ewomack Posted June 29 · Supporter Share Posted June 29 I was going to append on the previous thread below, but it appears I couldn't change the title to include "updates," so I'm creating a new thread and referencing the older one. Sorry if I actually could continue that older thread and just don't know how to. The dealer, who is very reputable and who I have purchased from four or five times before, agreed to send me the coin to examine. Additional information received is that the coin has "green deposits" (magnetite?). It is admittedly not the greatest specimen of this type, but it still manages to preserve some extra details of the original design that I haven't seen on other available, and even more complete, specimens. This is even more evident in hand (coins always look much better in hand, of course). As probably expected, the relatively detailed portrait of the emperor attracted me to this one. Tiberius did not fare so well, unfortunately. Like many other Byzantines I have, I both love and hate this one, too. Parts of it look decent, other parts look almost horrible. In hand, Justinian II alone looks great, along with the base of the cross and the "PAX." I probably can't adequately capture that in a photo. Given the era and the emperor, and it's relatively affordable price, I'm nearly prepared to declare this one "good enough for the type" for my purposes. That leads to the green areas. The top of the rim has the scary-looking green deposits. They look and feel stable, from what I can tell. I know this dealer would not knowingly sell a "sick" coin, but I thought I would share some photos anyway because I am anything but an expert on this subject. I have had some other Byzantines in my pile with similar green areas and they have remained stable over the past few years. Nonetheless, I'm guessing that buying a coin with such marks probably doesn't come with absolute zero risk, either. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 29 · Member Share Posted June 29 Those were the ones I had the most concern with. They look like the dark green lumps, which are usually okay, but something has eaten away at that corner. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted June 29 · Member Share Posted June 29 29 minutes ago, ewomack said: I was going to append on the previous thread below, but it appears I couldn't change the title to include "updates," so I'm creating a new thread and referencing the older one. Sorry if I actually could continue that older thread and just don't know how to. The dealer, who is very reputable and who I have purchased from four or five times before, agreed to send me the coin to examine. Additional information received is that the coin has "green deposits" (magnetite?). It is admittedly not the greatest specimen of this type, but it still manages to preserve some extra details of the original design that I haven't seen on other available, and even more complete, specimens. This is even more evident in hand (coins always look much better in hand, of course). As probably expected, the relatively detailed portrait of the emperor attracted me to this one. Tiberius did not fare so well, unfortunately. Like many other Byzantines I have, I both love and hate this one, too. Parts of it look decent, other parts look almost horrible. In hand, Justinian II alone looks great, along with the base of the cross and the "PAX." I probably can't adequately capture that in a photo. Given the era and the emperor, and it's relatively affordable price, I'm nearly prepared to declare this one "good enough for the type" for my purposes. That leads to the green areas. The top of the rim has the scary-looking green deposits. They look and feel stable, from what I can tell. I know this dealer would not knowingly sell a "sick" coin, but I thought I would share some photos anyway because I am anything but an expert on this subject. I have had some other Byzantines in my pile with similar green areas and they have remained stable over the past few years. Nonetheless, I'm guessing that buying a coin with such marks probably doesn't come with absolute zero risk, either. ewomack, don't lose any sleep over the green spots 😉. The coin I won at auction over 3 years ago, pictured below, had hard green areas that haven't changed in size. NGC recently slabbed this coin; if it had bronze disease they wouldn't have slabbed it. Justinian I, AD 527-565 (dated year 31, AD 557/8). Nicomedia Mint, Officina 2. AE 40 Nummi: 18.43 gm, 33 mm, 6 h. SB 201. Ex Peter J. Merani Collection; Ex The Time Machine (Mark E. Reid), Dec. 6, 1998. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted June 29 · Supporter Author Share Posted June 29 Thank you, everyone. I agree that the coin is likely safe enough. I'll check on it periodically for a while just to be sure, of course. But I think it's okay. It might not be the absolute ugliest Byzantine in my pile, but it's probably close. In hand it does look quite a bit better, as I said, but it's not incredibly amenable to magnification. If a nicer one comes along in the future, I may take another plunge on this type. One thing seems certain: the further I step into the 8th century, the more the fall of the Follis becomes ominously apparent. This thing has the diameter of a modern US Cent. It might take 3 or 4 of them to cover the surface of a Justinian I large 6th century Constantinople Follis. Coinage sizes had fallen in general since, of course, but even Justinian II's own father, Constantine IV, released some larger sized Folles. The more I learn about the 8th century, the more surprising the Byzantine empire's survival of that century seems. Those were rough times and the coins remain a clear sign of that turmoil. Anyway, thanks everyone for the advice and information as I vacillated endlessly over this one. I still have mixed feelings about it, and probably always will, but it still feels "good enough for the type" in many ways. Justinian II (705-711), second reign, Æ Follis, Constantinople, Obv: Legend obscure, crowned facing busts of Justinian and Tiberius, each wearing chlamys and holding patriarcal cross set on globe inscribed PAX; Rev: Large M, cross above, Γ below, CON in exergue; 19-20mm, 3.81g; Berk-806, MIB-43, DO-12c, Sear 1428 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ela126 Posted June 30 · Member Share Posted June 30 @ewomack I can appreciate the desire to revisit or plan to upgrade a coin. I certainly have plenty in my collection. It will nag at you a little, but with so many other opportunities to collect in the Byzantine series, it doesn’t happen often for you to revisit a checked off box. Look at a few uglier ones and make yourself satisfied with this piece, it is pretty decent in my view (definitely better than mine) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted June 30 · Supporter Author Share Posted June 30 20 hours ago, ela126 said: @ewomack I can appreciate the desire to revisit or plan to upgrade a coin. I certainly have plenty in my collection. It will nag at you a little, but with so many other opportunities to collect in the Byzantine series, it doesn’t happen often for you to revisit a checked off box. Look at a few uglier ones and make yourself satisfied with this piece, it is pretty decent in my view (definitely better than mine) Thank you. Yes, I think the coin is pretty decent myself. In hand, it looks pretty good. But, magnify it even a little and it begins to look like smoldering ruins. If it wouldn't have had that pretty detailed portrait of Justinian II staring back at me almost diabolically, I would have passed it right over. The price also makes me less happy about it. It wasn't exorbitantly expensive, but it cost more than most of the nicest examples that I've found. The Leontius coin I've shown was even more expensive. As I said in my other thread, it's both understandable and frustrating that the least appealing coins in the pile were also some of the most expensive. That's how this hobby works, I guess. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ela126 Posted June 30 · Member Share Posted June 30 @ewomack I hear you loud and clear.. in the last 6-9 months I’ve decided I rather have nice looking common stuff than the expensive, rare pieces. if somehow the money works that a rare, handsome piece is available, I’ll grab it, but other than checking a box, I find you don’t return to the rare/ugly pieces in your trays often to admire them, even if they’re the priciest of the bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted June 30 · Member Share Posted June 30 Well, that dealer does offer impeccable customer service, but the coins are rather expensive, and one doesn't see a whole lot of non-brown coins there. Unless it's something special and only they have it, I usually get my Byzantines from various other dealers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.