From: pjl2@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Paul J Landsberg)
Newsgroups: rec.collecting
Subject: Greater New York Coin Coinvention
Date: 11 Sep 92 13:46:18 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Columbia University

I think the subject line is the name of the show.  Regardless of the 
correct name, a large coin show is being held yesterday, today and
tomorrow in the Omni Park Central Hotel between 56 and 57th streets
on 6th Avenue.  Right in Midtown!!  Hop some public transportation
and feast!

I was there yesterday and talk about slow activity.  Whew, it was
scary, I wasn't jostled for a whole half hour.

The show has two aisles devoted to ancient coins. They cheated a little
this year and slipped in two tables that have odd and curious and medals.
4 other aisles are the usual mix of coins, paper, and medals.

What showed up on my radar screen?  I did hunt down a German porcelain
coin from Saxony.  Nothing major, it is a fairly common coin but it was
one with the gilt gold edges and I hadn't picked one up yet.  It ran
about $7.  Moving backwards through time, I found a medieval silver
coin.  For those of you unfamiliar with coins of that period, gold is
common, worn bronzes are common but silver coinage is incredibly 
difficult to find. (reasonably)  One dealer had three coins from
Armenia - Cilicia from the time period 1123-1138 A.D.  I'm not familiar
with the denomination (time to hit the ANS library!).  It is roughly
the size of a nickel, much thinner and it is a hammered coin.  Hammered
coins tend to suffer from poor strikes, poor centering, you name it, they
suffer from it.  The coin has a GREAT strike, good centering and is
overall in good condition. (technically XF I believe)  The only flaw
is that the coin has been cleaned (dipped I suspect) and so it is a
nasty bright silver color.  That is the one detracting feature.  
Oh yeah, net cost $30.

Going further back in time, I hit Roman times and I came across a 
bronze follis (termed AE follis) from Maximianus from the 286-310 A.D. 
time frame.  It is from the Thessalanti ?? spelling ?? mint.  These
coins in general are quite common and can be found at many dealer's
tables with prices tracking condition.  What struck me about this coin
was that the lettering was incredibly well formed and distinct.  Reading
Roman coins is quite doable.  If you have a reference book, a small 
magnifier, and patience you can decipher them.  The bust on the obverse
usually fills the fields so the coins looked crowded.  This coin is
very different in that the bust is not "overpowering" the coin and
so there are 'fields' between the bust and the lettering.  The fields
are smooth, no pitting or corrosion.  The eye quality is striking because
you add up the superb overall condition, the distinct lettering and the
smooth fields.  (wanna count the hairs in Max's beard??)  The reverse
depicts Genius standing, again the fields and condition are superb.
For that matter, the reverse is in such nice shape that you can see
the eye and nose on Genius.  If you've ever seen Roman deities on 
coin reverses, the head on a full body engraving is about the size of
two pin heads.  Now envision being able to clearly make out the eye
and nose.  Oh yeah, net cost $30.

COME ON DOWN!

Paul Landsberg