I just added a new mintmark for Antioch under Justinian (527-565) to my page which tells the story of the mint and why its mintmarks changed from abbreviating "Antioch" to abbreviating "Theopolis.": http://augustuscoins.com/ed/interesting/Justinian.html The new coin has Theopolis abbreviated with the abbreviation beginning in Latin (TH, not Θ, and ending in Greek (Π, not P). The slash at the end is like the ' in "don't"; it indicates an omission. 35-34 mm. 18.73 grams. Sear 221, year 26. Sear 219 through 223 are quite similar but have (slightly) different mintmarks, each issued in certain years only. This mintmark was used in years 24 through 29. Sear 221 lists the years of officina numbers for each. Δ is not recorded there or in MIBE. A minor rarity! I won this coin recently and I wonder if the underbidder had any particular reason to want it. I got it for much less than my limit. I was willing to go higher because I "needed" it for my web page. If there is any attitude that can make you pay "too much" for a coin, it is the feeling a coin is "needed" for some reason. There are an awful lot of coins out there and many are very appealing. I don't recommend you focus your attention on any particular type. I did this time and got away with it. But I risked paying "too much." The link again: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/interesting/Justinian.html
These are really interesting, Warren! I love seeing the variety and evolution you have in your page. Congrats on the new mintmark!
I love the THEUP issues myself. Cool history. Yeah, I have overpaid for coins because I "needed" it for whatever reason, a paper, display, etc. I kind of am feeling that way about some Sasanid issues around 628-630 that I "need" if I want to have a complete Sasanid "set". I am just not that excited about them, so have been dragging my feet.
Sometimes the bug bites me when I "need" a coin and I keep bidding until I win it, even at an inflated price. Probably not something I should keep doing.
Here's a coin from my old folders which has apparently the same mint. It's of Maurice Tiberius. Hope it might help.
I sometime wonder if I have paid too much for a coin. Sometimes I feel that I really "need" a coin. So I bid on it. Do I regret it. No.