While my interest is as strong as ever, I've intentionally slowed my purchases to a more financially sustainable pace. I've barely acquired 10 coins total over the past 2 years, so have rolled 2020 and 2021 into a single top 10 list. Again these are in no particular order and any commentary is appreciated. My own comments in italic below header #1) Thessaly, Larissa Drachm A steal on Ebay Circa 380-365 BC. AR Drachm (18mm, 5.71 g, 5h). Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left, with grain ears in her hair / Mare in foreground and foal in background standing right. L-S series 6, type A, dies O1/R1; BCD Thessaly II 294 (same dies). VF, toned, reverse a bit rough. Ex-CNG 302 lot 69 (May 8, 2013) #2) Kings of Thrace. Lysimachos The most I have spent on a single coin. .Tetradrachm (Silver, 27.5 mm, 16.82 g, 11 h), Lampsakos, 297/6-282/1. Diademed head of Alexander the Great to right with horn of Ammon over his ear. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ Athena seated to left on throne, leaning her left elbow on her shield and holding Nike, crowning the king's name, in her right hand; behind, transverse spear with point below left; to left, torch with flame to left; on throne, eight-pointed star. Thompson 43. A lovely piece with an elegant portrait of Alexander; nicely toned. Nearly extremely fine. From the collection of W. Belser, Zürich, prior to 1965, and that of his son, acquired in the early 1970s #3) BRUTTIUM, Terina Nomos One of the most artistic reverse dies ever produced in Terina. In better condition this coin would be out of my league Circa 420-400 BC. AR Nomos (19mm, 7.63 g, 9h). Head of the nymph Terina right; tiny Π behind neck / Nike seated left on plinth, holding olive branch and resting arm on cippus [decorated with Π]. Regling, Terina 43 (dies V/νν); Holloway & Jenkins 47; HN Italy 2602. Toned, scratches. Near VF. From the Sigmund Collection. #4) Caria Rhodes, didrachm Fine style on a budget. Wonderful in hand and I hardly notice the pitting. Old coins should look old. (6.58 g), 394-304 BC Av: Helios head facing slightly right. Rev: rose bloom with bud, left bunch of grapes and \\E\". SNG from Aulock 2790, from a Rhine private collection. Acquired in the 1980 / 90s in the Rhine coin trade #5) Cilicia, Balakros Stater Satrap of Cilicia, 333-323 B.C. AR Stater (10.97 gms). NGC Ch AU, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 3/5. SNG BN-196. Obverse: Baal of Tarsos seated left, holding lotus-tipped scepter; grain ear and grapes to left; below throne, Σ-O below and above; Reverse: Draped bust of Athena facing slightly left, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet. Quite engaging and alluring, this lightly toned specimen offers a well centered strike on each side. #6) Kushan, Vasu Deva I Obverse detail much better than most in this series . ca. 191-225 GOLD Dinar Mitchiner 3389ff, 8,05 g 20mm Prov: Dorotheum 2019, From the collection of Dr. Ernst Eichler #7) India, Kushan Empire. Kanishka I. Nice clear depicition of Siva and in unusually good shape for issue Circa AD 127-151. Æ Tetradrachm (25mm, 17.22 g, 12h). Main mint in Kapisha (Begram?). Middle phase. Kanishka standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding standard / Siva standing left, holding thunderbolt, diadem, trident, and flask; tamgha to left. MK 781; ANS Kushan 553-60; Donum Burns 164. Dark brown and dark green patina, worn at high points, traces of earthen encrustation on edge, minor cleaning marks and smoothing. VF. From the BLS Collection. #8) AE24 Macedon, under Roman protectorate Hard to find this complete and well centered. Blemishes not too noticable in hand Ae (Circa 142-141 BC or 167-165 BC). Thessalonika. Obv: Facing head of Silenos, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: MAKE / ΔONΩN. Legend in two lines; D above; all within ivy wreath. SNG Copenhagen 1324-6; BMC 55; HGC 3.1, 1117. Weight: 11.25 g. Diameter: 24 mm #9) ELIS, Olympia. 96th Olympiad. 396 BC. AR Stater Privately purchased, relatively scarce type (9.31g, 25mm) Eagle standing left, grasping coiled snake with beak and talons; all on round shield with raised rim / Flaming thunderbolt with volutes above and tendrils below; all within incuse circle. Seltman, Temple 163; BCD Olympia 89; SNG Copenhagen -; Boston MFA 1206; Weber 4045; VF, lightly toned, countermark on obverse. Underweight #10) Khwarezmia. Sawrshafan. Ca. 751-762 A.D. Relatively sharply struck obverse. This issue often suffers from areas of flat strike. AR drachm 26.4 mm, 2.81 g, 12 h. Crowned bust right / Horseman, holding whip, his name & title around in the Khwarizmian script. Wainberg-G5, Mitchiner, Indo-Greeks, type 500, cf. Zeno-143677. VF, Rough edge, chipped off flan 7 to 10:00. Detailed portrait. Rare.
1 and 2 are very very nice, but my favorite would have to be the Terina stater. The style and composition of the reverse are fantastic! Congrats on the wonderful acquisitions.
Thanks for the comments all. I’m really happy with this group and it’s interesting to see the near unanimous sentiment regarding the standouts - not what I expected!
Oooh, fantastic, all of them! My favorite by far is the Lysimachos tet. I've wanted one for years and didn't make it a priority... now prices are so high I can't seem to acquire the type I want for the price I want. Yours has everything I want: one of the more artistic portraits, gentle even wear, wonderful toning. Envious!! The Olympia stater is my next pick, followed by the Rhodes didrachm and Larissa. Both the Rhodes and Larissa have remarkably unsmooshed noses-- hard to find! That may be the sweetest portrait of Larissa I've seen. Sweet as in she looks kind and gentle, not sweet as in "Saweeet, dude!" although I guess that fits too . Edited to add that is my favorite reverse type for the Larissa drachms. I'd love to have a Terina with that reverse. I know nothing about the Khwarezmia but can appreciate that sharp and exotic (to my Western eyes) portrait. I love the Macedon repubic provincials, of course-- and bought your cast-off in AMCC3 (second coin in the pics that follow). Don't know why I keep buying them-- my first one was certainly a nice example... but I bought two more this year . The price for yours was just too good to pass up .
These are all really great. It is hard to pick a favorite. I will go with your #1, 2 and 6. Your Rhodian didrachm is good too and is a type I will be trying to find in 2022.
Tall order. There’s only about a dozen known with just 4 on ACsearch - but there actually is another on the market right now Understand completely, I’ve actually owned 3
Wow, that Alexander tet and the Kushan dinar are exceptionnal. I have a softspot for the terina though, since Secret Santa brought me a third nomos two years ago Q
