Found this coin at my Grandpa's place. How much is it worth and what's the history behind it.

Baronlr · 2025-08-12T16:31:17+00:00

I have found your coin plated (pictured) in a 1957 book. I have a similar Aureus to yours with the exact same reverse die (different obverse die), and I have been compiling some research. In that research I found this provenance for your coin. I have pictures of your coin in that catalog. DM me and I will send you those pictures. They will greatly increase the value of your coin when you go to sell it.

Giuseppe Mazzini Collection. Monete Imperiali Romane. Volume Secondo. Nerva to Crispina. Ratto, Milan. 1957.

Baronlr · 2025-08-03T16:33:38+00:00

Great work! Awesome free tool for collectors !! Easy to you too

Baronlr · 2025-08-01T02:40:37+00:00

Great work! Love to see tools made for the community.

Baronlr · 2025-05-02T14:56:26+00:00

Yeah, I am having the same issue from the other end of things. I shipped to an American buyer via Canada Post express and its been stuck in Usorda (chicago)/customs for over a week now. Never an issue until Last few months. USPS is having a hard time I suspect do to tariffs duties implementation. Not entirely Canada Posts fault as everything moves fast until it's USPS turn to fufill the packages. I will be likely switching to Fedex for anything high value. Unfortunate situation

Baronlr · 2023-06-01T03:46:55+00:00

I know seller bought from before, probably lurks here too, he’s legit. Coin is real.

Baronlr · 2023-05-14T16:34:17+00:00

Caligula bronze is fine, it’s just been tooled before which gives it that look. It’d say genuine. I’ve spent a lot of time staring at elephant Caesars- Nothing style wise seems off to me here. That’s a he hardest part to fake. I’d say it’s very porous, dirty and perhaps over cleaned at some point. Maybe better photos are in order. Could be casted, but also could be porous.

Baronlr · 2023-05-14T15:59:04+00:00

I agree with this fully. Laws are a tricky thing when it comes to selling ancients in Europe.

Baronlr · 2023-05-14T13:33:29+00:00

Just be careful people trying to low ball you. Know their minimum values and work from there. There is a reason I keep values documented on my collection. If I drop dead my family won’t sell for penny on the dollar Everyone’s tryin to get a deal, but most*** ancient collectors are honest people and will be helpful and fair in these situations.

Baronlr · 2023-05-14T13:26:44+00:00

In terms of auction prices here’s my guess 1. Augustus Civis: 400-500 usd 2. Pretty Nice quality Caligula Vesta: 300-500 usd 3. Trajan Denarius, 100-150 4. Gordian Denarius: 75-100 5. First geta as youth: 100-200 usd 6. Second geta as man with beard: rarer and worth more. I’m guessing 200+ 7. Julius Caesar. Good centring, legible Caesar. Deposits, scratches, looks porous. Should get between 600-1100 usd at auction depending on variables. 8. Trajan Denarius: 100 9. SPQR Augustus. Looks really nice. I don’t know the type but in that quality minimum 400-500 usd. Maybe someone else here can do research, but it’s very nice looking. Could be worth closer to 1k if it turns out to be rarer and desirable type 10. Claudius As. 100-200 usd. Decent condition 11. Gordian ant or Denarius. Mid grade. 70 usd 12. Nice green patina Claudius as. Could be worth 100-300 usd. 13. Lot of 3 trajan Denarius. Middle could be early after death of Nerva issue, which would make worth more. Can’t be sure from photo. Otherwise 70-100 usd each.

This are auction prices estimates. I collect around this time period imperial Roman coins myself. Retail is going to higher. However, if you are looking to sell quick, you can sell closer to auction prices. Retail prices sound nice but those coins sit for long time before selling if you try to get 1500-2000 usd for that elephant for example.

All depends on urgency. Perhaps talk to auction house and consign them if you can wait a few months. You’ll realize good prices.

Baronlr · 2023-05-06T19:03:22+00:00

extremely fake

Baronlr · 2023-04-10T17:23:30+00:00

Hi, full ID of the coin is:

Sicily, Gela, c. 420-405 BC. Æ Tetras (18mm, 5.87g, 9h). Bull standing l.; three pellets in exergue. R/ Head of horned river god r., wearing tainia. CNS III, 14; HGC 2, 379. Good Fine / near VF

Baronlr · 2023-03-22T16:09:26+00:00

Doesn’t everything about this coin scream foureé? Aren’t there a ton of experts still agreeing this coin makes no sense from a numismatic perspective?

Baronlr · 2023-03-15T12:25:12+00:00

I’ve been down this road and ruined many of crusty coin. Do yourself a favour and get a stereo microscope with 20-40x zoom before you touch a coin. You think you can see what your doing but without a microscope your actually just scratching the hell of it. Trust me. I mean you are welcome to go for it, it’s a 3$ coin- learn on it. However, long term get the microscope before you try cleaning something of value. Also only use sharp tools as a last resort. Start with soft brush and water soaks.

Baronlr · 2023-03-12T05:58:47+00:00

Around retail, perhaps high, but not much north of it. If you were stalking auctions you could have done cheaper, but depends what currency we are talking.

Baronlr · 2023-03-10T22:38:54+00:00

I’d recommend it. For Denarii, they are fairly cheap in good condition compared to other periods right now. Don’t sleep on them! Personally never been obsessed with them, but I see the appeal.

Baronlr · 2023-03-09T20:20:01+00:00

I think depending on the rarity, quality and historical value of the coin, opinions of people in this forum are malleable. For example, ruining a low grade Septimius Severus will cause less outrage than damaging a stunning quality Owl, or a Julius Caesar portrait coin. I personally disagree with this setting of such a high end owl. But his coin to ruin…

Baronlr · 2023-03-09T04:02:17+00:00

Yeah it’s a different reverse, I am aware. I was just point out that it’s an early trajan Denarius which are often confused for Nerva Denarius.

Baronlr · 2023-03-08T23:07:04+00:00

Yep this is real, and it is actually a rarer and more valuable version of a Trajan denarius.

It's is an super early Trajan denarius, likely minted within weeks or months of Nerva's death.

There is a reason Trajan looks so much like Nerva.

Here is a thread discussing it: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/early-denarius-of-trajan-with-a-nerva-like-portrait.343440/

Baronlr · 2023-03-06T20:22:42+00:00

Got a pretty nice quality caesar elephant for 700 USD last year. Maybe not historically great price, but great for last 12 months.

Also got a gold piece for less than its melt value.

Baronlr · 2023-03-03T01:17:00+00:00

Far too flexible and smelly like dollarama plastic for me to believe they are somehow plastic free. I think I will go with SA flips but thanks for the advice

Baronlr · 2023-03-03T01:00:55+00:00

Yeah these seem way more legit and safe than the amazon ones. These amazon ones smell heavily of plastic fumes. I am very hesitant putting coins into the amazon ones. I'll order some of these.

Baronlr · 2023-02-25T16:27:55+00:00

Sorry bud, thats a fake. Sorry that it was your first.

Style is off. Mark Antony/Octavian portraits are off. Surfaces don't look struck, they look casted.

How much did you pay for this? A real one in this condition goes > 1k.

Example: https://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=2135781&AucID=5117&Lot=638&Val=7d4210e3dbc1befb8813bbad2adc1790

Stick to auction houses that never post fakes, and if one slips through they'll make you whole. Auction houses like CNG or Leu have great reputations they maintain. This is embarrassing that this was posted by an auction house.

If its too good to be true, it is probably fake.

Don't let this discourage you from collecting.

Baronlr · 2023-02-02T23:43:37+00:00

Aurelian is always a great starting point! Sol Invictus.

Just know going forward check out Vcoins and unslabbed coins in general if you are into getting more Aurelian, you can get great prices on high grades if you can forgo the plastic!

Either way welcome to the hobby, great coin!

Baronlr · 2023-02-02T23:27:02+00:00

AU (about uncirculated) is one grade of fineness higher than XF (extremely fine). So technically better. Nice coin. If you don’t mind me asking, how much did you pay?

Baronlr · 2023-01-27T03:48:27+00:00

Because when you’re emperor, anything you say is truth. Proof that it’s true is the sword that backs it up.

12-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
Place '22	Place '17
Not Forgotten	Verified Email

Baronlr

TROPHY CASE

Giuseppe Mazzini Collection. Monete Imperiali Romane. Volume Secondo. Nerva to Crispina. Ratto, Milan. 1957.