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Alexander III Tetradrachm Advice Needed

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oh my florin's Avatar
Australia
1006 Posts
 Posted 08/21/2015  06:44 am Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add oh my florin to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
Hi everyone

I have been contacted by a dealer offering me the following coin for around $2600USD. Now I am highly uncertain as to the value of the coin. Some general information on the coin is that of the Pella mint. Of the Pella mint marks this is one of the more common ones that you will see for Alexander the Great not to say Pella mint issues are common (rarer than most mints)

The coin is however graded Ch AU* 5/5 5/5 Fine Style with the Star grading and Fine Style designation being standouts. I am currently uncertain and would like to defer the judgements to the forum members here.

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed

Thanks everyone in advance

Note this dealer has always treated me exceptionally well and is one of my favourite dealers in terms of ancients
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echizento's Avatar
United States
23731 Posts
 Posted 08/21/2015  07:26 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add echizento to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It's a beautiful coin. I think the price is within reason, the dealer after all has to make a little profit. I would check Acsearch and Vcoins to compare pricing though before committing to the deal.
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DavidUK's Avatar
United Kingdom
2624 Posts
 Posted 08/21/2015  07:36 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DavidUK to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Well I will give you my opinion (if it counts for anything)

I personally don't like my coins slabbed, but this is a personal preference and a whole can of worms and also I do not know your financial situation (you clearly like high end coins) but if I was spending that kind of money it wouldn't be my first choice.

The coin looks decent but I would expect it to make me say wow. Narrowing a search just down to Pella minted varieties I found this coin

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed

Some $650 dollars cheaper, but of similar appeal I think.

If you are not fussed for the mint location this coin $2350 has more eye appeal to me

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed

But in truth I probably would go for one about this sort of quality in order to buy 2 coins instead of one (since it is around half price)



Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed


The coin you are looking at clearly is a good quality coin, well centred and good details. Whether it is the photography or the patina it appears a little dark and lifeless to my eye.

With your budget, and the quantity of such coins I would think you could find either better value for money or a coin that speaks to you more. (I don't know how much this particular coin does speak to you)

My second ancient was an Alexander tet, on a considerably different budget but I got one that had appeal and the price was suppressed (perhaps because of the test cut that I feel doesn't detract much from the coin)


Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed

It may not be in the same league but I was and still am quite happy with the coin and the spare change was able to buy other coins.

I have many coins on my want list, and cannot have them all. I guess it is for each of us to decide how to spend our budgets. For me this is the middle path. There is no point in owning thousands of slug coins and it would be equally silly to invest all my budget into only one or two coins. A small good quality collection of the major types is more what I am aiming for, only you can know what your collecting aims are.
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BuckeyeCoinGuy's Avatar
United States
711 Posts
 Posted 08/21/2015  09:20 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add BuckeyeCoinGuy to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
You have a great Tet collection Florin and this would be a worthy inclusion. One of the best detailed Zeus figures I have ever seen. You can see the full head of Zeus and lots of great detail on Zeus all around.


Quote:

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed


When I deal with my best dealer, we both win on every transaction. They need to make some money and you want the really good opportunities brought to you first. It looks like you got the same thing going on.


I really enjoyed the $2350 one David posted as well, in particular again the reverse.


Quote:

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed
Edited by BuckeyeCoinGuy
08/21/2015 09:22 am
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Ben's Avatar
United Kingdom
4208 Posts
 Posted 08/21/2015  3:23 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Ben to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Well, my first thought was that it was too much. But then, I operate on a tight budget. For comparison, my most expensive piece is an Alexander tet that I recently bought for $210:

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed
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oh my florin's Avatar
Australia
1006 Posts
 Posted 08/21/2015  11:23 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add oh my florin to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thanks guys for the advice. I am utterly in the middle on this one (I have had a look at acsearch and it seems to be right in the middle, with this one looking like an outlier on price http://romanumismatics.com/shop/product/11554/ ) it looks good to me so can I get a quick recommendation on Buy or Pass.
Edited by oh my florin
08/21/2015 11:28 pm
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arnoldoe's Avatar
Canada
266 Posts
 Posted 08/22/2015  12:16 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add arnoldoe to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Its nught be an alright deal if you really want that coin in that condition but why not get something other than another Alexander Tetradrachm, there are so many different kinds of ancient coins available
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DavidUK's Avatar
United Kingdom
2624 Posts
 Posted 08/22/2015  03:41 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DavidUK to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I have dealt with Roma Numismatics before (bought my first Roman coin from them on V-coins... a denarius of Hadrian)

The common question is why that coin? Alex Tets are very nice but with such a range to choose from something can be chosen on a far smaller budget leaving more aside for something unusual/special

For the price of that coin you virtually cover two others that Roma have which are a bit more unusual...


Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed

Alexander-III-Tetradrachm-Advice-Needed

But we are sure that you too have browsed their wares, so why an Alexander Tet?

I am thinking of pulling the trigger on a relatively expensive coin for my standards (though I think it is competitively priced) but that is because I have no example of such a type of coin in my collection. I am wrestling with myself - 1 expensive coin or 4 less expensive coins... It is not an easy decision.
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lrbguy's Avatar
United States
949 Posts
 Posted 08/26/2015  6:34 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add lrbguy to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It sounds like you know the market for a coin of this grade. At this level you need to ask about the track record for buying and for selling. When I am torn on buying a nice piece, I ask myself how I intend to part company with it when the time comes.

How do you intend to sell it?
How much of a loss, if any, will you accept?

If you have a particular seller or venue in mind for disposing of it, like CNG or Harlan Berk in USA for example, visit their site and see how coins of this grade have been handled by them in the past. If the buy sell spread is too great, then take a pass for now. On the other hand, stocks are taking a beating right now due to the trouble in China, so investment brokers will be coming after these pieces soon enough. If you buy it now and still have second thoughts later, you may still be able to get out okay.
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chrsmat71's Avatar
United States
4971 Posts
 Posted 08/26/2015  10:43 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add chrsmat71 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
this coin is way out of my league, so i'll keep my mouth shut on advice.
it is a beautiful coin, and interested in seeing what you do, keep us posted.
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oh my florin's Avatar
Australia
1006 Posts
 Posted 08/27/2015  11:36 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add oh my florin to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Ended up passing up on the coin.
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