Some Tops of 2017

Hard to figure out The Best or Which Ten. I doubled my Qarakhanids, my Samanids, my Mongols and my Roman Greek coins. That last section has been much under the influence of CoinTalk. I won a row of new emperors: Julia Augusta, Germanicus, Nerva, Julia Paula, Max Thrax, Quietus, Magnus Maximus, Marcianus, Leo & Verina.

And I conquered thirteen cities: Attaea, Augusta Claudia-Seleucia, Deultum, Eumeneia, Metropolis, Nicaea, Parium, Parlais, Sardes, Stobi, Tralleis, Troas and Tyana.

Here are a few coins:

Erythrae about 500 BC, AR 1/96 stater, my smallest coin and one of the oldest. 4 mm, 0.12 gr. The fair polis of Erythrae was famous for its millstone production, so that is probably what you see here.

Barbaric imitation of a denarius of Septimius Severus. Rev. Salus. 18 mm, 2.6 gr.


Follis Constantinus II as caesar, Antiochia, 324. 18 mm, 1.63 gr.



Follis Constantinus II as caesar, Siscia 320. 18 mm, 2.31 gr.


Tetradrachm Antioch, Traianus Decius, 249, before the name ‘Trajan’ was added to Decius, and his name spelt as Deccius. 28 mm, 12.27 gr.


For starters.

 

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All interesting, but the CII from Antioch is my favorite, followed very closely by the CII from Siscia.

 

That tiny AR fraction is incredible! Imagine how small the die was!

 

All great coins. I like how you put the stater on the Euro to show scale. I like the Septimius Severus imitation and the two Constantines! Congratulations on such wonderful acquisitions.

 

Nice coins @Pellinore I really like you anepigraphic Constantius II follis. I'm not much of a LRB guy, but have always loved those coins. I would love to get coins for Constantine, Crispus, and Constantius II.

 

Great group. The Septimius looks familiar. Have we seen it before?

 

My fav, too, is the Antioch CII followed by the Traianus Decius. Great group overall.

 

Beautifull coins, my God that 1/96 Stater is neat. Hope they had good pockets back then Still think my 1/4 Fanam, 1/32 Dukat are smaller, in weight for sure, those little gaffers come in at .07g./.06g 5mm.! Really like the reverse on that Antioch Mint/ Tetradrachm! I may get some for my collection, always liked the eagle reverse.

 

Nice coins Paul. The Constantinus II follis are outstanding and could definitely see that in my collection . Kudos!

 

Thanks! I bought Severus only five weeks ago, in the end of November from an excellent, well-known American seller.

 

Very nice!

 

A few more:
Billon Tetradrachm Gordian III, year 6. Rev. Eagle standing left, head to right. 22 mm, 12.71 gr.



Merovingian AR denier, Marseille, about 700-710. Nemfidius. 10 mm, 1.07 gr. Most of these coins (1200 pieces) were found in one hoard, the Cimiez-hoard, found in the 19th century.


Dating from the same decades, but totally different, this Soghdian bronze coin, brittle and delicate, but the best preserved I have. 22 mm, 0.65 gr. It is Smirnova 1482-1487.



Though I'm not really collecting Western Islamic coins (only Persia and Central Asia), I'm interested in the fringes of Christianity and Islam. This 1/4 AV dinar (15 mm, 0.77 gr.) was minted in Sicily about 1060 AD, shortly before the island was conquered by the Normans. It is a very intricate 'stellate type', not so rare, but issued only for a short time then and there. But imitated by the Normans in the early 12th century.

 

I forgot to add this Black Prince, a large Mongol bronze dirham (once probably silvered) measuring 34 mm and weighing 5.76 gr. Issued anonymously, but in three different scripts, in Almaligh, in the very West of China around 1266-1271.

 

Cool coins. Love the Constantinus II portrait in the first example. Also a nice silver tet.

 

I love the look of that anepigraphic follis. The fact that the obverse is so clean adds to a classic minimalist look that is almost Greek in sensibility and balance.

 

Wow! The 96th stater is of course awesome, I also love the Decius & Gordian portraits on the tets, the Sept Sev. barb, the Nemfidius(!), the Sogdian (other than the corrosion damage, that looks practically as struck... I've never seen that before), and the 1/4 dinar. Awesome and eclectic year, congrats!!

 

COOL captures for 2017 @Pellinore !

You wowed me with your 1/96th Stater... I believe I have the very same type! COIN-BRO's!

YOURS:

Erythrae about 500 BC, AR 1/96 stater, my smallest coin and one of the oldest. 4 mm, 0.12 gr. The fair polis of Erythrae was famous for its millstone production, so that is probably what you see here.

MINE:

Ionia AR Tetartemorion 4mm 0.13g 530-500 BCE Rosette - Incuse sq punch 5 pellets SNG von Aulock 1807

 

Yes, the books all call it a rosette or a whirl, but the moment I read that Erythrae was famous for its millstones, I knew what it is.

 

Kudos on that Sogdian bronze! I really like that design...