I must admit, I am a sucker for coins with a certain look. Not clean and shiny. Not irridescent (although thats nice too!). Not 'perfect' in any conventional sense. I'm talking about when some black hoard patina or deep toning and exposed/ worn high points on a silver piece interact in such a way that the details just pop. Sometimes that look is totally natural but often there is some 'skillful cleaning' involved. Bronze coins of course can take on a huge array of colors and combinations, adding immeasurably to the eye appeal and overall character. Here are a couple of coins I could not pass up for the above reasons. Please share your colorful gems! Greek, Macedon (Roman Protectorate, First Meris, ±167-149 B.C.) Tetradrachm (±167-149 B.C.), Amphipolis Obv.: Diademed bust of Artemis to the right, quiver over her shoulder, within an ornate Macedonian shield Rev.: Horizontal club within oak wreath, thunderbolt to the left VF Ag (16.91 g, 29 mm, 12 h) SNG Ashmolean 3296 Zengids of Mosul. Saif al-Din Ghazi II. 565-576/1170-1180. Æ dirhem. 568/1172-1173. VF, brown and blue-green patina. Zengids of Mosul. Saif al-Din Ghazi II. 565-576/1170-1180. � dirhem (28 mm, 11.21 g, 3 h). 568/1172-1173. Draped male bust facing slightly left, prominent knot at forehead; above, two winged figures / Legend in five lines and in left and right margins. Spengler & Sayles Type 60.4. VF, brown and blue-green patina.
This sounds like a negative but I see two significant facts: 1. All ancient coins are cleaned. Some are cleaned more than others but we don't find coins that spent 2000 years in a dresser drawer. 2. A great skill in cleaning is knowing when to stop. Many coins get overcleaned and look worse than they did when the process started. 'Skillful cleaning' is better than harsh chemicals followed by rub and scrub. Parthia, Mithradates II Maximianus Crispus Decentius Constantius II siliqua
Here’s a colorful silver of Philip I with a common Annona reverse that I picked up recently at a small coin show.
That is certainly a very special coin that I am familiar with. Funny thing is that nowadays when I brose a catalogue and see this type, my mind says: look! RomanCollector! (Not a tribute penny)
And here’s a coin with mottled patina. I love the patina, it’s better in hand. I would not mind at all to have a lot of sestertii just like this one. From JAZ Numismatics.
Alexander III, the Great; 336-323 B.C. AR tetradrachm (17.1 gm). Struck circa 311-295 BC under Seleukos I, Nikator. 312-281 BC. Obv: Hd. of Herakles r. wearing lion’s skin headdress. Rev: ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ to r., ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ in ex. Zeus std. l. on throne holding eagle in r. hand, scepter in his l. To left, anchor and monogram, and monogram below throne.. SNG Spaer __; CSE__; Ex Slocum coll.; Ex Qazvin Hoard 8. Price 3436 (Marathos). SC 67.3a, Uncertain Mint 6A.
Sure why not? I like my Indian coins to have a certain look. I take coins however I can get them, but I really like the super deep toning.
Awesome coin with some great style! This reminds me of my own Alexander with its areas of patina and encrustations left intact... which is of course exactly why I was drawn to it =)
Thank you everyone for your shares. Many droolworthy coins above, in fact this thread is starting to look eerily like my Vcoins watch list..
