Denomination preferences

I've been pondering this question for a while now, and thought I'd get everyone here's thoughts. Do you have a preference for a certain denomination of coin, a certain metal type, or other similar category? And if so, why?

In my first year of collecting I ended up with four denarii. I will undoubtedly be getting more over time when appealing ones crop up, but they have now gone down the priority list for a number of reasons. Firstly the area to work on is relatively small, and although there are many beautiful are artistic examples out there, I have found that very pedestrian representations are more common on denarii than other denominations.

Sestertii are undoubtedly the best denomination on regular production during my collecting era of choice, and I have added four to my collection this year. If I had bottomless pockets, they may well be my favourite denomination. The room available offers a fantastic palette for a bewildering variety of types, and some of the most interesting designs are, in my opinion, saved for the sestertii. However, they seem to be disproportionately more expensive to buy than the middle bronze coins, and usually cost more even in much worse condition.

Middle bronze coins are starting to take over my collection. After a purchase today I'll have 8. They don't offer the same canvass as a sestertius flan, but the do have enough room for some excellent detail. Most importantly for me, however, is that they seem to be available in good condition for reasonable prices. It's common to find really good examples for Antonine era asses and dupondii for about £30-80, with similar types and condition sestertii selling for at least two or three times the cost.

I'm clearly missing out many denominations from many periods of history here, so feel free to talk about any era you like.

 

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I don't have a major preference for one or the other. I will say the denomination I never had any interest in is Roman quadrans. Most of the designs for them don't appeal to me so I never had a desire to collect them. Mainly it's the scales & modius types.

With medieval coins, I am not too big on farthings or halfpennies.

 

I did play with the idea of a collection of quadrantes earlier in the year @Mat but I've subsequently talked myself out of it. I find them broadly appealing when you look closely at what was produced, especially the Nero issues. The problem is that each time I've thought about getting one to start off there has always been something I liked better and for less cost.

 

I'm all over the place with what I collect. As I age and my eyesight gets worse, I tend to like the big ones. But then some of my favorites are tiny ones. I make no sense!

This being said, I never collected bronze much until a couple years ago, and now I find I might in general prefer the AEs. This has something to do with the interesting colors/patinas that these develop over the centuries.

I'll take this opportunity to post a big one and a little one that I recently got that especially pleased me - a combination of heft and the color of the patina. There is also the types to consider - I've wanted a "PRIMI DECANNALE" sestertius for a while, and Hermes is one of my favorite gods. I'll throw in an antoninus of Volusian as well - a favorite emperor, and somewhat hard to find. All of them pushed a lot of my collector's "happy buttons."

Big AE:


Marcus Aurelius Æ Sestertius
(170-171 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[IMP] M ANTONINVS AVG TR P X[XV], laureate head right / PRIMI-DECEN-NALES-COS III-SC in five lines within laurel wreath.
RIC 1006 (possibly RIC 1256)
(23.58 grams / 28 x 25 mm)

Little AE:


Caracalla Æ 19
Heliopolis, Syria, Coele-Syria
(198-217 A.D.)
ANT[ONIN], laureate head right / COL HEL, naked Hermes standing facing, head left, holding caduceus.
SNG Copenhagen 430; Lindgren I A2162a.
(5.16 grams / 19 mm)

Silver:


Volusian Antoninianus
(251-253 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
/ VIRTVS AVGG Virtus standing, head left, holding shield and spear.
RIC 186; RSC 135; Sear 9778.
(3.65 grams / 20 mm)

P.S. This one is in pretty sad shape, but I love the colors on it and the weird alien insect-like rendition of the rulers - a Byzantine follis of Justin II and Sophia. I have a nicer one just like it, but I may prefer this lousy one. Go figure.

 

For history, eye appeal, & "bangs for the bucks" I prefer Roman Provincial Tets like the one pictured below . This is the most attractive one I scored this year.

 

That's a wonderful coin Al. I need to add a Tet or two myself.

 

I personally like Roman Republic Quadrans... but, I really do not always have a denomination preference.


RR Aes Grave AE Quadrans 269-242 BCE Dog 3 pellets Six spoked wheel 59.8g Craw 24-6a Th-Vecchi 34 ex Sellwood


I do prefer a QUINARIUS over the more common Denarius...


RI Caracalla 198-217 AR Quinarius CE 213 1.3g 13.6mm Laureate - Victory Wreath Palm RIC IV 101 RSC 450 RARE


I like the AR versions of Sestertius...


RR AR Sestertius After 211 BCE 12mm 1.0g Rome mint Roma r IIS - Dioscuri riding stars in ex ROMA Sear 46 Craw 44-7 RSC 4

 

The road less traveled.

I started with roman Imperial coin, when I decided I hit my apex for collecting women on Roman coins I descided on a change. I bought group lots and attibuted the coins, I had a well rounded library of David Sears works. I found one coin that caught my attention and really stumped me. The internet was fairly new for collectors so no help there. ( Yahoo groups became a go to shortly after.) It took two weeks but I got it. I loved the puzzle and durring the search I feel in love with the coin.

The coin was a Manuel tetarteron , a small copper that was used through out Greece in the 12th century Byzantine empire. It was used for everyday tranactions so all people rich and poor were familiar and used it in their daily lives.

The more of these coins I collected the more I learned, they were Byzantine copper so they sold cheaply and very little had been written about them.Most people were intersted in the gold issues, little circulation so manyof those issues are in excellent condition. The copper coins remained in circulation and did so until they were worn to nothing.

20 years later I have crossed that line from collector to more of an academic interest. How many denomnations were they? Right now three are acceted in academic world and only two in the coin world. I now believe they were four .

Bottom line, it is an uncharted part of the coin world and I hope my collection makes a difference for the next generations of collect.

Here is an example of a coin that technically is not listed. The large version has a 18mm ring diameter, the half a 15mm but this little fellow has a 12mm ring diameter.

 

I think there is definitely a preference for bigger coins. I come from the US numismatics side, and larger coins are more expensive. Not because they are more rare; quite the opposite actually. It’s because they are more in demand. Demographics and eyesight may play a role but I think that’s a secondary concern. Bigger coins are just more impressive. Now that I am into Greek coins, my focus is on tetradrachms. I like electrum too. Hecktes look neat in photos, but in person they are just too small for me. Need to save up for the staters.

 

I think it’s a great question, @thejewk ! Since the main focus of my ancient coin collection is Judaean and most Judaean coins are bronze and dime sized or smaller in size—I would have to say that my preference is small bronze prutot. When I handle an 8-prutot coin, which is the size of a quarter, I get really excited!

 

As a general rule I like late Roman silver coins( Siliquae), but also like coins that I can tie into my field of study(Microbiology).


A beautiful Late Roman Siliqua of Emperor Valentinian I from the Rome mint(364-375)
and
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-cyprian-plague.340369/

 

I tend to like the larger flans, both sestertii and provincials issued by a number of towns. They often have very interesting and mythological reverse types. Of the late empire I prefer AE2s or AE1s. Here is an example of a Phillip the Arab piece which is the size of a sestertius, but has a super cool temple on the reverse, along with a glade of trees.

COMMAGENE, Zeugma.
Philip I and II. 247-249 AD.
Æ31, 19.2g; 6h (a nice chunky coin, how about that?)
Obv.: AYTOK K M IOYΛI ФIΛIΠΠOC CЄB; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: ZЄYGM-ATЄΩN; Peribolos containing grove of trees, seen in perspective; tetrastyle temple in distance, draped figure within (Zeus?); in exergue, capricorn to right.
Reference: Butcher 31c; BMC 35.

 

Big provincial bronzes!

 

...i like'em all..

 

Only aureii of course.

But then i wake up.

I am a simple, perhaps even a terrible collector. From a relative short periode in time - late republic to and including the severan dynasty - i basically collect what i like and can afford. That includes denarii, sestertii and middle bronze. In the future though, i would like to have at least one denarius and sestertius of each emperor (same periode) if possible and affordable. But then again, who knows what i get into in the future.

True though, sestertii are quite expensive and denarii are affordable, even nice specimens.

 

Like Deacon Ray, I like the wee little prutot of ancient Judaea.

Although, I've held my brother's Ptolemaic hockey puck (around 70g) and it's pretty impressive.

Erin

 

Ever, since I first started collecting, I found out to my dismay, that I could not afford the coins I craved for....in that first NFA auction catalogue, back in 1985. I have always liked AV coins, with great eye appeal. My favorite types would be the RR/ Imperial/ Western/ Eastern Roman aurei/solidi/ semissis/ tremissis. Close second, the beautifull Dukaten from Holy Roman Empire/ then those fantastic Medieval AV coins from Low Countries/ France/ German States/ Swiss Cantons. My most beautifull coin is this
Austria-Hungarian Empire
AV 4 Dukaten 1848-A Wien Mint
Emperor Ferdinand V

 

John, I'm surprised at your choice of this 4 ducat coin as your "most beautiful" , although it has a stunning depiction of the Austrian coat of arms & appears to be FDC. The portrait of Ferdinand I looks like a young boy even though he was well into his 50s when this coin was struck during the last year of his reign. A long time ago I bought the small brandy flask pictured below at an antique show in Rochester, NY. It was made by Ludwig Moser & Sons in the 1870s, located in Bohemia, Austria-Hungary. The flask is panel cut & hand enameled with the the same coat of arms (not quite as detailed), 4 in. high. The back side is enameled with a floral cartouche.

 

I like gold. Followed by silver. And last bronze.

I dunno, I think I might be unique this way :- )

Rasiel

 

I am with you, so there are now two of us
John