Well, I would say you did a great job...those are very attractive specimens! So how long did it take you (read: how much patience did you have)?
About 3 years of looking... but it sort of escalated quickly when a member here had both the Otho and Galba Provincials up for sale. He was willing to let me pay the agreed amount over a couple of installments - it was appreciated!
An amazing parade of coins of the year 69! I will try to post mine later on. ...but, I don't believe I have seen a sestertius of Vitellius yet?
I have no use for the idea of starting your collection with coins of rare emperors rather than more common ones but I do have a coin of each. Mine won't count in some circles since my two Otho's are a provincial tetradrachm of Antioch and a fourree denarius of improper style. I was told long ago that there were no fourrees of Otho. I have owned two and seen a half a dozen. This one is one of the finest examples of a foil style fourree with thick silver, significant core not involving the face and obvious seam where the foils overlapped obverse right. I have no real idea of the accurate face of Otho but his Roman coins seem intent on showing a poorly styled wig. My other coin that seems appropriate is an early denarius of Vitellius with features rather more like Otho than those of Vitellius himself.
Nice Judaea Capta. I like the Galba, too. Well, heck, they're all nice. Sure, the Otho's a tad rough, but I like that VICTORIA OTHONIS reverse.
This was true of coins from the Antioch mint also - I was pleased to find this one Galba Æ As of Antioch, Seleucis and Pieria. AD 68-69. IM SER SVL GAL [CA]E, laureate head right / Large S•C, • below; all within circular linear border within laurel wreath. McAlee 312d (same dies); RPC I 4314; BMC Galatia pg. 176, 203; Wruck 61.17.01g, 28mm, 2h.
