Hello dear friends with the same hobby. 2020 has changed some of our life habits, some of us have learned what the word “lockdown” practically means. Personally I had to adapt and learn to hold practice classes in faculty online using Microsoft Teams. I haven’t bought expensive and a large number of coins this year but I’ve added some coins to my few sub-areas, mostly emperors of the third and fourth centuries. I have improved my collection of antoniniani the most, and also late roman bronze coins. I chose to present some more interesting or in better condition coins. #1 I am slowly building a collection of denarii, where I want to have at least one from each emperor within the limits of my financial capabilities, then to include as many different reverses as possible, and I also have denarii in all grades. I bought a few in 2020 and I take care not to duplicate the reverses. So, I didn't have a reverse with the goddess of the hunt, so I bought following Gordian III denarius. I read it somewhere, that denarius was part of a large emission of denarii with several reverse types in honor of the marriage of Gordian III and Tranquillina. Gordian III (238-244 AD). AR denarius (2.8 g). Rome. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: DIANA LVCIFERA, Diana Lucifera standing right holding long, lighted torch. RIC 127. #2 I did not have AR antoniniani of Trajan Decius in the collection with reverses of Dacia and Pannoniae, but this year I bought both of these reverses. I present common example with two Pannoniae, personifications of region Pannonia, and I noticed that there are rare variants with one Pannonia or with both Pannoniae looking left. Traianus Decius (249-251 AD). AR antoninianus (4.0 g). Rome. Obv: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust to right. Rev: PANNONIAE, The two Pannoniae standing front, looking to left and right respectively and raising their right hands in salute, the one on the left with vexillum next to her and the one on the right holding vexillum in her left hand. RIC 21b. #3 I bought this Florian’s antoninianus because of the wonderful patina, bold and attractive portrait, and reasonable price. Before that, I had three Florian’s antoniniani in poorer quality. Florian (276 AD). Antoninianus (3.2 g). Siscia. Obv: IMP C M AN FLORIANVS P AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: FELICITAS AVG, Felicitas standing left, sacrificing with patera in right hand over lighted altar and holding long caduceus in left. RIC 61. #4 I like Tacitus coinage and I try to collect as many different busts and reverses as possible. At the moment, I am not collecting different emmisions of the same antoninianus. Antoninianus below is scarce with beautiful patina and nice details. Tacitus (275-276 AD). Antoninianus (3.3 g). Siscia. Obv: IMP C M CL TACITVS P AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: ROMAE AETERNAE / XXIVI, Roma seated left on shield, holding victory and sceptre. RIC online 3717. #5 Also, I like Probus coinage, where there are too many variants, but I try to collect as many different busts, important obverse legends, mints, reverses, shapes of the shields and details on it. The next antoninianus is scarce variant from Serdica with nice patina and INVICT in obverse legend. Probus (276-282 AD). Antoninianus (3.2 g). Serdica. Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS INVICT AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: SOLI INVICTO / KA (dot)Δ(dot), Sol in facing quadriga, holding whip and raising hand. RIC 867. #6 I haven't had this reverse so far, two emperors standing facing each other, both in military dress, sacrificing at a lighted altar or tripod. The antoninianus below has very nice details and remnants of silvering. Numerian also has this reverse, but I don't have that antoninianus. Carinus (283-285 AD). Antoninianus (4.2 g). Siscia. Obv: IMP C M AVR CARINVS P F AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Carinus to right. Rev: VOTA PVBLICA / SMSXXIB, Carinus and Numerian standing facing one another, each sacrificing over tripod between; two signa behind. RIC 315. #7 So far, I have collected a lot of bronze coins of Constantine I and his family. I recently bought a nice “eyes to haven” example, a characteristic representative of Constantine's coinage. The coin has nice green patina. Constantine I (307/10-337 AD). Follis (3.7 g). Heraclea. Obv: CONSTANTINVS AVG, diademed head of Constantine I right, eyes raised to heaven. Rev: D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG, VOT/XXX in two lines within laurel-wreath / SMHΓ. RIC 92. #8 I'm continually trying to add to my collection of late Roman bronze coins reverses that I don't have. This year I bought some interesting bronze coins, and here I will present scarce Constantine II with reverse VO/TIS/V without wreath. I think that Licinius II and Crispus also have this reverse. Constantine II (316-337 AD). Follis (3.1 g). Arelate. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES. Laureate head right. Rev: CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, VO / TIS / V in three lines / QA. RIC 222. #9 This is my first siliqua in the collection, it has nice details, but also a flan crack, “it would not be good to fall out of my hands on hard ground”. I would like to have a few siliquas from different emperors and with different reverses. Julian (the Apostate) was one of the best educated Roman emperors, intelligent, brave, just, dignified, talented for writing, but he was the last non-Christian ruler. So far I have had his AE1 with a bull and a few smaller bronze coins. Julian II Apostata (361-363 AD). Siliqua (1.8 g). Treveri. Obv: D N CL IVLIANVS AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: VOTIS /V /MVLTIS /X / TR, Legend in 4 lines within wreath. RIC 365. #10 I always wanted nice AE1 of Jovian. AE1 of Valens and Valentinian are more expensive. As opposed of Julian II, Jovian was of modest abilities and education, disposed to enjoying wine and women, but he proclaimed the Empire’s return to Christianity, and he led policy of tolerance towards the pagans. Jovian (363-364 AD). Follis (8.6 g). Thessalonica. Obv: DN IOVIANVS PF PP AVG, rosette-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right. Rev: VICTORIA ROMANORVM, Jovian standing front, head right, holding Victory and labarum, TESD. RIC 234d. I wish you good health in 2021 and to upgrade your collections with beautiful coins.
Nice coins all. Hard to pick a favorite, but your Gordian is a fine example mainly because of the reverse.
Congrats on a good year!....My favourite is the Carinus, great portrait and well detailed reverse....
Fantastic selection! Not only are they all very attractive, but each one of them has an interesting reverse that makes it stand out. My personal favourites are probably Florian, Carinus and Jovian.
gogili, Your follis of Jovian is the star of this group ! The portrait is exceptional & the coin has a well detailed reverse. The reverse of the Gordian denarius has a great depiction of Diana Lucifera . The reverse on the Probus radiate is the most attractive of his whole series of coins .
Nice coins @gogili1977 . My favorites are the Florian for the portrait, the Constantine I for the obverse and the Julian II because I tend to find his coinage interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Nice selections! The Florian is a real beauty; he's easy enough to find, but not in good quality, and even tougher with such a pleasing portrait. I'm particularly fond of that Julian II siliqua however - especially the early western mint ones with a beardless portrait proclaiming him as Augustus are top contenders for issues for his relatively bloodless usurpation against his brother that ended with official recognition when the latter died of illness... IIRC, these are the only coins of a usurper-turned emperor that are attributable to the usurpation.
Good coins, good pictures. It appears you concentrate in getting iconic reverses, that's very good. I like Tacitus, Carinus (I don't have these emperors in my collection) and Constantine 1 (although I don't like 4th century, I like the "new" obverse type with the emperor facing heaven)
