Finn's 2020 Several lists of top 10!

1. Series 0 Early Peroz Imitation


This one had been on my Vcoins watch list for at least a year, and I don't know why I didn't pull the trigger sooner. This shows the earliest phase in workmanship on these coins:
- The attendants do not wear herringbone dresses, and are just heavy schematized lines
- The obverse ribbons have 4 lines, not 3
- The reverse has blank spots where the portrait used up all of the metal during striking, just like on Alchon coins
- There are remnants of a reverse legend that may just be random scratchy lines, or they may be tamghas!

 

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HUGE LOL!
Great collection, BIG FUN!

 

Ok, I will fess up... I had purchased these Gadhaiya coins, thinking they were very cool.

HOWEVER, I could NOT actually see the face / bust... the nose, eyes, dots were not connecting in my mind. I could ONLY see the blob. It kept reminding me of the Sentry Probe in Star Trek Next Generation, and I could NOT see past that...



India Gujarat Chalukyas Gadhaiya Paisa BI Drachm 11th C CE Sun Moon Fire Alter Crescent

 

Thanks @Alegandron! One of these years I'll get my notes together on the Indo-Sassanians and finish making a website to host and organize my collection and write-ups. And someday *maybe* it might even make it into a book...

 

For the next part, Miscellaneous Odds & Ends

These are all one-off purchases that don't fit into either Roman imperial or Indo Sassanian.

10. Archon Huns, Mihirakula BI drachm


This was a lot find, easily the only way I was able to get an Alchon anything this year (Alchon coins never come cheap!)

9. Ancient Burma, Pyu states (ca 400-700 AD) AR full unit

Many thanks to @AnYangMan for this trade! I had always loved these big silver pieces from southeast Asia, but never got around to actually buying one! They are remarkably similar in fabric to the rupees that would be struck nearby over a thousand years later.

8. Parthia, early ruler (Phriapatius or Mithradates I) AR drachm

I don't have many Parthian coins, but I have always loved these early coins where the king wears a bashlyk.

7. Turco-Hepthalite kingdoms, Anonymous AR drachm imitating Khusro I, reverse swastika (sauwastika) replacing mint.

I have always loved Hunnic coins as tangible examples of the melting of cultures at the silk road, and this is not only a highly attractive example, but who can resist a swastika (or sauwastika) in its original, non-Third Reich context?

6. Parthian feudatories near Merv, Tanlis Mardates with Raggodeme AR drachm


This is just about as obscure as ancient numismatics gets - this kingdom issued coins only in a single type for a single king, who was forgotten by history!

5. Japan 1 yen, Meiji 3, 1870

Okay, this one isn't ancient, but it was the final obtainable piece that was missing from my Japanese type set collection! And it's hideous, but it was a lot find, and I kept it for free after selling the rest of the lot!

4. Japan, Hansatsu clan note of Obama-han, good for one sho (1.8 liters) of rice, dated 1798

I got this because I had an ebay bucks credit to burn and nothing else to spend it on. Nearly got sucked into a rabbit hole with these - they were printed by hand with wood blocks on thick cardstock that has allowed them to survive in huge numbers to the present day. There are rarities, but most are very cheap - this one was under $20!

3. Egypt, Ptolemy I Soter AR tetradrachm

I got an incredible deal on this, probably because of the graffito/scratches on the reverse. It has a lovely portrait of Ptolemy I, perhaps the first Greek (non-satrap) to appear on coinage!

2. Seleukos I Nikator AR drachm, in the name of Seleukos and types of Alexander

This was an absolute bargain at just over $100. Not only is the type quite scarce in Seleukos' name, but this was struck with a masterfully engraved set of dies; the portrait is in incredible relief coming off of the coin to look you right in the face!

1. Lesbos, Mytilene EL Hecte

I have always wanted an archaic electrum, and while the bigger or more famous examples are out of my price range for now, this one was affordable and the portrayal of Herakles in late archaic style really just sealed the deal for me.

 

Tell me about a good coin year !
From the first list I choose for myself the Matidia, Marciana and Pescennius (is it how it works ? I PM you my mail address, thank you so much )

From the second that would be the Gordian III as caesar and the young Nero (same address )

I'll pass on the third, and from the fourth, my preference goes to the Burma unit, the early parthian and the obscure Tanlis Mardates drachm

Beautiful !
Q