All that I have left Part - I Ancient to Medieval
Medieval England #1


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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description: AE Follis Kiurike I/II Kouropalates GREATER ARMENIA-LORI
Grade: NGC VF 30*
Owner: RAM-VT
 
Set Category: Token & Medals
Set Name: All that I have left Part - I Ancient to Medieval
Slot Name: Medieval England #1
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

See the owner's comment for this coin. This is an extremely rare coin. This is coin is extremely rare with about 19+/- specimens known to exist. This issue is the first coin to be found with an inscription in the Armenian language, and the only medieval coin struck in Greater Armenia (This info is from the Stack’s auction catalogue – January 12, 2009 auction New York).

To put things into perspective, there are 24 U.S. 1894-S Barber Dimes. Yet for what one 1894-S dime sells for, you could own all the known specimens of this coin and have over a million dollars left over. Yet if you simply wanted a Barber dime from the 1892 to 1899 there are 10’s of millions to select from. If you wanted one dated 1894 there are more than 2,000,000 to select from. Only when you want an 1894“S”do you face a challenge with just two dozen coins being available. Now if you want a medieval coin struck in greater Armenia (a period of 100’s of years) you have just 19+/- coins to pick from. If you seek the first type coin with an inscription in the Armenia language you have just the same 19+/- coins to select from. In reality which coin is numismatically and historically significant?

As for condition, the condition of this coin is at least a whole order of magnitude better than the next best specimen. Of course I am biased. But if you go to Google and type in Kiurke II, one of the first listings that comes up is that for Stack’s Lot 3467 sold in January of 2009. This lot 3467 was the finest known specimen of this coin. The specimen shown here is now belived to be the finest known specimen.

Coin grades Ch VF with Star.

Strike 4 of 5.

Surface 4 of 5.

Of the options I am given by NGC, for the country of issue, Turkey is as close as I can get to Armenia

OK how did someone in VT come up with such a coin?

On November 11 & 12, 2007 outside Burlington, VT there was an auction of a coin collection whose owner had died a few years earlier. The heirs finally decided to sell the collection. There were about 1500 lots. The viewing was limited to eight hours the day before the first auction. Go ahead figure it out, it is about 20 seconds a lot (that is to ask for the lot, have them find it, hand to you, you examine it, hand it back and ask for the next lot). The dealers and serious people came in teams to spread the lot viewing around. I just did the best I could. At the very end of the day I got to the box lots. One lot was simply listed as 13 ancient coins. I looked at about three coins and knew I was going to put in a strong bid on this lot. The first coin I saw was an Aes Grave Semis Sear #535. This coin has since been authenticated by David Sear and graded Fine. The others were ancient coins #6 and #12 of this listing. I never saw this coin and wouldn’t have known what it was even if I had looked at it. This lot was sold on the second day and it was mine with a winning bid of $25 plus the bidder’s fee. I put all my cost into the Aes Grave Semis. The other 12 coins were all free. I looked at all 13 coins when I got home smiled knowing I got the Aes Grave Semis for a steal and then put the coins away for more than a year. Then at the end of 2008 I read about NGC certifying ancients and Byzantine coins. I checked things out and NGC would not take the Aes Grave Semis because it was a cast coin. So I sent that coin off to David Sear and the remaining coins from that lot along with some other ancients I had were sent into NGC.

I can not express how thankful I am to NGC for informing me of the rarity of this coin as well as the historical and numismatic importance of this coin.

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