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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,348 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
I got this one about a month ago in an uncleaned lot. And, man, it was a tricky one to clean. It looked like an encrusted rock for the longest time. But I have brought out some nice details. First, would you keep cleaning it or just leave it as is? Second, the mint mark is only partially clear. It seems to read "SM  C." Which mint would this be? Cyzicus? Finally, do you think that my coin is an official issue or could it be a barb? Thanks!   |
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Valued Member
384 Posts |
It appears authentic to me from the photographs you have provided, most barbarous issues of these coins are really very poor in general, whereas the engraving style of yours also seems consistent with eastern mints. Cleaning...well, you seem to have already cleaned it quite alot/ quite well, so if the encrustation on the lettering will come off with the method you have been using, then continue and remove it. If what is left is much more stubborn, then leave it as you do not want to start scratching the metal. Cyzicus, Heraclea or Nicomedia have mint marks that, until you can sharpen the pics/clean some more encrustation of, may fit the bill. Good job.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3499 Posts |
Yeoldecoins- Thanks! I'll try to clean it a bit more and see if I can decipher the last two letters of the mint mark.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
The coin looks good, a little more cleaning will reveal more detail.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1315 Posts |
Just trying to determine by the shape of the wings (which is not always an absolute indicator....see Helveticas list under'City Commem...Type finder') I think you could rule out Nicomedia.
Then Heraclea or Cyzicus, my guess would be Cyzicus with the straitish wings, but which officina I don't know.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
946 Posts |
A nice job, other than the obscured mintmark, leave the reast of the coin as it is.
Shiny over cleaned coins are not desirable.
The obverse legend is "CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS".
So?
If it has the "S" on the end then it tends not to come from the Propontis mints (Sea of Marmara), such as Cyzicus, Heraclea etc.
Possibly the mintmark is "SMTSE", if so, then from the Thessalonica mint.
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Valued Member
384 Posts |
It may be Nicomedia.....we wait with baited breath for the mint mark to appear....
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
946 Posts |
Quote:
It may be Nicomedia.....we wait with baited breath for the mint mark to appear....~Yeoldecoins Double checking with Wild Winds examples for Nicomedia. That Propontis mint also seems to follow the "missing S" rule.  http://wildwinds.com/coins/ric/city..._RIC_196.txt |
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Valued Member
384 Posts |
Of course, sorry, having a dim moment....Thessalonika it is then if starting with S?
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,348 |
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Posted 11/18/2013 8:55 pm
