My top 10 Ancients of 2021

Looks like a pretty ho-hum year for you then?

Seriously, though, fantastic coins... every one of them. I'm green with envy. I picked the Metapontion, Thebes stater, and Velia didrachm as my favorites. Those I would really love to have in my own collection. Congrats!

 

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Nice selection. Koson Stater, Phillip and the Thebes shield state why my top 3 reflexive choices but solid adds all-round.

 

Just for fun, here is a grouping of some "runners up" to my top 10 this year:


THRACE: Thasos, AR trihemiobol (0.84g), ca. 412-404 BC, HGC-6/351, Le Rider-27 (Thasiennes), satyr kneeling left, holding kylix // amphora within incuse square, ΘAΣIΩN, light iridescent toning, VF, ex Bal Harbour Collection



Diocletian AD 284-305, AE Follis 28mm 9.7g. Struck at Aquileia. Obv. IMP DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, laureate head right. Rev. SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTR, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. AQP in exergue.
RIC VI 29a. Silvered and sharply struck on a broad flan. Mint State.



SYRIA. Seleukid Kingdom. Antiochus VIII Grypus, 125-96 B.C. AR Tetradrachm 16.18 grams, 30mm. SC 2309.1b, HGC 9, 1200. Old grey cabinet toning.



Constantius II; 337-361 AD, Constantinople, 351-55 AD, Siliqua, 1.87g. RIC-102 (S), officina B=2; C-342 (6 Fr.). Obv: D N CONSTAN - TIVS P F AVG Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust r., seen from front. Rx: VOTIS / XXX / MVLTIS / XXXX in four lines within wreath, C.B below.Iridescent toning. Mint State



Roman Republic
L. Lucretius Trio AR Denarius. Rome, 76 BC. Laureate head of Neptune to right, with trident at shoulder; IIIIX (control mark) behind / Infant Genius riding dolphin to right; L•LVCRETI TRIO in two lines below. Crawford 390/2; BMCRR Rome 3247-70; RSC Lucretia 3. 4.01g, 19mm
Extremely Fine; beautiful grey cabinet toned surfaces with iridescent hues accenting the devices.



Roman Republic, AR denarius, 67 BC, Rome Mint, M. Plaetorius Cestianus; 3.85 g. Bust of 'Vacuna' to right, wearing a wreathed and crested helmet, bow and quiver on shoulder; cornucopiae below chin, CESTIANVS behind, S•C before / Eagle standing to right on thunderbolt, head to left; M• PLAETORIVS M•F•AED•CVR around. Bab. 4; BMC 3596; Crawf. 409/1; Syd. 809. EF with pretty iridescent cabinet toning.

 

all fantastic. I fell for #5,7,and 9.

 

This wouldn't be in my top 10 but I did manage to pick this one up over the last week. Likely my last addition of the year.

Macedon, Alexander III 'the Great', Posthumous Issues, AR Drachm, c. 323-280 BC, uncertain mint in Asia Minor, head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin, rev. Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, caduceus in left field, monogram below throne, 4.30g, 12h (Price 2754; Müller 210)

 

For posterity of keeping some of my 2021 purchases together for me to find more easily later I am going to post this one bought in December 2021. An inexpensive but scarce coin- a Celtic didrachm to pair with my Celtic tetradrachm of the same type.

CELTIC, Eastern Europe. Imitations of Philip II of Macedon. AR Didrachm (7.47 g). Sattelkopfpferd type. Struck in Transylvania. Devolved head of Zeus right / Devolved horseman riding left. OTA 300/14; Lanz 649 (same dies); CCCBM I 44; KMW 1227. VF, toned. Ex. Don Zauche collection bought by Don on 10/2/2009.