Went to a coin show today but didn't find anything I wanted from Southern Italy or the Flavians. This one coin, although not really in my field of interest caught my attention because of the beautiful strike and glossy dark patina. In hand it is gorgeous. It was hard to photograph because it is so glossy, the light was reflecting in all directions. I'm still not happy with the photo but it's good enough for now. It also comes from a very extraordinary collection that is better known for it's gold aurei. Truth be told all of his coins were in EF+ condition. Glad I got one of them. http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-146085 IMP CM AVR PROBVS P AVG Radiate and cuirassed bust of Probus right VIRTVS PROBI AVG - KAΓ in exergue Emperor on horseback trampling enemy, a shield in left hand, spear in right. A shield on the ground under the horse. Bust type B Serdica mint, 280-281 AD 4th emission, 3rd officina 3.92g RIC 880 (C). EF with wonderful smooth dark brown/black glossy patina. Even nicer in hand. Ex-Calgary Coin; Ex-George W. La Borde collection Let's see the best photo you've got of a tough coin to photograph, or one from a well known collection.
Very nice coin ,possibly rubbed with olive oil to give it the gloss? Just a guess . Mighty fine looking specimen. Nice pic.
Here is one of my hard to hell to photograph coins, the green patina makes it seem messy, its not. 2004D ISAAC II ANGELUS METROPOLITIAN TETARTERON S-2004 DOC 4 CLBC 7.4.1 OBV Full length figure of Virgin nimbate, orans, standing on dais, wearing tunic and maphorion; beardless, nimbate head of Christ on breast. REV Full length figure of emperor wearing stemma, divitision, and chlamys; holds in r. hand scepter cruciger and in l. anexikakia. Manus Dei in upper right field Size 20.mm Weight 5.3 1gm DOC lists 16 examples with weights from 1.70gm to 4.36 and sizes 19mm to 24x18mm Nicest example I have ever seen, just added to my collection, almost perfect except for wear on the Virgins face VF/EF
Nice one Jay! I have a really hard time trying to get good pics of shiny silver coins. This one turned out okay. Better than my previous tries. Epeiros, Epirote Republic AR Drachm (4.54g, 20mm). Circa 198-168 BC. Head of Zeus Dodonaeus right, wearing oak wreath, monogram below neck / ΑΠΕΙΡΩΤΑΝ, eagle with closed wings standing right on thunderbolt, oak wreath around. SNG Copenhagen 115; BMC 28.
I agree about shiny black being difficult but the ones that I have most trouble shooting are the unevenly blotched part silver coins. Magnentius in black
I used to chase after these Probus types but lost interest in most mints along the way. The OP type comes with a variety of obverse legends, bust types and officinae. Patchy silvering seems a theme as do partly worn reverse dies. Bust Type C Bust Type F Bust Type G Bust Type H
Gorgeous coin @Jay GT4 ! Very nice shot! I am not gonna kid anybody, my photo skills are atrocious and I use a lot of seller pics. The pics I take are marginal. But, hey! I enjoy the coins regardless of my skillsets! Since I cannot take photos worth crud, how 'bout I offer one from your second offer: Etruria, Populonia 2 ½ asses 3rd century BC, AR 0.85 g. Obv: Radiate female head r.; behind, CII. Rev: Blank. EC 104 (misdescribed, Female head with an Attic helmet). Ref: Historia Numorum Italy 179. Comments: Of the highest rarity, apparently only the second specimen known. Dark patina and about very fine From the collection of E.E. Clain-Stefanelli. Mrs. Stefanelli retired in 2000 as the Senior Curator of the National Numismatic Collection in the Numismatics Division of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. She was at the Smithsonian for forty years, and was responsible with her husband Vladimir for organizing and building up the National Numismatic Collection. She survived a Nazi concentration camp in WWII Europe, moved to Rome, and learned numismatics there. In New York she and her husband worked for Stack's and started the Coin Galleries division there. Her most recent publication was "Life In Republican Rome On its Coinage", a lavishly illustrated discussion of the themes which appear on the coinage of the Roman Republic, published in 1999. Her major contribution to the science of numismatic literature was her classic "Numismatic Bibliography", published in 1985.
Great pickup @Jay GT4 I’ve found a recent interest in Probus because of the variety he issued. Yours is really gorgeous in all the details.
Thanks for the kind words guys. I'd love to have a Stefanelli coin one day and an Etruscan would be icing on the cake