Gavin Richardson's Top 10 for 2019

YEAR END FAVORITE LIST

So I thought about not doing a Top 10 list this year. It’s not been a very good year. Actually, let me rephrase that. It’s been a wonderful year. In July I spent ten lovely days split between London and Oxford, with day trips to Bath, Winchester, and Canterbury. I reconnected with some high school friends and attended a three-day music fest in Louisville. My middle son started college at Ole Miss and my eldest is about to graduate from Vanderbilt in May. It’s been a great year. But for all these reasons, I didn’t have a lot of disposable income to spend on coins. My budget is always limited, but this year more than most.

Nevertheless, I was able to advance my collection here and there, rather than let it lie dormant, as I did for about a decade a while back--a gap I now regret. So this year I tried to pick up something every month, even if it was the result of some eBay bottom feeding. I was able to score a couple of coins on the nicer end too.

So. Here are 10 coins that have brought me a lot of joy this year. As I’ve often said on this board, the great thing about this hobby is that it offers something for everyone, no matter what place in life you’re at.



10. CONSTANTINE ANEPIGRAPHIC

This coin slides into the Top 10 this year for the way it came to my collection. Last week I had just gotten home from a long day at work and having looked all over town for a special cough syrup for my wife. I walked in the kitchen and saw a package from Victor Clark on the counter. I thought, “I don’t remember ordering a coin from Victor.” And then I opened the package to find this coin with a note. A year or so ago I had mentioned that I was looking to add this type to my Constantine collection. Victor had gotten in a lot with a few of these and sent one my way as a gift. This is a nice example of a scarce anepigraphic type and certainly could have been sold in his store eventually. It really made my day. “So shines a good deed in a weary world.”



9. CONSTANTINE, AE FOLLIS, MARTI PATRI PROPVG

I’ve developed a particular interest in early coins of Constantine, just as he bursts on the scene in about 306-307. This is a worn example of one of those early types. Before Constantine fell in love with Sol Invictus (and afterwards, Christ), there was Mars—an early divine protector for the young, ambitious general.



8. CONSTANTINE, AE FOLLIS, SOL WITH VICTORY

Occasionally paying attention to eBay pays off. This coin appears to be a garden-variety Constantine / Sol, but it features a Victory crowning Sol on the reverse, which renders it somewhat scarce. Victor Clark suggests that the reverse Victory detail might be Constantine spiking the football after defeating Licinius in their first Civil War.



7. CONSTANTINE, AE FOLLIS, SOL WITH CAPTIVE

Another eBay win. I found a seller offering randomly selected coins of Constantine for cheap. I spotted a variation in a coin at the bottom left corner of his group photo, and the seller was kind enough to set it aside for me. Again, the coin appears to be a common Sol Invictus issue except for the seated captive at the feet of Sol. Along with the “Sol with Victory” type, this win made two nice variations found for about $20 each.



6. GREEK AE 20; SMYRNA. HOMER HOLDING SCROLL

I teach the Homeric epics from time to time in translation. We usually begin by considering whether or not there really was a Homer. Many (most?) classicists today consider Homer to be a name given to dozens of nameless, faceless poets who crowdsourced these great epics, or perhaps a gifted editor who shaped a host of narrative traditions into an artistic whole. But the opinion in the ancient world was quite clear: Homer was an individual genius, the blind poet from Chios. This coin from the 2nd c. B.C. (one of only two Greek coins I own) is a material artifact testifying to the ancient belief that Homer was one man and not some abstract process or gifted editor. Of this Smyrna coin Strabo writes, “There is also a library; and the ‘Homereum,’ a quadrangular portico containing a shrine and a wooden statue of Homer; for the Smyrnaeans also lay especial claim to the poet and indeed a bronze coin of theirs is called Homereum” Geographica XIV, I.37.



5. CONSTANTINE, AE FOLLIS, GENIO POP ROM

Here’s another large, early follis of Constantine, purchased from Ron Bude just as he was liquidating his stock. An attractive coin at an attractive price from a good man. (I would’ve said “attractive man,” but that would be weird.)



4. CONSTANTINE, AE FOLLIS, PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS

Here’s another early coin of Constantine. I’m interested in how much of his earliest coinage involved potboiler standard iconography vs. how many of his coin types were struck peculiarly for him. I’m much better at asking questions than answering them. But here we have one early follis proclaiming him “prince of youth.” He’s probably in his mid-30s at this point, hardly a youth. But he seems to have liked this moniker, which was typically used in imperial titulature to indicate an heir to the throne. Maybe in some way this coin--very sharply struck with a nice reverse despite the flan crack—is pronouncing Constantine to be his father’ son, revealing his ambitions to be the Western Augustus. He would not be happy as Caesar long.



3. VESPASIAN, AE AS, VICTORIA

This coin fulfils the Vespasian slot for my Twelve Caesars set. I don’t know much about these Flavian issues, but I understand that the retrograde obverse legend is somewhat unusual. The issues with Victory standing on a prow and holding a wreath and palm are associated by some with the “Judaea Capta” coins, though I can neither confirm or deny.



2. OTHO, AR DENARIUS, PAX ORBIS TERRARVM

So when I joined this board three years ago, I began to read the occasional post about people working on a “Twelve Caesars” set. It occurred to me that I was about halfway there already without really trying. I thought, “Maybe I’ll finish that set one day.” Of course, I soon realized that the emperors I was missing were the high-dollar ones. I figured I would not be able to afford a Julius Caesar portrait denarius unless it were a retirement gift to myself many years into the future. But last year a combination of things worked in my favor, and I was able to find a budget JC, portrait, leaving only Otho as the remaining big-ticket item. Thanks to AMCC2, I was able to complete the set with this final coin. The fact that it had formerly belonged to @Orfew made the acquisition especially satisfying. So, coming in at #2, here’s the bewigged emperor of only a few months. The coin has generous legends and enough detail in the wig to make it recognizably Otho.


1. TIBERIUS, AE AS,· PONTIFEX · TRIBVN · POTESTATE · XII AROUND LARGE SC

If I were going strictly by budget, I should make Otho #1, But I was really smitten by this coin due to its elegant Roman capitals—an appreciation I would not have had, had it not been for @jamesicus's many helpful posts on the topic. A nice portrait with good detail is just a bonus.

There you have it, folks. Thanks for looking. Here’s to 2020!

 

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These are all really neat! Really liking the variety of Constantines. Congratulations to you and your sons! My favorite is #5.

 

All lovely coins! And an ex- @Orfew Otho to boot! What a wonderful gesture by Victor Clark, too!

I particularly like the PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS follis of Constantine.

And congratulations on a wonderful year! I hope 2020 is good to you as well.

 

Thanks for posting, @Gavin Richardson ! I’m inspired by your beautiful Constantine additions.

 

Great list, even on austerity mode! The ex Orfew Otho was an excellent grab, as was the Constantine Principi and Genius standing. I've also always liked the Constantinian anepigraphic obverse series as well as the Homereions.

 

Super list! My favourites are the Otho and Tiberius too.

 

Great Constantine coins Gavin. Also, congrats on your kids success. My son just graduated with his MBA from Pepperdine in Malibu and now has just gotten a job at a hedge fund (he's 22). Daughter is a junior at UC-Berkeley. If I have time I also will post my top 10 of 2019.

 

Great coins Gavin, I especially like your 1& 2, the Tiberius portrait is fantastic.

 

great collection
I like the desert patina on your Constantine / Sol - Victory coin.

Number 10 is my favorite.

Thanks for sharing the Homer story. I have heard about Homer, but do not have a coin honoring him.

 

All nice coins. #9 is my favorite. I like the style and patina.

 

My favorites are the anepigraphic Constantine, the Homer (still on the list!), #4 (artistic reverse), and #1 (nice portrait). Good year!

 

Gavin, You did well this year ! That's a nice run of Constantine I coinage .

 

All coins are interesting, my favorite is Constantine PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS.

 

Fantastic Gavin! Your top 3 are also my favorites as well. Great year

 

Some neat coins!

 

@Gavin Richardson, sounds like an excellent year, and an enjoyable top 10. Your top 3 are my favorites,
- left-facing Vespasian As (RIC 1013, AD 77-78, reverse with victory and prow perhaps a reference to the "most peculiar" naval victory discussed in this post from @David Atherton?)
- Tiberius
- Otho
Best wishes for 2020!

 

Thanks for the reference to that thread. Very glad to have this info!

 

#3 is my favorite.

 

Actually I believe the coin is NOT RIC 1013 but is instead RIC 1014. On the obverse on the OP coin you can read IMP CAESAR VESPASIAN COS VIII. On the obverse of 1013 it reads IMP CAESAR VESP AVG COS VIII.

Also RIC 1013 is right facing, 1014 is left facing. I therefore think that this coin is RIC 1014.

I really like this coin of Vespasian. The portrait is great!

 

I've been wanting one of the Homer typez for a long time now. Great coins Gavin!