More boring ancients

Was hesitant to post this one. It doesn't seem quite as common as others of the same rev. but its a bit rough. I figured I'd share it and see what coins you all have you are hesitant to post after talking with Mat.

so here mine:

ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XIIII, laureate head right; reverse COS IIII, Fortuna standing left holding rudder and cornucopia.
RIC III 194, RSC II 265, BMCRE IV 719, VF, Rome mint

 

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Here a coin I got that I wasnt gonna bother posting because it is pretty common but I liked it and couldnt pass it up. Now I feel a little complete since I have his parents already.


Philip II, (247 - 249 A.D.)Silver antoninianus
O: M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind.
R: PRINCIPI IVVENT, Philip II standing left in military dress holding globe in right and inverted spear in left.
Rome Mint
SRCV III 9240, RIC IV 218d, RSC IV 48
21.5mm
4.9g

 

Common doesn't mean ugly or boring. Its a great looking coin. I like the portrait and the reverse is good too.

 

What I liked aside from the weight and price was the flaw on the left leg.

 

I'll play:




[TABLE="class: tableb"]

Eastern Celts
Imitating Alexander III
AR drachm, 1st cent BC
Stylized bust r.
Stylized Zeus seated l.
Kostial 947

stainless
[/TABLE]

 

Many of us have develop a speciality or focus are when collecting. I have developed a few over the years. One of my areas is the eastern denarii of Septimius Severus. There are a few of people who focus on this area but there aren't that many of us. Doug Smith, who posts here is a fellow collector in this area and his knowledge far outstrips mine. The advantage of specialising is that you can sometimes pick up things that others don't even give a second look at. The following coin is such an example. It isn't a great looking coin because the Imperial coinage from Alexandria at this period was quite crude in style in comparison to Rome but it does tell us something about the operation of the mint at this time.

Septimius Severus denarius
Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:– TR P IIII IMP II COS, Mars standing right, resting on spear and shield
Minted in Alexandria, A.D. 194
References:– BMCRE -, RIC -, RSC -. cf. RIN (Rivista Italiana di Nvmismatica Vol. XCVI (1994/1995)
2.59g. 18.71mm. 0o



So what is interesting about this coin?

We know that the production of denarii by Septimius Severus at Alexandria was short lived with coins being minted between early A.D. 194 and A.D. 195. This coin was likely produced in A.D. 194. With ancient coins we usually rely on the legends etc. to help us date a coin with any degree of accuracy. With this coin all that falls down.

The reverse legend here reads "TR P IIII IMP II COS" but at this date Septimius was COS II, TR P II and IMP III or IIII. The implication of this is simply that the mint had a denarius of this type but minted under Lucius Verus in A.D. 164, where this reverse legend makes sense and copied it by rote without adjusting the legends properly. This isn't the only type for which this occurred at this mint at this time either so the logic seems to hang together well.

As I said. This is the sort of coin that I wouldn't normally post here because most people wouldn't look twice at it in a tray but sometimes there can be something interesting there if you are willing to look.
Regards,
Martin

 

Thanks for the post MArtin. I think you will find many of us here just aren't the "window shoppers" that like pretty coins. I know this is extremely common with new collectors, but I actually appreciate, (and many others, Doug I know for sure but a lot of us), a good story, a good background, that turns ordinary coins into extraordinary ones. This is what I have found the further I go into ancients, that your favorite coins are not the pretty ones, but the ones with a great background. My favorite ancient is a VG coin minted under the Ostrogoths in Rome. Absent monetary considerations, I would not trade it for an Eid Mar, or any ancient gold or famous "pretty" coin. Its just way too cool of a coin on so many levels.

Chris

 

if that camera came, you should post a photo of it

 

Well you caught me. The camera came but still in the box. My 7 month pregnant wife has me fixing the house up I do not have much free time. Maybe this weekend.

Edit: Well that and finding it. I seriously have way too many coins I need to go through and organize. I was searching for just a single coin the other night and had about 1,000 coins scattered all over looking for it. At least I know I OWN this one, unlike so many others I own and don't know it. I know, such a bad problem, right?

 

I second that idea. Since I don't collect coins, I am only interested in the history that the coin represents. I doubt any of us will ever have a collection as beautiful as this one:

http://www.ancientmoney.org/

That said, whatever piece of Ancient history one holds in his hand is priceless. Let the modern people worry about coin grading and registries. Your "common" Roman coin moves me more than any MS-70 modern piece of modern metal [expletive deleted]. :thumb:


guy

 

Nice collection. I would say I know a man with a better one, but he is also renowned worldwide for his Roman Egyptians but I find his entire collection breathtaking.

I am quite positive, though, that short of winning the lottery mine would never approach either of them.

However, your collection is what you make it. I have seen fabulous, interesting collections the whole of which was not worth one of these "pretty" coins. Its the care in which you pick your examples, your knowledge, and the story they tell which really make a fabulous colelction to me. Anyone with a deep pocket can spend money on coins, only a collector can make those coins come alive I feel.

 

Despite 17 months since getting into ancients, I still dont have a "Specialty" & dont think I ever will. I have a soft spot for the empresses and that about it. If its common, rare, worn, or EF with luster, if I like it I buy it with price being the biggest factor. The only nono's I have are heavy deposits or very off center. I also dont have much interest in the Provincials.

@Bart, I agree. The whole condition census, registry battles and such is all silly to me. But I still enjoy U.S. and world coins.
Heck, 3 new U.S. coins I bought for upgrades arrive tomorrow:hail:.

 

Provincials will get you Mat, I can see that already. You like good artistry and interesting stories. Provincials have those in spades. The main problem with Provincials is attributions and the large geography they cover.

I am starting a Antioch provincial collection now. I love the river god scenes from there, and have a few already. Tyche is also an interesting subject.

My bet is within 2 years you will be into provincials and starting to find imperials a little boring, but still like Republicans. I will bet a VF Constantinian on it. Please feel free to collect on this bet if I am wrong.

Chris

 

Anyone that knows me knows I agree with Martin on what makes a coin worth collecting but his coins are generally nicer than mine. I have a couple to show here. First is the Lucius Verus that seems to have been copied for his coin.


Next is my poor example of the same thing. It is not a nice coin but means a lot to me because the late Roger Bickford-Smith once offered my a ridiculous amount for the coin but when I would not sell, we became friends and he taught me everything I know about Alexandrian Severus (at least the part known before his death).


... and perhaps less common is the same thing with the COS II rather than COS at the end of the legend. You need some sharp eyed faith to see the II but the COS is clear and the spacing is correct. Sure I'd like to have a mint state one but there are so many people collecting these now (maybe a dozen???) that the chance of me getting one is approaching zero.


Chris:
I have been very happy with a decision I made a couple years back to rephotograph every coin I own and catalog the images so I can find them. That means the coin itself can stay in the bank box or, for that matter could be sold, and the image is available when the discussion comes up. I have a number of coins that don't rank high enough that they get seen more than every few years (and I recommend a special box for coins on 'watch' for bronze disease) but the photos are enjoyable. I have seen more than one collection being carried photographically on an iPad or similar device making upgrade or duplication decisions easier. Technology works even when we are talking about things a couple thousand years old.

I wish you the best for a healthy child who rapidly develops a great interest in coins. I wish my dad had taken me to coin shows rather than out in the fields to watch the crop dusters fly over spraying DDT (seemed neat at the time).

 

Well the only Provincial that ever caught my eye in the past was a Philip I Commagene Zeugma for $40 in Long Beach in Feb but the obverse was pretty smooth. I passed on it and ended up getting lots of mexican silver, which I was happier to get.

There is a Mesopotamia, Rhesaena; Herennia Etruscilla, Eagle standing left within temple; rivergod swimming right below I found but its 3 figures...

Believe it or not I had a few back in april of last year but over time they ended up getting bronze disease that was spreading fast and im in L.A. no where near the beach so I dunno what caused it. I never learned about "baking" them till I unloaded them much later. So thats partly why I am not into them.

 

Just as an echo to Doug's post, here is my own COS II reverse of the type.



I have started rephotographing my own collection (again) after having finally found a setup that I am happy with.

Regards,
Martin

 

@Doug, tyvm for the well wishes. My luck he won't like coins at all. My dad's idea of a fun thing to do was to go wire more houses.

Its amazing how few other collectors it takes looking for something to drive up prices isn't it? There is a person selling central asian coins on Ebay, and I used to always win or be the underbidder. Two more people are bidding now and frequently I am getting skunked on the auctions. This is such a tiny little hobby one participant can really affect it.

@Mat, I wouldn't put off Provincials just because you got a bad batch. They most likely were found together and were already infected. I have quite a few stable examples, and I have not even looked for them that much. I just thought, as a group, they ideally suited what I can tell is your taste in coins.

@Martin, another cool coin. I have thought as well abotu photographing mine, but I like to hold them when I am interested in them. Pics would be good organizationally, but I think my problem is just too many purchases, too little organization time spent.

 

Beautiful coins to me. Never boring and always a learning experience.

 

There was a time when I could buy some of my Probus coins on ebay but the arrival of 3 or 4 new collectors with deep pockets priced me out of the market. One collector in particular was buying 80%+ of all the Probus coins that I was interested in.
I went about a year and a half without being able to buy a Probus coin from ebay.

 

Ive found a few sellers who start their bids...I guess you can say high but not 3 figure high and no one bids on them & I end up being the single bidder. Ive been very lucky as of late & whats nice is the free shipping. Its nice not paying $50-$200 on a forvm/vcoins and getting stuff in the $15-$35 range.

Some sellers that were cheap seem to have gotten really popular over the last year and now their coins go for more then retail. Kinda sucks.

@Chris, I am not completely shutting them out but I am in no rush. Too many imperials I would still like to get, as with some Tet. & republics.

I never thought I would give Byzantine a second glance but I saw a Constans II Half Follis from Carthage Mint that I really liked but sadly it was quickly sold.