Ancient Coins: Gold Coins Episode 3 - Share your own

Check out this new video from the Classical Numismatics channel!
In the spirit of the video, do you have an ancient gold coin to share?

Anastasius Dicorus solidus
Anastasius was the last Roman emperor to be deified. He was also made a Saint after his death. Anastasius brought peace to a turbulent Byzantine empire and saved up over 23,000,000 solidii like this one in the imperial treasury, almost all of which was later blown by Justinian in his wars of expansion.

 

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..idk who he is, but he puts on a good show..

 

Marcian, Eastern Roman Empire
AV solidus
Obv: D N MARCIA-NVS P F AVG, diademed, helmeted and cuirassed three-quarter facing bust, holding spear over shoulder and shield decorated with horseman
Rev: VICTORI-A AVGGG, Victory standing left, holding long jeweled cross, star in right field
Mint: Constantinople
Mintmark: CONOB
Date: 450-457 AD
Ref: RIC 510
Size: 4.46 gr., 21 mm

 

Theodosius II. 402-450AD. Issued for his tricennalia. The left foot of Constantinopolis is resting in a bird-headed ship’s prow. The bird is turning back to admire her, or perhaps to complain about being stepped upon.

 

CARTHAGE EMPIRE


Carthage - Zeugitana
AV 1/10th Stater-Shekel
350-320 BCE
0.94g 7.5mm
Palm-
Horse Head
SNG COP 132

Fun to compare to my other Gold: (I am a big fan of Gold)

 

@panzerman perhaps?? He has the "goods" to do it!

 

This is my biggest ancient gold coin.
Ptolemy IV Av Mnaeion or Oktadrachm Alexandria 219-217 BC Obv. Bust of Ptolemy III right radiate wearing aegis and with trident over shoulder. Rv. Radiate filleted diadem draped over cornucopia.CPE 888 Dies 3/10 27,82 grms 26 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin was minted in response to a serious crises facing the Ptolemaic Kingdom. At this time the Seleukids under Antiochos III were in control of the Ptolemaic possessions in what would today be called Lebanon and Israel, and the Ptolemies were attempting to wrestle that territory back. Thus a coin featuring the image of perhaps the most celebrated of the Ptolemaic Kings Ptolemy III was appropriate. In this image two of his successful ventures are referenced. The first is his command of the sea ( the Trident) and his successful campaigns against the Seleukids ( the radiate crown). This image is actually quite startling as it is a very early depiction of a Hellenistic monarch where his attributes are more prominently displayed than his individual features.
PS Tried to get one of two coins from the Leu Auction. Got neither. Another running gun fight with me doing all the running.

 

It doesn't get any better when a Classical Numismatics video pops up in my recommended. Here's my only (currently) gold coin

Roman Empire. Domitian as Caesar. AV Aureus, Rome. Struck under Vespasian in 75 AD. Laureate head of Domitian right, CAES AVG F DOMIT COS III / Spes advancing left, holding flower in her right hand and raising skirt with her left, PRINCEPS IVVENTVT. 20 mm, 7.12 g. BMC 154. Calicó 912. Cohen 374. RIC 787.​

 

..no, it isn't panzerman....this guy has bronze coins too....but i suspect its one of our members here..

 

I don't collect Greek coins, and I really should stop looking at them, because last time I looked at a Greek coin I just had to buy this Alexander III Babylon Mint gold stater:



It's the most treasured coin in my collection.

My only other gold coins are solidi of Marcian, Leo, Theodosius II, Arcadius, Honorius and Basiliscus (and yes I cracked Honorius out of his stupid NGC slab):

 

Wow, the Theodosius and Arcadius look especially naturalistic. I just noticed the horseman on the shields; aside from the overall appearance of the images, I suppose we can measure how much each emperor's celators artistic skills degenerated based on their renderings of the horseman. Cool!

 

Yeah, there's a huge decline in the skill of the celators during the fifth century, most notably in the west, but also in the at the point where the eastern Roman empire "becomes" Byzantine. The depiction of Victory on the Basiliscus above is almost cartoon-like. At this point the emperor's portrait is an effigy - i don't think anybody actually sat in from of the emperor and attempted to engrave his actual likeness into the dies.

 

I currently have solidi of Theodosius II, Anastasius, Justinian I, Justin II, Tiberius Cosnstantine, Phocas, Heraclius, and Constans II. I also have a tremissis of Justinian I. My most recent gold coin purchase was a Constantius II from the most recent Leu Numismatik auction.

 

Hi All,

Nice coin!!! The die study is at https://www.academia.edu/4978961/Three_Gold_Coinages_of_Third_Century_Ptolemaic_Egypt

- Broucheion

 

As a "insider" on this channel, it's funny seeing people guessing who he is,

For a hint, as a whole channel, there's far more than one single person.

 

It's not so much of a guess as it is "who we think could pull it off". I think there's actually several on CT who are capable...

 

Nice coins all!

I actually have a number of gold coins, although many of mine are quite low purity and mostly small - I am a $1,000-coin virgin after all!

Greek Electrum
Mytilene

Phokaia


Roman/Byzantine
Valentinian III tremissis


Zeno


Anastasius


Justinian (I bought this one 2 years ago for less than what today's melt would be!)


Phocas


I also have a number of Indian gold, which can be surprisingly affordable

Kushan, Kipunadha stater


Kidarites & successors, Durlabha Deva pale AV stater


Post-Gupta Prasannamitra AV bracteate

 

><...i'm just getting to the '$300 a coin' level.....

 

Nice yellow metal chunks fellas !

I don't have pure gold ancients at the moment (I will someday, I sure will), but two electrum staters


Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 491 (194-195 CE)
BACIΛΕωC CAVPOMATOV (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Sauromates II right
Laureate head of Septimius Severus right. Star in right field. Retrograd VPA at exergue (year 491)
7,69 gr – 20 mm
Ref : MacDonald # 502/2, Sear # 5476 var
The writeup is here



Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 513 (216-217 CE)
BACIΛΕωC ΡHCKOΥΠOΡIΔOC (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Rhescuporis II right, before, trident.
Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right. ΓΙΦ at exergue (year 513)
7,63 gr – 18 mm
Ref : MacDonald # 556/3

Q

 

Here’s one of my favorites

Brutus
Military mint - 42 BC
Obv - Libertas
Rev - Military trophy