2017 the year in review, according to me

This year I'm not sure how I'd rate it, ok, maybe.
I added some coins that had been on my want list for quite some time and I added some that just caught my eye.
At the start of the year I was on a good pace to way surpass 2016, but come mid year things started happening that seriously handicapped my coin buying.
So with that it is safe to say as far as coins go 2017 is done and hoping for an awsome 2018.

I added 46 ancients this year, which is less that last year. But 46 isn't really to shabby.
Of those I pulled some of my favorites all for different reasons. There is really none that stand out as museum peices. I also like my ancients with some circulation to them and they fit into my collection nicely.
I'm no photogragher so several are seller photo's.
I have 11 that in this list 1-8 then I will follow it up with 9-11
In no particular order

My first coin of the year was actually gifted to me from Sallent and it is the only such not counting our SS exchange
Yep it's a Gordian

Gordian III
AR 21.4mm, 5.3g Rome
IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG
IOVI CONSERVATORI
Jupiter standing left holding scepter and thunderbolt over small figure of emperor
RIC IV 2

I had been searching for a Claudius to add and saw this one. Tyche on the reverse and the over all condition of this coin, for me it was a no brainer I had to have it.

Claudius
Æ20, 5.5g, 12h; Uncertain Caesarea, Syria?
Obv.: KΛAYΔIOC KAICAP; Laureate head of Claudius right.
Rev.: ETOrYC KAICAPEΩΝ Γ; Turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche right.
Reference: RPC I 4084; SNG Copenhagen 177 (Caesarea in Cappadocia).
Ex-JAZ

I have a silver Rome mint but was in search of a bronze Syrian AS but when I saw this listed in a recent JA auction it was listed as a RPC 2021 which is a right facing. I didn't question it and assumed it was a typo and snagged it up.


Domitian
AS 28mm, 13.2g, 12h Antioch Ad Orontem
IMP DOMITIANVS CAES AVG
laureate head left
SC in wreath
Syria Coele
RPC 2023
Ex JAZ

I picked this one up from @red_spork Greek and her city states is a part of history I am passionate about and I was recently caught up in the history of Cilicia. One day I was browsing through the CT for sale forum and made red_spork an offer, then coin now has a new home.


Cilicia, Korykos
22mm, 6.3g
Turreted head of Tyche right
ΔΙ
Hermes standing left holding phiale and caduces
ΚΩΡΥΚΙΩΤΩΝ to right
SNG Levante 791 (this coin)
EX-red_spork
EX-Eduardo Levante. SNG 66 lot 549

It was an amazing stroke of luck that I ended up with this coin, another JA gem. I missed out on another he had in an auction and he graciously offered this to me, and with Trajan being my favorite emperor I happily added this one. And it is still a favorite.


Trajan
AR Drachm 18mm, 3.0g, 6h Bostra
Metcalf 16

Picked this AS up on the cheap side and it took some cleaning but it turned out decent and for some reason I really like it. It was attributed as something else and I wasn't completely sure what I had until I removed some of the junk on it. It's not a beauty contest winner but I've seen this same type much, much worse.


Tiberius
AE-AS 25mm, 10.7g Lugdunum
TT CAESAR AVGVST F IMPERATVII
laureate bust right
ROMET AVG
altar of Lugdunum, decorsted in corona civica. Between laurels nude figures and victories
ROMET in exergue
RIC 245 (Augustus)

Again, I like Greek almost as much as I like Roman history the next 3 coins are Greek.
Ever since I saw one in a post by TIF, I was on the search for a Chersonesos. My only problem was there seems to be a lot of fakes out there and some can be a little pricey. If I was to have one it had to come from a seller I could trust. Yep, it's another JA gem buy. But this one has a pentagram and well, it fits me. The lion is pretty darn good and the way the incuse is on the reverse IMO makes this coin awsome.
Eventually I want to add several more of these little coins.


Chersonesos, Thrace
AR Hemidrachm 13mm, 2.0g
Forepart of lion right, head inverted
Quadripite incuse square, pentagram with pellet
McClean 4071
Ex-JAZ

One day I'll get me an Athena Owl, who doesn't like an owl coin, huh?
Browsing an Aegean auction earlier this year I was searching for a particular Pergamon coin that still eludes me. When I saw this I thought to cool, I had to outbid someone and I didn't even look at who it was so if it was another member just know it has a good home


Pergamum
Mysia, Pergamum. civic issue under Roman rule. Mid-late 2nd century BC AE 14.

Mysia, Pergamum. civic issue under Roman rule. Mid-late 2nd century BC AE 14 (14.03 mm, 1.53 g, 1 h). Head of Athena right wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with 8-pointed star / ΑΘΗΝΑΣ // ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ, ethnic vertically downward to right and left of owl standing facing 3/4 to right; all within laurel-wreath. SNG Copenhagen 381-2; BMC 185-6. choice VF, beautiful golden patina, well-centered and struck

3 more to follow very shortly.

Feel free to comment and pile on

 

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All nice coins @Smojo. I would welcome any one of them into my collection.

 

3 more additions to my 2017 review


Someone last year had posted a wolf coin that I really liked and I made it a mission to find one in my budget. Earlier this year I was flipping through a Triskeles auction and I found it.
My last dog was a grey wolf husky mix, she was the best dog I ever had which I miss every day.


Lykaonia, Laranda
10mm, 0.69g, 2h
Head of Herackles facing slihhtly right. Wearing lion skin head dress, club over shoulder
Fore part of wolf right, star above
SNG LEVANTE

Every one loves Julia.
I've been slowly working an Emperess collection, but this remains one of my favorites. Picked up from Ken Dorney.


Julia Domna
AR 18mm, 3.29g, Loadicea under Sept. Sev
IVLIA AVGVSTA
Draped bust right
PVDICITIA
Pudicitia seated left, hand on breast
RIC 644

Lastly, I had to have a nice Elagabalus, the only other I have is pretty beat up. This is another Aegean auction pick up that just barely made the list. The reverse Fides in hand is awsome.


Roman Empire, Elagabalus 218-222, Denarius

Roman Empire, Elagabalus 218-222, Denarius, 2.89g: Obv: Laureate bust of Elagabalus right "IMP ANTONINVS AVG" Rev: Fides standing left, head right, holding vexillum and standard "FIDES MILITVM". RSC 38a.


It was a difficult decission for the last few spaces and may add a couple of those that maybe should have made it to the list a little later.

 

Thank you @Smojo . I am truly honored to see my humble gift ranked so highly by you. Only reinforces the fact that the coin went to the right home, to someone who would truly appreciate it.

 

Attractive group of coins!

Dog coin is on my list! + cool owl, lion, and camel! Interesting Claudius portrait as well, tyche looks like Claudius in drag!

 

I had thought it to be a kinda manly portrait, even looks like she has a man stache

 

Very nice coins!! Really like the Claudius / Tyche! Very attractive!

 

Clearly some very thoughtfully selected and IMO beautiful coins. I especially like the Domitian, the Tiberius (great score!), the Chersonesos, and the Laodicea portrait of Julia is very special. But my absolute favourite is the Claudius/Tyche... I remember seeing it a few times this year and every time I thought damn, that is an awesome coin!

 

It's definitely one of my favorites.
I could've done a 20 or so list or maybe do as you have done. Maybe next year I'll have the time to do something completely different.

 

What a terrific set of coins, those Syrian coins of Claudius and Domitian are just fantastic with their strong detail, but they are all great coins. Congrats on a great year of collecting.

 

That selection of coins was a real pleasure to look through. No fillers in there at all, but the Claudius provincial is tops for me... what a gem of a coin!

 

Thanks all.
The Claudius I was happy to win, and I know I've posted it more than a few times this year. I don't know who it was I had tp keep out bidding but was completely worth it.

 

One measure of a coin is how hard you would have to look to find another as nice. By this guide, I agree with the crowd that Claudius is a winner.

 

Congrats @Smojo!!

You obviously had a fantastic year and I'd merrily (seems appropriate for the season) add each one to my collection!!

Like the others, I'm especially drawn to the Syrian issues of Claudius and Domitian

 

I agree with others, that Claudius is my favorite as well.

 

I like the Domitian a lot.

 

I was happy to get that one also. I think it was the last day of that JA auction and no takers, so added it at a decent opening bid price. In hand it's quite the looker and Syrian to boot.
The following week the smaller right facing AS went to another member fairly quickly.

 

Lovem' all @Smojo ! Thrace, Trajan, Claudius, Pergamum I would sweep up immediately. My types!

That Laranda Wolf is way cool!

Here is a Wolf:

ARGOLIS Argos 490-470 BC AR Triobol 14mm 2.9g Forepart of wolf lying - A 2 incuse sqs pellet crossbar within shallow sq incuse BCD Peloponnesos 1009 RARE