Ugly, but still loved

That is a great page Doug. Thanks for the link.

 

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I really don't think that some of the coins shown here qualify as ugly, but I always love when these threads come along and give me the opportunity to show off my uglies. I do love them all, if for no other reason than that they're mine.

A provincial of Elagabalus, or the surface of the moon?


I found this Nero of Ascalon in an uncleaned lot, but someone or something had gotten to it first.


Some wabi, some sabi, and perhaps just a touch of wasabi?


This as of Augustus was so ugly I sent it back to Rome and told them to keep it.

 

I think my Saloninus has food on it. Still I like its elegant state of decay - which is appropriate since this was from a time when the Empire was in a state of decay:

 

Nero AD 54-68
Ae as, 28mm, 8.2g, 6h; Lyons mint
Obv.: IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P MAX TR P P P with small globe at point of bust
Rev.: Victory flying left, holding shield inscribed SPQR, SC across

This one is probably my "ugliest" and I love it for a couple reasons: my first and so far only coin of Nero, it wasn't very expensive, and I had a lot of fun trying to attribute it.

 

While this coin can best be described as about fine, I love it because it is a dual portraiture coin, showing the emperor Nero and his second wife Poppaea. Poppaea died from an accidental kick by Nero in AD 65, after only 3 years of marriage (one of those fascinating stories of the Roman emperors).


Nero and Poppaea, minted after 62 AD in Alexandria, Egypt
billion tetradrachm 10.7gm - 23 mm
Obv: ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑΥ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ, rad. bust of Nero r., wearing aegis
Rx: ΠΟΠΠΑΙΑ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗ, draped bust of Poppaea right, regnal year before

 

I want this coin!! It has been on my wish list for several years, and is one of the oldest Roman Republican coins minted. So please let me know if you ever want to sell or trade. It is stunning!!

 

I must be different. I don't collect ugly coins. Never even thought about it.

 

Some of these coins are much too nice to go in an "ugly" thread. I suppose this is my cue to pull out this fouree mule...



Titus(?)/Domitian
Fourée Denarius, 19.5mm, 2.85g, 5h, Unknown mint: 82 or after.
Obv.: [T CAES]AR IMP VESPASIAN; Laureate head right.
Rev.: TR POT IMP II COS VIII DES VIIII PP; Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia.
Reference: Obverse possibly RIC II 225 (p. 40), reverse RIC II 32 (p. 157).
Notes: an impossible combination in the official issues.

 

This is not a problem that comes up to modern collectors who can buy anything they can afford. Ancients are a bit different in that even a billionaire needs to decide whether he would rather have a coin in less than perfect condition or no coin at all. I suspect that well less than half of the ancient coin types exist in grades over VF and a significant number of the best known coins are what you would call 'damaged'. Where we differ is that you select coins based on what comes in high grade while others select coin types they want in the grade they are found. Either works. When someone asks what you collect you can say 'Roman Republican' or you can say 'Mint States'. I wonder what the market effect would be if there were one year of silver dollar or cent that did not exist above Fine and that 99% were only Good. Would it follow the stamp collector market willing to pay millions for their damaged penny magenta?

 

Actually, that's very close to what collectors of the earliest US large cents have to deal with. In that respect, they are very similar to collectors of ancients.

 

My Ugly ! A nice coin struck in Scicia in name of Constant (337-340). NotInric, and in good silver, But the jeweler did not succeed in repairing it. He think it's maybe a work of a student in the mint of Sciscia, or a test. The same mesures like a Siliqua, that's why it is in my collection.

CONSTANT (337-350) - SISCIA

Silique, 337-340, Imitation
A/ FL IVL CONS-TANS[ P F] AVG
Flavius Iulius Constans Pius Felix Augustus., Flavius Jules Constans Pieux et Heureux Auguste.
Buste à droite, drapé et cuirassé, lauré et diadémé (Rosettes).
R/ VICTORIA DD NN AVG //SIS
Victoria Dominorum Nostrorum Augustorum, La Victoire de nos seigneurs augustes
La Victoire drapée assise à gauche sur une cuirasse et un bouclier, tournée à droite, les ailes déployées, écrivant de la main droite VOT/X/MVLT/XX en quatre lignes sur un bouclier soutenu par un génie (angelot) nu debout à droite, tourné à gauche .

Argent - 2.1 gr - 20.1 mm - 12h
NotInRic, NotInRsc

Fiche de la monnaie sur la base Siliquae