How Many Are Enough?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Aethelred, Dec 20, 2021.

  1. Aethelred

    Aethelred The Old Dead King

    I was just wondering, do any of you keep more than one of the exact same type of ancient in your collection, or is one enough?

    In my collection there are a few cases where I have come across a second example of (what I consider) the same coin and cannot decide which I like best, so I keep both.
     
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    I usually just keep one of a type and that is enough. Some modern world coins I have the same type. But it's because something like the toning is pleasant over the other or just a fraction better grade-wise but like them both equally.

    Haven't gone that route with ancients or even medievals.
     
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  4. Heliodromus

    Heliodromus Well-Known Member

    Not usually, but sometimes, for example a nice example of a type plus another with an interesting bust style or die match or some such interest.

    My most extreme example of this is Constantine's VOT XXX type from the mint of Heraclea. Just using a lazy screen capture here:

    upload_2021-12-20_10-23-26.png

    There are a variety of bust types there, as well as different issues, but also a good number of duplicates based on differing diadem types (but same RIC number), which is the reason I collected them.
     
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  5. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    I collect a lot of series by RIC number and variations, so I have many of the "same type" Here are three coins from Maximianus, same RIC number but the workshop Γ is in a different place.

    Siscia_580_AI.jpg

    Maximianus
    A.D. 289- 290
    Ӕ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.4g
    IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
    CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar.
    In ex. XXIΓ•ΛI•
    RIC V Siscia 580

    Siscia_580_AI_2.jpg

    Maximianus
    A.D. 289- 290
    Ӕ Antoninianus 23x25mm 3.6g
    IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right.
    CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar.
    In ex. •Γ•XXI•ΛI•
    RIC V Siscia 580

    Siscia_580_AI_3.jpg

    Maximianus
    A.D. 289- 290
    Ӕ Antoninianus 23x26mm 3.7g
    IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate (divergent tie) and cuirassed bust right.
    CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; Γ in right.
    In ex. •XXI•ΛI•
    RIC V Siscia 580


    I also collect unofficial VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP from the Sisica mint and have several hundred. Here are the last 7 that I uploaded to my page. All similar busts but completely different styles.

    Barb_152.jpg

    Barb_153.jpg

    Barb_154.jpg

    Barb_155.jpg

    Barb_156.jpg

    Barb_157.jpg

    Barb_158.jpg
     
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  6. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Generally not.
     
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  7. Mammothtooth

    Mammothtooth Stand up Philosopher, Vodka Taster

    I wish J Caesar was as plentiful in a reasonable price..
     
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  8. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    @Victor_Clark
    I would consider yours to all be different. Even so much as the officina mark being in a different location makes it a separate coin to me.

    Also, those VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP are wonderfully crude! The 3rd one down is my favorite. Closely followed by the 2nd to last.
     
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  9. Bob L.

    Bob L. Well-Known Member

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  10. corvusconstantius

    corvusconstantius Active Member

    Is one of those Eyes to Heaven busts completely silvered? That's remarkable.

    As for the OP. I don't have any doubles, I scarcely have two of any particular emperor. Only Trajan (2), Phillip II (2), Decius (2), Diocletian (3), Maximianus (2), Maximinus II (2), Maxentius (2), Constantine (8) and Constantius II (4) have that honour.

    I do one day hope to find a smaller niche I enjoy and stick to it. Nothing has occurred to me yet but I'm only 2 years in.
     
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  11. Heliodromus

    Heliodromus Well-Known Member

    Yes, indeedy ! :happy:

    In fact two of them are:

    upload_2021-12-20_12-29-39.png

    upload_2021-12-20_12-29-49.png

    The second one was from a trade with Zach Beasley (of Beast Coins) from back in the day when he was still collecting.
     
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  12. corvusconstantius

    corvusconstantius Active Member

    I never noticed the first one due to the toning. The "toned silvering" is quite beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen it before.
     
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  13. Heliodromus

    Heliodromus Well-Known Member

    Thanks - that has to be one of my collection favorites in terms of appearance.
     
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  14. corvusconstantius

    corvusconstantius Active Member

    The detail on the diadem is quite something too! I am wondering, how delicate is "silvering". I only have coins with pockets of it. Do you have to be particularly careful with the handling?
     
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  15. Heliodromus

    Heliodromus Well-Known Member

    On coins like this it's very stable - really no different than a silver plated object (although done in a different way).

    On a coin that only has flecks/patches of silvering left you might want to be a bit more careful, although I've never seen anything bad happen. I don't really baby my coins - I'll quite often wash them under the tap with liquid soap, sometimes scrub them with a soft toothbrush even, and so far so good.
     
  16. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I do many multiples including this one:
    In addition to those three, there is the one with the error in the mintmark (A for lambda)
    ru3560bb2370.jpg
    and then there are the obverse bust varieties. I believe there are three but I only have two.
    ru3555fd3454.jpg

    On coins I collect, it gets worse. These are my 5 LEG XXII PRI:
    ri3925priset5.jpg

    This is less than half of these. All are different in some way.
    jdvvsetr.jpg
     
  17. tibor

    tibor Supporter! Supporter

    As @dougsmit I save some that are distinct varieties such as overdates.
    Others I save because of provenance. The others I sell periodically to
    Glenn Schinke. The ones I sell are all up-grades. I find it difficult to both
    up-grade or add a new piece. A combination of budget and scarcity.
     
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  18. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    It depends what you mean by the same type.

    I have double die matches.... In the order that I bought them with the second allowing me to confirm the reverse legend of the reverse yet the first is struck better

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Eastern IMP II - Fortuna standing left holding cornucopiae in each hand

    L SEP SEV PE-RT AVG IMP II / FORT R-E-DVC,
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    L SEPT SEV P-ERET AVG IMP I-I / FORT R-D-EVC
    [​IMG]
    L SEP SEV PERTE AVG IMP I-I / FORT R-DEVC
    [​IMG]
     
  19. Victor_Clark

    Victor_Clark all my best friends are dead Romans Dealer

    I have noted five different bust types--

    radiate and cuirassed bust right

    radiate and cuirassed bust right.jpg

    radiate head

    radiate head.jpg

    radiate and cuirassed seen from rear

    radiate and cuirassed seen from reaer.jpg

    heroic nude with slight drapery over each shoulder

    Heroic nude with drapery.jpg

    radiate and cuirassed bust left

    radiate and cuirassed bust left.jpg



    also of note is sometimes Hercules on reverse is holding club up with lion skin draped down

    Siscia_580_KOY_6.jpg


    I also pay attention to whether the ties on headdress are convergent or divergent.
     
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  20. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Generally I do not. HOWEVER, when there are Hard-to-Get coins, and I can get them, YES, I will have some multiples:

    upload_2021-12-20_15-54-11.png
    RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Quadrigatus Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Crawford 29-4 Sear 35

    upload_2021-12-20_15-55-15.png
    RR Anon AR Heavy Quin Drachm Half Quadrigatus 225-212 BCE 3.1g 18mm Janus Jupiter in Quadriga L Victory ROMA Crawford 29-4 Sear 35 SCARCE


    And this was a shear boo-boo, TWICE!!!

    I was trying to get the one of the first series of Denarius after the Reform (Crawford 44-5), but BOTH times I obtained the very Hard-to-Get SICILY version!
    LOL, sorry, not givin' up NEITHER!
    (Thanks to @red_spork 's expertise who pointed out the error-of-my-ways!)

    upload_2021-12-20_16-2-48.png
    RR AR Denarius 214-208 BCE Roma R X behind - Dioscuri R ROMA linear frame stars Sicily RARE Cr 68-1b listed as cr 44-5

    upload_2021-12-20_16-3-50.png
    RR Anon AR denarius Roma 211-206 BCE ROMA incus Dioscuri single horn-helmet Sear-- Craw 68-1b SICILY ISSUE RARE was cr 44-5
     
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  21. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    I try to keep track of my "type" coins, coins that serve as representative of an emperor, empress, king, queen, city-state, province, kingdom or empire. My focus group, which is right now Athenian owls and their imitations, have I guess what one would consider duplicates, but given the individual nature of these coins, due to strikes and die variations rarely match, it does become more of an argumentative point.
     
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