Lord Marcovan Giveaway Prize List (for my "pick your prize" contests)

This is a listing of available prize options for my monthly "pick your prize" giveaways.

To enter one of these contests, read this thread first, and pick a prize you like. Then click here and go to the most recent "pick your prize" contest seen on the list. You may enter the contest there.

Keep scrolling through this thread to see everything that's on offer. Pick one item for your monthly contest prize choice.

Items initially posted to this thread are in chronological order by age. Later additions will be in no particular order.

 

(Fossil) Prehistoric (Miocene) shark tooth, Hemipristis serra- extinct "Snaggletooth” shark


This is a tooth from Hemipristis serra, an extinct species of weasel shark from the Miocene epoch, 23.03 to 5.33 million years ago.
It was found in spoil material dredged from the bottom of Saint Simons Sound in Glynn County, Georgia, USA, and was unearthed personally by me or one of my friends.

This is a nice example with glossy surfaces and just one small chip on the tip. The prominent serrations of this type of tooth are quite noticeable on this one.

This tooth measures 34.8 mm (1.37 inches) slantwise, making it a reasonably large example for the species.

I believe the type is relatively scarce overall, though I have been fortunate enough to find several of them in my locality.

Caveat: I am not a fossil expert- most of what I know about fossil shark teeth is from researching the ones I have found.

 

(Fossil) Prehistoric (Early Miocene to Early Pliocene) Megalodon shark tooth, St. Simons Sound, GA



This is a tooth from the famous monster Megalodon shark, a species of extinct giant mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago, between the Early Miocene and Early Pliocene eras. They were among the largest sharks ever known to have existed.

This fossil came from spoil material dredged from the bottom of Saint Simons Sound in Glynn County, Georgia, USA, and was found by one of my friends.

The tooth measures 66.3 mm (2.61 inches) slantwise. That makes it only a small- to lower-medium sized example for a Megalodon tooth, some of which can get to be quite large. Examples over four or five inches long can be expensive, and examples from six to seven inches exceedingly so. Though not as enormous as some, this particular example is still respectably large and heavy enough that you could use it for a paperweight.

It has lost one corner- that often happens with bigger fossil teeth that came up through a dredge. But it is in otherwise decent condition, with nice surfaces.

This tooth would have come from a shark that was perhaps the size of a delivery van!

The Megalodon is of course legendary, and their teeth are very popular with collectors. They used those teeth to eat whales, and other marine mammals.

Caveat: I am not a fossil expert- most of what I know about fossil shark teeth is from researching the ones I have found.

 

(2 artifacts) Native American stone projectile points



I know very little about these. I assume they are quite ancient, perhaps even prehistoric? But that's only a guess.

I suppose the smaller point was an arrowhead while the larger one might have been a spear point.

The larger point was reportedly found by a deer hunter in 2020, near Valdosta, Georgia. I have no provenance on the smaller point except that it came from a Georgia collection.

Both ex-Rick Keefe, Brunswick, Georgia.

Postscript: Member "Vytis" on CoinTalk suggests that the larger piece may be either a South Prong Creek or Alachua Stemmed point due to the serrations, shape, and South Georgia find location. If true, this would make it about 3,000 to 6,000 years old.

 

Greece (Ionia, Miletos): ca. 550-490 BC silver 1/12 stater; lion and stellate pattern



This is a small silver twelfth-stater coin from Miletos (Miletus), an ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia, in what is now modern Turkey.

It is very early and dates to the Archaic period, around five to five and a half centuries BC, not much more than a century after the dawn of coinage.

The obverse portrays the head of a roaring lion and the reverse has an incuse punch, as many Archaic coins did; in this case, an ornate stellate pattern.

Diameter: 10 mm. Weight: 1.00 g.

Ex- Ephesus Numismatics, 2 December 2024, with their tag.

 

Greece (Phrygia, Apamaiea): ca. 88-40 BC bronze Æ17, turreted head of Tyche



An ancient bronze coin from the 1st century BC Greek city of Apamaiea (Apamea), in Phrygia, located in what is now modern Turkey.

The obverse bears a portrait of Tyche wearing a mural crown. The reverse portrays the musical satyr Marsyas playing an aulos (double oboe). The coin has nice earthen patina.

Obverse: Turreted bust of Artemis-Tyche right, bow and quiver over shoulder.

Reverse: Marsyas advancing right, playing aulos; meander pattern below.
Diameter: 17 mm approx., Weight: 3.90 g. Struck circa 88-40 BC.

Reference: HGC 7, 674.

Ex-David Connors, VCoins, 2 December 2024.

 

(Artifact) ca. 1-400 AD Roman bronze bracelet



This is a bronze bracelet from the Roman Imperial era, circa 1st to 4th centuries AD. From its small size, it was likely worn by a child or a dainty woman.

It has natural patina from being excavated, and traces of diagonal decorations show.

Provenance: Dr. Mark E. Reid, dba The Time Machine, from his booth at the 2025 FUN show in Orlando, Florida. With his label.

 

Roman Empire: ca. 164-182 AD silver denarius of Lucilla, wife of Lucius Verus



A Roman silver denarius of Lucilla (b. ca. 148-150 AD, d. 182 AD). She was the wife of the emperor Lucius Verus, who ruled from 161-169 AD. She was killed by command of her brother, the later emperor Commodus, in 182 AD, after being implicated in a failed conspiracy to assassinate him.

Obverse: bust of Lucilla, facing right.

Reverse: Juno Lucina seated, facing left.

18.2 mm, 2.76 g.

Ex-World Coins of South Florida, from their table at the January 2025 FUN show in Orlando.

 

Roman Empire: ca. 177-192 AD silver denarius of Commodus, Roma reverse



A Roman silver denarius of the emperor Commodus, who ruled from 177-192 AD.

Obverse: young, beardless bust of Commodus, facing right.

Reverse: Roma standing, facing left, holding Victory in her hand.

17.7 mm, 2.31 g.

If you're interested in pop culture, the emperor Commodus, played by actor Joaquin Phoenix, was the villain in the 2000 Ridley Scott film Gladiator. It's not the most historically accurate portrayal, but it's entertaining. The historical Commodus was indeed reputed to be rather villainous.

Ex-World Coins of South Florida, from their table at the January 2025 FUN show in Orlando.

 

Crusader States: ca. 1163-1201 AD silver "helmet" denier of Bohemond III of Antioch



A medieval hammered silver "helmet" denier of Bohemond III, Prince of the Crusader State of Antioch. He was also known as "Bohemond the Child" or "Bohemond the Stutterer".

Obverse: Mailed and helmeted bust left; crescent left, star right.

Reverse: Cross pattée; crescent in one quarter.

Diameter: 18 mm. Weight: 1.03 g.

Ex-Ephesus Numismatics, 9 December 2024, with their tag.

 

(3 coins) 1474-1992 Spain & USA: trio of Christopher Columbus-related coins



This is a 3-piece lot of coins relating to Christopher Columbus and the European discovery of the New World. One of them is from Columbus' own time.

Coin 1 is a circa 1474-1504 AD billon blanca coin of Ferdinand & Isabella, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, who financed his expeditions to the New World in the 1490s and early 1500s. Diameter: 18 mm.

Coin 2 is a United States 1893 silver Columbian Exposition commemorative half dollar. Its type is Numista-4396. While this 1893 issue is more common than the 1892 of the same type, this is a handsome About Uncirculated example.

Coin 3 is a United States 1992-S clad proof Christopher Columbus Quincentenary commemorative half dollar. Its type is Numista-24510. The San Francisco Mint struck 390,154 proofs of this type. The faint scuff marks seen in the pictures are mostly if not all on the plastic of the mint capsule, not the coin itself.

This could be an entertaining and enjoyable lot for students or teachers.

 

Hungary: 1540-KB silver denar of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor



Obverse: coat of arms, * FERDINAND · D · G · R · VNG * 1540 ("Ferdinand, by the grace of God, King of Hungary").

Reverse: crowned Madonna with child in her right arm divides mintmark, PATRONA * * VNGARIE ("Patroness of Hungary").

Kremnica mint (K-B mintmark).

Fun early-dated silver and a decent example of this often crudely-struck issue. The date is clearly visible on the flan, and the reverse features the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

Ferdinand I was King of Hungary from 1526 to 1564, and later Holy Roman Emperor.

Donated by Louie Joó (aka "tibor" on CoinTalk), December, 2024.

 

Spain: 1721-J silver real of Philip V, Seville mint



Numista-41559. KM-306.2, Calicó-1451.

A silver one-real coin of Philip V of Spain. Medium grey toning. Struck at the Royal Mint of Seville.

Ex-World Coins of South Florida, from their table at the January 2025 FUN show in Orlando.

 

(2 coins) India (Madras Presidency): 1808 copper 10- and 20-cash coins, Admiral Gardner shipwreck



Two copper cash coins (a 10-cash and a 20-cash), both salvaged in 1985 from the shipwreck of the Admiral Gardner, an East Indiaman ship which sank off the coast of England on January 24, 1809, carrying with it most of the original 1808 mintage of these coins, which had been on their way to India.

The coins were struck for the Madras Presidency in British India.

The 10 (X) cash is Numista-42953 and KM-320.

The 20 (XX) cash is Numista-43218 and KM-322.

Both coins do show some seawater corrosion, which is fairly typical on these. To mitigate that somewhat, they do both come housed in a nice information booklet which was produced by Rare Coin Investments in Berkshire in the United Kingdom.

Ex-World Coins of South Florida, from their table at the January 2025 FUN show in Orlando.

 

United States: 1841 copper Braided Hair large cent



Numista-982.

A decent, even brown circulated example with nice detail and no major distractions.

 

United States: 1853 copper Braided Hair large cent



A midgrade example- I would estimate Fine details- with a few very minor rough spots but an interesting (and I think appealing) brick red patina. These photos aren't the best.

Purchased at the 2025 FUN show in Orlando.

 

United States: 1895 silver Barber quarter



An early date Barber quarter with a pleasing original look and no major distractions. About half of LIBERTY is visible on the headband.

Ex-eBay, 12 December 2024.

 

United States: 1896 silver Morgan dollar



A higher-grade (near Mint State), mostly-white example with cartwheel luster. Sorry the edges of the images got cropped a little too closely.

Ex-@Randy Abercrombie.

 

Philippines (US Insular Government): 1908-S silver peso



Numista-4634. KM-172.

A silver Philippine peso (.800 fine, .5144 oz), issued under United States administration. During the Insular Government from 1899-1935, the Philippines were an unincorporated US Territory.

This coin was struck at the old US Mint in San Francisco. It has slightly mottled medium grey toning and strong details.

I would estimate it to be About Uncirculated (AU50 or thereabouts).

Ex-World Coins of South Florida, from their table at the January 2025 FUN show in Orlando.

 

United States: 1917 silver Walking Liberty half dollar



Numista-4455.

A handsome circulated example of this early date Walking Liberty half dollar.

Acquired at the 2025 FUN show in Orlando.