Hi Everyone, I hope it’s not too late to join in the fun of posting Top 10 for 2020! My partner and I purchased and closed on a house right before the holiday season and I never got a chance to post mine when everyone else was. Moving in to a new home is quite hectic! I posted all my coins via video as I kinda suck at taking photos of them, and I think the videos add more life to the coins anyway! That being said you can only post five videos in a post so I’ll need to add a comment with the second half. While terrible for a whole number of reasons, 2020 was the year I really got into collecting coins and I think from this narrow perspective 2020 was a fantastic year. Found it hard to slim down to a Top 10 but I think I’ve got it! That being said, there was no chance I could actually rank them as I love all my coins as equally as I possibly can (I’m only human!), so I present my Top 10 in no particular order: Maxentius This was my last coin purchase of 2020 from HJB 214 but has quickly become one of my favorites. I’ve always admired portraits with consular robes, and with the scepter this coin had it all. Hopefully upon my return trip to Rome I can see Maxentius’ scepter in person! Really like the emperors coin style; if only Maxentius had won that battle we’d have even more of his coins Maxentius; 306-312 AD, Aquileia, 308 AD, Follis, 6.43g. RIC-124 (R), officina S=2, C-29 (15 Fr.). Obv: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG CONS Bust laureate l. wearing consular robes and holding eagle-tipped scepter. Rx: CONSERV - VRB SVAE Roma seated in six-columned temple with crescent in pediment, [A]QS in exergue. Ex Berk 203, 18 January 2018, lot 284 and Berk 136, 5 February 2004, lot 264.. Mint State Faustina I I know I just vowed never to pick favorites with my coins, but I do think this is probably my most beautiful one to-date due to the toning. Heart was pounding as that Leu hammer struck. Faustina is a fascinating female figure in an era when women are so often regulated to the shadows and I’m happy to have such an exquisite example of her coinage. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.71 g, 6 h), Rome. DIVA FAVSTINA Diademed and draped bust of Diva Faustina to right. Rev.AVGVSTA Wreath on draped throne against which rests transverse scepter. BMC 454. Cohen 131. RIC 377. Beautifully toned. Virtually as struck. Trajan Felicitas This one snagged my eyes hook, line, and sinker with the detail. Trajan is quickly becoming my most collected figure for coins. Must be his good looks and GQ-approved haircut AD 98-117. AR Denarius. (19mm, 3.15 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck 20 February-circa autumn AD 116. Laureate and draped bust right / Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopia. RIC II 345; Woytek 553v; RSC 280. Lustrous. Choice EF. Ex Grand Haven Collection Augustus My thickest, and heaviest coin, this one of Augustus I think is a great representation of the emperor in all his numismatic propaganda. Despite being 30 years after the Battle of Actium the princeps still looks young, attractive, and healthy. Who, upon seeing this coin wouldn’t think Augustus was fated to rule the empire? Just look at the man! Caracalla Everyone’s favorite emperor, Caracalla looks so innocent here! My first Laodicea ad Mare coin, the quality of this mint is impeccable. AD 198-217. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.75g, 5h). Laodicea ad Mare mint. Struck AD 200-201. ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / SECVRI T ORBIS, Securitas seated left, holding scepter and resting head on hand. RIC IV 351b. From the Richard McAlee Collection
Domitian One of my Top 3 favorite emperors of all time, this is my first and shockingly only Domitian, although I hope to one day collect a coin from each of his consular years (if that’s even possible). AD 81-96. AR Denarius (20.5mm, 3.40 g, 6h). Rome mint. Struck AD 86. Laureate head right / Minerva standing right on capital of rostral column, brandishing spear and holding shield; to lower right, owl standing right, head facing. RIC II.1 456; RSC 210b. Toned, a few small contact marks and a minor die break on obverse, hairlines under tone. EF. Well centered and struck on a broad, round flan. Aurelian Sol My account namesake, I find the coins of Aurelian my favorite of the Illyrian emperors. That being said, there’s only a very specific type of Aurelian portrait that I feel “does the emperor justice” in the looks department, and this one is one of those styles. In some, the emperor just looks quite unattractive (nothing to do with the quality of coins). Aurelian is my favorite emperor. I also think of all the ancient religions, worshipping the sun makes the most sense then and now, so having a Sol coin with my favorite emperor was a no brainer. Aurelian; 270-275 AD, Siscia, 274-5 AD, Antoninianus, 4.00g. Göbl-251c3 (3 spec.), RIC-254, C-153. Obv: IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG Bust radiate, cuirassed r., seen from front, "tassle" formed of pellets on l. shoulder. Rx: ORI - ENS AVG Sol advancing l. between two captives, raising r. hand and holding globe in l.; T in exergue (officina 3).. Mint State Severina The wife of my favorite emperor and first Empress of Rome, I couldn’t pass the chance to pick up such a high quality version of this coin from HJB. Severina; Rome, Antoninianus, 3.84g. RIC-3, Göbl-132s3 (66 spec.), Paris-175. Obv: SEVERINA AVG Bust draped r. on crescent, wearing stephane. Rx: CONCO - RDIA AVGG Aurelian and Severina clasping hands, ΓXXIR in exergue (officina 3). From the Philip Ashton Collection, acquired from Alex Malloy, March 2001.Fully silvered. Mint State Aurelian Restitutor Yes yes another Aurelian this is a rather large Antoninianus in both size and weight and caught my eye immediately. Additionally I’d been itching for a Restitutor Orbis coin all year and when this one popped up near years end it felt like the cosmos had aligned AURELIAN (270-275). Antoninianus. Serdica. Obv: IMP C AVRELIANVS INVICTVS AVG. Radiate and cuirassed bust right. Rev: RESTITVT ORBIS / KA•Γ•. Female figure, holding wreath, and Aurelian, holding sceptre, standing facing one another. RIC V online 2760. Condition: Near extremely fine. Weight: 4.45 g. Diameter: 29 mm. Trajan Pax Trajan with the personification of PAX is a great symbol of the emperors reign. Although he crushed Dacia (not mentioning Parthia as that happened after this coin was minted), many years of Trajans reign were relatively peaceful. It’s a nice reminder that although in modern times Trajan is remember for his conquests, in his own time, peace was still something he valued enough to mint on his coins. AD 98-117. AR Denarius. (19mm, 3.28 g, 7h). Rome mint. Struck AD 111. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P, laureate head right, slight drapery on shoulder / COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC, Pax standing left, holding cornucopia and setting fire to pile of arms to lower left; PAX in exergue. RIC II 102; Woytek 347b; RSC 196. Lightly toned. EF. Sharp portrait. Thanks for watching! Please feel free to post any 2020 coins you may have wanted to add to your top 10 but didn’t, or any new coins from 2021!
Never too late, especially for a selection like this! Do I spy a white w/ blue velvet abafil mignon in the backdrop of that video (I remember you mentioned wanting to buy abafil on reddit a while back, looks like you picked a great tray for some great coins!)
Restitutor, You've got some high grade beauties posted ! My favorite is the Augustus, Year 30 Tet from Antioch . The Domitian denarius is a gem too along with the Trajan Pax denarius . Great idea with the well done videos .
Magnificent coins! It's really hard to pick a favorite. Both the Trajan's are splendid, the Domitian is a beauty, but I went for the Augustus' tet. Thats a massive coin with great eye apeal. Here's one of my two Domitians acquired last year (2020). It did not end up in my list. The reason to show it here is because you have posted a similar type in your list, and I think your coin has great eye appeal.
You are not too late, thanks for posting, nice videos. The Maxentius, Aurelian Sol & Trajan Pax are my favorites. I like Max's little eagle-tipped scepter The first ancient coin I bought at a coin show was like your Aurelian Sol I picked the Trajan Pax hoping for peace this year
I did indeed! I grabbed that one and then also got one of the larger diplomat cases that holds four trays for “storage” and the white / blue to use more for display on my desk since it’s smaller.
Thank you! The Augustus coin was the first “serious money” coin purchase I made and I think had I not loved it so much upon arrival, I may have questioned continuing to invest in numismatics. Then the slippery slope began and led me to Faustina
Thanks very much! Glad the videos were a pleaser I think my certifiable OCD drives me toward the high grades much to the detriment of my wallet (lol!) and missing out on coins where near Mint-state grades just don’t exist. A blessing and a curse!
All are excellent coins, I would have voted for Augustus (#1 to my eyes), Faustina and Domitian, should the poll allow to more than one vote Q
