What's Your Favorite Coin?

Well, my favorite coin very much changes depending on my mood. Also, my favorite Romans are different from my favorite medievals and Greeks, not even to speak of Celtic and "Eastern" coins. I find it impossible to clearly rank my appreciation for these numismatic fields, although most of the time I consider myself primarily a medieval collector.

Today, these two bracteates would be on top of my list. This answer might be different tomorrow:

Bishopric of Halberstadt, under Gero von Schermbke (sometimes: von Schochwitz), AR bracteate, 1169–1177 AD. Obv: + S–STEPHANVSPROTOMARTI; bust of St. Stephen facing between three stones and star. Rev: negative design. 25mm, 0.83g. Ref: Berger 1324; Slg. Bonhoff 483. Ex Münzenhandlung Löchte (Rheine); ex Teutoburger Münzauktionen, auction 125, lot 1978.


Abbey of Fulda, under Heinrich IV. von Erthal, AR bracteate, ca. 1249–1261 AD. Obv: Abbot seated facing holding palm branch and book; in Gothic polylobe and double pearl border; around outer Rim; H-V-H-V. Rev: negative design. 29mm, 0.52g. Ref: Berger 2293. Ex CNG 459, lot 579; ex “HC Collection.”

 

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..i feel ya on that..maybe you could choose one for today.....

..any reason to show coins is a good reason...

now here's mine at the moment..and it's alway in the top few all the time..Nero dupondius, securitas seated

 

I like them all, but have a special fondness for this one....
AV Dukat 1646 A-I Weissenberg Mint
Georg I Rakozki 1630-48 Prince of Transylvania
Vassal State of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet IV

 

Thank you jamesicus. I appreciate it.

 

Nice coin. That type is on my bucket list.

 

Very nice Bing.

 

Nice Caracalla.

 

Your OP coin is a real treasure Gary, an extremely hard to get in your coins quality. I can see why it's your favorite. With me I love all my coins especially the architecture type, which is most of them but my last purchase is a coin I never thought I would get. Tiberius Æ Sestertius.(33mm, 25.5gm) Rome, AD 35-36. The Temple of Concordia: Concordia seated left on throne, holding patera and sceptre, above altar within hexastyle façade set on podium; entrance flanked by statues of Hercules and Mercury; pediment decorated with statues of Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, and Victories in acroteria; wings of transverse cella with windows behind; pediments decorated with statues / TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST P M TR POT XXXVII around large S•C. RIC 61; C. 69; BMC 116; BN 100. NGC graded Choice Fine. Stack's Jan NYINC, lot 22114.

 

My favorite by far and will remain so (unless I acquire a better example).

Odoacer, Kingdom of Italy
AE nummus
Obv: OD[O-VAC], bare-headed, draped bust right
Rev: Odoacer's monogram (letters ODOVA) within wreath
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 476-493 AD
Ref: RIC X 3502

 

That's an awesome coin. I love the architecture types also.

 

That's a great historical coin.

 

My favorite changes often. Today I am fond of Asses.


The cast variety


and the scale weight variety, either the top right or bottom right, or .....

 

I previously answered this in the thread Doug linked from last year, but in the meantime I have acquired a coin that changed my answer slightly.

Originally I picked one favourite silver coin and one favourite bronze. The bronze choice has changed.

Favourite silver


Vespasian
AR Denarius, 2.84g
Rome mint, 74 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR in exergue; Vespasian stg. r., with branch and sceptre, in quadriga r.
Rev: VESP AVG across field; Victory on prow r., with wreath and palm
RIC 688 (R). BMC 147. RSC 569. BNC 121.
Ex Nomos Obolos 4, 21 February 2016, lot 575. Ex GH Collection. Ex Superior Galleries, The Moreira sale, Part II, 10-11 December 1988, lot 2374.

Favourite Bronze


Vespasian
Æ Sestertius, 26.69g
Rome mint, 71 AD
Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M TR P P P COS III; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: IVDAEA CAPTA; S C in exergue; Palm tree; to l. Captive stg. r.; to r., Judaea std. r. on cuirass; both figures surrounded by arms
RIC 159 (C3). BMC 532. BNC 490, pl. XLIV (same dies).
Acquired from Witter Coins, eBay, October 2019. Ex Triton V, 16 January 2002, lot 1913 (From the Robert Schonwalter Collection). Ex Worner List 1, January 1951, no. 394. Formerly in NGC holder #4683650-005, with grade 'F', strike 5/5, surface 3/5.

 

Great coins David. Like I told Doug, just because someone had a favorite last year doesn't mean it is the same this year. I didn't see that thread so I do want to know. Thanks for your reply.

 

I´ll never be able to top my avatar Sestertius.

 

As I said above, my favorite changes often. My favorite was going to be....

I was up at 4AM Houston time for the auction, but to quote Bob Uker, it was: "a bit outside" of my price range.
Now my next favorite will have to come from this weekend's Houston Spring Coin Show. My favorite dealer, Nick, should be there.

 

My latest addition is now my favourite thanks to winning a recent JAZ Numismatics auction (Note: Mythology theme):-




HEIRON II (275-215 BC) Sicily, Syracuse. AE Litra, 20mm, 5.7g
Obv; Head of Poseidon left, wearing tainia.
Rev; Ornamented Trident head flanked by dolphins downward, letters beside base
(Heiron in Greek)
Ref HGC 2, 1550 – From the Theodosius collection.

 

This guy here. I think it's Antioch, but I don't recall who's on it.

 

My other Favorite!

 

This Geta sestertius is my current favorite. It was likely struck very late in 211 in anticipation of the Vota Publica of 212, so right around the time of Geta's assassination.
Geta Æ sestertius. Rome, late 211 AD. P SEPTIMIVS GETA PIVS AVG BRIT, laureate and bearded bust of Geta right / VOTA PVBLICA, Geta, togate and veiled, standing left, sacrificing out of patera over tripod behind which a bull reclines; S-C across fields. RIC 187a; C. 232; BMCRE 235. 27.16 g, 31 mm.