Crazy old coin.

[Zamial]

My grandmother gave me a small metal jewelry box that had some of my grandfathers stuff in it. Most of it was strange odds and ends: a fishing line weight, some pistol bullets, masonic and VFW pins and some tie clips. Then I found a strange coin. Instantly I knew that this was an OLD coin.

I showed the wife and she started to search online for what it was. It did not take long and we figured it out. This is a Greek coin with the head of Heracles on one side and Zeus on the back. It was in circulation from 336-323 BC and is an Alexander III the Great.

Here is a pic (Not my coin I was feeling lazy so I swiped a pic. Mine is in much better shape and has some nice dark/black patina on it.):

Some quick pricing shows these have a LARGE price range from $50 all the way up to $600 plus. I have never held anything this old in my hand before and it was kind of interesting to think who else may have held/used this coin over the last 2300-ish years.

Prost Grampa!

 

[pickles]

That's awesome! I hope you don't plan to sell it.

 

[sendkyleanemail]

That's a real treasure!!

 

[IrregularPulse]

that's badass. Not worth selling at all. Having something like is worth more that 600 any day.

 

[davis119]

I know zip about coins. Just what I see on pawn stars lol


But if its that old that price even on the high side sounds way low....

How big is it ? Im assuming its silver

 

[Dawnhulio]

Cool! Don't wash the patina off, *if* you ever decided to sell it, removing the patina will bring the value down.

 

[Zamial]

NOT FOR SALE! I do not collect coins and know little to nothing about collecting them. Well, I have a few silver US quarters and dimes but those ar not all that rare or special in comparison.

I plan to stop by a coin dealer and have it appraised and then I will buy a wooden/glass display for it or I will make one.

I agree that the value seemed low for something so old but there could have been millions of them made...

It is roughly the size of a dime and a bit thicker. I believe it to be silver and I also am a Pawn Stars watcher and know better than to clean it. IMO the patina adds value. When I get mine all mounted I will have the wife take some high rez pics and will post it up.

It is crazy to hold it and think of all the famous historical figures that could have used it. It almost has an intoxicating effect.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

That's so cool. I love really old stuff. Wish I had something like that!
* I find it hard to believe that something that old would be worth so little. Maybe there's zillions of them floating around?

 

[Dunerunner]

What a family heirloom you have there. By all means, do not wash, or clean it. 2300 years in circulation. To think of who may have handled it, what they paid for with it, I wounder if it ever bought a beer?

 

[lumpher]

i'm not a historian, or a coin collector, but i love history. you have it right. it's from macedonia, around 323 bc. current value in normal (fair) condition is around 175-200, but i'd bite anyone that even offered to buy it

 

[Zamial]

What a family heirloom you have there. By all means, do not was, or clean it. 2300 years in circulation. To think of who may have handled it, what they paid for with it, I wounder if it ever bought a beer?

This is part of that intoxicating effect I was describing. When you think of everything this coin has seen and survived it makes your head spin. I would LOVE to believe that not only did it buy beer but that Pliny himself held it in his hand at some point! (pure fantasy and unprovable but still possible!) I wish I knew where grampa acquired it but that just adds to the mystery.

 

[Homercidal]

It sounds old to everyone in America, but remember that those coins are likely much more common (relatively speaking) in the area they were circulated. Plus, there were centuries of coins from countless nationalities.

I guess you could liken it to finding an Indian arrowhead in the US.

I wouldn't sell it at that price. It's so much more cool to own it and look at it and pass it down to your kids.

 

[TxBrew]

Does it have an R stamped into?

 

[TyTanium]

Sounds like cause for a commemorative brew. Great treasure.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

The reason I am here is that I wanted to taste real mead, and understand why so many were so fond of it long ago.

As a former Civil War Reenactor (go ahead, make fun of me) this is the kind of thing we lived for. The last person who traded that coin might have been buying bread, or buying a weapon, or buying a person. He or she had hopes and dreams, and might have been a kind or a wicked person.

Sorry, but its just too cool.

+1 on a display case. Make sure to do a little research so that you dont wind up putting it in a case that turns into a mini humidifier.

 

[moose7710]

That's very cool. I would definitely have it appraised. I'd be concerned that it's a reproduction. Seems like something you could by at a gift shop somewhere.

 

[spearko520]

don't use it to slug a parking meter. it won't work.

 

[spearko520]

check the date on that pricing info- with the recent inflation and devalue of greek currency, it's only worth 1/300th of what it was a few years ago.

 

[Zamial]

Does it have an R stamped into?

If there is I can not make one out between the patina and the wear on the coin. Where am I looking?


I found a coin site and there appear to be TONS of this kind of coin that are all slightly different including fakes. I am just going to have to wait and have an expert look at it.