[Ancients] Welcome the New Members. Post a Coin and a little about Yourself.

Since this is here, I thought I’d go ahead and post here before anywhere else. I’ve been a lurker here for a while. I don’t get to show off my coins to often in real life, so I thought this would be a nice way to share them, ask questions, and see what others have to share.

Anyway, I am a student (coincidentally, also in Georgia, like TypeCoin above) pursuing a history degree with a minor in archaeology. Some day I hope to teach. I am very interested in the history of my coins, and I am now mostly focused on Roman coins, broadly from the Republic to the start of the Third Century, although I have quite a few other items in my collection as well.

I bought some Late Roman bronzes many years ago, but never got too in depth until I took an archaeology class on coins. One thing led to another, and for the last few months I have been recklessly spending large amounts of disposable income on new acquisitions, although I try very hard to find bargains.

One of the first I bought last spring was this Republican Triens, ~211 B.C., Crawford 56/4. It’s probably not very beautiful at first glance, but I just fell in love with the styling and patina. What’s interesting about it is the weight; measuring 22mm, it only weighs 5.8g, which according to my research means that it may be a restrike of a Punic bronze. I don’t see much clear visual evidence of that, but the possibility alone makes it a very interesting piece.

 

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Welcome. There are quite a few overstrikes from this period so it makes sense that there are others that totally erased the undertype. We hope you will post more coins that you find as interesting as this one.

 

That's an awesome coin @Mikey Zee. The more I see of your coins the more impressed I am with your eye for quality.

You seem like a man of many talents @TypeCoin971793. I also enjoy drawing and have drawn a few sketches I've been happy with though as I said above I didn't inherit my mothers talent for music (she is a talented pianist so she was probably a bit disappointed in that).

I think your posts on far eastern coins have been interesting as well. I recently bought my first Chinese cash coin which I will post once I have a chance to take some photos.

 

Welcome SeptimusT! That is a very cool overstrike. I look forward to seeing more of your posts!

 

Hello everyone! I've been lurking for a while, but only just now gotten around to getting an account. I live in AL (officially neutral in football) and have been collecting coins as long as I can remember e. g. 10 years. I had a few ancients for a while (valentinian I, worn Claudius, worn Hadrian, etc.) but it only really took off after learning about the Byzantine Empire. As of now it is my prime collecting area, but I really collect all I can afford. I like just about any culture available. Anyhow, enough about me, here is my coin!
Justinian I, follis, Constantinople mint, second oficina, regnal year 15 so 541/542 A. D.

 

The reverse on your Justinian I is very nice. And welcome.

 

Welcome @Milesofwho. That's a great coin! I look forward to seeing more of your Byzantine collection.

 

Welcome @Milesofwho. Look forward to seeing your collection.

 

Hi folks! Yet another new arrival here, although I've been lurking around without an account for a few months now. I've been collecting ancients for just about six months now (with no particular intensity) so I'm intending to mostly sit quietly in the background and take in the discussions — attempting to contribute where I can, of course. I collect stamps quite seriously, and have some knowledge of ancient history, so this isn't entirely my first rodeo, so to speak, but certainly I'm a newcomer to the world of aureii and antoninianii and all the rest. I've already picked up a lot of information from this extremely friendly, learned (and very active!) forum and I hope that can continue going forwards. As for enhancing my tiny collection, I'll confess to have no strategy beyond attempting to purchase stuff I find attractive, though no doubt some refinement or specialism will present itself in further course. I'm from the UK and am probably a young(-er) collector in relative terms.

As to what I like about ancients: of course, their reflection of the history of the societies that produced them is strongly appealing, as is just the sheer curiosity of owning things made two thousand years ago or more. I find a strange allure in the often indifferent condition ancient coins are found in, as well. The fact that the coins available to me all have their flaws, in one way or another, to a greater or lesser degree, I find quite relaxing — I'll never get a perfect specimen (or, indeed, any specimen to which meaningful grading can be applied) so I can happily put those concerns aside and focus on picking up things I think are overall pleasing relative to my budget and my interest in the history. Having to apply that sort of circumspection, in area where literally every coin is different, makes me particularly attached to my purchases as well: they all had some contemplation behind them, none was motivated solely by a number grade or whatever else.

Anyway, by way of actual coin-posting, I offer up the first ancient I ever purchased (back in the dim and obscure past of, uh, July 2017). A little worn around the beard and reverse, but it caught my eye immediately: one of those coins which speaks to you, as I've heard certain members here say. A pretty common type (as I now know!), but something about the dignified, determined, slightly weary ambience of the portrait really stood out — it felt so much more characterful than the heads on the modern coins I occasionally dabble in. So I had to buy it, and now here I find myself.


Hadrian, 117 AD, O: laureate bust right, drapery on far shoulder, IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG / R: Concordia seated left, holding patera, resting elbow on statue of Spes, cornucopia below throne, P M T[R P] COS II, in ex. CONCORD. Seller's photo.

And for some variety, from my other life, what I think is the best philatelic use of classical imagery, courtesy of Greece in 1861 (my own scan):



...like Roman coins, the workmanship on these somewhat declined as the years went by:



This ran on very long, apologies-!!

 

Welcome @Trebellianus, that’s a terrific Hadrian!

 

Yes, welcome @Trebellianus ! I really like the Hadrian too.

 

And a fine first ancient @Trebellianus I'd add it to my collection any day, welcome.

 

Welcome @Trebellianus! I also love the Hadrian. I look forward to seeing more of your posts in the future.

 

Nice Hadrian, and cool stamps.

Welcome to the board.

 

Welcome! I don't think we've had much in the way of a philatelic perspective here before! Too bad there are no ancient stamps... closest would be seals, I guess.

 

@Trebellianus Welcome to the forum! I trust you will enjoy it here!