Today's Disappointment
Michael Benveniste
Transylvania Ducat. It has interest for me for three reasons:
-- It's a Maria Theresa coin that's not a restrike
-- It's got an interesting double-headed eagle.
-- Hey. It's from Transylvania! :-)
Unfortunately, Clark Smith hasn't had one in stock for a while, so I
took a chance on an eBay special, knowing I was risking postage.
Here's the beauty I got:
http://www.wemightneedthat.biz/Coins/ducat_obv.jpg
http://www.wemightneedthat.biz/Coins/ducat_rev.jpg
I'd normally do a round of "name the grade" with this thing, but since
it's heading back tomorrow I'll spill the beans. It's entombed in an
NNC XF-45 holder. I'd give it a VF-20 detail grade, and that's in
line with what I paid for it.
But as you may be able to see, there are a couple of _minor_ little
problems. The scratches on the obverse surface speak for themselves.
Next, the coin is bent. That lighter area on the cheek and neck is
not due to lighting -- I took shots at different rotations to be sure.
Then there's that odd little fleck at 4-o-clock near the "O". I can't
tell for sure, even with a loupe, but it wouldn't surprise me if
that's a slash into base metal.
I don't know if there are known contemporary counterfeits of this
issue, but I'll let someone crack it out and make that call.
As Columbo would say, just one more thing. This is the second time I
bid on this coin. In the first auction, this thing went to $900 above
what I was willing to pay. On the relist, the hammer price was $40
below my ceiling price.
So it's back to the old want list for the Maria Theresa Ducat, and
back to the post office for this piece.
--
Mike Benveniste -- m...@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
Its name is Public opinion. It is held in reverence. It settles
everything. Some think it is the voice of God. -- Mark Twain
Mr. Jaggers
One of the last things I'd buy in an online auction is a gold coin,
especially one in a no-name holder. I just looked at a completed auction
for a coin matching your exact description, and the coin shown there looks
far better than the one you have shown.
That said, if it's the seller I think it is, I have no doubt that you'll get
your money back. And in addition I predict that another one will come along
sooner than you expect. Hang in there!
James in Anticipation (just across the Ohio River from Despair)
Jim Menning
"Michael Benveniste" <m...@murkyether.com> wrote in message
news:rt94e5hl5daveetjs...@4ax.com...
> > Then there's that odd little fleck at 4-o-clock near the "O". I can't
> tell for sure, even with a loupe, but it wouldn't surprise me if
> that's a slash into base metal.
>
where it is located South of where it is in your picture.
Mr. Jaggers
That's the same scan I saw earlier. Do you think it's been P-shopped?
James the Suspicious
Jim Menning
"Mr. Jaggers" <lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com> wrote in message
news:hbtlr...@enews2.newsguy.com...
The field of the coin, especially to the right of the bust appears suspiciously
clear.