Good Fine
Condition and Cost
A nicer coin is worth more, that is obvious. But, how much more does it cost to get a nicer coin?
Take a look at these three denarii of Sabina of the same type, sold in 2022 within a few months of each other.
Good Fine
Very Fine.
Note the helmet Venus is holding which is obscure in the coin above.
The lettering is stronger on this one. The eye is better and the hairdress clearer, and Venus and her drapery are clearer.
So, if the middle one cost $734, including fees (but not including shipping), what would the lesser one be worth? The better one?
Think about this before scrolling down to the answers.
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The lesser one sold for $79, including fees, which seems low, but not by more than a factor of 2. I'll call it $120 for my calculations.
The splendid one sold for $7000, including fees. That's more than nine times as much as the VF example and almost sixty times as much as the F example.
What's the point? The point is that, for uncommon coins, coins of the highest quality can cost a lot more, many times as much, as coins in "Fine" condition. Every collector must come to grips with the balance between quality and cost. For some extremely common late Roman types (Constantine, Valentinian, etc.), the premium for high grade is quite small. But for desirable Roman coins of the second century and earlier and for Greek silver coins, the premium for high grade can be very large.
You don't have to like those prices. You don't have to agree with them. You don't have to want that type. But, they illustrate something that will surely affect your collecting. For example, you may choose to avoid types of coins that cost that much in nice VF. There are plenty of ancient coin types that cost much less. However, if you collect desirable types that sell for hundreds in good VF, you must decide for yourself where on the condition/cost curve you will spend your money.