what is your collection alpha?

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Oldest currently is about 400 B.C.E.


PHOENICIA, Sidon. Baalshillem (Sakton) II. Circa 401-365 BC. AR Dishekel (30mm, 27.94 g, 1h). Phoenician pentekonter left; Phoenician B above, waves below / King of Persia and driver in chariot drawn by two horses left; behind, attendant standing left. E&E-S 587 94 var. (D29/R unlisted rev. die) Betlyon 18; Rouvier 1096; HGC 10, 236. Near VF, toned. From the Daniel Koppersmith Collection. Ex Morton & Eden 49 (9 June 2011), lot 251. Ex CNG 94 Lot 753

 

Man that's a very sweet coin, 42 ...

Awesome coins ... you are a true new-pleasure to have aboard (you rock)

 

Really???? And here I've taken everything you say to heart.

 

I have zero-idea what you're talking about, ya old drunk!!

 

^^^ I love this place

 

The alpha of my Roman Republican collection:

Bronze Objects Found With Aes Rude and Early Bars
AE aes formatum disk, 5th to 4th century BC
Disk-shaped aes formatum (135 mm, ~1500 gm)
Green patina with heavy earthen deposits. Mounded obverse, flat reverse.
Ref: Vecchi’s Italian Cast Coinage p. 84, Haeberlin p. 4, pl. 2.7.

 

One of my oldest and the first that I paid more than face value for is my Alexander III, 336-323 BC, Tetradachm (16.66 gr.). Head of Herakles rt. / Zeus seated left.
.

 

Duuude! Love the Gold! Nice job!!! Great wear on it so you know it has been transacted and has been in other ancient hands! Nice history...

 

I collect women on coins. The first in my collection is my oldest.
Philistis, wife of Hieron II. AR 5 litrae (4.46 gm).
Syracuse, Sicily, 270-230 BCE.
Obv: Diademed and veiled head left, palm branch behind.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ, Nike driving biga to left, E in l. field.
SNG ANS 893; SNG III (Lockett) 1017; Forrer 196.

 

Yep. Just got back from my weekly meeting.

 

Glad that you're still on the straight and narrow

... I like you

 

My first coin for my campgate collection was this.

 

Hmm...where to start?

My first twelve ancient coins, purchased in a lot:

Then these two, purchased over two years later but at the same time, got me seriously collecting ancients:



But my oldest so far:

4th-3rd century BC.

 

I suppose Crawford 44/5, 211 BC. Here are two examples, of widely differing style and fabric.

Phil Davis

 

My alpha would be the same as Carthago's on romans, and among the all time favourites, the ROMANO/she wolf didrachm


Republic, Didrachm Rome mint ? c. 269-266 BC
No legend, Diademed head of young Hercules right, with club and lion's skin over shoulder
ROMANO, She wolf right, suckling Romulus and Remus
7.29 gr
Ref : RCV # 24, RSC # 8

But I couldn't stand just one alpha...

The "other alpha" is for the Dombes principality series (i wrote about that in the "how to find a focus" thread) and happens to be the key coin at the same time


Jean II de Bourbon (1456-1488) - Franc à cheval, or - sans date - Atelier de Trévoux
+IONES*DVX*BORBONII*TREVOBCII׃ DNS. Buste cuirassé du Prince à gauche, portant le collier de l'ordre de St Michel.
DEXTER A*D NI.*EXAL TAVIT*MEA Le Prince casqué et cuirassé à cheval, brandissant une épée et passant à droite. La housse est semée de lis, accompagnée de la brisure (les armes de la maison de Bourbon).
3,44g - 22 mm
Ref : Divo Dombes # 1 (5 exemplaires décrits), Mantellier -, Poey d’Avant -, Caron # 544, Friedberg # 119
Collection privée

Q

 

The specialty of mine that contains the most coins is Eastern mint Septimius Severus. A good question is which of them was first issued. The first obverse type ending AVG from Emesa is often found with one obverse die which may be the first used at this mint in later 193 AD. I havemore than one coin of this die so have to select the one that shows the least die wear or, in other words, guess. I'll show this one which copies a reverse of Pescennius Niger and suggest it may be (maybe) my oldest Eastern Severus denarius.


or the one showing his use of the Pescennius name IVST?

...or were all reverses with that die made at the same time sharing the one obverse die they had that day? What is the first? Good question.

 

some interesting threads on focus, beginings, and endings i came in late on, and don't have much insightful to add anyway that hasn't been said by those wiser in the ways of coins than me.

i don't have a focus other than ancient and medieval coins, but i'll even pick up some modern coins every now and then.

this was the first coin i paid money for, so i guess this is my alpha....

 

What an beautiful coin!! A truly outstanding example of early Republican silver! Perhaps you could send me this didrachm as my Secret Saturnalia gift??

 

Careful now Steve.