May the fourth was with me

As I drove to the local coin show today I passed under an overhead road sign that read "May the Fourth be with you. Drive Safely." May 4th has been serving me as my birthday for quite a number of years before the joke was originated and I found it interesting that the State Highway Department joined in wishing me luck at the show. It was quite kind of the Richmond Coin Club to schedule to show just as a present for me and my wife told me to go buy myself a present. Who am I to argue with the State, the club and my wife of 49 years, 11 months. It would have just been wrong NOT to have a good show. I stopped first at a dealer I believed would be most likely cooperate by having something I wanted and left all my budget with him to the point that I only paid social visits with three other dealers of ancients in attendance.

I know I am the only one here who has any interest i collecting the coins that interest me. My favorite of the new coins purchased today will be appreciated by few here. The seller had denarii of Otho for the same price and a Didius Julianus for twice as much. He even had a very low grade $500 bronze of Licinius I and II together (I believe one of you has one but they are not seen just every day). What cam home with me is another low grade, well scratched and porous denarius of Pescennius Niger. In other words, I got a coin that fits my personality.

What made this coin appealing to me was Minerva holding a small owl rather than the more common Nike. This was particularly appropriate for me because I also own a Septimius Severus ('Emesa' mint) denarius with owl. So far I have not found a match for either in the usual places.


Unlisted coins of Pescennius Niger are probably more common than coins that are completely matched in standard references. Obverse legend 'errors' abound in the series. Of course the poor condition of so many of his coins makes it hard to be certain exactly what the die cutter intended to engrave. This Pescennius is a variation of the 193 AD legend lacking COSII which is found on Antioch coins of 194 AD.

Will I get any pile on participation here if I ask for coins dateable to 193 AD only (not just any coin of a ruler that was alive in 193 but one issued in that year)? How about Roman coins with Minerva holding an owl other than Domitian who is known for more different Minerva variations than the rest of the empire combined. Perhaps some will have examples of one ruler copying a type also used by his defeated adversary??? Finally, whose else went to a coin show today and came home with something new (to you)?

This was my birthday present to my self but the show provided a few other new coins which I fully expect to be a lot more popular here than this one. They won't be posted today since today is over in a minute or two. Happy Cinco de Mayo.

 

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I'm glad you had a wonderful time at the show and came home with something very interesting, @dougsmit !

Does a Roman provincial count?


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman Provincial AE 21.7 mm, 7.19 g.
Thrace, Pautalia, AD 147-175.
Obv: ΦΑΥCΤΕΙΝΑ CΕΒΑCΤΗ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: ΟΥΛΠΙΑC ΠΑΥΤΑΛΙΑC, Athena seated left, holding owl and spear, resting foot on stool, shield at base of chair.
Refs: BMC 10 var; Ruzicka 108; Moushmov 4112.

 

Scoring a P. Niger is cause for celebration so I take a deep bow.

I recently "won" a really nice one from Emporium Hamburg
However, they um.... what's the modern and politically correct replacement for the phrase for Indian giving? Yeah. They didn't bill me nor responded to several emails so I think they quietly whistled away hoping for a better price in a repeat auction. Anyone else have underhanded experiences with this auctioneer?

So I don't have a P. Niger yet but I do have a P. Diddy. Another short-lived rapper from '193 ;- )

 

Happy Birthday!.. I love your coin , however, no coin of mine fits your criteria. I hope you both enjoy next months 50th anniversary. Quite amazing!
A coin MUST be purchased to mark that day!

 

Happy Birthday Doug! Glad you got to snag some interesting coins.

 

Happy birthday Doug! Great coins. I'm a follower of your "I collecting the coins that interest me" way of doing things, I always appreciate your posts and coins.

 

Happy Birthday, Doug. I like your Niger with the owl. My AD 193 issue has also seen better days, but if it could talk, I reckon it'd have an interesting story or two to tell. May the Force be with you for many more May the 4ths!


DIDIUS JULIANUS
AR Denarius. 2.42g, 18.8mm. Rome mint, 28th March – 1st June AD 193. RIC 1; Cohen 2. O: IMP CAES M DID IVLIAN AVG, laureate head right. R: CONCORD MILIT, Concordia standing facing, head turned left, holding aquila and signum.

 

Happy belated Birthday Doug! It looks like you did pretty well for a present. Rare variant flyspecking is most fitting for an ancient coin collector on his Birthday.

 

That is a very nice PN and shows something new to me. On Septimius coins we often see either COS I or COS I---I where the second I is on the far side of the point of the bust. I had not noted this for PN. That reverse is so standard for Septimius that I would not have suspected the coin was not his if shown only that one side.

I have no experience with that seller but this is exactly why I do not deal with sellers I do not know and trust. That includes pretty much all of the big European houses as a class now. I am a hobbyist and leave them to people who like to play games.

 

Happy birthday, dear Doug!

I don't think I can comply with any of those requests, although it is possible that I have something of the last type and don't know it.

I virtually attended an auction on your birthday and exhibited uncharacteristic discipline, logging in shortly before the lot of interest, holding to my bidding plan... and winning the uncommon coin I was targeting . It will probably be a month before the coin arrives and it will be part of a hopefully interesting writeup about coins from a particular locale. I already have another type from the city but didn't want to post it until I'd secured an example of the type I won yesterday. You know how we sometimes increase competition for certain coins by posting them to CT...

 

Happy Birthday @dougsmit ! And congratulations on your upcoming 50th!

Super finds in Richmond... all of the portents were with you, and may it always stay that way.

Lastly, thank you for all of your contributions of knowledge and advice regarding Ancient Coins. Yes, I read them and enjoy them. You have brought a wealth of information to the Hobby, and I very much appreciate and respect that. Thank you.

Kindest Regards,
Brian


RR 234-231 BCE AR Heavy Denarius - Didrachm Apollo-Horse prancing Crawford 26-1 Sear 28

And, of course, a favorite of yours...


Roman Republic
Anonymous AE 23mm Quincunx
211-200 BCE 6.96g
Apollo, P behind
Luceria mint
5 pellets , Dioscuri on horses
Cr 99-4 Syd 309 Sear 910
Rare

 

Happy birthday Doug and also an early happy 50th anniversary. I don't think I have any coins dated to 193 but I'm gunna pile on with another year of 5 emperors anyway.

This one is in bad need of a reshoot

 

Happy Birthday Doug. I think we are of a similar age. Every birthday (everyday actually) I celebrate still being on the green side!

 

That’s not the first complaint I’ve seen regarding EH. I believe there’s a thread about them here though they went unnamed in it.

Happy Birthday @dougsmit I’m headed to a show later today and could use some of that good luck of yours.

 

Happy Birthday Doug!

 

Happy Birthday Doug! Sorry to say that I don't have any coins that meet the criteria you have established. And Happy upcoming anniversary.

 

"low grade, well scratched and porous" ??? Come on, Doug, you know that doesn't fit your personality ! May the Forth be with you, also for you and your wife's 50th Anniversary !!!

 

Happy Birthday ! Thank you for the write up. Congrats on your obviously great birthday experience! As it turns out, you and I share the same birthday. I turned 70. May the 4th be with you.

 

Happy Birthday