I was keeping it to the last but alright. Here it is: Ilkhans, Arghun, AR Dirham, Ta'us, ND. Album-2156.1, Diler-197 Obverse: (La ilah illa Allah Muhammed) / Rasul Allah / Ta'us Lion walking right. Reverse: ....... / Hakanu / Ariba / Argunu/ Deledkegulug / Arghun
A single favorite coin? That's like asking someone their favorite song or movie--there's too many to choose from and it would vary from day to day. Today, however, I guess this is my favorite one: Agrippina I, wife of Germanicus, 14 BC - AD 33. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.92 gm, 34.8 mm, 7 h. Rome mint, struck under Claudius, 42-54 AD. Obv: AGRIPPINA M F GERMANICI CAESARIS, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P around large SC. Refs: RIC I 102 (Claudius); BMCRE 219 (Claudius); Cohen 3.
Nice selections, everyone! That's an interesting coin, @altaycoins-- reminds me of the popular (at least here on CoinTalk) Seljuks of Rum dirhams with sun and lion. I haven't seen a coin like yours before although I'm not very familiar with eastern ancient coins. @Roman Collector, I love that Agrippina! I agree with what others have said-- it's impossible to pick just one favorite. Even attempting to do so makes me feel like I'm betraying the coins not chosen In the spirit of the thread, here's one current favorite: EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian. Regnal year 10, CE 90/91. Æ diobol (25mm, 10.86 g, 12h). AVT KAICAP ΔΟ ΜΙΤ CEB ΓΕΡΜ, laureate head right / Agathodaemon serpent, wearing the skhent crown (emblematic of upper and lower Egypt), on horseback galloping left; L I (date) below. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&G 24.109; RPC II 2585; SNG Copenhagen 214; Emmett 277.10 (R5). Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection Ex West Coast/Lloyd Beauchaine Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 41, 19 March 1997), lot 1110 Ex Classical Numismatic Review Vol. XVI, No. 1 (January 1991), lot 31 Ex Numismatic Fine Arts Fall Mail Bid Sale (18 October 1990), lot 2365 Appearances: Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 39 (this coin) Obverse illustrated in Emmett as the header for the Domitian section, p. 24 (this coin) Fully illustrated in Emmett, p. 26 (this coin, discussing the unusual reverse). https://www.cointalk.com/threads/so-these-exist-snake-cowboys.314032/
I don't think I'll ever top this rare non-portrait Vespasian denarius. Vespasian AR Denarius, 2.84g Rome mint, 74 AD RIC 688 (R). BMC 147. RSC 569. Obv: IMP CAESAR in exergue; Vespasian stg. r., with branch and sceptre, in quadriga r. Rev: VESP AVG across field; Victory on prow r., with wreath and palm Ex Nomos Obolos 4, 21 February 2016, lot 575. Ex GH Collection. Ex Superior Galleries, The Moreira sale, Part II, 10-11 December 1988, lot 2374.
I declared my favorite coin decades ago and retired the jersey when I stopped updating my web pages. Of the coins I have added in the current Millennium, this is first: Byzantine Anonymous class A3 follis overstruck on an as of Gordian III almost 800 years after the first use.
Answering this is not easy, and I might feel different about my answer tomorrow. I guess i could ask "favorite for what reason?" I have coins that could be my favorite because the are rare and cost a lot, others that are favorite because of their historic importance and still others that are favorite because they were gifts from someone special. Favorite for rarity: Favorite to show a non collector because the know who Marc Antony was: From the middle ages: One more medieval:
That really is an incredible coin. What are they? Can you edit your post to describe the coins (at least the basics)?
They are pretty similar but in the Seljuk of Rum coins, lion always appear with sun. They are called shir-i hurshid. Lion represents the sultan Kaykhusraw II., and the sun represents his wife Georgian Queen Tamara. This is the patina that can I die for!
Here is my current favourite. Gaius, Silver denarius, RIC I 16 (R2, Rome), RSC I 2, Lyon 167, BnF II 21, BMCRE I 17, cf. SRCV I 1807 (aureus), VF, toned, attractive portraits, bumps and marks, some pitting, lamination defects, ex jewelry, Lugdunum (Lyon, France) mint, weight 3.443g, maximum diameter 18.2mm, die axis 180o, 2nd emission, 37 - 38 A.D.; obverse C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT (counterclockwise from lower right), laureate head of Caligula right; reverse DIVVS AVG PATER PATRIAE (counterclockwise from lower right), radiate head of Divus Augustus right; ex Classical Numismatic Group, e-auction 69 (23 July 2003), lot 90Ex: Forum Ancient coins, March 2, 2018.
I love all 3 of them but the 1890 looked very nice and I got a good deal for it, the 1854 was the first seated liberty I got and the half dollar is the nicest walking liberty in my collection. Same thing with what ominus1 said!
@BoonTheGoon 's coins are, of course, from the USA but their designs are based on Roman coin motifs, such as LIBERTAS with a pileus cap and a scepter:
Today it's this one RIC 853 Domitian Tetradrachm IMP CAES DOMITIANVS Laureate head of Domitian right AVG GERM Six ears of corn; P in exergue Possibly minted in Rome for circulation in Asia circa 95 AD 10.17g RPC 874/1, RIC 853 RPC lists 9 examples but only one with the P in exergue Ex-Pars Coins Ex-Calgary Coins Wildwinds example
Why not just ask which is my favorite child?! ...though that might be easier. There are only 3 of them. After a quick look through my collection I gotta go with my only Alexander tet. It might not be lifetime but check out that striking stair and the cool seleucid countermark on the reverse... Alexander III the Great (336-323BC).ARtetradrachm (15.98gm).About VF, countermark, graffito. Late posthumous issue of Perga, datedCY27(195/4BC). Heracleswearinglion-skin, leftonbacklessthrone,rightleg drawn back, feet on ground line, eagle in right hand, scepter in left;KIin leftfield,Seleucid anchor countermark in rectangle in outerrightfield.Price 2941