10 coins that did not make my top ten

Since others seem to be posting coins that did not make their top 10 I thought I would pile on. Here are 10 coins that did not make the top 10 list. Please feel free to pile on with your own coins.




I bought this coin because I liked the look of. Yes, it is a bit rough, but for me that was part of the charm. It looked like a coin that needed a good home.


Marcian (450-457). AV Semissis (17mm, 1.98g, 6h). Constantinople. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. R/ Victory seated r. on cuirass, holding shield inscribed XVXXX; star in l. field, Christogram in r.; CONOB. RIC X 514 (R2) Wavy flan, otherwise near VF
St Paul Antiques Auction 13 November 19 2017 Lot 629



Another rough Semissis. I like this denomination and I did not have a coin of Anastasius so...


Anastasius I (491-518), Semissis, Constantinople, c. 507-518,
(17.90 mm. 2.00g,)
Obv: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
Anastasius PP AVG
Rev: Victory seated right, inscribing shield set on knee; star to left, staurogram to lower right;
Victoria AVGG. CONOB in Exergue
CONOB. MIBE 10; DOC 9; S. 7. Very fine.
London Coin Galleries, Auction 4 - Part 1Lot 1144 June 1, 2017



I wanted a coin of Al-Mansur because he was an interesting historical figure. One of his accomplishments was the founding of Baghdad in the 750s.

Abbasid. temp. al-Mansur (AH 136-158 / AD 754-775)
gold Dinar AH 153 (AD 770/1)
(3.69g )
Fine - Clipped, no mint, , A-212.
Heritage Auctions November 2, 2017 Lot 61251




Another interesting historical figure. This is a coin of Sulayman the Magnificent. A very influential figure in his time.


OTTOMAN EMPIRE. Sulayman I Qanuni (AH 926-974 / 1520-1566 AD). GOLD Sultani. Misr (Cairo) mint. Dated AH 926 (1520/1 AD).Obv:Titles of the Sultan above mint formula ("duribe fi Misir") and accession date (AH 926), Legend: "Sultan Suleyman Sah bin Sultan Selim Sah azze nasruhu duribe fi Misir sene [926]"
Rev:Inscriptions in four lines within border of pellets.Decorative ornaments (dots) in fields.
Legend: "Daribun nadri sahib-ul-izzi ven-nasri fil-berri vel-bahr"
Obv: Legend.
Rev: Legend, with mint and AH date.
Pere 181; Album 1317.
Condition: Very fine.
Weight: 3.38 g.
Diameter: 20 mm.
Ex Numismatik Naumann Auction 53 May 6, 2017 Lot 1007



Saladin is yet another interesting Islamic figure. He fought against Richard I the Lion Hearted, and he conquered Jerusalem in 1187.

Ayyubids. Al-Nasir Yusuf I (Saladin), (564-589 AH/1169-1193 AD) AV Dinar. Al-
Iskandariya mint, 585 AH = 1189 AD.
(19mm, 4.33g, 2h).
"In the name of God, the Compassionate, the
Merciful, was struck this dinar in al-Iskandariya in the year 5 and 80 and 500" in outer
margin; citing the Abbasid caliph "Abu l-Ábbas al-Nasir li-din Allah, commander of the
faithful" in inner margin; "al-Imam/Ahmad" in two lines across field / Kalima and Qur`an
9:33 in outer margin; title "`alin al-Malik ghaya Salah al-Din" in inner margin;
"Yusuf/bin Ayyub" in two lines across field. Album 785.2; Balog 58.
Ex: Roma Numismatics Auction 35 Lot 1360 May 3, 2017


Yet another gold coin with a condition issue. I really wanted a piece of hammered gold of an English king. This has another interesting attribute. The cross within a circle at the top of the shield represents the scarce Calais int of the coin.

Edward III AV Quarter Noble (c.1361-1369AD)
(18.49 mm 1.65 g)
Treaty-Period Calais Mint,
Obv: shield within tressure, cross in circle above, French title omitted, pellet before edward,
Rev. floriate cross, arms extending from central panel containing an annulet
Bold, very fine detail, clipped with a little damage on one edge.
(Schneider 100; Stewartby B2, p.258; N.1245; S.1513)
Halls Hammered Coins October 9, 2017



I wanted a nice groat of an English king so I bought this one. It went unsold in Harlan Berk's Bid or Buy auction. Why? I have no idea. It is a very attractive coin imho made more so by the grumpy portrait.

Great Britain, House Of York, ND Groat, F, Edward IV, First Reign, 1461-70.
Light coinage. London mint. 25.2mm, 2.9g.
No marks by neck. S-2002. Nice grumpy portrait. Dark toning.
Purchased from Harlan J Berk 201st Bid or Buy sale July 14, 2007 Lot 517


I always wanted a coin of Constantine (who doesn't need at least one). So when this example came up for auction I jumped at the chance to own it. I love the Dafne reverse.


Constantine I. Follis. Constantinople (328-9)
(19.6 mm 2.60 g)
Obv: CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed, draped bust right
Rev: CONSTANTINIANA DAFNE, Victory seated left on cippus, looking right, holding palm branch in each hand, trophy in background, captive seated left at foot.
Officina letter B in left field. Mintmark CONS star.
RIC VII 38 (R4). EF-/EF. Very scarce.
Ex: Dattari Collection
Jesus Vico Auction 147 March 9, 2017



Louis IX is also know as St Louis-a name that appears in many different places and contexts. He was the only French king ever canonized by the church. In my books that makes him an interesting historical figure.

Louis IX (1226-1270) AR Gros Tournois
(25.20 mm, 3.55 g)
Obv: légende intérieure : + LVDOVICVS. REX
légende extérieure : + BNDICTV: SIT: NOmE: DHI: nRI: DEI: IhV. XPI, (ponctuation par trois besants superposés).
Rev: TVRONVS. CIVIS,
Purchased from Ebay February 2017


Last but not least is this coin of King Cnut. I really like these pennies. There is a certain artistry in the obverse that I find attractive. I also think he is an interesting historical figure.

ENGLAND. CANTERBURY, Royal mint, Cnut (1016-35), Silver Penny,
(, 17.52 mm 0.91g),
Short Cross type moneyer Wulfwig.
Obv: Diademed bust left with lis sceptre, +CNVT - RECX:
Rev: Short voided cross, central annulet enclosing pellet, +PVLFPIGONCANT
Good Very Fine, slightly creased and pecked
North 790 S 1159
London Coin Galleries, Auction 4 - Part 1Lot 1144 June 1, 2017

 

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Who doesn't like gold????? Super coins @Orfew

 

Some wonderful coins.

 

Excellent 'runners-up'! That Edward III is my favourite among the group.

 

Congrats in every respect. Every coin is my wish. If I may chose one of them, I would never come to a decision. Great..

 

KILLER GOLD @Orfew ! I was blinded by the light, and could not see your other top 10!

Random pile-on:


Campania Capua 216-214 BC Æ Uncia 20.5mm 6.1g Laur hdJupiter r star value l Victory trophy star value r Monete 21 HN Italy 493


Campania CAPUA AE 14-5mm 216-211 Hera Oscan Grain ear Hannibal capital Italia SNG Fr 517 SNG ANS 219 HN Italy 500 EE Clain Stefanelli

 

Wow, you really hammered those hammereds this year, Orfew! Which coin was the strongest challenger for your top 10? For me, it would have been the Saladin, what a great coin.

 

I must not be paying attention to the new trend in coin reporting. I have selected my top ten for 2017 but am holding off to be sure there is not a usurper that muscles his way into the group in the next three weeks. I have bids that might --- who knows??? So far this year has seen me add 118 coins making 2017 a very big year. I could post a second ten or even a ten biggest mistakes of the year. I would but some out there would confuse my worst list for my best list. Our differences in opinions make that a real possibility. I think what I will do is post ten 'losers' here in response to Orfew's call for a pile on. None of these made my top ten this year but might have were it not for the fact that 2017 was a very good year and it is hard to be a star when every competitor is outstanding.

In no order:
Sextus Pompey as with features of Pompey the Great


Septimius Severus denarius with Africa reverse


Philip I Alexandria tetradrachm with especially nice depiction of Cerberus at feet of Serapis


Augustus as from Lugdunum with nice strike of countermark by Tiberius


Trajan denarius honoring his biological father


Gela AE12 Bull / River god with hair flowing in the water


Julia Domna Alexandria tetradrachm with Dikaiosyne - the lesser of the two JD tets I got this year (the other made the top ten)


Commodus Alexandria tetradrachm with lighthouse and ship (compare this to the one in the new Triton sale which is called the finest and is better than mine)


Commodus Alexandria diobol with lion - Tetradrachms and drachms are more popular but small change need love, too.


Septimius Severus Alexandria tetradrachm - of the four that came to me last January, I liked this one best. No Alexandria coin of Septimius should be called a loser but this is the only one that I put in the second tier. Sad. This is a relatively boring Dikaiosyne reverse but is year two and shows the style match for Alexandria mint denarii also made that year. If it had a 'good' reverse, it could have done much better.


There is my pile of ten 'also ran' 2017 coins. No gold; no mint state; just coins I like.

 

Exactly! Those features would make the Cnut my choice for higher ranking.

 

Another great set of coins @Orfew that Cnut is first rate. I'm also a big fan of your St. Louis Gros Tournois. You have acquired some nice coins this year.

 

I like those coins too. I am especially fond of the Sextus Pompey. The dual portraits are great.

 

This coin almost made my top ten. I had a hard time excluding it.

 

Thanks @TheRed
As I said above it was difficult to exclude that Cnut from my top ten. I have been lucky in adding some special hammered coins this year.

 

The Cnut came the closest to being included. It is an interesting coin. I love the Saladin too as he is an interesting historical figure.

 

I agree - both the Saladin and Cnut are fantastic coins!

 

Nice examples of very diverse coins! Orfew...love the Cnut/Saladin/Louis IX coins Doug / really like the Alexandris issues Thanks guys for posting them.

 

Dang, several coins posted here that didn't even make the varsity, would be make my top 10 coins of the last 6 years list. LOL!

Here's my top 9 coins that didn't make my top 10.






#11 My only Greek this year, little Lesbos dual boars!











12 and 13 Constantius Gallus and a hut crossed off my list!








Nice looking semi-autonomous!

View attachment 710371

Not ancient but struck like they were (all 19th century).








Some representatives of other collecting areas.


Conder token.





Notgeld.








This coin gets my biggest turd of the year award.

 

Awesome Gallus, what a characterful portrait!

 

Love that coin with what looks like a lis. I also like the Lesbos coin. Nice coins Chris.

 

Wow @Orfew it's hard to believe that none of these made your top 10! The reverses on the Marcian and Constantine are fantastic but I think my favorite might be the Edward IV. You have had a great year!