I Just Had to Have It!

Awesome coin!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Agree. Here are a couple of Faustina II bronzes that are well-worn but which have smooth, glossy patinas, lovely color, and with nice centering. I couldn't resist these, either:

 

Here's one that I just fell in love with the patina.



Added on: Jan 14, 2018
Ruler: Antoninus Pius (Augustus)
Coin: VF Brass Sestertius
ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P COS III - Laureate head right
ANNONA AVG, S-C - Annona standing right, holding two corn ears over modius with corn ears, and cornucopiae; prow to right.
Exergue:


Mint: Rome (140-144AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 21.73g / 30.20mm / 360
References:

• RIC 597a
• Cohen 34
• Sear 4147

Acquisition/Sale: scalabitano Ebay $0.00 01/18
Notes: Oct 10, 18 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection

 

These are some coins that possess a magnetism I was unusually attracted to, and which still draw my hands and invite affectionate handling quite frequently. The 24.06g, 32mm Marcus Aurelius sestertius with Hilaritas reverse, with "AVRELIVS CAESAR" proudly spelled out was one of my first more serious non-LRB ancient coin purchases, made while reading his impressive "Meditations". I carried it around quite a bit as can be seen, giving it some honest modern wear.

Top right is a 3.61g 16mm bronze of Temnos in Aeolis, splendidly detailed and not well captured in the pics. I'm a sucker for grape-bunches and the coins of Temnos don't leave me disappointed.

Clockwise is a 7.71g, 23mm stater/nomos/didrachm of Metapontion in Lucania. I love the imagery of barley or wheat ears on coins generally, and the superb barley-ear on the reverse was irresistible, with the complex, almost melancholy expression on Demeter's face giving her an impressive realism that made it a must-have, and affordable due to the condition.

Then a 2.38g, 12mm Tetrobol from Skione in Macedonia, with the head of the hero Protesilaos and ΣKIO around an eye within incuse square on reverse. I couldn't get over the "eye" design element and had to have it.

I've shown the 1.14g, 10mm Pigasus diobol from Klazomenai in Ionia before, and made sure I won it because of the superb rendering of Chrysaor as well as the uncommon incuse head of the flying pig's mother Medusa. Having the mythology "packaged" in both sides of the coin is awesome, and I want more of 'em lol.

Next is a 1.18g 14mm Trihemiobol from Phlius in Phliasia, a small inland polis in the northeastern part of the Peloponnese. I'm also a sucker for the butting-bull motif, so that coupled with the large Φ with 4 grape bunches made it a must-have.

Then we have an earlier 3.72g, 14mm tetrobol or drachm from Lampsakos in Mysia. I had the main smaller silvers of the style but it seems as though the most common denomination is the Diobols, and I wanted a "big" one so had to get this when I came across it. The somewhat archaic aesthetic of the janiform heads and incuse helmeted heads of Athena on the earlier issues from Lampsakos greatly appeal to me.

At 9 O'clock is a 2.98g, 17mm bronze of the Jewish Revolt, much nicer than pictured, with a fine detailed grape leaf with visible veins and an appealing patina. I wanted a coin from this moment in history, but many are ugly or in poor style, so I was happy to find this.

Last but not least is an unusually well-preserved and scarce 4.39g, 17mm bronze of Tisna in Aeolis, with the amusing horned-head of the river god Tisnaios facing left and TIΣNAION on either side of one-handled cup. Tisna was an obscure polis and the site of the city is apparently unknown, but the few coins they issued all appeal to me, so I've managed to built an almost complete set of the different coins they produced. A few days ago I lucked upon a rare 1.2g miniature of this same general design on a Finnish website specializing in "modern" coins and notes, of all places. My whole life I've preferred going off the beaten path, where the interesting and mysterious things in the world lurk, so my natural gravitation toward goofy obscure cities like Tisna or Skamandreia instead of the crowded realm of Romans is faithful to my instincts.

 

Thank you for your reply.