What is your oldest coin?

What is your oldest coin?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Probably a Roman Republic coin. World coin is a 1770 8 Real from Peru , and my oldest US coin is an 1806 Draped Bust Half . Sorry I didn't crop the denarius , it's on a washcloth not a shag carpet .

 

probly the one in my avatar... around the year 198 AD

 

480-457 BC

ATTICA, AEGINA
AR Stater
OBVERSE: Sea-turtle (T-backed); head in profile
REVERSE: Large square incuse with skew pattern
Struck at Aegina, 480-457BC
11.96g, 20mm
SNG Cop 507

 

251-253 AD Roman antoninianus

 

The definition of what constitutes a coin is somewhat vague, but I'd argue that my earliest is this striated hekte, from ~650 BC:



Slightly earlier issues have no design whatsoever on the obverse and that begins to deviate from the conventional interpretation of a "coin". It has also been argued that the first "official" coin is the Lydian trite, being issued officially by a government with a set exchange value:

 

I am forever jealous of Joe's amazing coin collection

 

My oldest, probably slightly less old than the Lydian lion posted by AJ:


KINGS OF LYDIA, temp. Ardys - Alyattes
630-564 BCE
Electrum trite, 4.8 gm, 13.4 mm. Sardes mint.
Obv: head of roaring lion right, sun with four rays on forehead
Rev: two incuse square punches
Ref: Weidauer Group XV, 64; BMC 2

 

Persian Empire; Cilicia Tarsos; BC 380-374
AR Stater, 23mm/10.3g
OBV: Head of Arethusa, Patron naiad (water nymph) of Syracuse, facing slightly left wearing single pendant earrings and necklace
REV: Bearded head Left of Pharnabazos (or Ares), Persian military commander wearing crested helmet with raised ear flap.
(Price 2949)

 

North American origin: 1773 VA half penny
US Mint: 1793 Chain Cent

 

Lydia AR Siglos
560-520 BC
Lion & Bull (incuse square)

 

Mine are (of course) Constantine the Great, one minted in Rome and another in Siscia:









Well I am Byzantine collector, and when Byzantine era exactly begins is matter of discussion. However the best explanation one can give is that it was a gradual process beginning from Diocletian (around 290) until Leo III the Isaurian(around 720). I have decided that it started with Constantine the Great due to the foundation of Constantinople, which virtually made the Eastern Roman part survived for further 1000 years more than the Western part. - It was first until the Sack of Constantinople in 1204 accompanied with the invention of canon that sealed the death of Byzantine Empire.

 

Similarly a Lydian Trite.. Alyattes - Kroinnos.

 

My three (because all three are about the same period and I don't want to favor any) oldest are very modest in comparison to the wonderful coins we've seen above. The first one unfortunately, shows it's age...


Syracuse Uncia c. 420 BC
Head of Arethusa right, SYPA in right field
Octopus, globe above
2.55 gr, 14 mm
Ref : Sear #1184, SNG ANS 376 ff



Thessaly, Larissa, AE 20-22 400-344 BC
Head of the nymph Larissa facing
ΛΑΡΙ - Σ - ΑΙΩΝ parly retrograde, Horse trotting right
8.88 gr
Ref : Sear # 2131



Troas, Cebren, AE8 c. 400-350 BC
Head of apollo right
Ram's head right
1.1 gr, 8 mm
Ref : Sear #4071

Q

 

Sweet coins, Q => I have examples of all three of 'em (we must have fairly similar tastes, eh?)

=> animals

 

ok, gotta put the pic up cuz its time to change my avatar....

 

I have two slightly different versions of the same coin that are my oldest:


Iona-Miletos
Late 6th-Early 5th Century BCE
AR Obol (AR Twelfth)
9.5mm, 1.22g
OBV: Forepart of Lion l, head reverted
REV: Stellate Pattern within incuse square
SNG Kayhan 4627; Sear Vol2 3533

 

Iona-Miletos
Late 6th-Early 5th Century BCE
AR Obol (AR Twelfth)
10mm, 1.2g
OBV: Forepart of Lion l, head reverted
REV: Stellate Pattern within incuse square
SNG Kayhan 476-482; Sear Vol2 3533

 

this may be my oldest coin....


Ionia, Miletos, Late 6th- early 4th century BC.
1/12th Stater (1.2 gm, 10.5mm). Obv.: Forepart of lion left with head reverted right. Rev.: Starlike floral design in square incuse. SNG Helsinki II 285.

hey, we match aleg!

 

I think ours are ROARING at each other!!! Lefties and Righties!!!

Between us, we have a 4th of a Stater! That could buy some beers...