Twenty from the Pandemic

This is what I added to my collection during the pandemic, universally with excellent provenances some dating back hundreds years. Ten here ten next

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Ten more from the pandemic

 

Absolutely fantastic coins, I love them all.

 

Wonderful!

 

Gorgeous, @Andrew McCabe!

 

Fantastic ... and discouraging for the average collector.

I particularly like the Sextus Pompey with Neptune.

 

I see perhaps two that I could possibly afford. But I can still admire the rest!

 

..glorious leaps & bounds

 

I'd have thought that these coins should be encouraging, rather than discouraging for the average collector. Sure, some are out of reach, but a large portion of the value in others is the pedigree hunting and Andrew's specialized, well-honed eye for meaningful varieties.

Both of these are skills, not expenses: we all owe it to our coins to do the legwork to give them the best context possible by researching and learning about the stories they tell.

 

I have a couple of Absolvo Condemno, both 'from the M.J. Collection' that I know nothing about.

 

Last year during the Covid crises which for my part of the planet started mid March 2020, I could say I had a pretty good year. This year not so much. I might be lucky to have 10 let alone a top ten this year. Enough whining. Like Andrew though I am by no means as skilled as he is I do try as much as possible to find out as much as I can about my coins. I agree with Ancient Joe that we do owe it to our coins but more so to ourselves to learn their stories. The coin with the best pedigree that I acquired this year (so far) is this one
Geta Ae Sestertius 211 AD Obv. Bust right laureate Rv. Fortuna seated left RIC 168a 28.03 30 mm Photo by W. Hansen I could have purchased this coin at the Roma XX Auction but was hammered by another purchase that pretty well wiped me out. I saw it later and bought it. One thing did change on this coin was that it had a new pedigree dating back to a H C Levis Collection which was auctioned on June 18 1925 in a Ars Classica SA Auction. I was able to find a digital copy of that auction. (thank you Andrew) and was able to confirm that the coin was in that sale. Now at some point I need to work out who this H G Levis is. No luck on the internet but when I get back to a good library I can try looking him up in a contemporary British Whos Who.
As for Ancient Joes comment about encouragement I have always felt that when I see a great coin or a group of great coins, that instead of being discouraged I leave with the feeling that I can try to do better.

 

You added 20 coins. I added 20 pounds.

 

A H.C. Levis rather than H G Lewis, it seems - from Spring:



ATB,
Aidan.

 

From the British Museum: Howard Coppuck Levis (1861-1935).

 

Thank you akeady and Donna ML actually the G was a fat fingers moment on the computer But the v wasn't.

 

ATB,
Aidan.

 

We are not denying the skill of the collector... no doubt there.. but we also can't pretend that most of these coins are within reach for middle class people (with mortgages, kids, tough economy, etc) ... there is an undeniable expense involved. Which is all fine - I am just glad to see them here... and so happy to see our friends here succeed and share their coins.

 

Interesting! - he seems to have had a law degree, but is described as an electrical engineer by the BM and was a member of the IEE and chairman of some big companies (https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Howard_Coppuck_Levis)

ATB,
Aidan.

 

By the way, great coins, Andrew!

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Hahaha

Yes it's tough at the top