First Roman Coin Purchase

Otho is a hard to get emperor, nice coin for your first ancient.

Here's a link to a very similar coin in somewhat higher grade, which I would call VF.
https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/se...Default.aspx

Although it worked on the preview, if the link doesn't come through, go to the Vcoins website and search on Otho. This coin is offered by (Sebastian) Sondermann Numismatics, a dealer in Germany, for about US$1400.

Based on the similarities and the additional apparent wear on both sides of your piece, I would grade yours as F (Fine). That would be two grade notches lower than his coin, and for that I would guess your coin came in at about the US$700 level. If you came in at less than that, then you have done well. If it was more, then we need to take a look at how much more and what you were told.

In any case, you have jumped into ancients in a big way, with one of the most difficult of the 12 Caesar denarii. Are you thinking of getting the rest of that group? Claudius and Caligula will give you a similar challenge for denarii, and Julius Caesar and Galba will test your mettle as well.

If you are so inclined, perhaps you could tell us what you are thinking about the collecting of ancients. Since you are not new to coins, perhaps this is a side connection to something else for you. Yes?

I see you mentioned this is your first Roman coin. Congrats. I am pretty sure it will be better than 90% of our first Roman coins. May I ask, what did you collect before? There maybe BETTER stuff for less money that you might not be aware of exists. $700 can get you some fabulous item(s).

I´m very surprised...
You have done ALL right...
1.- You have studied about ancient coins before purchase one.
2.- You have gone to a Numismatic convention, fleeing from " ebay bargains".
3.- You have asked for advice to veteran coin dealers.
4.- After the purchase you carried your coin for further information.

In my first purchase, I failed points 1, 3 and 4 (internet existed only in films in those days)...
I fell in love with a Constantine I "GLORIA EXERCITVS", that day I "Jumped" from modern coins to Roman coins...

My very first ancient Greek coin was quite expensive, in fact the most valuable Greek coin I have.

I had not even the foggiest idea of how to prove authenticity for myself, so I went to the most respected coin dealer in the World I could think of at the time. Fortunately, I had a friend who had commercial ties with this coin dealer.

It was sourced from Spinks in London, way back in 1983. I still have all of the purchace information to prove it, including the polaroid photographs.
Moral: If you don't have enough of your own confidence to prove authenticity, go to someone who has.


I have learnt quite a lot about fake ancient coins since then, but I am still learning. I hope I never stop. I have a small reference library on the detection and identification of fake ancient coins, and I maintain a 'black' collection of them.

From the pictures presented here, this coin looks to be quite OK, , but pictures alone should not be the only method of proving authenticity of ancient coins of this value.

Decent coin.So, congrats to the new owner! However, while I concede sales is all about buyer intent combined with seller manipulation, somethings are red flags to me and regardless of price I walk from the seller. In this case, the seller lies when he says coin is extremely rare. Now I know some debate can be bantered around on this site as to what that means, but allow me to delay it by saying that numismatic experts, i.e David Sears as well as other notables make it clear that Extremely Rare coins, as we see listed on the info flap of the coin holder on this Otho, are usually coins with a marketable quantity of less than ten. I tend to defer to experts in this regard; the Otho RIC 8 is not even rare let alone Extremely so. Which brings me to point two, he mislabels it RIC 12 as the RIC 12 is an IMP OTHO not the IMP M OTHO, he labels it, which makes it a RIC 8. Some may say that a seller mistake in this regard can be used to the buyers advantage and a lower price be had. Perhaps, on an occasion when the buyer is more experienced than the seller and if all aligns accordingly. I argue that when the seller is claiming to have experience and knowledge they should better check their coin ID, because making a simple mistake like that means they can also be incompetent enough to buy a fake coin. I lose trust in them; no matter the price I don't do business with someone I can't trust. If this coin is proven legitimate, than the buyer did well, as vcoins aside, which is usually retail and overpriced, he paid less than the $700-$750 it would go for at auction so congratulations again!

I am new to collecting Roman coins, having just started last year. However, I personally find it essential that coins be given the correct I.D so I can ascertain value and current market price for said coin. It is the difference between spending $100 on a coin and $10,000 in certain cases. Here in the states we cannot simply go looking for buried Roman coins, unless the searcher buys into Clive Cussler's novel Treasure and starts digging in Texas for lost gold! We need to buy them, and while craving a bargain and the best price, that is not always the case. As one of you put it, the coin is worth what the buyer is willing to pay. We all have seen coins sell for amounts that we find mind boggling. Indeed, one type of coin my father acquired for $3600 from CNG many years ago was recently sold for $80,000. Alas, he sold his for $9,000 a decade ago. I myself have with some guilt acquired coins far above average price because I loved the look.

In closing, my critique is for the seller, not the buyer. I just don't like mislabeled coins.

While not an extremely rare coin it is still a scarce one. Otho coins don't not show up for sale very often but when they do they command a high price. A buyer would be very lucky to find this particular coin for under $500. I would agree $700 - $900 would be more in line for a price. In my book that would make it rare just for the simple fact that it would be well out of what I could afford.