'Fine Style' Pegasus stater a 5/5 for strike

By Steve Roach

Published: May 5, 2016, 4 AM

A silver stater of Syracuse graded About Uncirculated, Fine Style by NGC Ancients brought $1,997.50.

Original images courtesy of Heritage Auctions

A silver stater of Syracuse graded About Uncirculated, Fine Style by NGC Ancients brought $1,997.50.

The ancient coin market remains robust, despite some concerns about cultural patrimony laws that may impact the ability of American collectors to buy and sell some ancient coins. Numismatic Guaranty Corp.’s NGC Ancients program, led by David Vagi, continues to help make buyers comfortable with ancient coin collecting by taking much of the guesswork out of grading, authenticating and attributing of ancient coins.

In this week's Market Analysis we're highlighting three ancient Greek silver coins that sold at Heritage’s April 14 to 19 auctions held at the Chicago International Coin Fair in Rosemont, Ill. Here is one of them:

The Coin:

Pegasus silver stater of Syracuse, 317 to 289 B.C., Choice AU, Fine Style

The Price:

$1,997.50

The Story:

The NGC Ancients program notes when coins are of Fine Style, such as on this Sicilian silver stater from Syracuse, struck under Agathocles as King of Sicily between 317 to 289 B.C, which NGC graded Choice About Uncirculated.

As NGC notes, “Since the dies used to strike ancient coin dies were hand-engraved, style can vary greatly from one die to another, even among coins from the same series.” Coins of superior style are designated “Fine Style” and NGC clarifies, “The Style of an ancient coin may be defined as the visual impact the design, based upon quality of its composition and engraving.”

This example received a 5/5 for strike and a 3/5 for surfaces. The primary considerations for surface quality are luster, corrosion, porosity, encrustation, silvering, cleaning, marks, hairlines and scratches. NGC adds, “Factors contributing to the analysis of Surface may be segregated according to the three main phases of an ancient coin’s ‘life’: circulation; use, burial and recovery; and conservation.”

The coin sold for $1,997.50 in the Heritage auction.

Keep reading this Market Analysis:

Athenian Owl tetradrachm highlights Heritage CICF auction

Aegean Turtle stands on this Greek silver stater of 480 to 457 B.C.

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