Peculiar Vologases V. Tetradrachm

[Schatz]

Good morning all,

I keep seeing a sales ad of a strange Vologases V. on the xxxx website.  The coin is encased in a NGC slab (so ostensibly bearing a seal of authenticity) and being offered by a dealer in Ann Arbor, MI. I find the obv. rather unusual, a portrait style I have never encountered whereas the rev. appears to be the regular sort for this type of tdr.

Please.let me know what you think.

Schatz

[Alwin]

Hello Schatz,
Strange for me too. The style, the nose, 4 lines for the diadem, etc...
About its authenticity, I would not be sure.

[Schatz]

Hi Alwin,

I am glad that I am not the only one to find this a strange coin. Apparently a lot of potential buyers do, too, since this lot has been up for sale for quite some time.

Regards,
Schatz

[stlnats]

Not an expert but I have one of these issues and the coin in question looks almost cast vs struck and very odd style vs. others I have seen.  And I didn't think that NGC guarenteed that a slabbed coin is genuine, only that the grade assigned is correct. 

  

[Schatz]

Hello stinats,

no, I did not mean to imply that a slab was equal to proof of authenticity (that's why I wrote 'ostensibly') but it is often perceived as such. Thanks for pulling out your Vologases V tdr to make a comparison. Of course, one cannot discard  a strange looking coin routinely. I have often rejected coins for that reason only to find out that they were rare, and I just had not seen one like them before. As to the coin in question, the feeling one gets from the obv is just so different from the one the rev evokes.

Schatz

[Kamnaskires]

Indeed it's a bit strange.  Speaking of which, here's a Sellwood 35 - with mint monogram indicating Aria - that is currently being listed by a European auction house.  Weirdness!  Its description has it correct as an S35.10, but it not listed as either Darius (a la Sellwood) or Phraates III (a la Shore and, I believe, Assar), but rather as Phraates IV.

Has anyone seen hair like this on an S.35 before?  I know I haven't.  Ancient imitation?  

[stlnats]

Hello stinats,

no, I did not mean to imply that a slab was equal to proof of authenticity (that's why I wrote 'ostensibly') but it is often perceived as such. Thanks for pulling out your Vologases V tdr to make a comparison. Of course, one cannot discard  a strange looking coin routinely. I have often rejected coins for that reason only to find out that they were rare, and I just had not seen one like them before. As to the coin in question, the feeling one gets from the obv is just so different from the one the rev evokes.

Schatz

Gotcha.  Of course strange does not equal inauthentic either, just that it should receive a bit, or a lot, more of a critical eye.  I'd certainly defer to an expert/specialist such as Robert L3 on this since it's no way in "my" primary areas of interest.  Will be interesting follow what you and others on the board ferret out on the piece.       

[Schatz]

stinats,  I am not sure that we will find out a lot more.  Still, it seems that this Vologases V tdr is a bit of a dark horse.

Bob, the 'Phraates IV you are showing us is indeed strange, but it reminds me of a Phraates III which was sold at Triton XVII, lot 440, on Jan. 6, 2014. Unfortunately I cannot post the screen shot, but if you look it up you will see that is also from an Eastern mint, Traxiane, and strange coins originate at Eastern mints!

Schatz

[Schatz]

Here is the Phraates III I could not upload yesterday:

[Alwin]

.............Has anyone seen hair like this   .........

S.30.25, ARIA

[Kamnaskires]

Yes, similar!  And also Aria.  Thanks, Alwin.