worst condition coin in your collection

Before you laugh hysterically - I liberated this from the trash can next to the coin machine a couple of years ago - so technically a coinstar find. It is an ancient AE from Carmo in Spain ca. 200 BC.

 

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I have soooo many coins that I think would suit this thread.

Probus
Obv:– IMP C PROBVS AVG, Radiate cuirassed bust left with spear over right shoulder
Rev:– TEMPOR FELICIT, Felicitas standing right, holding caduceus and cornucopiae
Minted in Lugdunum (II in exe) Emission 8 Officina 2. Autumn to Late A.D. 281
Reference:– Cohen -. Bastien -. RIC 108 (Rare)

Weight 3.81g. 22.50mm. 0 degrees



This bust type not cited in Bastien. So he couldn't find any when creating the catalog. This is despite the fact that there is one in the BM which is the plate coin in RIC for RIC 108 and is an obverse die match to this example. So quite possibly on the second known example of this bust type from Lugdunum.

 

How about a pair of coins from a single obverse die that I suspect no more than a handful of people would care enough about to give them a home.

In the earlier Eastern COS II series of Septimius Severus are a range of slightly unusual obverse legends with legends ending in AVG II C, AVG CO, AVG II CO etc.

Examples of some of these are found in the standard references mixed in with the standard COS II coins.

Curtis Clay obtained an example of an undocumented obverse legend "IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II COS" from the Kelly Collection, with the additionally unusual reverse legend on "FORTVNAE REDVCI II COS". All coins with the reverse legend containing "II COS" are scarce through to rare.

I was struggling to attribute the following coin and Curtis asked me to send him a plaster cast of it tol allow him to compare it to other examples in his collection of coins and plaster casts.



He was able to confirm it as an obverse die match to his II COS obverse coin thus making it:-

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II COS, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONAE SPEI II COS, Spes standing holding flower and lifting skirt
Minted in Emesa, 194 - 195 A.D.
References:– RIC -. RSC -. BMC -.

2.53g, 20.31mm, 0o

A few months later I foind the following coin:-



This time a double die match with Curtis' example

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II COS, Laureate head right
Rev:– FORTVNAE REDVCI II COS, Fortuna standing left holding rudder and cornucopia
Minted in Emesa, 194 - 195 A.D.
References:– RIC -. RSC -. BMC -.

In summary. There appear to be only three examples known with this obverse legend. One in the Curtis Clay collection and two in mine....

Either coin would probably qualify for this thread.

 

I have two that I'd like to show off, both pulled from lots of uncleaned coins many years ago.

First, from my CtG collection, this little 1/4 nummus from Trier:

Constantine I ("the Great")
A.D. 307-337
Treveri (Trier) mint, A.D. 307-308
RIC 791
Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
Rev: VOT/X/AVG/N, within wreath
No mint mark
13 mm, 0.8 g.

And what do you think about this beast:

Agrippina Senior
Wife of Germanicus
Bronze Sestertius
Rome mint, A.D. 50-54
Obv: AGRIPPINA M F GERMANICI CAESARIS
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP, encircling SC
RIC (Claudius) 102
34mm, 26.1g.

 

I find it interesting that no US coins made this post that I could see -- yet.
Since I don't collect ancients, I'll show a US coin.

BTW, NGC graded this as a straight VG-10.

 

Without doubt my Cleo VII coin.
But then, it’s not easy to find this lady in a better condition



EGYPT: CLEOPATRA VII
Cleopatra VII. AE 40 drachms. Alexandria
Obv. Diademed bust of Cleopatra VII right.
Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ ΚΛΕΟΠΑΤΡΑΣ Eagle standing on thunderbolt left. In left field, double cornucopia, in right field, M (= 40 = mark of value).
20 mm, 8.24gm.

 

My 1914-D Lincoln is in VF30, but there is a hole drilled through it. Paid 20 bucks at the flea market 30+ years ago.

 

Despite the variety of coins shown, I think that the uniting theme is passion...a passion for collecting. Here is another coin that I would not part with despite the terrible condition. It would not even be recognizable except for the monogram.



Odovacar
King of Italy
476-493
Æ Nummus (0.61g 10mm) Ravenna
[ODOVA] bust right / ODOVA monogram within wreath.
RIC 3502; MEC 64; BMC Vandals p. 45, 10-11.

 

This is by far the worst condition coin in my collection. I meant to upgrade it, but I have in fact never come across a better one in auction:

Odovacar in the name of Zeno

Mint: Rome
Year: 478

These large folles were issued in two emission. The first one (477) is dated by the regnal year (III) under the bust. The second one is not dated. These coins are excessively rare and practically non-existent in good condition.

 

Yes, an Odovacar nummus is hard to replace in any condition. I managed to find one in near perfect condition though.

 

Since we are showing our Odoacer coins I might as well post mine also. It was my white whale for years.

Odoacer, Kingdom of Italy
AE nummus
Obv: OD[O-VAC], bare-headed, draped bust right
Rev: Odoacer's monogram (letters ODOVA: “Odovacar”) within wreath
Mint: Ravenna
Date: 476-493 AD
Ref: RIC X 3502

 

My best worn coins are my AE Shekel of Ture and fouree Tribute Penny.

They’re not allowed to leave.



Erin

 

My coin in the worst condition is also a coin i was very happy to purchase as a collector of incuse coins of Magna Graecia.
It is a drachm of Sybaris struck during the Spagnoli phase A (with the legend above the bull) . Only 4 drachms are known for this period including this one.

South Lucania, Sybaris, c. 540/30-526 BC, Drachm , AR, gr. 2,5.
Av. Bull standing l., head turned back, above VM.
Rv. same type r. incuse.
ref. Spagnoli groupe A 1002 D2/R2?

 

I have so many coins of low quality but most of them are interesting enough in some way. That's just how it goes if you collect provincial bronzes. Here's an example:


MESOPOTAMIA, Rhesaena. Elagabalus
AE 19 mm, 4.13 gm
Obv: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, holding spear.
Rev: Centaur advancing right, drawing bow; behind, two vexilla; to left, bull(?) head right (Castelin's article says possible female head right, with mural crown and veil)
Ref: Cf. Castelin 14-16. Rare.

Here's Castelin's article that serves as reference for the type:
http://numismatics.org/digitallibrary/ark:/53695/nnan8633



As you can see, this type of coin just doesn't come in high quality. From the Castelin article:

"Their striking, in comparison with imperial coins, is notably careless and uneven and their preservation generally very bad."

"...their portraits are here mere caricatures..."

"Dots and lines or a ragged outline may be meant to indicate a beard or may merely be due to the ineptitude of the engraver."

 

I just won this one and it's no beauty




Licinius I & Licinius II
A.D. 320
22mm 4.1g
D D N N IOVII LICINII INVICT AVG ET CAES; laureate and draped confronted busts, together holding Fortuna.
I O M ET FORT CONSER D D N N AVG ET CAES; Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe with laurel crown in right hand, leaning on sceptre; Fortuna standing right crowned with modius, holding cornucopiae and rudder set on globe.
In ex. SMNΓ
RIC VII Nicomedia 38


I already had an example from workshop Δ




and I figured the two combined would make one nice coin

 

I have a couple of contenders. Both are only just identifiable, but both were in my top 10 buys for this year

Carausius - VIRTVS CARAVSI AVG (extr. rare)

Obverse: VIRTVS CARAVSI AVG - Radiate, bust wearing imperial mantle and facing left, holding eagle-tipped sceptre
Reverse: PAX AVG - Pax standing left, holding olive branch and vertical sceptre. F-O in field, ML in exergue


Postumus as Hercules (Unpublished)

Obverse: POSTVMVS AVG - Radiate bust left, holding club over right shoulder, lion's head on left shoulder
Reverse: ORIENS AVG - Sol advancing left holding raising right hand and holding whip in left.

The condition of this coin may improve when/if I try and get it professionally cleaned

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. The primary enjoyment that I get out of my coin collection is derived from showing it to other people and, lets face it, unattractive coins just don't hold laypeople's attention

We must have similar criteria as well, as the 2 lowest grade coins in my collection are also Ch F.

This Agrippa:

And this Crispina:


Not that "low grade" and "ugly" are the same thing. I actually find the Crispina acceptably appealing, however, I do plan to upgrade the Agrippa someday.

 

This is pretty awful.