Coin Talk

TGIFF! And I got ...



Martin Beckmann's die-linkage study of the aurei of Faustina the Younger[1] has provided us with substantial clarity regarding the relative – and in this case the absolute – chronology of many coins issued for this popular empress. The sequence of die links documenting Faustina's earliest coinage ends with several examples of the VENVS reverse type depicting the goddess holding an apple and rudder, as on this denarius below.



This reverse type links...

Visited the Durham Western Heritage museum in Omaha today. The big traveling exhibit was a James Cameron deep sea exhibit about the Titanic exploration. But my main interest was a permanent display of the Byron Reed coin collection featuring the King of American coins a 1804 silver dollar. Also many ancient coins and pattern pieces. Just a few pictures for now.
If your ever in the area this museum is a pleasant way to pass a few hours It is housed in the old Union Train station and also features many train/rail exhibits that would interest a few of the members here ( @dwhiz ).

Travels through time (sorry, never enough room in the title)

Pretty geeked to win a coin that I didn't know about, that tied into something I've long been intrigued by aaaand...


In @dougsmit 's thread: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-monsterous-little-coin.274896/
, on the subject of some of the coins with the KETOS MONSTER!


@zumbly points out a recent retribution of this very popular, and wonderful coin!
Of the earliest types, it WAS believed, they derived from Kindya... but now, not so much. Due to a different type then I'm building up to showing
You can read my latter version on the subject here:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-a-kinda-scary-monster-from-kindya.245487/

from when I was attacked by this BEAST:

CARIA, Halikarnassos (reassigned...

I think I have officially hit the point where I can no longer justify the expense of new additions. There have been some stellar coins offered for sale already this year, but more often than not, these pieces realize prices that are just a bit out of my comfort zone. Consequently, I have only added four new noteworthy pieces to my collection, which pales compared to last year. On any note, I am delighted with my latest purchase which brings back memories of a much simpler time. A time before COVID, before insane auctions prices, and before I was thoroughly infected with the bug of collecting Soho pieces.



We can probably all think back to the first piece that eventually became the foundation of a new collecting pursuit. For me, this took the form of a 1788 Great Britain pattern Halfpenny (P-945) struck at the Soho Mint (pictured above). I remember being sucked into the history and immense conflict between Jean Pierre Droz (the engraver of this coin)...

It's taken me a while to do the proper research to put this post together. You see, I found and purchased what I believed to be Ron Landis' Brasher Doubloon and Half Doubloon reproduction strikes.

The difficult part was attributing these pieces to him. Most photos I could find were of some other Brasher copy, and not Ron's. The other part was the sellers photos, as typical sellers photos go, weren't large enough or clear enough to verify. I had to wait until I had these in hand to begin.

The second hurdle was finding example photos of Ron's work. To me, the die engraving style was a dead giveaway, but unfortunately, that just wasn't enough. An opinion of style is just that . . . . .

Pouring through the old Gallery Mint and Vern Walfren's GMMNut websites were helpful with information, but not so much with images. Here is Ron's original article introducing the Brasher strikes, and a snippet from his sales catalog. It seems that Ron made these on "special order" so I suppose...

Although countermarked Byzantine coins are not usually something I seek out, I couldn't resist this one. It was described in the auction listing, described as "a glorious mess". It started out as a coin of Heraclius and his eldest son, Heraclius Constantine. Heraclius Constantine holds the Byzantine record for shortest reign (3 months). The underlying coin is clear, including date (X/X/I - year 21 == AD 630/1) , mint (CON - Constantinople) and officina (Γ). The countermark is nicely placed and nearly uncirculated.

A coin of Heraclius reauthorized by Heraclius
View attachment 1347439
Undertype: Heraclius, with Heraclius Constantine, AD 610-641, Æ Follis (26.5mm, 6.42g, 7h). Constantinople mint, 3rd (Γ) officina, Dated RY 21 (AD 630/1)
Obv: Heraclius, on left, wearing crown and military dress, holding long cross, and Heraclius Constantine, on right, wearing crown and chlamys, holding globus-cruciger; cross above, [monogram] to left, K to...

Theodosius, with Maurice Tiberius and Constantia. 590-602. AR Half Siliqua
Light weight issue. Carthage mint. Struck 597-602. Helmeted, draped, and cuirassed bust of Theodosius facing DN TEODOSIVS PP A (Our lord Theodosius, eternal Augustus)/ Crowned and draped busts of Maurice and Constantia facing; long cross potent between; small cross to left and right; AGTI (Emperors) in exergue

Theodosius' reign was rather tragic. Although being the first heir born to a reigning emperor in almost 200 years, his sole reign never came to be. Theodosius was elevated to the status of coemperor in the year 590 at the age of 5 or 7. One theory for the dating of these siliqua is that during this coronation period, these siliqua were minted in carthage to celebrate the occasion. Theodosius is shown as emperor on the obverse with his father and mother on the reverse.

In 602, the general Phocas lead a revolt against the imperial...

You know what that means!! Another installment of "Faustina Friday"!!

This coin is neither new nor rare. Its reverse design appears unremarkable, even boring. It's one of those "just standing there" issues that would get a 1/5 on the @dougsmit scale.



But, as is often the case with ancient coins, there's more here than meets the eye.

The figure on the reverse has long been...

During the 8th and 9th emissions of Lugdunum under Probus the pietas reverse type was produced with two alternate spellings - PIETAS and PIAETAS. You will often see the PIAETAS coin sold as an error but it is more likely to be a spelling variation rather than an error. The PIAETAS spelling occurs over two issues and over multiple reverse dies and is generally as prolific as the PIETAS spelling variety.

I have been gathering some of these over many years and have just tracked down a new addition to my collection, which gives me all the excuse I need to frag out some of my coins and share....

Just for the sake of this thread I will combine the obverse legend varieties separated by dots..... which Bastien gives a separate id but RIC does not.

Emission 8

Obv:– IMP C PROBVS P F AVG , Radiate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing left by altar, holding patera and box of perfumes
Minted in Lugdunum (III in exe) Emission 8, Officina 3. Autumn to Late A.D. 281...

Revenues from the sales of the Pilgrim Tercentenary Commemorative Half Dollar were used to sponsor a celebration that marked the 300th anniversary of the founding of the settlement in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The coins were distributed through the National Shawmut Bank of Boston.

At the end of 1920, it seemed that the demand for the coin had not been exhausted. Given that the authorized number of pieces had not been struck, and additional mintage was struck in 1921. The sales were disappointing, and most of the 1921 dated pieces and some of the 1920 issue were returned to the mint and melted.

The obverse features William Bradford (1590 to 1657) who was the governor of the Plymouth Colony for all but five years between 1621 and 1657. He replaced the first governor, John Carver, who had died of influenza soon after the settlers landed in the late fall of 1620. He was a popular and effective leader who led the group though some of its most trying...