Magnus Maximus's Top 11 Coins of 2015!

Hi folks!
I had initially not wanted to do a "top ten" thread until the 31st of December, but as I am done collecting for the year I don't see why I can't hop on the "top ten" bandwagon.

Number 11
Homo Neanderthal.... I mean Ptolemy I on a Tetradrachm of Ptolemy X



Ptolemy X - Paphos Mint
Size: 26mm Weight: 13.19 grams
Obverse diademed head right, wearing aegis
Reverse: PTOLEMAIOU BASILEWS, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; L K (date) before; PA behind.
I will never get tired of looking at that obverse

Number 10
The last of the 5 Good Emperors, Marcus Aurelius

161-180 AD. AR Denarius (18mm - 3.62 g). Rome mint. Struck 165 AD. M ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS, laureate head right / P M TR P XIX IMP III COS III, Annona standing left, holding grain ears in right hand, cornucopia in left; modius to left, prow right. RIC III 142; BMCRE 371; RSC 484. Nice VF.
Though I focus on the Late Empire I do like to venture into the Principate from time to time; when I saw this denarius of the great philosopher Emperor, I had to have it!

Number 9
The Emperor who just wanted to prove himself in battle, Emperor Valens.
One of my first and favorite Siliquae from Trier.

Valens AR Siliqua. 367-375 CE
18mm
2.21 grams.

Number 8
Another Valens, though this one is from the Antioch mint

Emperor Valens. AD 364-378. AR Siliqua (1,84g). Antioch mint. Struck AD 367-375. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / VOT/ X/ MVLT/ XX in four lines within wreath; ANT. RIC IX 34b.1; RSC 96†e. Good VF.

Number 7
A coin from one of my favorite Emperors, Julian II.
Funny thing about this coin, this coin was sold before I could buy it but emerged on the market a year later. I promptly bought it.

Denomination: Silver siliqua.
Mint: Trier
Size: 16.8 x 17.7 mm. Weight: 1.87 grams.
Reference: RSC 157b
Grade: VF but cleaned. Multi-colored toning.
Obverse: Head of Julian II right, with DN CL JULIANVS AVG around.
Reverse: VOT V MVLTIS X in a wreath, with TR (branch) below.


Number 6
When this Emperor was my current age, he wiped out most of his male relatives in a bloody purge . If only I could do that

Constantius II AR Post Reform Siliqua
Antioch mint
355-361 CE

Number 5
Same Emperor, just a tad heavier.
I love this patina so much; it's also on Wildwinds!

Constantius II (337-361). AR Pre Reform Siliqua (20mm, 3.18g, 6h). Constantinople, 351-355. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. R/ VOTIS/XXX/MVLTIS/XXXX in four lines within wreath; C•Θ. RIC VIII 102; RSC 342-3j. VF – Good VF

Number 4
A common Emperor to get, but a RARE denomination to get him in.


Valens AR Argenteus!!!!!!!!
Constantinople Mint
2.79 grams
Fifth Officina
Thanks @John Anthony, you helped me out a lot on this one.
Number 3
The longest reigning Augustus in the Empire's history, this Emperor took the diadem when he was about 1.5 years old!!!



Silver coins of Theodosius II are almost damned near impossible to get without selling a few limbs, I was fortunate to get this coin at a bargain.
Thanks @Topcat7 , I owe you a pint!
Theodosius II AR Siliqua
Struck 438-450 CE.
1.66 Grams

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Great coins, alot of special ones at that. I like #5 most, mainly for the toning/look it's got.

 

It's always nice when you have a year where you can't pick just 10 top coins - it has to be 11!

 

+1

 

MM,
Super nice collection.

Doug Hill

 

Number 2
"There is nothing impossible to him who will try"~ Alexander the Great


Grade: VF
Catalog: Price 1503, BMC -, M.907, SNG Cop. 893
Material: Silver
Weight: 4.15 g
Diameter: 13.90 mm
Alexander III, (336-323 B.C.), Abydus mint, issued 328-323 B.C., obv. head of Herakles to right wearing lion skin with line border, rev. Zeus seated on throne to left, eagle in outstretched hand, figure of Hermes to left in left field, under throne monogram HH ligated, ALEXANDRO* to right.

This coin is just plain cool!
I like to think that it could have been held in the great Alexander's hands or perhaps by one of his men while on campaign.
Truly amazing!

Number 1( Sorta)
"Thousands of barbarians fight for me and receive rations from me".~ Flavius Magnus Clemens Maximus

and


Magnus Maximus AR Siliquae
1st coin

MAGNUS MAXIMUS AD 383-388
AR SILVER SILIQUA
Mint - Trier
Obverse : DN MAG MAXIMVS P F AVG
Reverse : VIRTVS ROMANORVM
18 mm 2.11g.
RIC IX Trier 84b, RSC 20a.
Nice portrait and good metal but a slight flan crack at one o'clock. Slightly worn die or flat struck on reverse.

2nd coin
Denomination: Silver siliqua.
Mint: Trier, 2nd officina
Size: 17.5 x 18.6 mm.
Weight: 2.05 grams
Reference: Sear-4201. RSC-20a
Grade: good VF, nice strike on a good flan with full inscriptions.
Obverse: Head of Magnus Maximus right, with DN MAG MAXIMVS P F AVG around.
Reverse: Roma enthroned, head left, holding a sceptre and a small figure of Victory set on a globe, with VIRTVS ROMANORVM around, and the mint mark TRPS below.

Defiantly deserving of the number 1 slot, these two obverse die matched Siliqua of Magnus Maximus are what launched me into my obsession with the Late Roman Empire, Magnus Maximus, and Siliquae.
Wow, what a year!
Making this list was very difficult but I think I did an okay job.
I would like to thank you guys on the Ancients board for putting up with me this last year and for being good honest people.

I would specifically like to thank @Pishpash , @SIliquae , and @Topcat7. Without them most of these coins would not be here on this list.

 

Wow, Mag Max => That's a very sweet group of Roman coins ... oh, and a Ptolemy and a Greek baby tossed-in for style points (well played)

 

Thanks guys!

 

Very good acquisitions for 2015

 

Beautiful coins MM.

 

A very worthy group. I don't know enough about the late Roman silver to pick one but the Aurelius #10 has a very nice portrait style.

 

A very nice group of LRS! Agree with Doug about MA portrait... the majority of them out there in silver from his years as augustus are not as good.

 

Thanks DS, Z.
I am not at all familiar with Marcus's portraits on Denarii; I will investigate!

 

How good was the silver quality of the late Roman siliquas? 90% silver, 80%, or less?

 

@Sallent From 337 to 367 Siliquae were 90-94% silver. Emperor Valentinian I raised the purity to 98-99% in 367. We can tell this by the addition of PS on the mint mark. PS means Pecunia Sacra or sacred money, which in context means "refined silver". This is very identical to the OB on Solidii mint marks as well.
Unfortunately this standard was not always met, one report showed that some coins fell below that standard and one Siliqua was made of base metal, though I personally think those are outliers.

 

I don't think I've seen so many siliquae in one place, outside of a vcoins search. Well-done!

 

In my day, I heard PS was thought to mean Pustulatum or purified silver.

https://books.google.com/books?id=K...page&q=latin term for purified silver&f=false

https://books.google.com/books?id=1...AEIJDAB#v=onepage&q=pustulatum silver&f=false

 

You are right Doug, thanks for the correction!
I am embarrassed that I forgot that, oh well I am human

 

Some killer coins!

 

+1

that's a fantastic silver lineup MM, and there isn't going to be another top 10 list quite like that one here at CT.

i knew who and what type the first place coin was going to be..and i was right...and right again!