Just got an oddball batch of five LRB and medieval hammered silver from eBay for $10.50 that I wanted to run by you. The lot was not very well photographed or described but I found a few (mostly pleasant) surprises: *My favorite is that antoninianus of Postumus, which I found out was actually struck by Aureolus during the siege of Milan - I used a lot of "local" CT help - I found that Doug Smith has a page devoted to this - http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/feac75aur.html - and TJC posted some good stuff back in March - https://www.cointalk.com/threads/aureolus-striking-for-postumus.293221/ - thanks fellas! I had not been aware of Aureolus the Usurper - what an interesting story. This one is a bit off center and a bit rough, but it is pretty well struck and the die-work is on the upper end compared to a lot of the examples I saw online. The officina mark it just barely visible in the exergue (a "P" I think). Here are some better photos: *The one on the bottom left took some digging to figure out since it is like nothing I've ever owned. At first I thought it was a French or Crusader denier, but it is too small for that denomination. After poking around online I believe it is an obol (obole tournise) of Philip IV the Fair (any corrections welcome). It appears to have an error in the legend - RVX in lieu of REX (or maybe I am misinterpreting?). These appear to be somewhat scarce and I found several that sold at auction around $60-75. France - Obol Tournois King Philip IV the Fair (c. 1290-1295 A.D.) Tours Mint (?) + PhILIPPVS R(V)X, cross pattée / TVRONVS CIVIS, Châtel Tournois surmounted by a cross. Duplessy 226 - C.227 - L.231 (0.40 grams / 15 mm) *The one on the bottom right is an English hammered long-cross penny of Edward II (or I?). It had a bunch of white and green powder corrosion on it (bronze disease?). Much of it came off with water and my thumb (not a professional technique, but it worked - for now). I looked at crown types until my eyes crossed. I think it is a Class 10 based on the sloppy crown decorations - expert corrections again welcome. *The other two were fairly doggy fallen horseman of unknown type (I'm still looking) and a so-so Constantine the Great posthumous issue from Antioch, RIC 112, S, I believe. Going through undescribed lots like this might be my favorite way of collecting. Any other junky lots, surprises, new areas of interests? (Any medieval guidance would be welcome too).
I occasionally find interesting/ and or rare coins in lots; but it is often a tedious slog looking through all these coins. I recently got a nice Gallienus denarius in lot and found an VRBS ROMA with an unlisted workshop in this one-- and not too long ago found a previously unrecorded reverse type for Constantine I in a lot-- http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/VICTORIA/ ...but you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince(ss)
Nice lookin' lots there Victor - some real "princes" in there. I know what you mean about slogs (and kissing frogs, metaphorically speaking, of course). I only went for the lot I describe here because I saw some silver in it. I don't have the patience to go through a bucketful of crusty LRB.