Kens Top List of 2018

No, no top ten. I didn't even buy that many for myself this year. Well, originally I thought I had only added five this year but it turned out to be a lucky seven. I know many people like to comment on why they picked the coins that they did, but I would prefer not say anything. Sometimes a buy a coin just because I 'like it', and others for some reason it somehow seems to speaks to me. As in 'please, please put me in your collection!'. Sometimes I just dont know why I like a coin so much. Maybe its just the design, the history, rarity, etc. Take your pick:


Ptolemaic Kings of Egypt, Ptolemy VI, Second Sole Reign, 163 – 145 BC
Æ29, Alexandria Mint, 17.67 grams

Obverse: Head of Isis right wearing wreath of grain ears, hair in long curls.
Reverse: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt with wings open, PA monogram in left field.

References:
Svornos1384 (Ptolemy VI & Cleopatra as Regent) // SNGCopenhagen 279-87 (Ptolemy VI & Cleopatra I as Regent) // Weiser147 (Ptolemy VI & Cleopatra I as Regent) // Noeske201-7 (Ptolemy VI) // Lorber & Faucher Series 7B

Cost:
$70

Provenance:
Ebay, February 2018.


The Triumvirs, Octavian and Julius Caesar, 38 BC
Æ Sestertius, Southern Italian Mint, 31mm, 21.58 grams

Obverse: CAESAR DIVI F, Bare head of Octavian right.
Reverse: DIVOS IVLIVS, Wreathed head of Divus Julius Caesar right.

References:
RPC 620 // Sydenham 1335 // Crawford 535/1

Cost:
$575

Provenance:
CNG 420, May 2018, Lot 440.
Ex Andrew McCabe Collection.
Ex Inciatus Coins.


Vespasian, 69 – 79 AD
Æ Hexachalkon, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch, 20mm, 3.77 grams

Obverse: IMP VESPA AVG P M T P, Laureate head of Vespasian left.
Reverse: ANTIOCHIA, Turreted, veiled and draped bust of Tyche right.

References:
RPC II 1988 // McAlee375, Rare

Cost:
$120

Provenance:
CNG 413, January 2018, Lot 285.


Domitian, 81 – 96 AD
Æ As, Rome Mint, 28mm, 11.97 grams

Obverse: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P VIII CENS PER P P, Laureate head of Domitian right.
Reverse: COS XIIII LVD SAEC FEC, Domitian standing left sacrificing from patera over lighted and garlanded altar, two lyre and flute players on left facing him, pentastyle temple with wreath in pediment in the background, S C in exergue.

References:
RIC623

Cost:
$300

Provenance:
Glenn Schinke, Santa Clara Coin Show, September 21st, 2018.
Ira & Larry Goldberg Auction 104, June 2018, Lot 3303.


Reign of Antoninus Pius to Marcus Aurelius, 138 – 180 AD
Æ Quadrans, Pannonian Mint, 16mm, 2.76 grams

Obverse: Radiate head of Sol right.
Reverse: METAL PANNONI CIS in three lines.

References:
BMC1860 (Hadrian) // Woytek111-2

Cost:
$52

Provenance:
WNC Online (Teresa Darling), Ebay, May 2018.


Lucius Verus, 161 - 169 AD
Æ Sestertius, Rome Mint, 33mm, 24.73 grams

Obverse: IMP CAES L AVREL VERVS AVG, Bare headed and cuirassed bust of Lucius right.
Reverse: CONCORD AVGVSTOR TR P S C COS II, Marcus Aurelius standing facing right holding scroll and clasping hands with Lucius Verus who stands facing left.

References:
RIC1286

Cost:
200 CHF

Provenance:
Leu Numismatic Web Auction 3, February 2018, Lot 880.


Julia Mamaea, 222 – 235 AD
Æ21, Arabia Petraea, Bostra Mint, 6.94 grams

Obverse: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, Draped bust of Julia right.
Reverse: COLONIA BOSTRA, Draped bust of Zeus-Sarapis right wearing solar disk.

References:
Lindgren2538 // SNG ANS 1237-40 // Kindler42

Cost:
$375

Provenance:
Glenn Schinke, Santa Clara Coin Show, September 21t, 2018.
Ira & Larry Goldberg Auction 106, September 2018, Lot 1285.
Superior Galleries, 1970’s-80’s.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Wow, this forum's members have collected some very nice coins this past year. These are no exception. Let me see. Which is my favorite? I'll say the Domitian, but it's almost too close to call.

 

Nice coins Ken, the Lucius Verus sestertius really stands out.

 

I'll take Isis for that price. Pretty lot. Auctions could be the best event to attend for experts. Some day ?!

 

Geez, another nice set of coins. Can't beat $70 for a nice Ptolemy!

 

Some great coins there, I like your selective style being very particular in what you buy and the results speak for themself seven fantastic bargains.

 

Great coins Ken. My favorite is the Octavian and Caesar,

 

Superb group of coins, Sir! I really like the Ptolemy VI denomination. The portrait of Isis has lots of character and the verde-green patina in the recessed areas is beautiful.

 

A wonderful assortment! My favorites are the Domitian As, the Vespasian/Vespasian-in-drag Tyche, and the rare quadrans.

 

Man! What a Verus sestertius!
Great coins!

 

Gorgeous all, but LOVE that Lucius Verus portrait!!

 

That Lucius Verus portrait is about as good as Antonine die engraving gets.

 

The Lucius Verus was a bargain, no? Nice coins.

 

All very nice indeed Ken, but I like the Lucius Verus and the Ptolemy VII just a teeny bit more....love the Ptolemaic eagle on reverse, great portrait of Lucius!
John

 

Great coins! That Isis is an eye catcher. As is the Domitian and Lucius Verus and their Beautifully detailed reverses. Always fun to see Lucius handing the reigns over to Marcus A. But I have to agree with @Orfew on the Octavian JC being my favorite. It's funny they are called the triumvirs...they were part of separate triumvirates!
Thanks for sharing those doozies

 

Love that Domitian secular games As!

 

Man, I'm hardly able to keep up with the flurry of lists, but this is another great one. That Lucius V sestertius is fantastic, as is the Domitian. My other favorite would be the METAL PANNONI CIS quadrans... I still want one of those.

 

Yeah, LV is awesome but the the Octavian sestertius is sweet....and great color on the Vespasian Mega-turret tyche!

 

Very nice!

 

My photo is terrible, but its a great coin with a lovely patina and historical to boot.

I have another of this coin, but not sure I will keep it. This example is struck on a very large flan with a sublime portrait. Its really nice in hand.

That was a nice find. And completely random as well. But I think it should hopefully show that just about all auctions and venues have real bargains just waiting to be found. It takes a lot of time and patience to sometimes find the gems in the rough.

Probably my favorite. Later in the year another example was sold by CNG, technically in better grade (and nearly double the price) but I prefer my example. It's where 'eye appeal' comes into play. Some people just want the highest grade possible, but some of us just want what looks nice and has that history attached. For me my more worn example is far more valuable. But then, we all see different things in coins, dont we?

I agree. Tyche clearly (to me) shows the same (or nearly so) portrait as Vespasian. There are plenty of examples in Roman coinage which show portraits of certain personalities as deities (I have posted some before).

I've posted the coin before. Not a great example, but very interesting to say the least. One has to wonder about coins such as that one.

Anyway, as I originally posted I didnt want to say much about why I liked each of these coins. I wanted to see what others had to say first. So, there are my comments. Only partial of course. There are other reasons why I liked them so much.