Tonight I'm sharing a purchase I made in autumn 2017 that tipped the balance towards where I wanted to focus my collecting on. It made me take the decision to sell off my Greek / Provincial / Imperial collection to fully focus on higher grade and rare Republican coins. Not regretting it for a second. I hope you enjoy Hispania's beauty here as much as I have for almost 1,5 years now And feel free to share specific coins that made you venture deeper into some other coinages, eras, collecting focuses and so on A. Postumius A.f. Sp.n. Albinus. 81 BC. AR Serrate Denarius (20mm, 4.13 g, 10h). Rome mint. Obverse: Veiled head of Hispania right, HISPAN downward in left field. Reverse: Togate figure standing left, raising hand, between aquila and fasces. A – POST•A•F – •S•N – ALBIN across fields and in exergue. Reference: Crawford 372/2 Provenance: CNG 106 (13 September 2017), lot 651. Ex Deyo Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 90, 23 May 2012), lot 1334. Stack’s (9 December 1992), lot 3177. "This is one of the Republican types where a moneyer celebrated the achievements of a famous ancestor. According to Crawford, the reverse "Combining a togate figure on one hand with an eagle and the fasces on the other hand, perhaps simply alludes to civilian and military imperium; taken with the obverse type the reference is doubtless to the Spanish command of L. Postumius Albinus"(Crawford, RRC p. 389). The L. Postumius Albinus referenced was an ancestor of this moneyer who was praetor in 180 BC and given the province of Hispania Ulterior after conquering the Vaccaei and Lusitani, and the levying of troops for this campaign. The reverse of the coin probably depicts several key moments in Roman history. Most likely, it commemorates the raising of troops for the Spanish campaign, but may be related to the efforts of Lucius Postumius Albinus that led to victories over Masinissa and Carthage. It may also commemorate the Roman expedition against Perseus in the Macedonian war. This denarius subsequently inspired the denarius of Hostilius Saserna, struck in 48 BC, publicizing Roman intervention in Gaul"
Thank you very much I really love local / regional personifications on coins. Your coin still retains most of the essential detail and probably had a much more fun and adventurous life than mine
Gorgeous coin @Michael Stolt ... very nice one to propel you into your focus! My passion was Ancient History, and I particularly enjoyed the Roman Republic... that was the crucible that created the Empire ... since I enjoy exploring and understanding root causes and foundations, the Roman Republic was fascinating for me. My first Roman Republic Denarius: RR M Furius LF Philus AR Denarius 119 BCE Janus Sear 156
It was about the same for me when I first got into ancients in general, I've always had a huge passion for history, the Romans and the Republican era that I also see as the foundation of what would be the empire I really like that Furia type, janiform heads on Republican silver is scarce Even though Hispania propelled me into the coinage, this is the first ever Republican I bought P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. 100 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.89 g, 11h). Rome mint. Obverse: Bust of Hercules right, seen from behind, wearing lion skin; club over shoulder, shield to left; I to right. P.E.S.C below. Reverse: Roma standing facing, holding spear, being crowned by Genius of the Roman People to right; I to left, LENT. MAR. F in exergue; all within laurel-wreath. Reference: Crawford 329/1d.
