Valuation

Valuation

We are always ready to valuate single coins or collections, but please note the following:

• Few coins can be valued without a clear picture of both sides. This is due to the huge impact the condition of a coin can have on the value. Therefore we kindly ask you to send us clear pictures with your request.
• Valuations takes time.
• We strive to value items within 24 hours unless it is larger collections.
• "Pretty" coins do not always cost a lot
• "Ugly" coins can cost a lot of money.

• Two identical coins sold at two different auctions does not mean that the hammer price will be identical.
• Generally speaking the demand and price for coins are on up going trend, however, just because a collector bought a coin many years ago it does not mean the price has increased.

We always want to help present and potential clients as much as possible. So please do not hesitate to contact if you have questions.

Generally speaking one could state that the following five factors determine a coin's price:

• History
• Condition
• Rarity
• Provenance
• Aesthetics

History

The historical context can have a big impact onf the price of a coins even though it is not rare. A good example is a Cleopatra VII diobol which in itself is not rare, however, because it depicts the perhaps most famous female ruler of all time this affects the price to a high degree. A typical bronze coin from the same period in the condition Very Fine can be bought at auction for about €65, however, a bronze coin with the portrait of Cleopatra VII in the condition Very Fine has been sold for over €2500.

Condition

Similar to modern coins the condition is key. An example could be an Alexander the Great tetradrachm from the Memphis mint that in the condition Very Fine can be purchased for approximately €280. For the condition Extremely fine the price increases 8-10 times (€2.700) and additionally increases 5 times if the condition is Superb. (€13.500)

Rarity

Rarity is likely the most obvious factor that can influence the price of a coin. However, it is not always that a rare variant of a main type is valuable. If the theme is popular rare variation can be valuable.

Provenance

As the legislation within the antiquities market is tighten coins with provenance (or pedigree) become more and more attractive. Coins from large collections formed before WWII are in particular in high demand. Coins with a provenance in the condition Very Fine can often be sold to the same prices as a coins in the condition Extremely Fine without a provenance.

Aesthetics

If a coin is minted with highly artistic dies it can have a impact on the price. For ancient coins one often sees that an identical coin can have various degrees of the quality of the die engraving. Often many die engravers have been working on the mint and some dies are of higher stylistic quality. We know an array of die engravers from ancient time, especially from Sicily, that engraved many important and great dies which occasionally also inscribed their names into the dies. Typically, if a type is minted over a long period of time, the oldest coins are of the highest quality.