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 Replies: 26 / Views: 3,390 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
I'm posting these pics so that other new-to-ancients can have a better idea of what the uncleaned coins from a bulk lot may look like. Shown with a millimeter scale. Lettered/numbered for my own inventory purposes. Pictures are in groups, each labeled with source and price. These were all from DirtyOldCoins.com. They are soaking now and at some time in the future I'll post individual coins as I clean them-- hopefully for confirmation of attribution rather than a complete cry for help, lol. While the purpose of this post is not to solicit attribution opinions, feel free to speak up if you know something or want to point me in the right direction. Group A: $6 each, 'High grade Roman coins from France'. Should be easy to clean (or finish cleaning, they look somewhat cleaned already) and should be pretty easy to attribute. Group B: $3 each, Roman coins from the Balkans. These will be fun to clean andI hope to find at least a few attributables. Group C: $6.50 each, Widow's Mites. OK, now I have some, not that interesting, doubt I'll get more. They look pretty clean already, will probably just soak in some VerdiCare. Group D: $12 each, Greek coins  Not optimistic about improving them with cleaning. Hope I'm wrong and that there are actually some devices to be exposed. Group E: $4 each, Byzantine. A motley group, hoping there are some visible devices once cleaned but all in all, meh. Some super thin flattened cups, a couple of thicker/flatter coins. Doubt I'll get more of these. Group F: $3 each, 'Holy Land' coins. Some interesting things in this group. Sizes from 30+ mm to 10mm. Wish there were more whole coins. F8 is really strange. Perfectly round, ~21mm, and only ~0.5 mm thick. Looks like it was punched from rolled sheet stock           Edited by ThisIsFun
05/08/2013 12:52 pm
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New Member
United States
15 Posts |
E2 appears to depict a lion rampant on the obverse. Possible medieval Spanish issue?
Good luck and enjoy the cleaning!
Edited by abcoin
05/07/2013 8:58 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
579 Posts |
You got a couple good looking coins in there. The greek ones you may be surprised. They are tough to clean. You also have some njce byzantine in the holy land coins. As for the widow mites they tend to be fragile so don't do too much for them. You won't need verdicare the green stuff is patina and to me enhance the look. It is a nice contrast.
The balkans are nice and crusty. Little presents waiting tobe unwrapped.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
579 Posts |
You got a couple good looking coins in there. The greek ones you may be surprised. They are tough to clean. You also have some njce byzantine in the holy land coins. As for the widow mites they tend to be fragile so don't do too much for them. You won't need verdicare the green stuff is patina and to me enhance the look. It is a nice contrast.
The balkans are nice and crusty. Little presents waiting tobe unwrapped.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Once you get then cleaned up you will have some nice coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
hey TIF, your 6 buck group looks very nice! you should have fun with your 3 buck group...i bet you'll get some good one in there. that f2 chipped (or made into change?) coin is neat, what is that? the greek (especailly) and holy land coins look disappointing for the price. ..hope I'm wrong about that. be sure to post your after pics when you get some cleaned up you like! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2480 Posts |
Couldn't resist trying to attribute one of the cleaner coins this morning.
Looks like A3 is a city commemorative, issued in Thessalonica if I'm reading the mint mark correctly. Per Wildwinds, these were minted AD 330-246 to commemorate the transfer of the seat of the Empire from Rome to Constantinopolis. Constantine bust left with helmet and mantle, holding sceptre. Reverse shows Victory standing left on prow of ship, holding shield in left hand.
And A2 is a Crispus from Heraclea.
Edited by ThisIsFun
05/08/2013 06:34 am
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Good post ThisIsFun  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
Thanks for the link, chrsmat71! Looks like that will be particularly useful when I try to ID those Byzantine coins and some of the Holy Land coins.
Edited by ThisIsFun
05/08/2013 1:36 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Chris has linked a very helpful resource. It doesn't list every type but for late roman coins, there's no comparison. Wildwinds often comes up short but Helvetica always comes through - they list the rarities too. Heres one I've found invaluable. If you dont know the legend, cant read the legend or there is no legend, then you can use this website to find out the type by image alone. It lists all the mints the type was made at, the emperors who minted it, all the legend variations and the dates for them. You can look up by reverse type, the reverses minted by different rulers and also the obverses from different rulers! Its also got a good page on mint marks, abbrevations and jargon you should check out. Tesorillo (For Later Roman Bronzes) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
oh wow, that's a great one ben...how did I not know about it?
thanks for posting!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
Another batch arrived, this one from ebay. I'm new to ebay and took a look at various offerings a couple of weeks ago. This seller, Jackson & Jacobs Family Numismatics, had several uncleaned lots closing that night over a span of minutes and I intended to buy many of them. I had my plan ready, my max bids considered, and was ready to snap some up. I entered a bid of the first lot and came to a page telling me that I had to link my PayPal account. Ruh roh. Guess I hadn't done that. Tried to scramble and get it done as lot after lot passed by. Determined to get at least one lot, I succeeded on the last one... by logging in to my mother's ebay account at the last second. "Hey Mom, hope you don't mind but you bought me some dirty old coins  ". And she delivered them last night... flying 2500 miles to bring them. OK, she was coming anyway for Mothers Day and my half century birthday, but still funny. Wish I had been able to buy more from this seller-- looks like there are some interesting coins in this group, which was titled "Budget Lot... mostly lower grade". I see a Romulus and Remus in there, cool!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Nice. A couple I can see which will clean up really well! Top right you'll want to soak in distilled water for a week or two and then leave. Its fully Identifiable from where its at now. What do those letters say?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
Ben, after a quick rinse I took a look at can't read any of the letters on that coin (#G5). I'll try and pick off some crusting after a few more days of soaking.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Dont pick at it! Its already falling apart. Try and read the letters which once inhabited the holes. Those few letters should be enough to tell which emperor it is (unless they sant TANT!)
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Replies: 26 / Views: 3,390 |
Posted 05/07/2013 9:10 pm
