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Message:: [QUOTE="1934 Wreath Crown, post: 8064759, member: 76965"]Saw quite a few posts of people doing their top 10s for 2021 and it struck me, it’s almost that time of the year again. It has been a tough year with coin prices going through the roof and Bitcoin millionaires diversifying their profits, it hasn’t been easy to find nice coins at sensible prices. Since I collect both Ancients and Moderns, please excuse the intrusion of the odd modern (I promise I have excluded most of them). I also managed to upgrade my Avatar coin with an MS64+ example (2nd highest graded) which is an ex Spink and ex Mildenhall Collection example. With a mintage of 932, these are very rare and I’m pleased I could display it as my Avatar on CT. All the text in italics is attributable to the auctioneers. 1.      Italy - Venice ND (c.1771-73)-MAT Gold Striking of Scudo della Croce (140 Soldi) in the Weight of 12 Zecchini of Doge Alvise Mocenigo IV ICG MS-61 (AGW = 1.3217 oz.) KM-Pn181; Gamberini-1644. Seldom offered and very rare large size gold striking similar in essence to a pattern or trial strike. In a very pleasing state of preservation. Nicely struck showing only some minor doubling of letters and bold devices throughout, impressive on a piece of this diameter. The surfaces show no signs of mal-treatment or efforts at improvement giving a very wholesome and original appearance. The fields show little in the way of signs of contact or handling and certainly no marks large enough to be considered detracting. Previously sold uncertified in Hess Divo Auction 238. An impulse buy....just couldn’t resist. [ATTACH=full]1398074[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1398075[/ATTACH] 2.      Ancient Bosporus Kingdom, Asander as King (c.47-16 B.C.) Year 8 (c.40-39 B.C.) AV Stater (8.21gms) Pantikapaion Mint NGC MS Strike 4/5 Surface 3/5 (Ex: Dr. L. A. Adams Collection)Diademed head right; Reverse: Nike standing left on prow holding wreath and palm frond. Asander is thought to have lived into his 90s and went into battle up to the end. He starved himself to death when one of his most trusted generals betrayed him. Apparently the highest graded of only two known staters for this reginal year. [ATTACH=full]1398083[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1398085[/ATTACH] 3.      Ancient Bithynia, Calchedon, c.Late 3rd Century B.C. AV Stater (8.48gms) Diademed head of Alexander III wearing horn of Ammon right; Reverse: Athena seated left holding Nike, bull butting left in exergue. Always wanted to have an Alexander III stater so couldn’t resist this seldom offered one from Bithynia in very nice grade (Ch AU 4 & 4). [ATTACH=full]1398089[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1398095[/ATTACH] 4.      KINGS of ARMENIA MINOR. Aristoboulos, with Salome. AD 54-92. Æ (20mm, 6.53 g, 11h). Dated RY 13 (AD 66/7). BACIΛEΩC APICTOBOYΛOY ET IΓ. Salome, Daughter of Herodias Cited by Josephus Antiquities 18.5 Diademed and draped bust of Aristobulus left / BACIΛIC-CHC CAΛ[O]MHC, diademed and draped bust of Salome left. Meshorer 365 corr. (date); Hendin 1257a; Kovacs 300; RPC I 3840 corr. (same). Earthen green patina, edge chip. VF. Clear date. Salome is described in the Gospels (Matthew 14 and Mark 6) only as the daughter of Herodias, who asked Herod Antipas for the head of John the Baptist in return for his daughter’s risqué dance for the king. Salome’s name is supplied by Josephus in Antiquities 18.5, where he also informs us that she grew up to marry her great-uncle Philip the Tetrarch and, after Philip’s death, her cousin Aristoboulos, who is featured on the obverse of this coin and with whom Salome had three sons. Aristoboulos was the son of Herod V of Chalkis and great grandson of Herod I, and was appointed king of Armenia Minor in the first year of Nero’s reign. The present issue was struck in 66/7 CE (year 13 of Aristoboulos’ reign), the first year of the Jewish war and around 40 years since the execution of John the Baptist, which has been tentatively dated to some time between 25 and 29 CE. Hendin (5th ed., p. 275) suggests that Aristoboulos struck this issue for propagandistic and political purposes, in the first year of the war, as a show of loyalty to Rome and his patron Nero. When RPC was published, citing three known examples of this type, the date was off the flan on two pieces and the one example with partial date had been tentatively read as date Α or Η (RPC p. 570). Frank Kovacs subsequently discovered an example with a clear date 13 (Hendin p. 275, pl. 24, same obverse die as the present coin), and Kovacs’ opinion was that other reported dates were most likely mis-readings of that date. The publication of additional specimens has since confirmed Kovacs’ opinion, and it is now clear that all coins of this type are dated year 13. I think I was fortunate to acquire a brace of these very historically significant issues. [ATTACH=full]1398096[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1398099[/ATTACH]   5.      Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera Æ 19mm. Orthoseia, dated Phoenician RY 2 = 36/5 BC. Diademed and draped bust to right / Ba'al of Orthoseia driving biga drawn by griffins to right; OPΘΩCIEΩN below, LB (date) to left. RPC I 4501; DCA 600; HGC 10, 210. 8.21g, 19mm, 12h. Very Fine. Rare. I’ve tried to find out more about this coin without too much success. VCoins had an XF example which they sold and described as a very rare date. CNG sold a VF example in their Triton X auction (2007) for quite a handsome amount so I can’t complain if my example turns out to be a VF as well. [ATTACH=full]1398100[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1398101[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]

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