Does anyone have any cool ancient or medieval gold coins they want to show off? I just recently purchased this beauty from Forum Ancient Coins about a month ago or so. It's a Byzantine solidus from Heraclius and his two sons and is the centerpiece of my collection (next to my Alexander Severus denarius) as of now. I believe I made a post about it when I first got it, but just in case.
Nice coin. A great deal of detail still remains on the obverse. Too bad the reverse is not as well centered. I do not own any gold coins whatsoever. Not because I don't like them, mind you. I just don't feel I can afford them. And for those that are affordable, I always find myself thinking "how many base metal or silver coins could I buy for this same amount". I guess I'm just cheap.
They posted alot of ancient gold a few weeks ago. Most I cant afford either or like Bing, rather have alot for the $ then 1 gold piece. Nice coin & congrats!
Yes beautiful coin indeed. I concur with Bing in regards to financial constraints, and being that I enjoy the finer Greek coins, I invest much of my yearly budget into the few expensive Greeks which catch my eye.
Thanks everybody! This will probably be the only gold coin I get for a long while, since like you guys said, they are expensive. I'm probably just going to stick with bronze and cheap silver in the long run. This coin in particular was a bit of a stretch for my typical budget, but it was worth it. The obverse is gorgeous in my opinion and was the main draw for me to get it, the reverse could be better centered, but I love it regardless.
Thanks They're a result of a lot of pruning over time - at one point, I nearly had a Twelve Caesars set in gold but I wasn't happy enough with a lot of the pieces, so I've sold/consolidated over the course of the last couple years. Now I'm a lot more selective in what I add in.
I have just one old gold coin at the moment and it was part of a large lot of Byzantines. Not the prettiest coin in the world but it's a start. Mick Jagger Constantine IV Pogonatus Constantine IV Pogonatus, 668-685 AD AV tremissis, 1.4 gm, 17 mm Constantinople mint Obv: DN CONSTANTINUS PPAG; Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev: VICTORIA AVGUS; cross potent; CONOB Ref: SB 1161
Wow, that's a beautiful new gold coin, Codera!! (congrats) => oh, and welcome!! ... I only have this humble ol' Greek offering (gotta love the animal coins, eh?) ... LESBOS, Mytilene. EL Hekte – Sixth Stater Circa 478-455 BC Diameter: 10 mm Weight: 2.48 grams Obverse: Ram’s head right Reverse: Incuse bull’s head right Reference: Bodenstedt Em. 27; HGC 6, 954
I bought these two Byzantine coins from Forum at the same time. Both have small amounts of graffiti on them. Heraclius AU Solidus Heraclius and Sons (Constantinople) Size: 20mm Weight: 4.31gm Catalog: Sear 769 Struck: AD 639-641 Constantinople I like the design of the king and his two sons. Focas AU Solidus Victory (Constantinople) Size: 22mm Weight: 4.43gm Catalog: Sear 620 Struck: AD 607-609 Constantinople Focas is always an odd-looking guy.
Ooh ooh! I do have one! I like to think of it as both ancient and medieval, seeing as how Anastasius ruled during, and having his reign start in, the beginning of the Middle Ages, but the style is definitely still ancient (late) Roman: Anastasius I, Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire AV Tremissis Obv: DN ANASTA-SIVS PP 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 exergue) Ref: SB 8 Width: 16 mm, Weight: 1.5 grams
pretty, pretty coins. no gold here. everntually getting a low end gold is..you guessed it...on my list.
Counting electrum, this is what I've got. Oh. I see I just resurrected an 11-year-old thread. Eh, why not. Give it some more sunshine.
I collect Modern Gold (worldwide). However, I collect Ancients and have a few Golds... AV PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Darios I to Xerxes II. Circa 485-420 BC. AV Daric (14mm, 8.30 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding spear in right hand, bow in left / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group A/B (pl. XIII, 27); Meadows, Administration 321; BMC Arabia pl. XXIV, 26. VF. Well centered and struck. Carthage - Zeugitana AV 1-10th Stater-Shekel 350-320 BCE 0.94g 7.5mm Palm- Horse Head SNG COP 132 Ottoman Empire Kostantiniye, (Istambul) Suleyman I (The Magnificent) (r. AD 1520- 1566) AV Sultani 20 mm x 3.36 grams Dated ( AH 926 or AD 1520) Obverse: Sultan Süleyman Shah bin Sultan Selim Shah, Azze nasruhu, dhuribe fi qustantiniyah , seneh (926)-(Sultan Süleyman Shah son of Sultan Selim Shah, May his Victory be Glorious struck in Constantinople Year (AH 926) ) Reverse:Reverse : Dharibun-Nadri sahibbul izzi vennasri filberri velbahr-(Striker of the Glittering, Master of Might Victory and of Land and the Sea.) Ref: Album -1317 Suleiman the Magnificent CE 1520-1566 AV Sultani Constantinople mint 1520 20mm 3.4g EL Africa, Zeugitana, Carthage EL Stater (also circulated as a Dekadrachm) Anonymous, BCE 310-290 18.5 mm x 7.27 g Obv: Grain-Wreathed head of Tanit left, triple-pendant earring and necklace; pellet before neck Rev: Horse standing right; two pellets below ground line Ref: Jenkins & Lewis Group V, 259–79; MAA 12; SNG Copenhagen 136 COMMENTS: Carthage was a Phoenician city-state situated in North Africa. Historically founded in 814 BCE by citizens of Tyre, it lasted until 146 BCE. During the 7th to 3rd Century BCE, the Carthaginian Empire covered much of North Africa and the Western Mediterranean. Carthage struggled through Greek-Punic Wars between 600-265 BCE over Sicily, and further, fought the well known three Punic Wars with the Roman Republic. The last Punic war resulted in their complete and utter destruction in 146 BCE. When this Stater was issued 310-290 BCE, Carthage was at the zenith of its power. It was during the Third Greek War in Sicily that Hamilcar, Grandson of Hanno had taken virtually all of Sicily. Syracuse was the last stronghold that Carthage did not control, and they laid siege. In desperation, Agathokles the Tyrant of Syracuse, lead 14,000 troops to the Carthage homeland in North Africa during 310 BCE. He won some victories but by 307 BCE Agathokles was completely defeated. This EL Stater may had been raised to finance the War with Agathokles, particularly when he invaded the Carthaginian homeland in North Africa. It was probably the first time Carthage was seriously attacked at home. The Electrum Stater, according to Jenkins was worth a ration of 10-1 silver to Electrum (Dekadrachm), during the reign of Agathokles. The production of EL Staters to finance Hamilcar's Army was critical for the successful defense of Carthage. The issue probably continued on during the height of Carthage's power and before the First Punic war with Rome. Japan Meiji Era AV-AR Ingot 1868-1869 Nibu Kin Samurai Shogun Paulonia Chrys
Purchased these two in May: Romanus III Argyrus AV Histamenon Nomisma Constantinople, 1028 – 1034 AD 24 mm, 4.39 g, 6h DOC III (Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Volume 3, p. 716), 1b.1; Füeg II 1.D.7.y; Sear Byzantine, 1819; Sommer 43.2 (six pellets on the hanging loros hem, usually with four dots but can be 5-8 dots) Ob.: ⧾IhS XIS RЄX RЄGNANTIҺM (Jesus Christ King of Kings) Christ Pantokrator with cross nimbus enthroned facing, raising his r. hand in benediction and holding the Book of Gospels in his l. hand. Rev.: ΘCЄ bOHΘ RѠMAҺѠ (O Theotokos, help Romanos) Romanos, standing facing, placing r. hand on chest and holding globus crucigerin his l. hand, being crowned and blessed by the Theotokos, nimbate and wearing pallium and maphorium. Seven pellets on hanging loros hem; M Θ, each with macron above in upper field. From the G. Savonarola Collection, purchased from Harmer Rooke, 1988. Picture courtesy CNG: Constantine X Doukas AV Histamenon Nomisma Constantinople, 1059 – 1067 AD 25 mm, 4.37 g, 6h DOC III (Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Volume 3, p. 767); 1a; Füeg II 1.A; Sear Byzantine 1847 Ob.: ⧾IhS XIS RЄX RЄGNANTIҺM (Jesus Christ King of Kings) Christ Pantokrator seated on square-backed throne, facing, bearded with cross nimbus wearing tunic and himation, r. hand raised blessing in sling of cloak, l. hand holds Book of Gospels. Double border of dots. Rev.: +KωN ΒAC Λ' O ΔOVKAC ΔOVKAC (Konstantinos Doukas) Constantine standing on cushion (suppedion), facing, wearing crown with cross and pendilia, and modified loros, holding labarum in r. hand and globus cruciger in l. Double border of dots. Picture courtesy CNG:
