I was just wondering, do any of you keep more than one of the exact same type of ancient in your collection, or is one enough? In my collection there are a few cases where I have come across a second example of (what I consider) the same coin and cannot decide which I like best, so I keep both.
I usually just keep one of a type and that is enough. Some modern world coins I have the same type. But it's because something like the toning is pleasant over the other or just a fraction better grade-wise but like them both equally. Haven't gone that route with ancients or even medievals.
Not usually, but sometimes, for example a nice example of a type plus another with an interesting bust style or die match or some such interest. My most extreme example of this is Constantine's VOT XXX type from the mint of Heraclea. Just using a lazy screen capture here: There are a variety of bust types there, as well as different issues, but also a good number of duplicates based on differing diadem types (but same RIC number), which is the reason I collected them.
I collect a lot of series by RIC number and variations, so I have many of the "same type" Here are three coins from Maximianus, same RIC number but the workshop Γ is in a different place. Maximianus A.D. 289- 290 Ӕ Antoninianus 22x23mm 3.4g IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right. CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar. In ex. XXIΓ•ΛI• RIC V Siscia 580 Maximianus A.D. 289- 290 Ӕ Antoninianus 23x25mm 3.6g IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate and cuirassed bust right. CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar. In ex. •Γ•XXI•ΛI• RIC V Siscia 580 Maximianus A.D. 289- 290 Ӕ Antoninianus 23x26mm 3.7g IMP C M A VAL MAXIMIANVS P F AVG; radiate (divergent tie) and cuirassed bust right. CONSERVATOR AVGG; Maximianus holding sceptre, and Hercules, leaning on club; standing face to face, sacrificing at altar; Γ in right. In ex. •XXI•ΛI• RIC V Siscia 580 I also collect unofficial VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP from the Sisica mint and have several hundred. Here are the last 7 that I uploaded to my page. All similar busts but completely different styles.
@Victor_Clark I would consider yours to all be different. Even so much as the officina mark being in a different location makes it a separate coin to me. Also, those VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP are wonderfully crude! The 3rd one down is my favorite. Closely followed by the 2nd to last.
I've whittled down my Parthian collection to just two basic (but related) types, tets of Vologases II and III: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3627
Is one of those Eyes to Heaven busts completely silvered? That's remarkable. As for the OP. I don't have any doubles, I scarcely have two of any particular emperor. Only Trajan (2), Phillip II (2), Decius (2), Diocletian (3), Maximianus (2), Maximinus II (2), Maxentius (2), Constantine (8) and Constantius II (4) have that honour. I do one day hope to find a smaller niche I enjoy and stick to it. Nothing has occurred to me yet but I'm only 2 years in.
Yes, indeedy ! In fact two of them are: The second one was from a trade with Zach Beasley (of Beast Coins) from back in the day when he was still collecting.
I never noticed the first one due to the toning. The "toned silvering" is quite beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen it before.
The detail on the diadem is quite something too! I am wondering, how delicate is "silvering". I only have coins with pockets of it. Do you have to be particularly careful with the handling?
On coins like this it's very stable - really no different than a silver plated object (although done in a different way). On a coin that only has flecks/patches of silvering left you might want to be a bit more careful, although I've never seen anything bad happen. I don't really baby my coins - I'll quite often wash them under the tap with liquid soap, sometimes scrub them with a soft toothbrush even, and so far so good.
I do many multiples including this one: In addition to those three, there is the one with the error in the mintmark (A for lambda) and then there are the obverse bust varieties. I believe there are three but I only have two. On coins I collect, it gets worse. These are my 5 LEG XXII PRI: This is less than half of these. All are different in some way.
As @dougsmit I save some that are distinct varieties such as overdates. Others I save because of provenance. The others I sell periodically to Glenn Schinke. The ones I sell are all up-grades. I find it difficult to both up-grade or add a new piece. A combination of budget and scarcity.
It depends what you mean by the same type. I have double die matches.... In the order that I bought them with the second allowing me to confirm the reverse legend of the reverse yet the first is struck better Eastern IMP II - Fortuna standing left holding cornucopiae in each hand L SEP SEV PE-RT AVG IMP II / FORT R-E-DVC, L SEPT SEV P-ERET AVG IMP I-I / FORT R-D-EVC L SEP SEV PERTE AVG IMP I-I / FORT R-DEVC
I have noted five different bust types-- radiate and cuirassed bust right radiate head radiate and cuirassed seen from rear heroic nude with slight drapery over each shoulder radiate and cuirassed bust left also of note is sometimes Hercules on reverse is holding club up with lion skin draped down I also pay attention to whether the ties on headdress are convergent or divergent.
Generally I do not. HOWEVER, when there are Hard-to-Get coins, and I can get them, YES, I will have some multiples: RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Quadrigatus Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Crawford 29-4 Sear 35 RR Anon AR Heavy Quin Drachm Half Quadrigatus 225-212 BCE 3.1g 18mm Janus Jupiter in Quadriga L Victory ROMA Crawford 29-4 Sear 35 SCARCE And this was a shear boo-boo, TWICE!!! I was trying to get the one of the first series of Denarius after the Reform (Crawford 44-5), but BOTH times I obtained the very Hard-to-Get SICILY version! LOL, sorry, not givin' up NEITHER! (Thanks to @red_spork 's expertise who pointed out the error-of-my-ways!) RR AR Denarius 214-208 BCE Roma R X behind - Dioscuri R ROMA linear frame stars Sicily RARE Cr 68-1b listed as cr 44-5 RR Anon AR denarius Roma 211-206 BCE ROMA incus Dioscuri single horn-helmet Sear-- Craw 68-1b SICILY ISSUE RARE was cr 44-5
I try to keep track of my "type" coins, coins that serve as representative of an emperor, empress, king, queen, city-state, province, kingdom or empire. My focus group, which is right now Athenian owls and their imitations, have I guess what one would consider duplicates, but given the individual nature of these coins, due to strikes and die variations rarely match, it does become more of an argumentative point.