How Worn will You Go?

This isn't a rare coin by any means, but despite the great deal of wear I like it.



Titus as Caesar [Vespasian]
Æ As, 13.89g
Antioch mint, undated
Obv: T CAESAR IMP PONT; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: S • C in laurel wreath
RPC 2014 (13 spec.).
Acquired from Ken Dorney, March 2022.

An undated issue of leaded bronze coins with Latin legends were struck at Antioch sometime between 76 and 78. They can be distinguished from an earlier Rome mint issue with similar designs by the local style and 12 o'clock die axis. Production of the series likely commenced soon after the Rome issue had run its course. This as struck for Titus Caesar is probably the most common coin of the issue.

Although the piece is incredibly worn, there is still a great deal of eye appeal.

Please post your worn wonders!

 

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I don't have the references to hand, but this very worn Trajan sestertius I found irresistible for the few pound it cost. I just love the colours in it and the patterns in the corrosion on the reverse. No idea if this was a natural process, or if someone tried to monkey with it at some point, but I find it very pleasing.

 

similar condition as the OP, colourfull patina I like:

 

I guess I should not be shocked that you are back to Flavians after yesterday's April 1 resolution (Forget Flavians) I raised the bar (more worn) in my collection with this coin:

Why would I want such a worn coin? a quiz and an explanation in this CT thread provincial diversions and the longer answer in my notes.

 

Nice find, David.

Most worn coins of mine are RR.


L Cassius Caecianus (102 B.C.)
AR Denarius
O: Head of Ceres left, wreathed in grain.CAEICIAN (AN in monogram).
R: Two yoked oxen pulling plow left"L CASSI" in exergue "T"
3.46g
28mm
Rome Mint
Cassia 1


P. Licinia Nerva (113-112 B.C.)
AR Denarius
O: Helmeted bust of Roma left, holding shield and spear over shoulder; crescent above, mark of value to left.
R: Three citizens voting on comitium: one voter receives ballot from attendant below, another voter places ballot in cista; [P] on tablet above bar.
Rome Mint
17mm
3.3g
Crawford 292/1, Sydenham 548; Licinia 7


M. Sergius Silus. (116-115 B.C.)
AR Denarius
O: Helmeted head of Roma right; mark of value behind.
R: Soldier on horseback rearing left, holding sword and severed head of barbarian; Q below.
Rome Mint
21mm
3.74g
Crawford 286/1; Sydenham 534; Sergia 1.

 

This is my most worn. A sestertius of Trajan. The reverse is completely smooth, but there's still a recognizable portrait of Trajan and even his name is still legible.

Trajan, AE sestertius
Rome mint, A.D. 101 - 102
OBV: IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG GERM PM, laureate head of Trajan right
REV: TR POT COS IIII PPSC, Concordia draped, seated left, emptying patera over altar and holding double cornucopiae; S C below
34mm, 21.85g
From the Ken Bresset Collection
ex CNG Keystone auction 6, session 3, part II - lot 3125

 

I have nothing against worn coins. And I like the OP coin (I see you reconsidered the decision of switching to raw modern coins, I am still thinking about it)

Now being serious, when I buy a coin this is the checklist
1. the coin is interesting to me (emperor, period, city, historical events)
2. it is visually attractive for me and tells a story also for me.

An important part is that I need to be able to identify the coin.
Overall, I would add the OP coin in my albums without any doubts.
I bought a lot of worn coins, many were not rare and I could have got them in better condition without breaking the bank but I wanted that coin.

This Verus sestertius would probably be skipped by 90% of the collectors - for me it's decent enough


Herennia Etruscilla as also quite worn - but I like it


From my latest auction - I needed a Saloninus but I don't want to pay the price for one in good shape. This one was cheap, attributable, all good



Those are just recent examples, but the worn coin I like the most is this Trajan Column denarius.

 

That is a cool reverse.

 

One of my favorites, hard to find.


RR
Anon 210 BCE
AE 23 Quincunx
6.96g
Apollo P behind
Dioscuri
Luceria 5 pellets
Cr 99-4 Syd 309 S 910

 

I was attracted by this coin's rarity, subject matter, and the lovely, leather-like patina.


Diva Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.23 g, 30.2 mm, 11 h.
Rome, early AD 176.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, veiled and draped bust, right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina II carried by an eagle flying left, holding transverse scepter in her right hand and with veil decorated with stars floating above her head.
Ref: RIC 1701; BMC 1572; Cohen 68; RCV 5226; MIR –; Cayón p.153, 32.

 

Aha! What a fun idea for a thread! I have no shame in my game about picking up a decrepit placeholder if it's an expensive type/great rarity. One can always find a better one.

I also wouldn't put your coin in the decrepit category. As you so aptly stated, it's worn but pleasing.

Here's a random and recent example:


Octavian, the Actian arch.

Worn coins probably have much richer backstories. They went through more hands, so they'd almost have to.

 

I have quite a few worn but still attractive coins in my collection. I especially like this as of Antonia Minor, issued during the reign of Claudius (41-54 AD). Antonia was (deep breath) the daughter of Marc Antony and Octavia, niece of Augustus, sister-in-law of Tiberius, mother of Claudius, grandmother of Caligula, and both great-grandmother and great-aunt of Nero.

 

Most of my coins are worn, I would like to say that’s the condition I like them in. But unfortunately the real reason is I am a poor retired guy with limited income to do coins. If I were a soldier in Alexander’s Army I would have to buy my helmet from Pay Citizen.Com

 

That is an attractive Titus from Antioch. Big Bronze can still look good even nearly smooth.

I will definitely go to smooth. I distinguish between my "collection coins" and my "accumulation coins" (or "piles").

For "Collection Coins," it has to have some redeeming features. I'm much more forgiving with large Roman Provincials, especially if they've been part of the numismatic literature. I've bid on a number of nearly-smooth Dattari Collection Alexandrian Drachms, but haven't won one yet

Here's a recent XL Gordian III, not quite a medallion, but a Großbronze (as the Germans call them) from Tarsus, and Lindgren Collection plate coin, that's pretty worn (though not smooth). It helped that, at ~34g, it was heavier (usually considerably so) than 26 of the 27 specimens cited in RPC:

Roman Provincial. Cilicia, Tarsus. Gordian III (Augustus, 238-244 CE). Æ Großbronze (36mm, 33.94 g, 6h).

Obv: ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ, Π Π. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, holding spear and shield decorated with gorgoneion.
Rev: ΤΑΡϹΟΥ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛƐ, Α Μ Κ Β Γ. Gordian, laureate and in military dress, on horseback right, spearing lion running right below.

Ref: RPC VII.2 Online 3457 (for type); Lindgren & Kovacs 1635 (this coin illustrated).
Prov: Ex CNG e-Auction 509 (9 Feb 22), Lot 360; MDA Collection, acq. 14 Aug 2000; Henry Clay Lindgren Collection (before 1985, published in Lindgren & Kovacs, Ancient Bronze Coinage of Asia Minor and the Levant).​

Among my "accumulation coins," I have many piles of virtually smooth "jumbo junkers," mostly Romans and Byzantines that came in big groups or collections. I don't know what the previous owner did to the surfaces (lacquer or Ren Wax?), but despite appearances, they're not wet!

 

My favourite worn coin. When in hand, looks like a gem.

 

It sure does!

 

My worse one....
AV Goldgulden ND Arnheim Mint
Wilhelm I of Julich 1371-93
Gelderland/ Herzogtum

These are tough to find in good quality/ mine was graded Good/VF by Spink Auctions.

 

I've mentioned before that I'm much more willing to buy worn Roman Provincials (particularly from Roman Egypt) than worn Roman Imperials, and, specifically, am more willing to buy worn bronze drachmae than worn billon tetradrachms.

You can see from this photo showing my four Roman Alexandrian drachmae in a tray that they can be quite worn and still -- at least in my opinion! -- very attractive:

 

Most of my coins are quite worn.. I love this Hadrian as it was my first individual coin purchase (I started with uncleaned lots of LRBs). So when this arrived in the mail it was very exciting.

Let's just say its passed between hands a few times...