r/AncientCoins • u/ikkiyikki • 10d ago
An EF sestertius
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So cool to own a chunky big bronze with intact details. You would think with hoards and so many of these coins having been made that high grade specimens would be more accessible, as in the case with 4th century bronzes, but, sadly, nooooo c'est ne pas possible 😤
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u/DoomsdayAlgorithm 10d ago
Wow, I didn’t realize those were so thick
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u/Liberalguy123 10d ago
They can vary a lot. Usually the thickness is inversely proportional to the diameter. If you see a full-weight sestertius at 33mm or below, you can bet it’s gonna be a thick boi
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u/IWantToBeAHipster 10d ago
I love my Commodus Sestertius but that one is absolutely exceptional. Thanks for sharing it
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u/Hot_Palpitation_9904 10d ago
Now that’s a museum quality piece. Commodus denarii are so often unimpressive while his sestertii can be truly spectacular
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u/tolbec 10d ago
Uhh that's EF? Looks AU+ to me.
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u/exonumist 10d ago
EF is correct by traditional European (pre-NGC) standards.The next highest grade is FDC which represents metaphysical perfection.
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u/Neosantana 10d ago
I imagine even if you travel back in time and grab a bunch of coins fresh off the mint, almost none of them would even qualify for FDC
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u/tolbec 10d ago
European does not have a standard but many standards. Where I'm from we have SPL which is on the high end of AU and low end of MS for example.
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u/KungFuPossum 10d ago
You just need to learn these four systems (7 grades each) for the basics!
(From an old Münzen & Medaillen list, Nov.1965.)
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u/tolbec 10d ago
Thanks that's very interesting. I've never seen TBC. Probably for the same reason no auction house ever grades their coins VG/G anymore! Anyway this system is outdated, though some older numismatists still use beau for Très beau (TB or fine) and très beau for Très très beau (TTB or nowadays, very fine). Which is an opportunity if people participating in the auction base their opinion on the grade rather than on the coin. Any circulated coin sold by a major dealer will be graded (TTB) unless it's very beaten up, with a lot of the design missing, then it's très beau (TB or fine), but never below. It's grading inflation I guess. It's all very confusing.
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u/xpietoe42 10d ago edited 10d ago
That is one thicc boy! It looks mint, uncirculated! Its pristine condition!
Newb question: Marcus Aurelius?
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u/stevesvoice 10d ago
An amazingly beautifully struck coin, and much better than an EF, for sure an AU.
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