Your last coin of 2016

Please post your last ancient purchase of 2016.

I hope I have not made mine yet, but I should know after tomorrow. In the mean time I'd love to see yours!

 

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I will see what Santa brings and then decide if there are any I can't live without. I already have some good stuff on the way.

 

I have three I just received, two in the mail and several I am bidding on before the end of the year. Plus who knows if I will get a lump of coal or something I really want for Christmas. In other words, there's still 10 days left in 2016 and too many irons in the fire.

 

Haven't shared just yet because I don't have it in just yet but this is my last coin of 2016:


Roman Republic AR Denarius(18mm, 4.23g, 6h), Quintus Antonius Balbus, Praetor, 83-82 BC, Rome mint. Laureate head of Jupiter right; behind, SC downwards. Border of dots / Victory in quadriga right, holding reins and palm-branch in left hand and wreath in right hand; in exerge Q [ANT]O B[AL]B PR. Border of dots. Crawford 364/1d; Russo RBW 1374; Antonia 1.

 

Well, I have six winging their way to me now, all of which are international packages.

One has made it to ISC NY, the other five are still overseas. If I see any of them before we ring in 2017 it would be a minor miracle.

 

I had a few arrive this week but I'm drowning in work and holiday prep. Hoping to catch up on CoinTalk later this week.

 

It's been a busy month, but alas not for my coin buying. This last purchase of the year was made at the end of November; it's on its way and will hopefully reach me in the next week or so. In the meantime, I'll use the seller's images. It's an RR issue that's been on my want list and this one appealed to me with its toning, centering, and interesting 'flan flaw' on the reverse (scoops?).


ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius. 3.88g, 18.5mm. Rome mint, 109-108 BC. Q. Lutatius Cerco, moneyer. Crawford 305/1; Sydenham 559; Lutatia 2. O: Helmeted head of Roma (or Mars) right; mark of value to left, ROMA above head, CERCO below chin. R: Galley right with head of Roma on prow; Q.[LVTATI]/Q in two lines above; all within oak wreath.
Ex Estate of Thomas Bentley Cederlind, purchased from Kirk Davis

 

Got a bargain roman republic mailed today, some currency and about 16 more British coins in one swoop still to be mailed.

 

Great coin, Z-Bro ... I actually discussed buying that baby with Mentor ... he said the "flan flaw" on the reverse was actually a gouge out of the coin to make it the proper weight (pretty cool)

... congrats on a great coin

Oh sorry, red_spork => that's a great last-coin as well (very sweet)



Yah, I'm never sure if I've made my last coin pick, or not? (I'm a tad random at times)

 

Cool... so we kept it in the family . Yeah, I figured they were Stannard scoops (though the gouge across the top of the galley seems wider than the other two). That was a selling point for me as well.

 

Yah, and the "Head of Roma on the prow" is also pretty fricken awesome!! (congrats on a very cool addition)

 

Z - please let us know what you think of the reverse side flan flaw. I looked at the coin pic several times and tried to decide if I saw a die clash on the reverse. I could not be sure. I have a similar coin, but like the helmets on yours better.

A - not sure if this is my last purchase, but it is my most recent and since it is shipping from London, has a chance of making it this year. The dealer advertised it as Proto Money (?). I think it is a lynch pin. The vendor's pics.

Roman Republic Bronze Proto-money (?), c. 3rd-2nd century BC (52mm, 35.78g). Pin-shaped. Green patina

Anyone have a guess at what it is??

 

The auction description only stated "flaw on reverse". I thought they resembled al marco weight adjustment gouges (or 'Stannard scoops'). A few posts up, Steve was saying he had discussed this coin with Doug and that he thought they were Stannard scoops too. Here's a link to Clive Stannard's paper where he discusses the use of these gouges to adjust the weight of the blanks:
http://stannard.info/stannard_adjustment_al marco_of_denarii_blanks.pdf
The plates at the end of the paper show some examples. One of them (Pl. 1, coin 6) is the same issue as my coin, Crawford 305/1.

 

Just got a few modern world coins from Frank Robinson today, and I have ordered a nice Parthian from Sphinx Numismatics, a Vcoins dealer. Since they are in Canada and I am not, it may not arrive until after the New Year, so meanwhile here is the seller's picture:

 

@zumbly thanks for the link. I was unaware of 'Stannard scoops'.

 

Sellers pics. First coin from Ostia. First coin with provenance. Ex John Casey Collection, I have one of his books, although I am a bit annoyed there is no paperwork going back to him. I think I will contact the seller about that.
Edit: Seller is sending COA.

 

Thats awesome!

 

Like Zumbly, I made my last purchase in November:
Cologne
Archbishop Philipp von Heinsberg, r. 1167-1191
AR Deniers, 3rd type, 18.05 mm x 1.4 grams
Obv.: HITARCH EPICOV, Archbishop with mitre, crosier, and bible seated on lion throne
Rev.: EIACOLONIA PAICHAI, Three towers over wall and gate, likely representing the Cathedral of St Peter, Cologne

Original post here

 

What a terrific array of last purchases of 2016!!!

Technically, my last purchases of 2016 fall more into 2017 since they are either on lay-a-way (1 or 2) or fully purchased and shipped but will not arrive to me until sometime after the holidays (1).

So the last coin I snuck in this month and received is this Tet from Maroneia, Thrace of Dionysos on obverse and reverse:

 

Still eyeing one more. I am going to try to buy it before the year ends, pending funds.