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Where to shop for a silver greek coin

Brisketexan
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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 106889

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This type, specifically:

 

SNGCop_039.jpg

 

An actual Athenian Tetradrachm, to be precise -- head of Athena on one side, the owl on the other.  I've got a big anniversary coming up, my wife is a big fan and student of Greek and ancient greece, and loves the Athenian owl.  I'd like to get a nice coin that I can have mounted as a pendant (one that's already in a mount is fine, of course).  I've seen them from $500 to $3,000.  Obviously, I'd like to avoid the upper end of that price range.  But really, I'd like to know where I can look for these in person, or is there a person/contact I should look to?

I saw some really nice ones at the gem show in Tucson last year, I'm kicking myself for not getting one then.

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26881

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I know a dude at Stack's Bowers, I can reach out to him and get a name for you to contact if you want.

Mounting in a pendant is a good way to destroy a rare coin, jsyk.

My gut feeling is that there will be a bazillion fakes out there, just like all that Spanish shipwreck money.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 106889

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4 minutes ago, retread said:

Might find something on ebay

https://www.ebay.com/b/Athens-Tetradrachm/4738/bn_7023279438

Yeah, would prefer to buy from a more reputable source.  See the comment about fakes below.  There ARE a jillion authentic ones (it's not an uncommon coin), but that also means a lot of fakes.

3 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

I know a dude at Stack's Bowers, I can reach out to him and get a name for you to contact if you want.

Mounting in a pendant is a good way to destroy a rare coin, jsyk.

My gut feeling is that there will be a bazillion fakes out there, just like all that Spanish shipwreck money.

Well, I'm not thinking of anything that requires drilling -- more like this:

CF980-Owl-6-800x800.jpg

Would that still be an issue?

In case you can't tell, I'm ain't much of a jewelry expert.  I mean, except for my nipple piercings.

Just now, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Maybe AB has a few stashed in his change jar

Posrep.

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26881

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1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:

 

Well, I'm not thinking of anything that requires drilling -- more like this:

CF980-Owl-6-800x800.jpg

 

I mean, it depends on what you want to do with the coin later. If you wanted to resell it, its value would be lower from being out in the weather, getting handled, fingerprints, etc. OTOH, since you want to give it to one person to have for the rest of her life, what the hey. Nice jewelry is still nice jewelry.

What if you got her a real one to keep in a case, and a nice replica made into jewelry?

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 106889

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Just now, RDCanecutter said:

I mean, it depends on what you want to do with the coin later. If you wanted to resell it, its value would be lower from being out in the weather, getting handled, fingerprints, etc. OTOH, since you want to give it to one person to have for the rest of her life, what the hey. Nice jewelry is still nice jewelry.

What if you got her a real one to keep in a case, and a nice replica made into jewelry?

Naah.  It ain't an investment.  I mean, it ain't a monetary investment.  It's an investment in getting my wife to think I'm a decent guy for a few days.  So, a low-yield investment, but still the best vehicle I know of for that result.

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 106889

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There may be a real one available that has already been put in a mounting.

Yeah, that's certainly an option, although the upcharge on those seems to be a lot more than it would be if I just had a local guy mount it.

Oh, and I found the pictures of the one I saw in Tucson -- my daughter agreed, my wife would prefer the "new style" of that coin, which depicted Athena as a helmeted badass:

 

c724470a22cdf9b7da1e948e31a7fc8d.jpg

478b28183a5cf0b73802b91e72b51e0d.jpg

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Gil Bang

Gil Bang 26235

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30 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Naah.  It ain't an investment.  I mean, it ain't a monetary investment.  It's an investment in getting my wife to think I'm a decent guy for a few days.  So, a low-yield investment, but still the best vehicle I know of for that result.

1) Mount coin

2) Mount wife

3) ???

4) Profit

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SDG

SDG 3336

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58 minutes ago, Bat Guano said:

Take her to Greece. Seems like you'd be able to find a good selection there. And you get a nice vacation out of it.

Agreed, spend the 3g’s On the plane tickets and find one on the lower cost end when get there.  

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pantone159

pantone159 728

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You should probably avoid trying to buy one in Greece. Several nations have laws against exporting ancient coins, on the grounds they are an ancient archeological item. I do not know about Greece but I'd buy one here.

The ideal example for you, might be one authenticated (and put into a plastic 'slab') so you know it is real, but graded as damaged from mounting. It would be damaged goods to a coin collector, and so cheaper, and you won't mess up any more value by mounting it yourself.

 

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DoobieWah

DoobieWah 1535

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So here are the current ebay listings.

The thing to know is that if you want a confirmed genuine one, you will pay extra as it will have been certified by one of three services and "slabbed", meaning put into a permanent holder.

To make one into a necklace, you will have to remove it from the case, which will nullify its certification.

On the other hand, one that hasn't yet been certified will be cheaper but also a crapshoot.

Good luck. It's a cool coin and a great gesture on your part.

 

 

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26881

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On 4/18/2019 at 2:18 PM, DoobieWah said:

So here are the current ebay listings.

Set up a corporation in New Mexico. I think I heard on the radio that it's one of the states where you don't have to reveal who owns it.

Write a check for 5 grand to this mysterious corporation to buy a coin for you.

Have the corporation buy a good looking fake and pay jeweler to mount it in a pendant for you.

Figure out what you want to do with the $4,800 still in your corporation's bank account.

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