I’m sure many of us have done this, but It seems like I have been unintentionally acquiring tetradrachms of Caracalla from different mints, only based on getting nearly all of them for under $70 or less. Below are my latest two solely because of the reasons above. These two about 2 months to arrive with them boomeranging back and forth at the L.A. facility over a dozen times alone. Never seen that before but shouldn’t be surprised. I have also included a nice group shot of them altogether since many here, including I, love seeing ancients gathered together like an old High School reunion. And below the set photos are my older Tets. What coins/sets did you end up forming without any intention of doing so? Caracalla (198 - 217 A.D.) AR Tetradrachm MESOPOTAMIA, Rhesaena O: AVT KAI ANTΩNЄINOC CЄB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: ΔHMAPX ЄΞ VΠATOC TO Δ, eagle standing facing, head right, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; rectangle between legs. Struck 215/17AD 13.93g 27mm Prieur 876 Bellinger 172 Caracalla (198 - 217 A.D.) AR Tetradrachm PHOENICIA. Tyre O: AVT KAI ANTωNINOC CЄ, Laureate bust right. R: ΔHMAPX ЄΞ VΠATOC TO Δ, Eagle, with head left, wreath in beak and wings spread, standing facing on club right; murex shell between legs. Struck 213/17AD 15.47g 26mm Prieur 1547 Caracalla (198 - 217 A.D.) AR Tetradrachm Beroea, Cyrrhestica, Syria O: AVT K M AV ANTΩNЄINOC CЄB, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: ΔHMAPX EΞ YΠATOC Δ / B - E. Eagle standing facing, head and tail left, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak; between legs, bird facing between legs. 13.38g 27mm Prieur 884 Caracalla (198 - 217 A.D.) AR Tetradrachm Laodicea ad Mare, Seleucis and Pieria O: AYT K M A ANTΩNEINOC CEB, laureate head right. R: ∆HMAPX EΞ YΠATOC TO ∆, facing eagle, head left holding wreath in beak, star between legs. 27mm 12.5g Prieur 1179 Caracalla (198 - 217 A.D.) AR Tetradrachm Mesopotamia, Carrhae O: AVT·K·M·A ANTONЄINOC ·C-EB · ·, laureate head of Caracalla right; two pellets beneath rear truncation. R: ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞ ΥΠΑΤΟ Δ, eagle standing facing on bucranium, dot to each side, wings spread, head right, wreath in beak. 28mm 17.10g Prieur 820, Bellinger 160, SGI 2701 Ex. Agora Auctions, lot 184, Sale 81
I have both a 1972 Proof Bahamas set... and a 1975 Bahamas Unc set. Rather weird when I realized. I don't usually do it that way.
I bought a few world crown size coins a few years ago just because it was a few I wanted and since then I have been building a nice size set of large world silvers.
I realized I was building a 12 Caesars set when I landed the last but one : silly me ! Nice set @Mat Q
I only have modern Proof Sets. But, I am trying to get a complete run of Axumite AV coinage. These are mostly 1/3 Aurei(Units) from 15 Kings/ including a 1/8 (I have 5 so far) I do have the complete Biafra gold issue from 1969/ they where wiped out in 1970. Here is the first Axumite AV coin/ Endybis 270-90AD ND/ NM Nice coins Mat!
One of my favorites of yours. Same, took a while but had no big plans for 12 caesars. Same with Parthians and I can go on.
@Mat.....Nice, Nice! About 8 years ago I bought a lot of ancient Indian coins and picked out a few that really appealed to me.....It started from there..... The set is twice as big now....I need to update!
Nice mini collection @Mat! I like the second from Tyre the most. The fourth’s eye is Uh interesting. If these were a tad cheaper I would have a million because of you. As it is I probably have ten tets across emperors.
Fun set! A long time ago I bought a large lot from Naumann that ended up containing a large number of Nabataean coins - it took me over 18 months to finally look through them (as I had long since broken even on the purchase itself) and when I did - I realized I had almost every ruler and maybe 2/3 of all types covered! Early anonymous, AE imitation of Alexander stater Obodas II Syllaeus Aretas IV with first wife Huldu Aretas IV with Shuqailat, wedding commemorative Aretas IV celebrating daughter Phasaelis (maybe marriage to Herod Antipas?) Another, different type (I've heard maybe Phasaelis' birth?) Aretas IV with Shuqailat (common type) Malichus with Shuqailat Rabbel II with Gamilath
I have a coin (or many coins) of each of the 12 but I do not know off the top of my head which one was the last acquired. Certainly I could look it up in my database but it is no a question with meaning to me. Neither could I tell you how many emperors (27 BC to 1453 AD) I have without looking it up. Sets are only sets when we define what is in a set. My definition of a collectible set is 'coins I like'. Opinion: Sets, as we who collect ancients use the word are not like the plastic wrapped proof sets Evan Saltis referred to. Many people collect sets of these sets meaning a run of several years of proof sets. In ancients, it is a bit unusual to see a complete 12 Caesars set sold as a unit since most collectors enjoy building their own from individuals and would break the set down if the bought it selecting only the ones that upgraded their coin of that type. Years ago I recall an auction with an interesting 'rule' The coins were sold one at a time to the highest bidder BUT those sales were provisional on a final lot where all 12 were offered together as one group. The coins went either to the winner of the individuals or the winner of the group whichever resulted in the highest total result. https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5244903_98-12-caesars-plastic-display-case-less-the-coins-of How many of you keep your 12 Caesars in a single holder like the one shown in the above link? There must have been a demand for these a few dacades back or they would not have been made but it has been years since I saw one offered filled with coins. The description here reads: "12 Caesars Plastic Display Case, less the coins of course, unless you just purchased them in the previous lots."
Mat, You've got a handsome group of Caracalla Tets, & the group photo is a great idea showing the many different styles ! At one time I had a large group of Caracalla Tets but sold all the examples from the Tyre & Judaea mints to buy other coins. Below are some of the examples I kept .