I am giving up coin collecting...

Well for starters, when you're reffing a football game, I'd use a different coin to flip for the kick-off. Hope that helps.

 

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I was searching for videos of solidii on Youtube when I came upon a few videos of Roman/Byzantine gold coins by one user. He carefully holds them in his gloved hands for a good part of a minute then he drops them on a wooden table!!! And not by accident; he clearly tips his hand to have the coin slide off.

At least you will be able to hear what an ancient gold coin sounds like...

 

That's a shame. As collectors, our highest responsibility is to properly care for the cultural treasures temporarily in our possession.

 

Awesome! ! I couldn't resist one myself and also took the plunge with this Justinian solidus. .

 

That is a gorgeous solidus. Congrats on a really stunning coin.

 

Thank you.. But ordinary compared to the others displayed here

 

Since I wasn't really satisified with the color of my solidus in my in-hand photo, and wanting to physically handle the coin as little as possible, I tweaked the overall color in PS to match more of what I see in hand (I'll give it more of a black background sometime in the near future).



I also found a useful webpage discussing the relative values of Byzantine coins. During the time of minting of my coin (c.542-565 AD), my coin was worth 180 folles and 7,200 nummi:

http://www.tulane.edu/~august/H303/currency/Justinian.htm

I know some of us probably have theories and fantasies about how exactly our coins were used (buried by a soldier never to returned from battle, used by Jesus or Augustus, etc.). I like to think mine was used to pay for the bloody wars of reconquest out west, either directly sent to a soldier on the front lines (most times, especially during the Gothic War, payment was long overdue and soldiers could have fought years without being paid, which led to the rampant problems of plundering and desertion, which in turn contributed to the dragging out of the conflict in Italy for two decades), or even to help pay for the manufacture and/or procurement of war material.

 

That's a sweet lookin' photo, Jango

 

Wow this coin went waaaayyy down in value!!!!

Even the most butt nummi can go for a $1, this could would be worth $7200 min.

Seeing as a great nummi could go for $100, $720,000

I wouldnt be such a shock considering a butt Folles is $15 - $2700

Or a great follis $300 - $54,000

 

Lessen learned here if you get a time machine and go back in time try to score as much small change as possible, fresh from the mint.

 

Hmmmm... FIRST Step: TIME MACHINE. Worth more that all coins combined.
SECOND Step: Go back and get all the coins... YUP, would do that purely for the fun/hobby. Time Machine technology would cover all money needed.

 

Yes, and when you brought it back, nobody would want it because it would be brand new, and they would be right. Then you would tell them about your time machine and they would call the men with white jackets.

 

Hang a nylon bag with the coins out side of the time machine as you travel back so they age properly. Thought about it!

 

AWESOME! Well done my friend! Well done!

 

At least you can still go to coins shows, with a travelling roof over your head, although be advised that this particular style of roof may bring a degree of suspicion upon yourself, and you can still have your collection safely with you!

BTW, an excellent choice for a first gold Byzantine.

 

Thanks! Certainly wouldn't have minded my Justinian solidus being my first gold coin but my Anastasius tremissis beat it to the punch

Anastasius, Byzantine Empire
AV tremissis
Obv: D N ANASTA-SIVS P P AVG, pearl-diademed, draped bust right
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM, Victory standing with head left, holding wreath and cross on globe
Mint: Constantinople (Mintmark: CONOB in ex; struck 491-518 AD)
Ref: SB 8
Width: 16 mm, Weight: 1.5 grams