Why? Why did I add this to my collection?

Despite being a teetotaller, I agree wholeheartedly!

 

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I'm glad you got it Bing and glad it worked out!

 

Nice acquisition, Bing. As for duplicates, in ancients I think this makes a lot of sense - since the dies were all handmade, each specimen is quite different, even allowing for condition, ancient crud, etc. If you do happen to get a die-match, this is so infrequent that it is still a thrill.

When I cruise around looking at ancients to buy, I rarely even bother to check if I've already got one. My collection is small enough, when I do think I found a duplicate, it turns out it is usually a variation. If not, duplicates are more than welcome too.

So I'll post a coin. I found this sestertius of Philip I for $7.00 "buy it now" on eBay - I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger, but I was pretty sure I already had one. But I'd buy semi-respectable $7 sestertii until the bank came and took my house (so thank goodness it doesn't happen very often).

As it turns out, I had the Victory advancing right (a fairly nasty one). This new one was Victory advancing left - so no upgrade, which I was kind of hoping for. But I am not complaining:

RIC 191a (Victory right):



RIC 192a (Victory left):

 

Realized that I don't have any MA Legio denarius. That means that I have to take care of this soon

In the meantime, I was focused (obsessed?) on completing the 12 Caesars, which I finally did at CNG's last auction: one Galba and one Otho. Both are provincial, and the legend on Otho's reverse is off flan, but I am very happy to have now the twelve

Galba Tetradrachm
Seleucis and Pieria, Antiochia ad Orontem, 68/69 AD
14.88 g, 29 mm, 12 h
RPC 4198A; McAlee 308; Prieur 100; Wruk 59

Ob.: AYTOKPATωP ΓAΛBAC KAICAP ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ, Bare head of Galba to right

Rev.: Eagle standing left on wreath, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; palm frond to left, ЄTOYC B (date RY 2) in exergue
auction's pictures:

Tetradrachm, Seleucis and Pieria, Antiochia ad Orontem or Berytos, 68/69 AD
14.69 g, 26 mm, 1 h
RPC 4199; McAlee 316; Prieur 101;

Ob.: AYTOKPATωP M ΟΘWΝ KAICAP ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ laureate head of Otho to right​

Rev.: Eagle with wreath in beak standing left on wreath, with wings spread; palm frond to left, crescent between legs, ЄTOY(CA) in exergue

 

I LOVE this Galba @cmezner...

 

Oh, thank you Severus Alexander, I appreciate very much that you like it This heavy-jawed portrait speaks volumes about him