Despite being purchased in early December, my first ancient coin of 2021 arrived yesterday after spending nearly four weeks in postal purgatory at a D.C. area distribution center. For me, though, this is actually the first Roman Provincial coin that I've bought for my collection, although I'd say it was more of an impulse purchase. Domitian AE20 of Amphipolis, Macedonia 81-96 A.D. Obverse: AYT KAIΣARho; ΔOMITIANOΣ, laureate head right Reverse: AMΦIΠOΛITΩN, Artemis standing left, holding long torch and branch, shield at her feet. Weight: 8.5g RPC 339, Sear GIC 801
I assume your package spending time in DC means you don't live near there. I mailed one 140 miles from VA to MD that went 400 miles out of its way to vacation in Columbus, Ohio. I guess this is our new hub system in operation. I do impulse purchases with about half being regrets and half being OK. I hope you will be happy with the coin in the long run but it is always good to explain what it was that made you select this one over a thousand other Provincials: Domitian, Artemis, torch AE20? When you get to the point that you have a hundred Provincials, it might be easier to say what was different or what made it fit your needs. My first Provincial came in 1987. Before that I had quite a few coins of Septimius Severus and Julia Domna but all were Imperials so this one seemed to fit in. It was quite a few years later before I caught the Provincial bug in earnest but I still like this one. Technically, it is a Colonial using Latin language. Julia Domna, Antioch, Pisidia, AE22, from a Frank Robinson sale for $13.25. Over two years later, I added the matching Septimius (still no Greek Provincial!). There is no explaining having only two coins of a genre and them matching so closely so later that year I broke into the Greek language Provincials with my first Alexandrian, an AE35 drachm of Hadrian. After that Provincials became a much larger part of my hobby. Perhaps I should warn that they have a way of doing that. Once you let one into the collection, it is all downhill. You have been warned.
I live about 30 minutes outside of Nashville, Tennessee. The nearest USPS Network Distribution Center is over in Memphis. Regardless, my main consideration for this coin was my budget, I'm a college student, so I don't exactly have deep pockets. In all, I ended up paying less than what a Subway sandwich would've cost me at the student union.
