Ugly, but still loved

I'm curious to see the ugly coins that you love, and why you bought them.

Here's mine:

DIDIUS JULIANUS AR silver denarius.
IMP CAES M DID IVLIAN AVG, laureate head right. Reverse - P M TR P COS, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder on globe & cornucopiae. RCV 6073. 17.5mm, 2.7g.

I love it because it's Didius Julianus, the guy who bought the throne - an infamous episode in Roman history. Also, because it's hard to get a high grade coin of his, so this will do for now.

 

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^Nice, congrats.

Wont win any beauty contests but was in my budget.


Aquilia Severa (221 - 222 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IVLIA AQVILIA SEVERA AVG, draped bust right.
R: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing half left, sacrificing from patera in right over lit altar, double cornucopia in left, star left.
Rome 221 A.D.
19mm
3.2g
RIC IV 226, BMCRE V 184, RSC III 2, SRCV II 7679

Die Clashed Reverse

 

Nice. I need an Aquilia Severa. Wasn't she the vestal virgin Elagabalus married?

 

Yup!

 

Here is mine, a denarius of Tiberius. I love this coin because of the reverse. The quadriga reverse is very nice. I also like it because it is not the tribute penny. No offence to those who like them but I think that the quadriga reverse is more interesting.
Yes, it is a little rough looking. Surprisingly it actually looks much better in hand. The portrait is not nearly as rough as the photo makes it appear. I was pleasantly surprised when I received this coin. However, I will concede that some will think it ugly.

Also, thanks Greg for starting an interesting thread.

 

Your reverse certainly has appeal. People buy not-so-pretty coins for a variety of reasons. As i'm a one-per-emperor collector, as long as i like the obverse portrait, i don't mind if the reverse isn't great.

 

Those coins look pristine compared to mine. I can compete in this, heck I may be king of the ugly.
I buy some ugly coins to fill holes to upgrade later which never seems to happen.

Nero Æ semis, Lyons A.D. 54-68, Urn and wreath on table.

 

here's an ugly chach coin, i don't know if i love it, but i like it.

 

She was his second and fourth wife.

@Greg Heinrich, if that's your ugliest, you are doing pretty well!

Wowie, @WDF, yours is definitely a strong competitor! Yours too, @chrsmat71

I have many suitable candidates for the Ugly But Loved category.

Why did I want this ratty coin? Because I wanted something from Sparta . Maybe someday I can buy a Spartan royal issue but they are very scarce and pricey. If I ever do get one, it will likely be a bronze issue and in even worse shape than the coin below. This triobol was struck centuries after Sparta's heyday.

LACONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta)
80-50 BCE
AR triobol, 2.29 gm
Obv: Head of Herakles right
Rev: Amphora; to each side, caps of the Dioscuri; all within laurel wreath
Ref: BCD Peloponnesos 868

 

Cilicia Ninica-Claudiopolis AE37 (w c/m)
Severus Alexander with Julia Maesa

 

I don't remember that one, Steve-O. Would you post both sides and the attribution, pretty-please?

 

I posted the 2nd side, my dear ...



Here is the whole coin-thingy ...

CILICIA, Ninica-Claudiopolis
Severus Alexander, with Julia Maesa, Æ37
AD 222-235
Diameter: 37 mm
Weight: 17.83 grams
Obverse: , draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right; c/m’s: Nike, holding wreath, standing right within oval incuse (3) and six-pointed star
Reverse: Laureate / Draped bust of Maesa right
Reference: SNG France –; SNG Levante –; SNG Levante Supp. 167 (same obv. die); for c/m’s: Howgego 262 and 451
Other: 6h … Fine, dark green patina.Rare
From the Kelly J. Krizan, M.D. Collection

=> yah, it's a pretty gnarly and tough lookin' coin, eh?!! (and fricken BIG!!)

 

Well, like most of us, I have quite a few 'unattractive' examples and a few near 'culls' from way back in the day ....but this As of Tiberius hits high on the ugly scale and it's not even a mint error/restrike. If it wasn't one of the very first I collected, I'd probably have far less fond memories of it LOL

 

*moooo*

 

I prefer not to collect ugly coins unless they have redeeming values including rarity that keep me from having a nicer example. Rather than typing a lot here, I'll post links to two of my pages that cover the question. In 1998, I posted a page showing coins I considered collectible even though they are ugly. Two of them are, to the best of my knowledge, unique and, therefore, the best known. Please show me photos if you see another of them.
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/feac59ugl.html

Of the bunch, I singled out one coin on the first link above as the most common coin on that page but I consider it ugly in a nice way. It was hammered through with an iron nail but still has good reverse detail of the popular comet type. Augustus, on the other hand, did not do so well.


This year, I posted my page on Wabi Sabi Ancients:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/wabisabi.html
Many are a bit ugly.

I have shown all of these coins before but I hope some will follow the links to see the others.

 

I love this coin. It is UGLY, but GORGEOUS to me. The Romans were just beginning to strike Silver in 280 BCE, and mainly struck Didrachm to trade with the Southern Italy Greek Cities (Magna Graecia). The Quadrigatus style Roman Didrachm (225-215 BCE) is well known, but the several designs PRIOR to that are difficult to find...


Roman Republic
AR Didrachm (Pre-Denarius Coinage)
275-270 BCE (Rare)
17.7 x 20.7 oblong strike, 7.3g
OBV: ROMANO, laurel head of Apollo l
REV: Horse galloping r, star above
Crawford 13/1; Sear 23

These were struck as a response to Pyrrhus' invasion of Italy at the behest of Tarentum. He was King of Epirus 306-302 BCE and 297-292 BCE; King of Macedonia 288-285 BCE and 274-272 BCE; and King of Syracuse 278-276 BCE... Known for the term "Pyrrhic Victory" during his battles with Rome. Even though the battles were won by him, the Romans inflicted such losses on his armies that he could not ultimately sustain war with them.

Mine is ugly, but loved for its rich history!

 

I have been fascinated to find authentic Spartan iron trading bars from the time of their heyday! However, I am not sure if they are available... GREAT coin!

 

Hmmm, 'Al', it seems I have found another 'issue' on which to disagree.

I don't find that Didrachm ugly at all---merely showing her age and gracefully at that!!

My As of Tiberius is UGLY to the bone!!!

 

LOL, Naw, Tiberius just has been overly loved by TIME!

 

LOL----That's a very polite and diplomatic way of putting it....