Before we wrap up the year, I thought I'd test the collective tolerance of the board with yet another list . Here are ten random coins that are new to newish arrivals that I haven't shared here before... CLAUDIUS GOTHICUS. Milan mint. AE Antoninianus. Ex Finn Johannessen Collection The former owner was a Claudius II specialist who recently dispersed his collection in a series of CNG sales. Many goodies were to be had for those who were interested. This one comes from a couple of ten-coin lots I won. The ragged flan and worn obverse legends are typical, but I think the portrait is rather nice and the sharp reverse quite extraordinarily so. CONSTANTINE I. Trier mint. AE Quarter Follis. Ex Mazzini Collection A rare quarter-follis of Constantine as Caesar. I like these less common vota types and this was nice find for me with plenty of eye appeal and an excellent provenance to boot. VESPASIAN. EGYPT, Alexandria. AE Obol. Horus-Falcon reverse I've always wanted a Horus-falcon reverse, and this one appeared in the auction where I had just won the coin that would be my #1 of 2017. As is often the case, I reasoned that one coin won needs a second to accompany it on the long flight to its new home. I'm sensitive to the needs of my coins that way . MAXIMINUS II. Alexandria mint. AE Follis. Ex Dattari Collection This Maximinus II came from one of a series of Jesus Vico auctions this year offering non-Alexandrian coins from the Dattari collection. Hmmm, actually, this one does come from the Alexandria mint, but it's not one of the Alexandrian Alexandrians we typically associate with the Dattari collection... by which of course I mean the provincial Alexandrians... ugh, nevermind, it was just a sweet coin that I had to have, okay?? PAPHLAGONIA, Amastris. Temp. Mithradates VI. AE29. Perseus and Decapitated Corpse of Medusa Most of the corpse is lost to a flat strike, and Medusa's head is very tiny and worn, but it came from a group lot I won quite cheaply and I didn't have one of these from Amastris yet. I may start trying to form my headless harem in earnest now. HERENNIA ETRUSCILLA. CILICIA, Tarsus. AE29 and AE30. Corrected obverse die I thought these two big bronzes from Cilicia were interesting on their own, but I found them really interesting as a matched couple. They were sold in the same auction and nobody else wanted them, so I picked both up at their starting prices. Both share the same obverse die, and as the cataloguer put it in his description of the second coin, "the error ANNIAN in the legend of this obverse die, present for example on the preceding lot in this sale, has here been corrected in the die to ЄPЄNNIAN." MACEDON, Terone. AR Tetrobol. Just a cool little Greek silver that was affordable, a little unusual, and that had a oinochoe (wine jug) on the obverse. I don't drink wine, but I do like coins with drinking receptacles on them! MAXIMIANUS. London mint. AE Follis. Ex Eng Collection For me, this one had a lot going for it... a strong portrait, London mint, a box-check for second reign of Maximianus, and last but not least, an ex @Eng pedigree (where are you, buddy?). JULIA DOMNA. Rome mint. AR Denarius. Ex A.K. Collection A few members here were showing their example of this reverse type a few months ago, and I just instinctively went into Coinstalker mode . It didn't take long for me to hit the button and now I have what is probably my second favorite Julia Domna coin. That's it for now! I may not get to share another new coin before the year closes, but I'm fairly certain I'm not the only one who's bought more coins in 2017 than they've gotten around to posting, right? So, if you have a few you haven't already shared with us, feel free to post 'em!
As always, @zumbly' all of your coins display substantial eye-appeal...and very interesting devices!! I have a few probable 'stragglers' still pending but I wont know for sure until a few more days.... So, here's two I recently purchased and just posted once or twice as a 'pile on' in other threads----one is a Stevex6 purchase that looks fantastic in hand and another from A-Noob that also appears better in hand: Obverse : Head of Poseidon right, wearing oak wreath; monogram to left. Reverse : Artemis, holding bow, seated left on prow; dolphin left; star surmounting akrostolion; two monograms right. Date : circa 168-120 BC Diameter : 18.66 mm Weight : 4.20 g References :BCD Thessaly II 415.2 Notes : Ex BCD Collection (CNG 395, 12 April 2017), lot 78 Kingdom of Thrace and Pontus Thrace, Odessos Mithradates VI Eupator (Megas) AR Tetradrachm (s.BC 83/2) 30 mm x 15.70 grams Obv. Head of Mithradates VI as Alexander III as Hercules wearing Lionskin headdress right. Rev. Zeus enthroned holding a Scepter and holding an Eagle out stretched. Greek script- BASILEWS / ALEXANDPOY. LAKW in left field. WDH in ex. Ref. Price 1193 Quote from a similar coin at auction...... "Mithridates of Pontus VI (r. 120–63 B.C.) was the last of the Hellenistic kings to fend off the encroaching Romans. He issued this coin during his temporarily successful military campaign to free Greece from Roman rule. Like others before him, Mithridates purposely adopted the tousled hair and fierce gaze of the young Macedonian king. However, at the time this coin was struck, Mithridates was about 50 years old, demonstrating that well over two centuries after Alexander’s death, his portrait was still the archetypal image for kings.'
Those Etruscilla coins were really cool and I saw them in the Berk catalog -- after the auction had closed. I'm glad they went to a good home!
@zumbly , you NEVER have to test the CT tolerance for me! I ALWAYS enjoy your posts and the coins you put on display! Always great stuff. Here are a few of my "stragglers" that have come in recently that I don't have the opportunity to post (most folks really do not collect some of my oddball niches... ) I had this made into a NECKLACE (its original purpose!) and giving to my wife for her Birthday in 2 weeks: In Ancient times Egypt, Scarabs had a hole drilled from end to end (even the Jeweler was amazed by mine being drilled!), so that it could be made into a necklace. Scarabae were good luck talismans. Mine will have a White gold shaft run through the Scarab hole (no drilling or changing the Scarab - just a white gold bead soldered at the bottom of the shaft), and will loop onto a White Gold Chain. Kinda cool 3,500 year old Birthday Gift... Egypt Amethyst Uninscribed Scarab 1667-1085 BCE 17x14mm Intact with Side view Have not even attempted to photo this one yet... PERSIS Darius I 2nd C BCE Obol King’s hd r in satrapal head-dress topped by eagle SCARCE - Fire altar S6200 o-r EX: FSR RImp P Clodius Mf Turrinus AR denarius 20mm 3.6g Rome 42 BCE Laureate hd Apollo R lyre - Diana Lucifera torches Cr 494-23 CRI 184 Syd 1117 EX: The Guy that is as OLD as the Republic... @John Anthony RR P Calpurnius AR Den 20mm 3.9g Rome 133 BCE Roma star behind - Venis biga crowned victory Cr 247-1 Ex: @John Anthony RR L. Cupiennus AR denarius 20mm 3.9g 147 BCE Helmtd Roma R cornucopia X - Dioscuri galloping RLCVP ROMA Syd 436 Craw 218-1 EX: @John Anthony Pamphylia-Side AE 15mm Minerva R - Nike L wreath Sear Grk 5440 SNG Cop 408ff EX: @Valentinian RR Malleolus Albinus Caecilius Metellus AR Den 20.0mm 3.7g Rome 96 BCE ROMA - Roma seated L pile of shields spear and sword Vict Cr335-1b Syd611a EX: @John Anthony Indo-Greek Baktria Menander I Soter BC 155-130 AR Tet 26mm 9.6g Diad - Athena Alkidemos tbolt Gorgon shield SNG ANS 764-767 EX: @Ancientnoob MY RIGHT and LEFT FACING LION TETS! Ionia Miletos AR Tetartemorion 5.6mm 0.21g Roaring Lion Hd - Bird Klein 430 SNG Kay 941 CARIA Mylasa 525-495 BCE AR Tetartemorion 0.28g 6mm Hd roaring lion R - Bird stndng L pellet incuse sq SNG Keckman 922 SNG Kayhan 944 EX: @John Anthony right after he picked this out of his nose...
Nice @zumbly. You have a special knack for selecting coins that make me think "hey, I want one of those too!" even if I had seen the type before... are you a wizard? JK. I love the coins and will never get tired of seeing your collection.
Thanks, folks! @Mikey Zee : That Mithradates VI tet with the rockstar hair is great. It’s on my list and I really need to see about getting one of them. @Alegandron : What a cool gift for the wife! The colour of the amethyst is lovely and it sounds like what you have planned for the necklace is going to make it really stand out.
Vespasian/Horus-falcon FTW!!! But those big ol' Cilician provincials are cool...that that Greek just is killer as well!
