Thought I'd try something a bit different. I know the title may sound a bit obnoxious, but I'm hoping this will be fun. I'd like to buy a coin. The only thing is, I'm not sure which one I should buy. The goal here (and keep in mind this is more of a game) is to post a coin that you think I should purchase and convince me (and everyone else who's reading) that it's worth acquiring. The following are the guidelines: You can post a specific coin (available at shop x), or a general type, in which case I'll do my own search and pick from the possibilities. I really don't mind if you post an exact link and someone else buys it. After all, this thread is for all of us. Ideally, the coin should be available at a store such as VCoins or ma-shops. I'm not likely to fight at auction for one not on my list. If I do buy the coin, then each winner will receive an imaginary plaque, delivered by an invisible unicorn to your home or office while you're away. In terms of what I like/am looking for: You can see the coins I'm most passionate about here. But, I also collect Roman and in-between. I have about 60 Roman coins, mostly denarii. None are particularly rare, though I do have a Julius Caesar elephant and a Titus Coliseum elephant. That being said, of the last 100 coins I purchased, only two were Roman. In terms of budget, it really depends on the coin. In general, though, I'm going to have to really want something to pay more than a few hundred. I'm mostly after stories, though there are a few cool-looking coins that have really tempted me. Finally, I'll answer my own question by showing some coins I would buy if I were you. Ancient cult? Proof that the Greeks knew the Earth was round? Uranopolis bronzes, minted by Kassander's brother Alexarchos, are cheap right now. During ancient times, Alexarchos was famed for creating a cult where he was to be called "Helios" (which the star on the coin symbolizes), along with creating his own religion and language. He was easily the weirdest guy of the Hellenistic age and founded his own Utopia where the inhabitants evidently toiled on these coins, among other things. Most likely due to being so common, these large issues from Arados, during the time of Alexander the Great, are surprisingly cheap. Most are oddly shaped like this one, but IMHO that gives it a lot of charm! Not only that, but they're dated - so you know the exact year (sort of). I can't think of too many other decently-sized silver coins, dated, from the time of Alexander's conquests that are this affordable. OK. How many 2300 year old silver issues in decent condition can you find for $30? And that's after they went up in value! There are oodles and oodles of punch-marked coins out there, some with elephants and people. Most are ridiculously cheap. You also have the mystery of what these punchmarks meant and exactly who minted them. This particular one is believed to come from around the time of Chandragupta, who fought against Seleukos I Nikator and reached a peace agreement that sent 500 war elephants west, eventually used to terrorize his enemies.
What about a large module Nero Sestertius from Lugdunum? I fancy the very large module 3rd-2nd century posthumous Alexander Tetradrachms, but you probably have a bunch of those. Or, perhaps an Alexandrian Drachm of Hadrian or Antoninus Pius?
Those are all great suggestions! I've looked into buying a Nero sestertius or denarius (I have neither), but at the quality I'd prefer they get a bit pricy. Some day I'll definitely buy one. I do have a number of Alexander tets. It's kind of funny about the Alexandrian tets (I assume you mean): I just haven't been so fascinated with them. I do like the Ptolemaic tets and the big bronzes, but haven't been tempted by the later coinage. I do have a denarius of Hadrian and of Antoninus Pius, though.
Here's a completely random example: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/nb...ander_iii_ar_tetradrachm/1596424/Default.aspx The very large (33mm+) posthumous Alexanders (c. 200-100s) seem to come in a variety of cities. I bought a nice large module Lysimachus from Jon Kern a couple of decades ago (he had a whole pile of them at a coin show). Those are also very nice.
You could also go Byzantine. A year 12-14 Constantinople facing bust 40 nummi from Justinian is always a good bet. Or maybe early third century Roman provincial? There's a lot of fascinating Balkan as-sized coins during the later 2nd-early 3rd time range. Other ideas (random example) https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/at...tioch_philip_i_244249_ad/1585868/Default.aspx The enigmatic Rome-style Antioch Tetradrachms of Philip I, a sub-set of his Antioch issues. You could find a better deal than that particular item, though. You could also go late Roman. Perhaps a non-clipped siliqua of Magnus Maximus? Perhaps because of his name, he was always one of my favorite Romans. Or go outside the box. The Sassanian kingdom has some very interesting Drachms, especially the very early ones and some of Khrusru II.
