Coin Talk

Recently I was researching up the matte uncirculated issues of the Franklin Mint from the 1973-1977 period when I came up with one of those bits of information that just begs for further investigation.
I saw mentioned that after striking a few proof sets for Liberia in the mid-70s with the last being 1979 by recall that they (the FM) got a contract and then struck some currency coins for circulation in Liberia in 1983-1984. Googling seemed to confirm this being the case but nowhere could I find specimens. In the 1984 year they supposedly struck 2 million 1 cent coins, 1 mill. 5 cent coins and 500k 10 cent coins for Liberia, and what was more is that they were struck in supposedly matte or at least satin finish.
And then I remembered the "Coins of All Nations" in several issues by the FM. Except for some sets that included a few old coins possibly leftover FM coins from earlier years - these are individual national sets often issued with a stamp and usually were made up of coins...

Introduction:
John III Vatazes -- emperor, Christian Saint, restorer of Byzantium and general wellbeing through out Anatolia and Greece, distinguished intellectual and statesman, successful soldier and general -- possesses a rare combination of talent and charisma seen in few humans across history. Such capable individuals shape and define the world around them, impacting people for hundreds of thousands of years to come. If the great man theory isn't true, then people such as this do all they can to disprove it..


The History:
Born into a humble family in the early 1190's (comparatively so...this was the era of powerful magnate families: Comnenus, Doucas, Phocas, Angelus, Lascaris, Palaeologous, Kantakouzenos), John's father saw rapid promotion under the Byzantine emperor Isaac Angelos. Not much is known of John's childhood, however, and he first pops up on the historical radar in 1204. After the Venetians sacked Constantinople,...

This city in western Pisidia is not well-known. Hill, citing an article in The American Journal of Archaeology, states its ruins are thought to be those at Ak Euren in the open plains of the Lysis valley in Turkey, between Olbasa and Lysinia,[1] and is so placed on David Sear's map of the coin issuing cities of the region.[2]



Researching the city has proven difficult. A Google search for "Palaeopolis Pisidia" yields nothing outside of the numismatic literature. Similarly, a Google search for "Ak Euren Turkey" yields only 19th and early 20th century literature, and I can only assume that its name was changed -- as were so many place names in Turkey -- after the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923). I would love to know more about the ruins and whether any archaeological work has been done there in recent years.

The city issued coins from the early...

Compared to the debased & wretched looking coinage of the emperor Gallienus, the coinage of Postumus is a joy to look at. His coinage like that of Gallienus, is plentiful & handsome looking double denarii are not that expensive. No denarii or bronze as coinage was struck during his reign, but he did strike gold aurei, billon double denarii (antoniniani) bronze sestertii, & double sestertii. Pictured below are examples of some his coinage.


Romano-Gallic Empire, Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus, AD 260-269, Treveri Mint (Trier, Germany), 3rd emission, AD 261. AE Sestertius: 32 mm, 25.5 gm, 6 h. Obverse: Laurate, cuirassed, & draped bust facing right, IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG. Reverse: Victory striding left while holding a wreath & palm branch in her other hand. A captive is seated on the ground, VICTORIA AVG. RIC V 170. Al Kowsky Collection.


Postumus, AD 260-269 (struck AD 261), Treveri Mint. AE Double...

Does no one like half cents? I ask this only because, given their relatively tiny mintages and pretty obvious rarity, good examples don't seem particularly difficult to find. The Red Book has said that "all half cents are scarce" for years, but does anybody care? It doesn't seem to really impact their value immensely.

I have begun reading Bill Eckberg's fantastic book The Half Cent, 1793-1857: The Story of America's Greatest Little Coin and have found myself far more interested in the half cents that I already have around. None of the examples shown below broke the bank (depending on one's budget, of course), but when I looked at the mintages and the number of estimated survivors from Eckberg's book, I became stunned that these little things with the fractured denomination have not caught on more. Maybe they have but with a relatively small group of collectors?

Whatever the case, I'm starting to become slightly obsessed with them, though I highly doubt that I will ever...

Silver Tram - King Levon I (Leo, Leon or Lewan)
Mint - Sis

Born: AD 1150 (est)
Lord of Cilicia: AD 1187-1198
King of Armenian Cilicia: AD 1199-1219


Obverse: Seated Crowned Figure Holding Cross and Fluer-de-lis - Text: "Levon King of the Armenians"

Reverse: Cross Between Two Lions Rampant - Text: "By the Will of God"

This is a silver tram of Levon I, the tenth Roupenian (Rubinid) prince of Cilician Armenia and its first king. He is variously referred to as Leo II, Leon II, Lewan, Levon II as a prince, Levon I as King. He is also often referred to as "Lord of the Mountains" or "Levon the Magnificent".


Obverse: Depiction of King Levon I enthroned facing, crowned with mantle and sitting on a lion throne. He holds a cross in his right hand and a Fluer-de-lis in his left hand. The inscription in Armenian states "Levon King of the Armenians."...

Maximinus Thrax is one of those emperors, who, despite of a rather short reign of 3 years (235-238) left us with large quantities of high quality coins. Nevertheless, I have only four denari of Maximinus Thrax in my collection. The last one of which I bought just recently, to complete the series of different bust styles.

Maximinus Thrax is particularly interesting to me. I am from northern Germany and Maximinus Thrax appears to have been the last emperor to make it to my home region, where he fought the fabled battle in the bog (proelium in palude) in which he is said to have personally distinguished himself. There is a lot of controversy regarding the significance and size of this battle. Some think that it was little more than a skirmish, with farmers who tried to defend their homes and families against pillaging Roman troops. Indeed, the whole campaign was a retaliation for a large scale Germanic attack on the Limes in the years 231 to 234, in which numerous Roman...

The Spartans had their Three Hundred and the Persians had their Immortals. Alexander had his Companions and his got his Successors. And in the First century BC the Romans would have what I like to call, the Essentials, those who were indispensable to Rome moving from a Republic of the Senate and People of Rome to a monarchy of a Princeps.

Now what do I mean by "essential"? There are many characters in history who contribute to what turn out to be pivotal moments in time. Take your pick of these moments. Many characters at these times are a part of what happened, but their presence or actions were not essential to the moment. The important happening was going to happen whether or not those individuals were part of it, perhaps changing or modifying what was going to happen, but not essentially. Their absence would have been immaterial to the event occurring. The American Colonists won the war of the American Revolution and John Paul Jones was an important character in that event....

Most of you are probably aware that Roman Provincial coins in the Western provinces (Hispania and Gaul), issued with Latin legends by local "colonies" and municipalities, ceased being minted very early. (By contrast, Roman Provincial coins in the East mostly had Greek legends, and lasted until the reign of Diocletian.) See K. Butcher, Roman Provincial Coins: An Introduction to the Greek Imperials (Seaby 1988) at p. 17: "the western coinage began to dwindle in the reign of Tiberius . . . and had died out altogether early in the reign of Claudius." In fact, with specific respect to Hispania, David Sear states that " some of the Spanish mints had a final burst of activity under [Caligula], but before the accession of the next emperor, Claudius, all local issues had ceased in the province, never again to recommence." D. Sear, Greek Imperial Coins and their Values (Seaby 1982) at p. 34.

Thus, the overwhelming majority of Western Provincial coins were issued under Augustus...

Happy Birthday to me. Today is my birthday and I decided to purchase this CSA Note. It is endorsed on the back side with a signature and A.R. 30th. This is the Arkansas 30th Infantry Regiment (1862-1865). They were a Civil War regiment also known as the 5th Arkansas Cavalry, the Trans-Mississippi Regiment or 39th Regiment after April 1863. They were converted to mounted infantry for Price's Missouri Expedition in 1864, also known as Rogan's Arkansas Cavalry.

Originally formed on June 18, 1862, with Colonel Archibald J. McNeill as the first commander. The state was facing an invasion after the defeat of General Earl Van Dorn at the battle of Pea Ridge. McNeill was a Major in early June 1862, until his appointment to protect the state of Arkansas. General Van Dorn was ordered East to what became the battle of Shiloh. He took all of Arkansas organized units with him.

Major McNeill was promoted to Colonel and ordered to rebuild the defenses for the state. McNeill rebuilt the forces...