Thanks to everyone who posted their list so far. It’s been enjoyable going through them. Below you may find my most notable coins of 2020 in order of appearence/ruler. All but 1 are Roman. Please vote and let me know what coin(s) is (are) your favorite(s). Athens owl Why is this coin on my list? Well, why NOT add this to my list? Despite the little hole in the cheek of beautiful Athena, this coin is ‘near mint state’ according to the auction house. Whatever term you use to describe the state of preservation, there are no words to describe the feeling of this mighty tetradrachm in hand. Beautiful. I love it! Coin of a back-stabber Why is this coin on my list? The lesser famous one of the Brutuses (?) that killed Caesar, this coin of Brutus Albinus has something macabre to it, in retrospect. Struck in 48 BC, 4 years before the murder of Caesar, it celebrates the triumph of the latter in Gaul, in which the first played a big part. The two actually became friends in Gaul and according to the historian Appian, Caesar especially cherished his friendship with Brutus Albinus. Brutus Albinus became one of the main conspirators against his friend, together with the other, more famous Brutus and Cassius. And wel all know the major turning point in Roman history the murder of Caesar would prove to be. Coin of another back-stabber Why is this coin on my list? This year, I’ve been adding more coins of the later Republic/imperatorial era which for me is a fascinating part of Roman history. I wanted to add a coin of Brutus to my collection, struck after the murder of Caesar. To be honest, this type was not the coin of Brutus I was after, but since that coin proved to be out of reach again and again (no, not the EID MAR!), I took my chances when seeing this coin. I came to really appreciate the design of this coin, and I like the specific history behind it. Octavian Why is this coin on my list? First, it provides a very interesting insight in the propaganda war between Octavian and Mark Antony and the money generated by these two triumvirs to pay for the armies that were destined to do battle at Actium. Second, the deity on the reverse and the date of this coin are debated, but I’d like to believe that my coin and the subsequent topic on Forum may have concluded it. Caligula Why is this coin on my list? First, this denarius of Caligula allowed me to complete my 12 Caesars set in silver. Second, it’s a silver coin of Caligula!! Despite it’s issues, I really like it for it’s strong portrait. This type seems to appear less on the market then the various dynastic denarii struck by Gaius. The reverse refers to the title pater patriae awarded to Gaius by the Senate in 38 AD. Nero Why is this coin on my list? Well, Julio-Claudio sestertii are impressive and this one is a beauty. This sestertius of Nero is my first sestertius of the Julio-Claudio dynasty. Galba Why is this coin on my list? First, the coin is from a historicaly interesting period in Roman history. Second, the reverse of this coin shows Galba’s praise to the province which gave him the support to overthrow the last emperor of the Julio-Claudio dynasty, and start (well, actually perhaps Vindex is to blame for that, but still) the civil war which resulted in the establishment of the Flavian dynasty. Nerva Why is this coin on my list? One day I would like to have sestertii of each of the main members of the Julio-Claudio, the Flavian and the Nerva-Antonine dynasty. It will take some time, obviously, and this sestertius of Nerva is a scarce and very special type. The design of the reverse is what attracted me to it, and I like that it’s and well thought off, conveying a powerful message: this emperor is a cool guy. See a little write-up here. Caracalla denarius Why is this coin on my list? It has one of the best and graphic reverses of all the coins of the Roman empire (in my opinion at least). Never did I think I would be able to add this type to my collection in this state of preservation. I did an extensive write up about this coin here. Caracalla sestertius Why is this coin on my list? This is a bronze reminder of the gruesomeness of Caracalla’s visit to Alexanderia. A historically very interesting coin, and somewhat scarce. See a write up here. Unfortunately my absolute favorite coin of 2020 is not on this list, because it’s still waiting departure from a German parcel distribution center. Wahnsinn! I wish everyone a better 2021.
Limes, You had a great Year ! The Nero sestertius is a jewel . Great artwork & a breathtaking patina . Honorable mentions go to the "back-stabbing" denarii of Brutus family . The gold Ides of March aureus was certainly the auction highlight of the year & seems to have renewed interest in late Republican denarii.
These are all great @Limes! Very hard to pick a favorite. I love the Caracalla Circus Maximus reverse, Brutus denarius, and the Nerva sestertius, and the portraits of Galba and Nero are just so good. Great year for you!
Those are fantastic, especially for the historical significance. And it was one of the hardest lists to pick favorites from. The Owl would usually have been one, because it's beautiful, but I've voted for a lot of them and thought I'd try something different. So I voted for the Octavian because I think it's a beautiful design, for the Caligula because he really looks like a serial killer, and for the Galba because he looks unlike any other Galba portrait I've seen. He must have lost his hair pretty quickly after that coin!
Really enjoyed the coins on your list! I picked the Caracalla and Nerva sestertii and the Octavian denarius as my favorites. All three are types I would love to have.
What a super list, it was incredibly difficult to pick 3 favourites. I went with the Nerva, the Junius Brutus, and the Caracalla Circus, but on a different day I could have gone with any of the others!
I voted for Nero. Tough choice though. They are all winners and so very interesting. A fine selection.
While everyone would find a room in any serious collection, I like the three last the most for their fabulous reverses. A great coin year Q
Thanks everyone for replying and voting! I really like to see what your favorites are. That's a lovely nero sestertius, with great details on the reverse. Several other coins of Nero are on my wishlist, including this one. I like to historical context of this coin, as it refers to the conclusion of a war in Armenia. Thanks John! You like my list soo much, you even replied twice! Thanks Jamesicus! I know Julio-Claudio bronzes/sestertii are some of your favorite coins, and with a bit of luck, another sestertius of this dynasty will enter my collection in January. I'll be sure to show it then.
Fantastic group, love your owl with it's great detail and your Caracalla circus coin is a coin that I would love in my collection. I also like your coin presentation with the marble look background and coin info giving overall great eye appeal, congrats.