Post your favorite ancient "problem coin"

Hey Cart, that bulldog is beautiful. What's her name?

 

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Winnie. Her butt looks like Winnie the Poo's butt. She's adorable, but a LOT of trouble!

 

Send her my way. I need cheering up, and she looks the type to do just that.

 

I wish I could. The family would kill me because She's a love.

I gather things are coming up short for you lately. I'm so sorry. It's probably just a bad cycle and you'll be better soon Bing, and hopefully 2016 goes better. Lots of rescue shelter full this time of year if you want a pet. Christmas presents that weren't well thought through. It's a good time to adopt that special friend.

 

I found this coin on ebay, didn't have much time to make a bid, didn't research it properly and was captivated by what seemed to be possible toning in the seller's photos. And who doesn't want a Nerva denarius?

Poor photos, it is on the list to make better ones.


Authenticity: Ancient Fake
Ruler: Nerva
Coin: Silver Fouree Denarius
IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR PII COS III PP
Nerva laureate right
PONT MAX????? COS II
Pax standing left with branch and cornucopia
Wt./Size: 2.57g / 19mm

I should have spotted COS III obverse and COS II reverse. The silver is pretty good quality. I would love to clean it up a bit, the toning is under the crud, but I don't want to risk damaging the rainbow effect, which is stunning.

I paid 20GBP for it, and if I had had time to study it before hand, and discovered all that I know now, I would have still paid the same. For a fouree, it has it all, Nerva, mule (Trajan reverse), toning and the stories that it conjures up in my minds eye. Priceless

 

I don't know if having a hole in it would be enough to consider it a problem coin, but all else considered this is a great coin! The hole doesn't look very new but it was definitely drilled, so I have no idea when that happened. It doesn't fit with the Antonine dynasty denarius collection that I'm working on, but I bought a Trajan denarius with it so I didn't go too off course. This one only cost 9 dollars, so of course I had to post it!
CONSTANTINE I THE GREAT AE3. Struck at ARLES, 321-322 AD. CONSTANTINVS AVG, laureate head right. Reverse - D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG around wreath containing VOT XX, P (star in crescent) A in exergue. RIC 239. 19mm, 3.3g.

 

Nice Constantine. I like the portrait! The hole, if it detracts from the coin's aesthetic value, adds historical interest. Obviously the coin held some special significance for one 4th-century Roman - was it a small charm or piece of jewelry worn on a string? Or something else? Assuming it was holed in antiquity, of course.

 

I like to think it was a member of his army that holed it, though it's anyone's guess. I couldn't pass it up since the portrait was so nice and mostly unobstructed. This one only cost me 9 bucks!

 

When you think about it's pretty amazing that $10 can get you a decent, 1,700-year-old coin of Constantine the Great, but only a somewhat worn Indian head penny.

 

I picked up a silver ant of Gordian III. Problem is it is slightly bent with a partial crack. Otherwise a great looking and centred coin for only 6 Euros

 

I agree. The wear & crust is part of the story (to a point). Plus, lower standards expands what you can afford. Every now & then I get a chance to show a non-collector some ancients & they're always more impressed with, & interested in, the "problem coins" because they actually look like ancient treasure, like something burried for 1000s of years.