realize hundreds of dollars at auction with very fine coins bringing thousands of dollars. Unmarked ( no mint mark but still classified as London mint coins) folles of this period are valued much lower with fine specimens often available in the $20 to $50 dollar range.
RIC VI, Londinium, Diocletian, No. 1a
 
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG .................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI
LON in exergue
actual size of coin
weight: 9.5 grams
James Edited by jamesicus
09/01/2011 7:57 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Thanks for answering jamesicus. I just hope I can find an inexpensive one for my collection, and its good to know that that's possible. BTW that's a real nice Diocletian.
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
Thank you. As I mentioned previously, I recently ran across a box of non-descript London Mint coins I have had for a long time. If you PM me your snail mail address I will send you one. Here is a nicer Diocletian London Mint unreduced follis (but no where near as rare as the previous LON marked coin).
RIC VI, Londinium, Diocletian, No. 28a
 
IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG ................................... GENIO POPV -- LI ROMANI ( no mint mark)
actual size of coin
weight: 11.4 grams
James |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Wow really? Thanks a lot! I have a small collection (just 9 coins of various emperors+mints) and would very much appreciate new additions. PM sent.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
842 Posts |
I have been collecting Romans for a while and have over a hundred different coins documented in my database. Unfortunately, I have not had the priviledge of finding a London coin yet! I hope I can get my hands on one soon.
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Valued Member
United States
167 Posts |
I have one last London mint "found in a box" coin left ancientcoinguy so PM if you would like to have it. I am giving these coins as a way of paying something back to this hobby that has been such a great enjoyment to me over the years -- I am hoping to sow some seeds of interest in others. But I don't want to raise any false expectations - the coins I am giving are low grade indeed! BTW, I provide this London Mint search and attribution page that covers a large number of coins. James Edited by jamesicus
09/02/2011 09:13 am
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Replies: 36 / Views: 5,545 |
Posted 08/31/2011 10:15 pm
