My top 5 of 2018 as of August

I meant to make this thread at the halfway point of the year, but I haven't been around much lately and it sort of slipped by.

I haven't bought too many coins this year, only 15 coins so far, but sometimes quality of purchase is better than quantity, and I have to say I think I've done well for myself so far. Most of the purchases I've made this year would easily make a Top 30 list of my entire collection.

Anyway, sorry this thread is so delayed from when I originally intended to make it, but better late than never. So without further delay, my top 5 so far.

#5


This beautiful Crispus needs no explanation. It is one sharp beauty with a magnificent bust of that young Caesar.

#4

I'm rather fond of this portrait of Vitelius. Considering this was a spur of the moment purchase, I think I did really well with the portrait of Vitelius, especially at the price I paid for it. It's not a perfect coin, but I'm not complaining. It's a Vitelius after all.

#3:

This Sextans from the time of the Second Punic War is one very historically significant coin, as the Romans struck these from the coinage they captured after the fall of Syracuse...one of the significant events of the Second Punic War.

#2

Is there anyone here who doesn't love Caligula? A coin of Rome's craziest emperor is always a crowd pleaser, and it sure does bring me plenty of joy to hold and marble over the 4 year period of terror and insanity that was the reign of Caligula.

#1




I've been dreaming of a coin of Marius for almost a year, and I never thought I'd own one as nice as this one. Seriously, with how scarce and pricey they tend to be, I was ready to settle for a much lesser beauty when this one popped up for sale in the UK at a crazy good price. I jumped on it so fast and I never looked back. Definitely a worthy #1.

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Wonderful coins

 

The Crispus is Amazing!

 

All nice coins, Caligula is hard to get that good. I got this one for about $80 AUD here in Melbourne a few years back, had been treated for corrosion.

 

Good year so far!

 

Excellent semi-yearly report! Wonderful coins.

 

Thank you all. Here are some honorable mentions that could have made it to the top 5, and some of you may think they should have been top 5, but I judge my coins on more aspects than beauty alone. Historical significance (to me) and also whether I felt I got a bargain or not, plus the hunt (spur of the moment buy vs a coin type I've wanted for a while and pursued patiently), tend to play a role as well.

Honorable Mentions


Carausius


Lucius Verus

 

That Carausius is also something. Here's one of my recent favourite acquisitions:

 

Lovely coin. I don't know much about Byzantine, so what is it with the 4x's? What do they mean?

 

I think it means 40 nummi - nice coins @Sallent - I really need a Caligula in my collection.

 

My faves are the Marius and that Lucius "Crazy Eyes" Verus.

Sweet Phocas portrait, @Caesar_Augustus! Have you figured out the undertype?

 

Well...for now is this good enough 40 euro from a coin dealer..hard to get! Caligula

 

Crazy eyes? Well, have I a response for you. Except throughout the video I kept saying you said "wild eyes".

On looks alone it is my best denarius. Nearly perfect. Quite a treat to have in my collection.

I think next time I'll actually script my video so I don't sound a little repetitive.

 

Even thoughalmost 2/3 of 2018 is already gone, I will say "good start in 2018". I love the sextans, Crispus and Carausius the most

Q

 

Cool!!!

 

It is always interesting how each of us differ when ranking the coins. The Carausius would have bumped three of your five from my list but it was not my list.

We have some coins in common if you allow for little variations. Most of yours are nicer, though.




Most Byzantines used the Greek numeral M or forty but Focus used the Roman XXXX. Most Focas coins are overstruck so with some looking you can find an XXXX over M. With practice, it is easier to see undertypes.


In this case, the Focas XXXX is under the Heraclius M and over what would have been an M of the original user of the flan TIB (Maurice? or Constantine?)

 

Nice additions to your collection!

 

Very nice coins @Sallent Is your Crispus fully silvered? Regardless, it is a beautiful coin.

 

@ancient coin hunter mentioned that it is 40 nummi. It was a special case in Byzantine history where 4 X's were used instead of the Greek numeral M to denote 40.

@Severus Alexander I'm still working on that!

By the way Sallent, that Crispus is something. I noticed it more the second time I came around your thread. Very very crisp Crispus!