Some of the coins I've picked up in 2015

I recently joined here and thought I'd share some of my collection. I mostly hang out on Reddit's /r/AncientCoins so any of you that frequent there have likely seen all of these. I've been pretty busy in 2015 so far, hopefully I can keep up for the rest of the year:

MACEDON. Under Roman Rule. Gaius Publilius, Quaestor. 148-146 BC. Æ 22mm (10.65g.) Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right. Reverse:GAIOU TAMIOU POPLILIOU legend in two lines within wreath. SNG Copenhagen 1320.
Image Credit: Rick Yifrach


Julius Caesar. 49-48 BC. AR Denarius. CAESAR in exergue, elephant right, trampling on serpent / Simpulum, sprinkler, axe and priest's hat. Military Mint Traveling with Caesar. Crawford 443/1 3.91g, 18.32mm.


Roman Imperatorial, Marc Antony, AR Denarius, 32-31 BC; Mint moving with Marc Antony; Obverse: ANT • AVG / III • VIR • R • P • C; Praetorian galley right, scepter tied with fillet on prow, E banker's mark in upper field; Reverse: LEG | XV, Aquila between two legionary standards, punch mark in left field 17mm, 3.40g Sydenham 1235; Crawford 544/30.
The picture is actually spot-on as far as color. This one is so dark you might think it's copper at first.


Nero AE As. NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP, laureate head right / PACE P R VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, S-C in upper exergue, the Temple of Janus, latticed window to left, garland hung across closed double doors on the right.
This variety is fairly uncommon, generally the S-C is in the fields to either side of the temple.


Trajan AD 98-117 AR Denarius Obv: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P- Laureate bust right, draped left shoulder. Rev: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI - Arabia standing front, head left, holding branch; at her feet, a camel. Exe: ARAB ADQ Rome mint: AD 112-114 = RIC II, 245


Trajan. AD 98-117. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.26g, 8h). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 110. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Roma standing left, holding Victory and spear. RIC II 115; Woytek 287b; RSC 68a.


Diva Faustina I. Died A.D. 140/1. Æ as. Rome mint, Struck ca. A.D. 146-161. Diva Faustina I. Died A.D. 140/1. Æ as (27.5 mm, 11.54 g, 5 h). Rome mint, Struck ca. A.D. 146-161. DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / AETERNITAS S-C, Juno standing facing, head left, raising arm and holding scepter. RIC 1155; BMCRE 1540.
Image Credit: Agora Auctions(http://AgoraAuctions.com)


Alexander III AR Tetradrachm. "Pella" mint. Circa 325-315 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus Aëtophoros enthroned left, holding eagle and sceptre; ΣΙ in left field. Mueller 1397. Price 236.


Illyria, Apollonia. Ca. 250-200 B.C. AR drachm (15.8 mm, 3.34 g, 5 h). Timen and Damophontos, magistrates. TIMHN, Cow standing right with suckling calf; ΓAK monogram below / AΠOΛ ΔAMOΦΩNTOΣ, Double stellate pattern. Ceka 115; BMC 14; Mionnet 19.
Image Credit: Agora Auctions(http://AgoraAuctions.com)


Alexander Jannaeus. 103-76 B.C.E. Æ prutah (16.2 mm, 2.74 g, 12 h). Legend between rays of star with eight rays within diadem / BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔPOY, inverted anchor. Hendin 1150; Meshorer TJC K.
Image Credit: Agora Auctions(http://AgoraAuctions.com)

I've got some very cool stuff on the way that I'll be sure to post later as well, including a nice diobol from Parion, Mysia, a denarius of Vespasian and some Ptolemaic bronze from the CNG auction that recently ended.

 

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Hey! I recognize that username. Welcome

 

A lovely, eclectic set!

 

Welcome, Sporky!

Looks like you're hitting some classics there. Nice!

 

Interesting and eclectic collection. Hard to pick out one I like the best. Perhaps the Nero.

 

Terrific selection !!!

Your acquired posts would amount to almost 6 months of careful (or lucky) bidding for me...hopefully, I'll be able to do as well soon.

 

I can't honestly tell you my favorite either. It changes just about every time I look over my coins or pick a new one up I think. For a decent while, however it was the Alexander Tetradrachm. I have been collecting for just under a year and that type was one of the first ones I really fell in love with after being shown one and told the history by a shop owner. Ended up being my first pickup of 2015.

 

A prutah of Jannaeus that exhibits ALL of the proto-Hebrew letters on the obverse is a special find.

 

Wonderful stuff. I like the trajans best.

 

That's exactly why I bought this one. I had wanted one for a while but couldn't quite find one I loved until I saw this one with good lettering.

 

The denarius of J. C. is an interesting choice. The fact that you bought it despite the huge test cuts speaks to your ability to look past the damage to the true numismatic value of the coin. I admit I'm rather immature about such things - it's not a coin I would have collected.

The legionary denarius is superb - I'm sure it set you back a pretty penny.

 

Yeah, I'm still seeking to put together a MA Legionary series. Legion X is one of those I do not own.

 

cool mix of coins RS...welcome!

the trajan with arabia reverse i think is my fav of the group.

 

That's actually legion XV. If you look very closely you can see a ghostly "V" there. Likely struck with very worn dies.

 

The test cut definitely hurts it a bit, but outside of that and the "flattening" that it seems to have caused on both sides, it is a fairly nice example for what I paid for it and about as nice as I can currently afford.

The legionary denarius was another example where, at least in my opinion, it was the nicest I could get for what I could afford. It was bought from a Vcoins dealer who had it originally marked at close to $400 and through mark downs and negotiations I snagged it for $195 shipped.

 

Well, I do own a Leg XV, but in very poor condition:

 

My two best are Leg XI and XX:

 

Nice work! I have similar stories about vcoins - watching a piece sit on the shelf for a few years until it gets marked down, then making an even lower offer. It's a great feeling to get a bargain on a nice coin.

 

Wow, nice job on that negotiating. Great price! Maybe I should have you negotiate some of my languishing Vcoins wishlist coins...

 

I usually set a max amount I'm going to pay for a certain coin well in advance and, when I find one I want I just tell the dealer that's all I've got set aside to pay for that coin and give them my word that if they'll take that offer within 72 hours I will buy their coin and pay promptly. That gives them plenty of time to consider the offer and forward my offer to the consignor if it's on consignment. I also specifically look for consignments when I can cause they seem to be willing to take even less than a dealer might for a coin that has sat for a while.