Did you know Licinius was a red head?

[Victor]

I thought this coin was interesting, because of a bit of rust, Licinius looks like he has red hair.  I figured I would bid a couple of hundred dollars, but was surprised that this coin sold for $1020. Heritage has recently been getting ridiculous bids, in part I suspect, because of the slabs and the grading. This coin for example, is MS★, so it probably drove up bidding.


Licinius I (AD 308-324). AE follis or BI nummus (23mm, 4.55 gm, 5h). NGC MS★ 5/5 - 5/5. Cyzicus, 8th officina, AD 316-317. IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS P F AVG, laureate head of Licinius I right / IOVI CONS-ERVATORI, Jupiter standing facing, head left, Victory on globe in right hand, scepter in left, eagle with wreath in beak standing left, head right, at feet to left; VIII in right field, SKM in exergue. RIC VII 6.

[Heliodromus]

Nice specimen of an interesting issue, but $1000+  

I have the complete officina set of these - posted this on FORVM years ago!

Some of the bids Heritage are getting on these slabbed coins are ridiculous. There was a silvered Constantine VOT XX, ex. Epfig, that went for over $400 recently.

Here's my favorite recent slabbed coin.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AD-324-328-30-AE3-BI-Nummus-Helena-House-of-Constantine-Ancient-Coin-NGC/383915163240?hash=item5963207e68:g:WjgAAOSw4zdgC4qk

It's tempting to buy it, throw away the coin, and keep the slab. 

[Victor]

Yes, I was bidding on that Constantine from the Epfig hoard- I think my max was $200. I break out slabbed coins that are going in my collection, but leave the hoard coins slabbed, like examples I have from Epfig and Bishop's Wood. I don't think that they should be worth more because of the slab though.

[Severus]

>> It's tempting to buy it, throw away the coin, and keep the slab.

I know you thought you were kidding, but believe it or not Stacks/Bowers actually ran a "Collector's Choice Old Holders" auction in December where the premise of each lot was that the slab itself is considered collectible -

https://archive.stacksbowers.com/?q=98f974c5-b38d-4aca-abbe-3652e0f7c8ec

[Heliodromus]

I know you thought you were kidding, but believe it or not Stacks/Bowers actually ran a "Collector's Choice Old Holders" auction in December where the premise of each lot was that the slab itself is considered collectible -

Interesting concept ... Smacks of cargo cult worship.

Next up, collecting photos of coin dealers ?!