Secret Saturnalia 2019

Here are mine, they look alot better in hand my pictures aren't great took them with my mobile. Was fun researching them especially the trachy and the antiochus as I had no idea who they were at first. Thank you to whoever gifted me them I love them


Diocletian Follis
296-305 AD
Heraclea mint
OBV: IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG - Laureate head right
REV: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI - Genius standing left with chlamys, patera from which liquor flows & cornucopiae; HTA in exergue
27.2mm
10.4g
RIC VI Heraclea 19a


Marcus Aurelius
145 AD
Ae As
OBV: AVERLIVS CAESAR AVG P II F COS II
REV: Minerva standing right holding spear and resting on shield
26.22mm
11.47g
RIC III 1264 (A.Pius)


Isaac II Angelus
AR trachy
Constantinople mint
1185-1195 AD
26mm
1.8g
SB 2003


Antiochus VIII
Seleukid kings of Syria
Cleopatra Thea & Antiochos VIII
125-121 BC.
OBV: Radiate and diademed head of Antiochos VIII
REV: Isis headdress; monogram to inner right, ΘΠP (date) below, thunderbolt in exergue
16.5mm
3.9g

IO Saturnalia!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I just realized I wrote my CT username on the note I attached with my gift - I totally didn't realize what "secret" actually meant. LOL
Sorry, giftee, please don't judge me too harshly

 

Io Saturnalia!!

I really would have been pleased with any gift, but my Secret Saturn, being quite obviously a Genius of Generosity and a Titan of Thoughtfulness, gave me a truly AWESOME one.


HADRIAN
Billon Tetradrachm. 12.55g, 26.2mm. EGYPT, Alexandria, RY 15 (AD 130/131). Dattari 1268; RPC III 5768; Emmett 845.15. O: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear. R: Alexandria standing on left holding vexillum and presenting grain ears to Hadrian, wearing toga and holding sceptre, standing on right; L-IE in fields.

I don't know the identity of my Secret Saturn, but I do have my suspicions. Thank you for the wonderful gift... it will be a treasured part of my collection, always putting a smile on my face when I think of the kindness and generosity of the members here.

 

Io Saturnalia! My secret Saturn knocked this one out of the park.

First, I received this beautiful Parthian silver drachm, which I absolutely love. It’s the first Parthian in my collection, but I think it will be the first of many more. I snapped a quick shot with my phone, but this coin really deserves a much better photo.




Mithradates III, Circa 87-78 B.C., AR Drachm, (20mm, 4.08g), diademed and draped bust left, wearing tiara with ear flap, long beard, and torque ending in pellet; 8-rated star on tiara; all within pelleted border/ Rev. Archer seated right on throne, holding bow
Ex. Pars Coins, Auction 1

And, as if this wasn’t enough, I also got this 6 million year old fossil of a megalodon tooth. How cool is this??



So, my first Parthian and my first fossil. I’d say this is a very successful Saturnalia! Thanks again to my “secret” Saturn and a Happy Saturnalia to all of you.

 

It’s not yet Dec. 17th in California, but I’m in Europe for the holidays, just had breakfast, and my watch says 7am. I guess that counts… Io Saturnalia, all of you!

A month ago, I mentioned in another thread that I was searching for a Severan Dea caelestis reverse. And when listing my collecting aims for 2020 some days ago, I wrote:

Well, it turns out I won’t have to wait until next year. My incredibly thoughtful and generous Secret Saturn, who has not revealed their name, sent me a wonderful Septimius Severus denarius showing the Carthaginian goddess! This coin will always have a special place in my collection.

Honestly, thank you a thousand times, Secret Saturn. You really made me happy today – when opening your package, I jumped up and down in joy like a little kid. You are the best!


Io Saturnalia, Merry Christmas, and happy holidays to all of you!

 

Some really nice gifts here! I have opened mine, but I am not taking photos tonight, so ye all shall see them tomorrow

 

Io Saturnalia!
I opened my gifts today and was amazed at the generosity of my Secret Saturnalian.
Thank you!
No time to photograph yet as I am travelling but several coins arrived but best of all a Western Satraps Drachm of Rudrasena 11. Why is this the best? I would never have considered purchasing one, it is contemporary to my Roman collecting interests and opens up a whole field of research that I would never have considered before receiving this coin. It is easy to become blinkered and staid and my focus has been narrow. Unlike me who was too dumb to appreciate "secret" although my postmark would give me away anyway, I don't know who sent me the gifts but they are very much appreciated and will form a special part of my collection.
Diolch yn fawr iawn !

 

Now it is actually Saturnalia
I got a package from Singapore. Funny enough I was someone in Singapore's Santa two years ago....

I just opened my Santa gift and took some time to picture it


Bruttium, Terina, ca 420-400 BCE
Third nomos
Head of Terina right
Nike seated left, holding bird
1,97 gr - 15,5 mm

It's a very small, yet beautiful silver third nomos from the south of Italy (Bruttium), place I really loved to visit some years ago
The portrait style is fabulous

Thank you very much to my Secret @zumbly
Q

 

I have the same problem as you do keeping myself Secret. I also had some trouble choosing your gift, but lovely Terina was clamouring for some French air.

 

I received my Secret Saturn coin yesterday and opened it early this morning .


Gordian III
Antoninianus, 22 mm, 2.8 gm
Obv: IMP GORDIANUS PIUS FEL AVG; radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI; Hercules standing right, leaning on club
Ref: RIC IV Rome 95

If I were to pick out a GIII for myself, I'd likely pick one of these "weary Hercules" reverses, in part thanks to @Curtisimo's writeup.

Thanks, Secret Saturn!

 

I got the BEST SECRET SATVRNALIA GIFT EVER! It came in a huge box with my own address as the return address. Inside were two books ...



... and it was obvious that my benefactor had put a lot of thought into the gift because the books were tailored to my interests. I have a lot of coins with Roman empresses, hence Lightman & Lightman's Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Greek & Roman Women. I once posted a thread about ancient footwear on coins; therefore, Secret Saturnalia chose Charles Vincent's Histoire de la chaussure, de la cordonnerie et des cordonniers célèbres, depuis l'Antiquité jusqu'à nos jours (History of footwear, shoemaking and famous shoemakers, from antiquity to the present). It has some fascinating drawings!



Also within the big box was a hand-written note and this velvet pouch ...



... containing a coin of one of my favorite emperors!


Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.
Roman AR denarius, 3.26g, 17.2 mm, 5 h.
Rome, AD 161.
Obv: DIVVS ANTONINVS, head of Antoninus Pius, bare, right, with drapery on left shoulder.
Rev: CONSECRATIO, pyre of four tiers decorated with garlands and statues and surmounted by a quadriga.
Refs: RIC 438; BMCRE 60-64; RSC 164a; RCV 5193; MIR 24.
Notes: Also struck with a right-facing bare head (no drapery) portrait.

I want to thank my Secret Saturnalia for such a thoughtful and generous gift! I have made some dear friends here over the years and I appreciate every single one of you.

IO SATVRNALIA OMNIBVS!

 

Io Saturnalia!!!
Very humbled and appreciative of the kindness of my SS. It is a lovely type of a coin I've lost at auction on four different occasions. They certainly did their sleuthing well.
I do wonder if part of the reason the type is so hard to get is because of CT. A CT member (no pun intended) mentioned the study of a single individual proposing that this image is of Elagabalus, one of the most notorious rulers of all time, wearing a bulls phallus on his head. Probably not true IMHO. But making it highly and hilariously desirable.

ELAGABALUS" (16/05 / 218-12 / 03/222)
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
Denarius 222 CE, Mint Rome 19mm, 12h.
2.76 gr. Degree of rarity: R1
RCV.7518 - RIC.88 var. - Th.258 - RSC.61 b - RCV.7518
Obverse: IMP ANTONINVS - PIVS AVG. Bearded bust, laureate and draped Elagabal right, seen three quarters forward, horned (A * 01).Elke Kringel hypothesised the "horn" is actually a bulls phallus!
Reverse: INVICTVS SACERDOS AVG / * | -. (The Invincible Priest of the Emperor).
Elagabal laureate and draper standing upright turned left, holding a cypress branch turned upwards with the left hand and a peg with his right hand, sacrificing above an altar lit; Behind the altar, the remains of the ox.
History: Elagabal, proclaimed Emperor May 16, 218, only august before the end of June or early July, leaves Syria to reach Rome. Elagabal stops at Nicomedia, he stays there all winter and gets sick. It is in this city that he dons his second consulate. Elagabal will not arrive in Rome until July or September 219, bringing the black stone of his cult to install it in his capital. He will never return to Syria, quickly murdered after a reign unequaled in turpitudes and disturbances.

In the wonderfully written and Kind letter my SS wrote they let me know who they were Which was very cool to know (I still don't know who last years SS was??).
Thanks again to my secret Saturn!!!

 

I opened my Secret Saturnalia gift this morning before trudging to work, and I was blown away by the generosity of @Theodosius . Inside was a very nice letter explaining the theme of the gift and three awesome coins! Thank you for such awesome coins! The largest is a 2 Reales struck in the name of Charles III of Spain. What makes this coin so cool is that it was literally sunken treasure. It came from the wreck of the Spanish brig El Cazador, which sunk off of the coast of Louisiana with 37,500 pounds of silver coins in 1784. It was recovered by a friend of his in 300 feet of water. The English coin is a class 5b penny of Henry III struck at Canterbury in the name of Gilbert, a moneyer I didn't have in my collection. One of my collecting goals is to get as many moneyers as I can for the short and long cross pennies, and to get one unlocked for is a wonderful surprise. Lastly is a cut farthing that is going to be a joy to identify. Despite having dozens of cut half pennies, this is my first cut farthing. Thank you Theodosius for such wonderful coins!

 

Many thanks to my Secret Saturn for this awesome tetradrachm of Ptolemy X Alexander! It's a sharp coin of excellent style. I especially like the eagle on the reverse. The coin has some "heft" and feels really good in hand. I appreciate your generosity, whoever you are!




Ptolemy X Alexander I AR Tetradrachm
RY 14 = 101/100 BCE
Minted at Alexandria
Obverse: Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis around neck
Reverse: BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt; LIΔ (date) to left, ΠA to right
References: Svoronos 1674; SNG Copenhagen 363; DCA 68.

Ptolemy X Alexander was quite a guy. He had his mother killed, was exiled by his own people, and melted down the solid gold casket of Alexander the Great to pay a mercenary army and return to power. He was again driven out of Alexandria, and was killed shortly thereafter.

 

Some fabulous gifts so far, folks !
This place must be very special considering the generosity people can show to others they have never met in real life for the most part

I find it very moving

Q

Ps : the more I look at Terina, the more I love her

 

There are some great gifts here. I haven’t opened mine yet and while there was logic and thought put into the gift I sent, I’m starting to feel like it should have been more.

I’ll open this evening and report back.
IO Saturnalia everyone!

 

Ditto. But I feel that way every year when I see how much thought everyone puts into their gifts. I try.

 

So far, amazing gifts! Thanks everyone for sharing. Looking forward to seeing more when I get home from work Everyone here is super thoughtful and generous. Great group of people!

 

I totally agree!

After I had posted the gift I received above, my SS had one additional present for me, which came via @Curtisimo by PM:



That one gave a good laugh, and also confirmed my suspicions about my SS’s identity. He is, in addition to what I said about him earlier, also a Phenom of Photoediting.

@Curtisimo, BTW, really deserves a shoutout for making this year’s Secret Saturnalia happen. Thank you, Curtis!

 

Yeah !

Q