NGC highly rated at XF, Pamphylia Aspedus, 380-325 BC, silver stater, BEAUTIFUL

Description

Would you like to feel the thrill of ancient history in your palm? Ancient coins can give you that feeling. When you know that a coin you hold is genuinely from a time frame so long ago, it is wondrous to imagine who owned this coin and how this coin affected the owner, or his family. Was the original owner an ancient aristocrat who had many of these and dispensed them freely for everyday goods? Was it owned and treasured by a freed slave or regular citizen and did it represent their hopes and desires for a better future and their escape from their current circumstances? You can only conjecture or fantasize about the life and times of this coin and who and why it was passed  to others as a means of exchange.
This marvelous example of an ancient greek silver coin comes from a time frame that spans the years from 380 to 325 BC. That makes this coin somewhere between 2,401 years old and 2,346 years old. The origins of this coin, which comes from Aspendus, a very ancient city situated in an area known as Pamphylia, is from what is now modern day Turkey. The city was close to but not on the Mediterranean coast. A river , the Eurymedon, connected the city to the coast. This coastal proximity allowed Aspendus to prosper greatly from the trade in wool. salt and various oils. The amount of coinage from the city of Aspendus that spread throughout the ancient Mediterranean world indicates the importance of the city to what was then international trade.
This particular coin has been recently graded by NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. NGC is one of the two premier coin grading systems in existence today. Their grading system is the premier standard for authenticity and quality when it comes to ancient coins. You can rest assured that the grading and quality identifiers given by NGC are accepted worldwide as the gold standard. This beautiful example of a Pamphylia Aspendus rates a very coveted Extremely Fine  Grade, with the notated grading on both Strike and Surface all showing on the NGC holder. Please see the photos.
The Strike grade is 4 out of 5. This is a very high strike grade. It means that this coin is in the top echelon of coins of this type. Strike refers to the somewhat overall impression of the coin. Strike conditions and qualities that improve overall quality include centering of strike, strength of strike and evenness of strike. This particular example excels in these qualities. Strike conditions and qualities that detract from a strike score include double or multiple strikes,  cracks, edge cracks and edge hammering and they are not indicated in this coin score.
NGC has given the Surface of this coin an outstanding top of the line grade of 5 out of 5. There is not a higher rating. This means the surface of the coin is in the very top tier of similar coins. Surface scores primarily refer to luster, signs of corrosion, porosity, encrustation, silvering, cleaning, marks, hairline scratches and general scratches. The absence of these flaws is indicated in the perfect five stars out of a possible five stars this particular coin rated.
I have owned this coin since 1983. I have so enjoyed viewing and holding this piece of ancient history. I would remove it from the safety deposit box every now and then and enjoy seeing it on my desktop, reminding me of the sweep and span of history and all those who came before me. It was always rather humbling.
I have somewhat reluctantly decided it was time to share the pride, joy and wonderment this coin evokes. If you are a seasoned collector you know what this is and the importance of its very high grading by NGC. If you are beginning your journey, or want to encourage another on this ancient coin numismatic journey, this coin affords a remarkable and beautiful place to begin your trip.
Should you win this remarkable coin it will be carefully wrapped, fully insured and sent to you within one day of your winning bid. I will add signature required if desired.
I am hopeful that the new owner of this coin will present it properly, with pride and awareness of the history distilled in its presence.
Sorry to be so long winded for those of you who know what this is. And thank you to the newcomers to ancient coins for caring enough to read through this to improve your general knowledge of ancient coin grading and your understanding and appreciation of the wonder of history in the palm of your hand this coin offers. Happy bidding, be safe and best regards, Kevin
PS  I will be adding the conservation grade photos that NGC took of this fabulous coin as soon as I can contact them (June 1st) and find where and how I can upload them from the NGC site!!