What your budget buys -- $1000 - $1500 edition

Pertinax never comes cheap in any state of preservation but I "needed" one for my portrait gallery

After my first attempt to buy a specimen (for 650 USD) turned out to be a cast forgery (I was able to return that one thanks to this Forum), I got this example (ex Stack´s Coin Galleries Sale 17.07.2002, Lot 420) for 1050 USD (I wonder what it cost in 2002) which should be genuine as it passed the die analysis but I´m about to send it away for certification anyway just to be sure.



IMP CAES P HELV PERTINAX AVG - laureate Head of Pertinax right
PROVIDENTIAE DEORUM COS II S C - Providentia standing left, holding up right hand to large star, left hand on breast
RIC 22, BMCRE 28, C 52, Sear 6055, Banti 20, Woodward obverse die 11 and reverse die Prov.Deor I D and Pl. 12,1 (these dies)
Sestertius, Rome, ca. late Jan-28.Mar 193 (second emission of Pertinax)
30 mm / 21,06 gr

 

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This Macrinus Sestertius only cost me just a little more (1.150 USD in total, to be precise) than the Pertinax shown above, but it is miles above it in terms of preservation (NGC graded choice VF with Strike 5/5 and Surface 5/5) and even rarity.

This coin sold a year before at the August 2016 ANA Auction (Lot 20168, "lovely mahogany patina with lighter tones on the high points") for a lot less, but to me it was totally worth it.



IMP CAES M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right, seen from the front featuring a medium beard (Salzmann type 2)
PONTIF MAX TR P COS PP S C - Felicitas standing facing, head left, long caduceus in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, drapery over left arm
Sestertius, Rome, 1.Oct.-31.Dec.217 (second phase of second emission of Macrinus)
31 mm / 20,5 gr
RIC IV 139, Cohen 66, Sear 7386, Clay ("The Roman Coinage of Macrinus and Diadumenian") obverse die Nr.2

 

That is a beautiful sestertius, J-G!

 

I see stunners everywhere here

Again, I will have to check the last ten years to show you something in this 1000-1500 target.


Nero, Denarius Rome mint, AD 64/65
NERO CAESAR, laureate head of Nero right
AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS, Nero standing facing, holding branch and victory on globe
3,32 gr
Ref : RCV #1941, Cohen #45, RIC # 47



Vitellius, Denarius Rome mint, July - December 20, AD69
A VITELLIVS GERMAN IMP TR P, Laureate head of Vitellius right
XV VIR SACR FAC, Tripod-lebes with dolphin lying right on top and raven standing right below
3.43 gr, 16-18 mm
Ref : RCV # 2201var, Cohen cf # 110 et suiv, RIC I # 86 (this example illustrated in Wildwinds


Sorry for the poor picture on that one, it doesn't do justice to the coin

Valens, AE1 Aquilea mint, AD 364
DN VALEN - S PF AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
RESTITVTOR REIPVBLICAE, Valens standing facing, head right, holding standard and victory. SMAQP at exergue
8.55 gr
Ref : Cohen # 40 (100Fr), RIC #6b

Q

 

This one is my first ever denarius of the Civil Wars, 68-69.
It is a recent purchase from Leu Numismatic-June 2017. I had been looking for a representative denarius of the Civil War which ensued upon Nero's death. This example fit the bill perfectly.

Civil Wars, 68-69. Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 3.60 g, 7 h), uncertain mint in Spain, 68. BON EVENT.
Obv: Diademed head of Bonus Eventus to right.
Rev: ROM RENASC Roma standing right, holding Victory in right hand and long eagle-tipped scepter in left.
BMC 9-10. Cohen 396. Martin 52. Nicolas 49. RIC 9.
Rare and unusually nice, an attractive example struck in good silver and without the usual porosity. Very fine.

Cost: 1420 CHF

The following description from acsearch describes much better than I ever could the background to this issue:

''Issued by Galba as governor of Spain, in the disordered period before the death of Nero and the proclamation of Galba as emperor.

The civil wars at the end of Nero’s reign began with the revolt of the governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, Gaius Julius Vindex, probably around the beginning of March of AD 68. Vindex offered the leadership of the revolt to Servius Sulpicius Galba, then governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, who was hailed imperator by the Spanish legions at Carthago Nova in April of the same year. The title was cautiously refused, but Galba did declare himself the legatus of the senate and people of Rome. Just a month later, Galba’s confidence would be shaken by the crushing defeat of Vindex near Besançon by the general Lucius Verginius Rufus, governor of Germania Superior. By 9 June Nero was dead, having taken his own life. Galba began his march to Rome, and his brief reign was underway.

Coinage, of course, was needed during these precarious months of revolt and without an emperor to strike in the name of (save for that in honor of the “model emperor” of Roman history, Augustus), the coinage was struck with messages suiting the political climate.

The coinage under Vindex possesses a more aggressive air that underscores the militant nature of his revolt, while Galba’s tends to be more constitutional and optimistic in tone.''

This issue thus belongs to the spanish series, and was struck by Galba before his proclamation as emperor.

 

That seems to fit my description. Spending that kind of money has always given me heartburn. But as you stated, once the coin is in hand, the initial outlay is soon forgotten.

 

Your sons have a great dad! Mine would be envious! He will inherit nothing but old brass...

 

Another one that fits the bill, and I overlooked yesterday while browsing my sreadsheet, is the following. One more thing makes it special : i bought it on a 21st of april which is my wedding anniversary, and...the foundation of Rome's anniversary (I guess both aren't related and it sure wasn't the same year )


Octavian, Denarius Italian mint, possibly Rome, 31-30 BC
Anepigraph, bare head of Octavian left
CAESAR - DIVI F, Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath
3.84 gr
Ref : HCRI # 408, RCV # 1552v, Cohen # 66, RIC # 255
The following comment is taken from CNG, sale 84 # 957 :
"Following his victory at Actium, Octavian ordered a golden statue of Victory, standing on a globe and holding a wreath and palm, to be set up on an altar in the Curia in Rome. This statue had been captured by the Romans from Pyrrhus in 272 BC, and it assumed a somewhat tutelary mystique, protecting the Roman state from dissolution. In AD 382, the emperor Gratian ordered its removal. Two years later, the senator and orator Symmachus urged Valentinian II to replace it, a request that was met with stiff opposition from the bishop of Milan, Ambrose. Though it was briefly returned to its place by the usurper Eugenius, it was again removed following his defeat. Petitions to Theodosius I for its subsequent replacement were refused, on grounds that the once-important symbol of the gods’ blessing on the Roman Empire was now nothing more than a piece of paganism"

Q

 

Great looking coins
CILICIA, Tarsus Hadrian Tridrachm 117-18 AD Tyche36 viewsReference.
RPC 3, 3260; Prieur --; SNG France 1404; SNG Levante –.

Obv. ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΘΕ ΤΡΑ ΠΑΡ ΥΙ ΘΕ ΝΕΡ ΥΙ ΤΡΑΙ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟ⊏ ⊏Ε
Laureate bust right, slight drapery

Rev. ΤΑΡ⊏ΕΩΝ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΕΩ⊏
Tyche seated left on throne decorated with sphinx, holding palm frond and cornucopia; at feet, half-length figure of river-god Cydnus swimming left; all within wreath.

10.38 gr
25 mm
12 h

From the Olav E. Klingenberg Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 88 (14 September 2011), lot 1004.
Note from CNG
Most of the references do not distinguish the silver issues of Hadrian from Tarsus, but it is clear there are two distinct denominations. The heavier, at about 14 grams, is the traditional tetradrachm. The lighter, at slightly over 10 grams, is most likely a tridrachm.

 

Kingdom of Thrace, Lysimachos, 305 - 281 B.C., Portrait of Alexander the Great21 viewsReference. this is the only example of this type known to Forum; possibly unique
Unpublished variety; Meydancikkale - (cf. 2691, different controls, same engraver), Müller -, SNG Cop -, Thompson -, Black Sea Hoard -, Armenak -

Note. Thrace, Ainos (Enez, Turkey) mint, likely posthumous, c. 282 - 272 B.C

Obv.
diademed head of Alexander the Great wearing the horn of Ammon
.

Rev. BASILEWS LUSIMACOU
Athena enthroned left, holding Nike and resting left elbow on shield decorated with lion’s head, spear resting to her right; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, ΛΥΣΙΜΑΞΟΥ crowned by Nike to left, monogram in inner left field, monogram in exergue

16.503 gr
28.6 mm
180o

Note.
Barry Murphy identified the mint for this coin as Ainos, noting, "Not the same dies or the same monograms, but clearly the same engraver as Meydicikkale 2691."

A subject ally of Athens, Aenus provided peltasts at the Battle of Sphacteria in 425 B.C. and sent forces to the Sicilian Expedition in 415. It was in the possession of Ptolemy Philopator in 222 B.C., of Philip V of Macedon in 200, of Lysimachos in 283, and later of Antiochus the Great, who lost it to the Romans in 185 B.C., whereupon the Romans declared Aenus a free city. It was still a free city in the time of Pliny the Elder.

 

Here is one of mine
ex: Tkalec AG auction 2002/ bought for 1200 Swiss Frcs
AV Stater ND Istros Mint mint state
Mithradates VI King of Pontus

 

Paid 888 euro for this coin in 2016, which is approx $1000



Paid $1195 in 2016 for this owl:

 

Hadrian Denarius Roma 117 AD Hadrian & Trajan48 viewsReference.
Strack 1; RIC 2b Var.bust; RSC 1009b

Obv. IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER DAC.
Laureate bust right, slight drapery.

Rev. PARTHIC DIVI TRAIAN AVG F P M TR P COS P P
Trajan and Hadrian standing vis-à-vis, holding globe between them, and each holding a volumen.

3.12 gr
18 mm
6h

 

I do have a few in this range.


$1400 fees included (bid 1200)


$1050 fees included (bid 900)


$1000 fees included (bid 850


$1000 fees included (bid 850)

details in gallery, per usual.