Hello all, its been a while, most of you probably remember me for my coins from the Indo-pakistan region, in which I "specialize". I recently started my masters in astrophysics, so have moved to Paris for a while. Coming here, I instantly got my hands into some of the auction houses and new variety of coinage that is available in europe. Would love to meet any fellow collectors who are also in Paris, or maybe at a future coin show here. I got these lovely romans from CGB.fr this month Previously I owned only one or two roman bronzes (one of which I got from venice a long time ago.) Phillip II Syro-Phoenician tetradrachm Date: 249 Mint name / Town: Antioch, Syria, Seleucia and Pieria Diameter : 26 mm Weight : 14,38 g. Obverse description: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip II Augustus facing right, seen from three-quarters back (A*2). Obverse legend : AUTOK KM IOUL FILIPPOS SEB, (Autokratoros Kaisaros Markos Ioulios Filippos Sebastos) Obverse translation: (Emperor Caesar Mark Julius Philip Augustus). Reverse legend: ANTIOXIA / S|C AT THE EXERGUAGE. Reverse description: Eagle standing left, wings fully extended, head to the left and tail to the right, holding a leafy wreath in its beak. Reverse legend : DHMARC - EX OUSIAS UPATO D Reverse translation: (Invested with tribunician power / Consul for the fourth time / with the agreement of the Senate of Antioch). Elagabalus Syro-Phoenician tetradrachm Date: 218-220 Mint name / Town: Antioch, Syria, Seleucia and Pieria Diameter : 25 mm Weight : 10,39 g. Obverse description: Elagabalus with laurel wreath facing right, a ribbon from the laurel wreath passing over the shoulder, a remnant of drapery in front and behind the bust. Obverse legend: [AUT KMA ... ANTwNEINOS - SEB] Obverse translation: Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus. Reverse description: Small-spotted eagle clearly standing right on a ground line, wings spread, head and tail to the left, holding a beaded laurel wreath in its beak, a six-pointed star between its legs. Reverse legend : DHMAR[C EX UPATO]S TO B / .D. - .E. Reverse translation: (Tribunal power, consul for the second time). I Love these provincial coins for their size and weight. Might get more. Elagabalus, Denier Date: 220 Mint name / Town : Roma Diameter : 17,5 mm Weight : 2,96 g. Obverse legend : IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. Obverse description: Laureate and draped bust of Elagabalus right, seen from three-quarters back (A*21). Obverse translation: “Imperator Antoninus Pius Augustus”, (Emperor Antoninus Pius Augustus). Reverse legend : LIBERTY AVG/ -|*// -. Reverse description: Libertas (Liberty) draped, standing facing forward, looking to the left, holding a cap in her right hand and a scepter in her left hand. Reverse translation: "Libertas Augusti", (The Freedom of the Auguste). Postumos, Antoninien Date: 268 Mint name / Town : Trèves Metal : billon Diameter : 20 mm Weight : 2,95 g. Obverse legend : IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG. Obverse description: Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Postumus right, seen from three-quarters front (A). Obverse translation: “Imperator Cæsar Postumus Pius Felix Augustus”, (Emperor Caesar Postumus, pious, fortunate, Augustus). Reverse legend : PAX AVG. Reverse description: Pax (Peace) draped, standing on the left, brandishing an olive branch in her right hand and holding a transverse scepter in her left. Reverse translation: “Pax Augusti”, (The Peace of the Augustus). Postumos, Antoninien Date: 263-265 Mint name / Town : Trèves Diameter : 24 mm Weight : 3,16 g. Obverse legend : IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG. Obverse description: Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Postumus right, seen from three-quarters front (A). Obverse translation: “Imperator Cæsar Postumus Pius Felix Augustus”, (Emperor Caesar Postumus, pious, fortunate, Augustus). Reverse legend: AVG. MONEY Reverse description: Moneta (Money) standing left, draped, holding a balance in her right hand and a cornucopia in her left. Reverse translation: “Moneta Augusti”, (The Coin of the Augustus). I dont have my dslr with me to take my own pictures, so ive shared directly from the auction. Let me know what you think, good start on romans?
When I was a student in Paris, in the typewriter era, I used to look for Roman coins at "bouquinistes" on the banks of the Seine. They usually sell old books and engravings, but three or four of those situated in front of the Hotel des Monnaies (the old Paris mint) also sold ancient coins. (not my picture) nothing here seems to have changed since the 1970s. I remember the first one I bought there, it was an antoninianus of Gordian III, reverse Iovi Statori. It was the first time I ever heard of this emperor. I bought from bouquinistes some other coins I still have : This sestertius of Commodus, for example, with a spectacular Fid. exerc. reverse. It is typical of the 2nd c. Antonine large bronzes you can find in France, very worn because they were introduced in Gaul in enormous quantities and circulated during a century, sometimes even more, to the 280s. Crossing the Seine, and the inner courtyard of the Louvre (no pyramid back then) we could get to the Rue de Richelieu where there were several specialized numismatic shops. My favourite was Maison Platt, I bought many Roman coins from there. A Caius Cassius denarius, Roman Republic, 130s BC, I acquired at Platt's. On the reverse, Libertas is in a quadriga, holding rod and pileus. I think it's the first ever representation of Liberty. In the late 18th c. the pileus became a Phrygian cap and Liberty was depicted not holding but wearing it. I still remember my juvenile enthusiasm when I went out of this shop wirth this coin. At the end of the street, past the National Library, there was the Jean Vinchon shop with breathtaking coins displayed in the window, like aurei, tetradrachms and patinated 1st c. AD sestertii in almost mint-state. I dared not entering there, it was not for my budget... Then we arrived in the Bourse area (the Stock Exchange) and the rue Vivienne, with other numismatic shops. I remember the shop of Claude Silberstein in which I bought this rare sestertius of Commodus with a medallion portrait : I remember I went to see Mr Giard at the National Library, to show him this coin. He confirmed it was very likely authentic, even though it was unpublished, and borrowed it from me to make a plaster cast. A similar one, from the same pair of dies but with SC added on the reverse, has been auctioned since, in the 2000s, by Gorny & Mosch.
I've collected quite a few old books and engravings alongside as well. I saw the bouquinistes but did not know they had coins too. I did look in the flea market of Saint Ouen. Thank you for sharing your journey of collecting coins through Paris. I've been to rue Vivienne many times now, mostly to collect my wins from cgb, here is a view of some of the coins that are on display in the windows of the shops. I also do not dame enter, as these coins are a whole other league (of budget). I just visited Maison Platt right now after reading your post. They did a renovation of their shop according to their website. I did not go in as it seemed I'd have to purchase something first and then enter. But here is what they had on their window.
