Nominate your favorite affordable short set

With Randy’s recent post about completing a Constans mint set for Siscia, I thought I would start a thread that I’ve been thinking about for a while.

I am a goal-oriented guy. But I also like to set manageable goals. I would like to hear members of this group suggest their favorite short, affordable coin sets or "subsets." Here are the only two guidelines:

1. The set has to be manageable. Let’s use the “Twelve Caesars” as a guide and try to keep the set around a dozen coins or so, give or take.

2. The set has to be affordable. Of course, what is “affordable” might range widely among collectors. Let’s say that most of the coins in the set could be had for $100 or less, at least in lower grades.

Again, these are just guidelines. If you can conceive of a short set that has one somewhat pricey coin, go ahead and suggest it.

Obviously, the Twelve Caesars come to mind, though a couple of those coins are going to be hard to find for $100 even in low grades.

For me, I’m still trying to complete a set of “barbarian and hut” reverse type coins for Constans for the 13 mints that struck them. I’m still looking out for Arles.

So. What is your favorite relatively affordable short set?

 

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I think an Emperor like Gordian III or Philip I set of reverses (limited to a dozen or so reverses) for either denarius or double denarius. Most of the coins in any of those sets could be had for $60 or less.

There is the added bonus that eventually you can chose to go beyond 12 or so and collect the hole lot for each of those Emperors as the coins are relatively available and affordable. Even the rarities are not obscenely expensive.

I recently started working on Gordian III




Six coins for only $350. That's an average of $58.33 per coin.

 

- Roman Pre-Denarii DiDrachme and Drachmae
- Roman Pre-Denarii Litrae, Double-Litrae, Half-Litrae
- Each denomination of Aes Grave
- Representative coin of Pre-Denarii types: Aes Rude, Aes Grave, Aes Formatum, Aes Signatum, Rammo Secco, etc.
- Each of Alexander III 's Generals... Diadochi
- Each version of Achaemenid Sigloi

 

I have two sets, but neither is cheap. The first set is only just under half complete. There are a total of 27 coins in the set of which I now have 12:


Plus this one I recently obtained


The second set is the notorious 12 Caesars set, but several of the coins were much more expensive than the $100 limit:

 

Easiest, Julia Soaemias, if you like empresses.

3 coins, all way less then $50, for me.

Juno is the toughest to get.

Julia Maesa is another to assemble fairly cheap.


Julia Soaemias (218-222 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG
Draped bust right.
R: VENVS CAELESTIS
Venus diademed seated left on throne, apple in right, scepter in left, child at her feet.
SRCV 7720 RIC 243 RSC 14
3.6g
19.6mm


Julia Soaemias (219 - 222 A.D.)
Ar Denarius
O: IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVGVSTA, draped bust right.
R: IVNO REGINA, Juno standing right, holding scepter & palladium.
Rome Mint
19mm
2.64g
RIC 237, RSC 3, BMC 41


Julia Soaemias (218 - 222 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IVLIA SOEMIAS AVG, draped bust right.
R: VENVS CAELESTIS, Venus standing facing, head left, holding apple and sceptre; star in right field.
Rome Mint
18mm
3g
RIC IV 241 (Elagabalus); BMCRE 45; RSC 8

 

Right now I'm working on a Crispus camp gate set. So far I've got Arles, Rome, Trier, Cyzicus and Heraclea. A few of the mints have been a bit harder to find though, I just don't see many folks selling them. All have been less than 50 bucks and the Arles I got in an uncleaned lot for 2 bucks. It happens to be the most rare one I've got so far so that's a bonus.

 

i find the games interesting to

 

A budget set of ases of the first five emperors would be pretty easy. Could do one of Flavians and the good emperors too.




and here's is my updated FH 15/15 plus a barb. Not easy to complete though.

 

i keep it short]

 

You can complete a set of all the Byzantine Epigraphic folli for fairly cheap, there are about 22-25 coins in the complete series starting with Theophilus in 829 - until Nicephorus II in 969

I am about halfway done so far..

Here are all of my Constantine VII folli from Constantinople from when he took over for his deceased father in 913, until his death in 959. none were over $50..


1 Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus with Zoe. Struck 914-919.
2 Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus Struck 919-920?
3 Romanus I Struck 920-944
4 Constantine VII Struck 944-953
5 Constantine VII and Romanus II Struck 953-959 SB

 

wrong post

 

Lots of them:

A Galleria Valeria Follis from each mint
Saloninus Antoniniani
Crispina Denarii
Severina Antoniniani
A set of GLOR IAEXERC ITUS types of Constans or Constantius from each mint
A coin portraying one of each of Faustina Junior's or Julia Domna's hairstyles
A Follis of Justin and Sophia from each mint

 

Maybe the Tetrarchy. Go with Diocletian, Maximianus, Constantius I Chlorus, and Galerius.

Diocletian


Maximianus


Constantius I Chlorus


And no Galerius...

 

Pre-Denarii Litrae:

 

Achaemenid Sigloi:





Achaemenid Daric:

 

Pre-Denarii Didrachmae and Drachmae:

Roman Republic Drachmae:


Roman Republic Didrachmae:


Roman Republic Quadrigatii:

 

Well, crap. I am sorry, I did not see this until I posted some of the short sets that I am building.

@Bing is DESTROYING me on the Marcus Anthony set! LOVIT!

 

No worries. I'm really enjoying seeing the kinds of sets people work on-- even those out of my price range. I'm inspired to chase some of these empresses already…

 

I have a few ideas for sets. Some are easy some are not. Some are inexpensive, some are not.

Flavian emperors
The assassins of Julius Caesar
The year of the four emperors
The second triumvirate
The 2 Catos
The 10 most despicable emperors
Imperatorial enemies

 

Those are great!

I also like chasing:
- BCE Coins of Italia
- Carthage - non Punic Wars, and Punic Wars
- 216-211 BCE Capua under Hannibal's occupation
- Etrurian coinage
- Marc Antony
- Quinarius
- AR Sestertius
- Victoriatus