I make no promises that this list will only be 10 coins. I've been MIA for awhile because of COVID and having a 3 year old at home all of the time. I lurk and read but haven't had the bandwidth to type anything up. But after seeing all of the fantastic lists from people I like, I figured I should at least post an end of year highlight reel. None of my coins are terribly expensive nor in the best condition. But I do particularly like finding towns barely seen and fleshing out the world of the Severans a little more in the process. I don't have these in any particular order; I just pulled these based on their catalog numbers so they should be roughly in order of what I bought throughout the year. I have kept my focus on Septimius Severus, Julia Domna and Probus with a few exceptions. I have been able to add a few more scarce Probus coins and plenty of common types. For the Severan couple, I have been able to add several rarer provincial cities to the collection. I've seen increased interest in the field which is good in a way, because more activity hopefully prompts more articles and friends. But it is also bad because I want all of the coins and I don't want anyone else to have any. 1. This is a scarce reverse which is exciting to find cheaply. Probus, Antoninianus, PROVIDEN DEOR, (Star), KAΔ AE Antoninianus Probus Augustus: 276 - 282AD Issued: 277AD 24.0 x 22.0mm 3.80gr 7h O: IMP CM AVR PROBVS AVG; Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. R: PROVIDEN D-EOR; Providentia standing right on left, holding standard in each hand, facing Sol to right, raising hand and holding globe. Exergue: (Star), above line; KAΔ, below line. Serdica Mint Rare Cohen 472; RIC V-2 Serdica 845, Δ; Aorta: B87, O25, R112, T111, M5. 2. I really enjoy collecting these coins of Antioch by reverse legend. Provincial, Antioch, Pisidia, AE24, ANTIOCH GENI COL CAES AE24 Roman Provincial: Antioch, Pisidia Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD 24.0 x 22.0mm 6.00gr 6h O: IVLIA AVGVSTA; Draped bust, right. R: ANTIOCH GE [NI CO}L CAES; Genius standing left, holding patera in outstretched right hand, cornucopia on left arm. Antioch, Pisidia Mint SNG France 1130 3. I'm also terribly interested in the coinage of Cappadocia. This example is scarce at best. Provincial, Tyana, Cappadocia, AE28 AE28 Roman Provincial: Tyana, Cappadocia Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD Issued: 28.0mm 15.30gr 6h O: ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ CεΒΑCTH; Draped bust, right. R: [Legend illegible]; Founder, with oxen, plowing left. Exergue: TYANΩΝ ΣΑΡ Tyana, Cappadocia Mint Not on Wildwinds, no reference found on ACSearch. 4. This has been a favorite coin type of mine for awhile. They are harder to find in nicer grades. This one came up and I was able to pick it up. Septimius Severus, Denarius, ADVENT AVG AR Denarius Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: 202 - 210AD 20.0 x 19.0mm 3.18gr 0h O: SEVERVS PIVS AVG; Laureate bust, right. R: ADVENT AVG; Severus, on horseback, left, preceded by soldier, holding upright hand. Rome Mint gVF; Rare. RIC IV Rome 248; Cohen 1; Aorta: 743, B3, O81, R1, T66, M4. 5. This is quite the large coin: 32mm. It's a great coin that appealed to me because of its size and design. Provincial, Amasia, Pontus, AE32, ΑΔΡ CεΥ ΑΤΑ ΑΜΑCIAC AE32 Roman Provincial: Amasia, Pontus Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: 205 - 206AD 32.0mm 13.80gr 8h O: AYK Λ CεΠ CεΥΗΡΟC ΠεΡ CεΒ; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, from behind; beaded border. R: ΑΔΡ CεΥ ΑΤΑ ΑΜΑCIAC MHNEΠΠΟ; Tyche Soterios standing left, holding rudder in right hand, cornucopia on left arm chlamys; beaded border. Amasia, Pontus Mint Dalaison 206-215; BMC 13.8.10; Rec Gen 42; SNG von Aulock 29. 6. This is a scarce coin type from Anchialus. A nice pick up from Warren! Provincial, Anchialus, Thrace, AE24, ΑΓΧΙΑΛεΩΝ AE24 Roman Provincial: Anchialus, Thrace Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: ? 24.0 x 22.5mm 6.00gr 8h O: AYT K CεΠ CEYHPOC; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. R: ΑΓΧΙΑ-Λε[ΩΝ]: Artemis, standing right, holding bow with left hand, reaching back for arrow from quiver with right hand. Anchialus, Thrace Mint Added to Wildwinds, May, 2020. Moushmov -; Bulgarian National Collection: NAIM-BAS 6834 var. (obverse legend). 7. The coins from Hadrianapolis-Sebaste remind me very much of Antioch, Parlais and Anchialus. I am more and more of the mind that these towns shared the same mint or staff. Relatively speaking, these coins are scarcer to find than the coins of the above three. Provincial, Hadrianopolis-Sebaste, Phrygia, AE22, ΑΔΡΙΑΝ ΑΡΧ ΑΡΙCTOΔΗ AE22 Roman Provincial: Hadrianopolis-Sebaste, Phrygia Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD Issued: ? 22.0mm 5.01gr 0h O: ΙΟΥΛ ΔΟΜ-ΝΑ CεB; Draped bust, right. R: ΑΔ-ΡΙΑΝ (Dot) ΑΡ Χ (Dot) ΑΡΙCTOΔΗ; Tyche standing right, holding rudder on globe in right hand, cornucopia on left arm. Hadrianopolis-Sebaste, Phrygia Mint 8. The next coin is from Adramytteon, which is also uncommon. Not the best condition, but the coin is rare as it is. AE18 Roman Provincial: Adramyteion, Mysia Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD Issued: ? 18.0mm 2.90gr 1h O: IOYΛΙΑ CεΒΑCTH; Draped bust, right. R: ΑΔΡΑ-ΜΥΤΗΝΩΝ; Demeter Eleusinia veiled, seated left, holding poppies and corn ears in raised right hand, transverse scepter on left arm. Adramyteion, Mysia Mint Rare Featured on Wildwinds, May, 2020. BMC Mysia -; Ivanoff 212 corr. (Hera); Stauber 193; SNG France 5, 49; von Fritze Mysien 123; Waddington 616; Paris 32; Allianoi Excav. 1998, 9. 9. The next coin probably qualifies as "coin of the year." (@Mat pointed it out to me and encouraged me to pull the trigger. So, hope you have room on your couch man for when it's me and my coins living under a bridge.) In any case, the type had been on my want list for a long time and I think everyone knows why. The view of the temple of Jupiter Maximus Heliopolitanus is fantastic and the portrait of Severus isn't bad either. My garbage pictures taken through an NGC holder do it no justice. Provincial, Heliopolis, Coele-Syria, AE25, IOMH COL HEL AE25 Roman Provincial: Heliopolis, Coele-Syria Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: ? 25.0mm 14.02gr 6h O: L SEPTIMIUS SEVERVS AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. R: IOMH COL HEL; Temple of Jupiter Maximus Heliopolitanus, viewed in perspective from above the left front corner; numerous columns, flight of steps in front. Heliopolis, Coele-Syria Mint SNG München 1031 var. (legend, bust); SNG Cop 429; cf. BMC Galatia p. 290, 2. NGC Choice VF: Strike 4/5, Surface 3/5 (smoothing). NGC Certification # 5872605-022. 10. This is scarce issue of Side, Pamphylia. First I had seen and affordable. Provincial, Side, Pamphylia, AE19, CΙΔΗΤΩΝ AE19 Roman Provincial: Side, Pamphylia Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: ? 19.0mm 4.32gr 6h O: ΑΥΤ Κ Λ Cε CεΥΗΡΟC ΠεΡΤΙ; Laureate bust, right. R: CΙΔΗ-Τ[ΩΝ]; Athena advancing right, holding shield and spear; snake beneath, facing right. Side, Pamphylia Mint SNG Pfalz IV 687. Very rare. Added to Wildwinds, June, 2020. 11. I was also able to add a coin of Damascus. It is really odd to me how little this area of the Empire produced. In any case, it makes a nice pair with the Heliopolis. Provincial, Damascus, Coele-Syria, AE23, ΔΜΑCΚΗΝΩ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛ AE23 Roman Provincial: Damascus, Coele-Syria Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: ? 23.0mm 9.608gr 0h O: CεΥΠεCV ΑΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙ (or similar); Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. R: ΔΜΑCΚΗΝΩ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛ (or similar); Turreted and draped bust of city goddess Tyche, left, within an arched tetra style temple. Damascus, Coele-Syria Mint SNG Cop 421; Rosenberger V 20; SNG Munchen -. Very rare. 12. This next issue from Istros doesn't have a particularly rare reputation but I can certainly say that I do not see many coins from Istros, much less anywhere near the prolific issuances of Nikopolis ad Istrum and Markianopolis. Provincial, Istros, Moesia Inferior, AE25, ICTPIHNΩΝ AE25 Roman Provincial: Istros, Moesia Inferior Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD Issued: ? 25.0mm 9.14gr 12h O: IOYΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ Cε; Diademed, draped bust, right. R: ICTPIHNΩΝ; River god Ister, crowned with reeds, reclining left against amphora from which water flows, holding dolphin in right hand, reed in left hand. Istros, Moesia Inferior Mint SNG Stancomb 879 (this coin); Varbanov I, 630. Ex. William Stancomb Collection; Ex. A. H. Baldwins & Sons, Ltd., April, 1975, with original ticket. 13. Another surprisingly rare issue from Deultum. It is funny how you see several coins from a place and then only after some time goes by do you realize you haven't seen any from a particular emperor. The coinage becomes more common a few emperors after Severus so this coin of Domna was a nice pickup. Provincial, Deultum, Thrace, AE25, COL FL PAC DEVLT AE25 Roman Provincial: Deultum, Thrace Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD Issued: ? 25.0mm 10.06gr 6h O: IVLIA AVGVST[A]; Draped bust, right. COL FL (Dot) P-AC DEVLT; Homonoia, standing left, wearing modius, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia. Deultum, Thrace Mint Rare; aVF; Featured on Wildwinds, September, 2020. SNG Italy 403; Varbanov 2019. 14. This coin is not particularly rare, but it is really attractive to me, even with the hit on the neck. (Granted the references list it as rare, but I see these offered.) Notwithstanding that hit, I am very happy with the coin. Provincial, Sardes, Lydia, AE29, εΠΙ Γ ΚΛΜΙ ΘΡΟΥ ΑΡΧΑ AE29 Roman Provincial: Sardes, Lydia Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD 29.0mm 12.47gr 7h O: IOYΛΙΑ CεΒΑCTH; Draped bust left, as Fortuna, wearing kalathos with cornucopiae. R: εΠΙ Γ ΚΛΜΙ ΘΡΟΥ ΑΡΧΑ CΑΡΔΙΑΝΩΝ Β ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ; Prize crown with palm frond, decorated with five pellets in annulets and set upon base inscribed with exergue. Exergue: ΧΡΥCΑΝΘΙΝΑ Sardes, Lydia Mint Very Rare Leypold I, 1226; Paris 1260; BMC 150; SNG von Aulock 3156. 15. I was also excited to pick up this coin from Aegae, Aeolis. Rare and a cool design with Hygieia and Asklepios being clean and healthy and stuff. Provincial, Aegae, Aeolis, AE27, εΠ CTPA AE27 Roman Provincial: Aegae, Aeolis Julia Domna B. ca. 170 - D. 217AD Augusta: 193 - 217AD Issued: ? 27.0mm 15.24gr 7h O: IOYΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ CεΒΑCTH; Draped bust left; beaded border. R: εΠ CTPA AΠΟΛΛΟΔΩΡΟΥ AIΓΑεΩΝ; Hygieia, on the left, standing right, feeding serpent held in her right hand; Asklepios, on the right, standing facing, head to left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff; beaded border. Aegae, Aeolis Mint From a private UK collection; aVF/Very Rare. 11/13/20: Not on WW. SNG Munich 379 16. I have been able to flesh out my collection of Cappadocian coins pretty well this year. I won this last month and I feel that it is the best representative example of the sub collection to share. Provincial, Caesarea, Cappadocia, Drachm, MHTPO KAICAPI NεΩ AR Drachm Roman Provincial: Caesarea, Cappadocia Septimius Severus Augustus: 193 - 211AD Issued: 208 - 209AD 18.0mm 3.39gr 11h O: AY KAI Λ CεΠ CεΟΥΗΡΟC; Laureate head, right. R: MHTPO KAICAPI NεΩ; Mt. Argaeus, surmounted by star. Exergue: εΤΙς = RY16 = 208-209AD Caesarea, Cappadocia Mint Sydenham 401a var. (obv. and rev. legends). If you are interested in seeing more, check out my Forvm pages. SS: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6295 JD: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6296 Probus: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=6322 Let me know which ones you enjoy and please post anything you like! Happy Holidays! -Nick
WOW great coins, your Heliopolis temple is the best I have ever seen and also like your number 16 Sev Cappadocia, fantastic set of coins, congrats.
Great coins, Nic. As for couch space, I have plenty of couch space I too like the Heliopolis as well as the Severus Caesarea Drachm, #14 & 15. Here is a better pic of your Heliopolis
A terrific group. My favorites are the two Septimius Severus coins (the denarius with the Emperor on horseback and the drachm with Mt. Argaeus), and of course the Heliopolis with that temple.
A fantastic selection! Crack out that Heliopolis beauty please! I also really like the Damascus (another great reverse type), the Sep Sev Adventus, and the ginormous prize urn on the Sardes. The Tyana is also cool! This list is a great example of how, with patience and a discerning eye, you can get amazing stuff on a budget.
Great set of coins, @nicholasz219 . I do not have many temples or architecture in my collection. I think the Heliopolis attribution is wrong! The reverse should be: “Temple, perspective of Zeus Jupiter Maximus, looking down from Mt Olympus.” Great coin
The Helios temple is truly enviable. Great score! I like the Sardes too. The prize crown looks like a giant tangerine!
I love Severan provincials, @nicholasz219, so I found a lot of them interesting. I'd have to say my favorite is the left-facing bust of Julia Domna as Fortuna! I've never seen that type before.
Nick, It looks like you made some important additions this year ! The temple of Jupiter / Septimius Severus bronze, #9 was certainly the highlight of your acquisitions this year . Out of curiosity, how did NGC grade it ? The denarius of Severus on horseback, #4 is a great looking coin too . Over the years I've managed to get some nice portrait coins of Severus in the form of Syrian Tets. Your 3 links are well organized & a pleasure to look at .
Thanks for the compliments and favorites, everyone. I know some of the provincials are pretty rough but when I’ve never seen a type before I figure just buy it if I can and find a better one later. So far, in many instances, there hasn’t been a “later.” Admittedly I wish my photography was better, which would give my coins a needed break on appearance. Most are nicer than the pictures allow. @Al Kowsky NGC graded it 4/5 and 3/5. I think it deserved a 4 and 4 but it’s not so off base that I care even. I work so that my pages are intuitive to search because they are my reference pages for the collection. When I am looking to buy, being able to find a town or legend quickly is important. @Roman Collector or anyone else interested in Severan provincials, post some of your favorites here too!
I've posted most of my Severan provincials a number of times but I'll accept your invitation & post a few of my favorites again
While I have always wanted a #9, the star in this group to my eyes is #14 Domna. That coin also deserves a better photo.