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Author Topic: Best Uncleaned Find?  (Read 3747 times)

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Apache

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Best Uncleaned Find?
« on: July 28, 2012, 11:52:26 pm »
What's your best uncleaned coin find?

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2012, 11:23:10 pm »
Here's mine:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=1422&pos=29

Could probably use a bit more cleaning, especially on the reverseVesta is absolutely amazing in hand.  Got it in an uncleaned lot from ebay probably 6 years ago.  It was covered in a soft "gunk" that easily came off with distilled water and very light brushing.

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2012, 12:06:04 am »
It was a one in a million...

Offline Mark Z

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2012, 12:25:59 am »
Apache,

Excellent idea for a thread!

Jay, I can't believe someone else missed that one! Nice!

In terms of rarity, here is arguably my best uncleaned find:

Valentinian I

RIC IX 26a var. Thessalonica
1.95 g, 18 mm
Very Rare! (Unlisted)
D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right
GLORIA RO-MANORVM, emperor in military dress advancing right, holding
labarum & dragging captive behind him, left field: Z, right field: star
over Gamma, mintmark TES
Note from Dane (Helvetica) @ Wildwinds:
"A rare mule with a Valentinian I obverse and Gratian reverse,
this is the second one I know of."

mz

Offline Mark Z

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2012, 12:28:27 am »
In terms of best preservation in an uncleaned coin, this coin is definitely #1:

Constantius II
RIC VII 191 D(elta), Nicomedia
2.27 g, 17 mm
F L IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers holding spears and shields with two standards between them
SMND(elta) in exergue
R1

mz

Offline Dino

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2012, 07:39:53 am »
Here's mine.  A little Kyzikos fraction.

Offline Mark Z

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2012, 09:51:06 am »
Dino,

Was that difficult to clean?

mz

Offline Victor C

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2012, 09:54:40 am »
"A rare mule with a Valentinian I obverse and Gratian reverse,


This is not a mule, but an unlisted officina. For each of the many mint marks in this series, there is a possibility of one of four--  :Greek_Alpha:  :Greek_Beta:  :Greek_Gamma: :Greek_Delta:. However, many are not noted (but are to be expected) because of the sheer volume of different marks (39 according to RIC) and the author of RIC even says that his "evidence for many of these mint-marks is very scanty."
Victor Clark

LRB gallery

Offline Mark Z

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2012, 01:41:45 pm »
Hi Victor!

Thanks for that. I'm going to forward that to Dane over at Wildwinds.

Regards,
mz

Ghengis_Jon

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #9 on: August 04, 2012, 10:03:21 pm »
Both of these were found in uncleaned coin batches, during the "Golden Age" (more than a dozen years ago).

The Marc Antony was the most difficult to clean.  There was literally 2mm of rock hard black tarnish on it.  Took me FOREVER to clean.

Ghengis_Jon

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #10 on: August 04, 2012, 10:04:24 pm »
Lets try the Marc A again...

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #11 on: August 04, 2012, 10:42:36 pm »
Great 6th Legion!

Offline Mark Z

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #12 on: August 05, 2012, 12:07:54 am »
GJ,

All I can say is WOW!

mz

Offline Dino

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #13 on: August 05, 2012, 09:40:23 pm »
Dino,

Was that difficult to clean?

mz

No, not really.  Some foil and water, CLR and a bamboo stick on the mane.

Offline ego sum malum

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2012, 12:18:42 am »
Mine isn't as good as you guys have, but i've only been doing this for a few months. I got this Licinius one. I think it's pretty good. You can't see it in the photo, but after cleaning, It still retains about 60% silvering.

Offline Mayadigger

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Re: Best Uncleaned Find?
« Reply #15 on: August 15, 2012, 03:29:40 am »
Ave!

My Unique Gem -

Back in 2003, I came across a non-descript little AE 3 with a crumbly patina in an uncleaned lot.  As I only collect Licinius II, I was stunned to read the legends on the coin. I sent it to David Sear for attribution as I couldn't believe what I'd found...and below is his reply:

Quote
Ruler/ Licinius Junior (Caesar AD 317-324)
Denomination/ AE 3 (centenionalis or reduced follis)
Date/ 320 AD
Diameter/ 18 mm
Mint/ Rome (3rd officina)
Weight/ 2.65 grams
Obverse/ LICINIUS IVN NOB C; laureate, draped and
cuirassed bust of Licinius Junior right.
Reverse/ VOT / XV FEL / XX RT in three lines within
laurel wreath.
References/ RIC VII, p. 319 variant -- this officina
not recorded; Cohen 77 varient.
Grade/ F, very rare and interesting, a previously
unrecorded officina for this type (RIC notes only the
first officina, 'P')

RIC lists this coin as an R5, 10 or less known to exist.
I'm informed that this particular issue hasn't been up
for sale in the last 20 years. When you add the previously
unrecorded mint officina, this coin is not only very rare,
it is apparently unique.

Over all these years, I've been blessed to have come across many Roman R5 coins, but none that was unique.

I give you joy of hunting, my friends. If it happened to me, it can happen to you.

Best regards,

Kevin
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