2021: A Lean Year

Actually, I kinda went on the wagon this year in order to assess where my collection stands and where I want it to go from here.


So, having explained myself, I only adopted two, yes only two, coins this entire year. And neither of them are earth shattering.
1.
NERO
AR Hemidrachm
OBVERSE: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GERMANI, Laureate head right
REVERSE: Victory seated right on globe, holding wreath in both hands
Struck at CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea, 59-60 AD
1.51g, 15mm
RIC 617, BMC 409, RPC 3645

2.

AELIA EUDOXIA
AE3/Centenionalis
OBVERSE:AEL EVDOXIA AVG.
Diademed and draped bust right; crowning manus Dei above
REVERSE: GLORIA ROMANORVM / ALEA.
Aelia seated facing on throne, crossing arms over breast; crowning manus Dei above, cross to right
Struck at Alexandria, 400-404 AD
2.73g, 16mm
RIC 84
ex. JB (Edmonton) collection

 

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Nice coins, @Bing ! 2020 was that kind of year for me, I think 2 coins was my total also. I made up for it it 2021 so 2022 may very well be a lean year.

I really like that young brooding Nero.

 

Definitely like the Nero.

I've basically been the same way this year, but not as lean as you.

 

But both nice coins, especially like that young portrait of Nero, and that's a great wagon too.

 

I like the Nero too (excellent style on the engraving), and would vote for the Udoxia as second !

Q

 

Both coins are nice, @Bing.
I like your Aelia Eudoxia coin. Uncommon, and I like coins on empresses.

 

I bought more than 2, aside from 1 Sovereign they were all inexpensive, sort of.

 

I bought 21 coins, which was less than last year. Nice additions @Bing

 

Love the young Nero portrait.

 

I have also had a very lean year. My collection has shrunk over the year for the first time ever. I don't think I will share a top 10 this year.

 

Lovely portrait of Nero!
He wishes he looked like that.
I recently won a handsome Nero with a long butt-cracked victory:

and purchased a Aelia Eudoxia this year

 

I started cataloguing coin sales when I began collecting ancients back in 2018-19. I picked up a handful of coins then, but had some bad experiences when I sent raw coins that I had purchased from "reputable" sources in for grading. Lots of "Tooled" body bags!

I was disgruntled to the point that I gave up the hobby for a couple of years, and only started to get back into it about 6 months ago. So far as my previous "value" research goes, I obviously had to start all over because the market was VERY different by that point.

Long story short, my collection was basically non-existent before, so I've purchased around 60 coins over the past 6 months and tried not to think about the inflated prices. If the market drops back to pre-covid levels, then I'll be happy because the remainder of the coins that I need will be cheaper. I will have significantly over-paid for the coins that I purchased this year, but a lot of that cost was offset by sales of other collectables that I've been dumping (Baseball cards, antique lures, etc) that are even MORE inflated than ancient coins!

Then there's the other possibility, the ancient coin market has been permanently adjusted to new price levels. "Ancient coins are extremely undervalued" is a saying that I've heard more than a few times in the past, maybe we've just gotten to the point where that is not quite as accurate as it used to be. Maybe it's time for ancient coin collectors to finally pay the Piper

 

two interesting coins, hope you divine a good path forward

best wishes for next year, maybe you should post the best of what you let go and why

 

Thanks for sharing @Bing . Guess which one is my favorite ?

 

Both are appealing. Actually I always look for coins of Nero because he was so renown in History of Rome. Here's my best coin of charming Eudoxia which I had posted long prior to this thread.

 

This is what I like about these top ten (or two) threads. I get to see coins I know nothing about. I don't often comment in the threads, but I always read them and appreciate the effort people put in.

I collect Greek, so don't look at Roman coins often. I have never seen those coin types before, so well worth posting Bing, as I've learnt something new.

 

Nice additions. More in 2022.

 

Nero is the winner for me, very expressive portrait. Congrats !

 

I really like that Nero portrait. And would like to have a coin of Aelia Eudoxia.

 

I'm honoured to have been the source of your only two this year... thanks!! I do love that Nero.