ANCIENTS: After Baltimore there are still other coins

They say it never rains but when it pours. When I got home from the Baltimore show I found an envelope from Frank Robinson waiting for me. It contained the one coin I won in this auction and a set of 12 different Elymais coins from his fixed price section. Identifying the Elymais will take some study so they got pushed to the back of the line. Below is the one coin from the auction that no one wanted enough to outbid me. I bid on about 20 other lots but some of them went for three times my bid. Really!



Constantius II Caesar AE3 Arles mint
Campgate VIRTVS CAESS QA crescent RL
RIC 297 page 265 325-326 AD

The portrait strikes me as rather ordinary and the mintmark letters could be more clear (the reading is definite, however). What makes the coin special to me is that it is my first and only campgate coin showing the doors. It also has four turrets (or Weber BBQ kettles) but I bought it for the doors. Who else has doors to share?

 

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Yep spring is just around the corner. Get the BBQ ready. Nice coin DS. Me putting together our BBQ about 2 weeks ago -

 

Lol we just got a foot of snow here in New Hampshire something tells me ill be grilling in the snow bank again this year....

 

That's a superb campgate Doug - 8 levels, doors, and four turrets. That's pulling out all the stops.

 

Nice photo Ripley ...

Ummm, the whole BBQ seems to be together and lookin' huge and awesome, yet you are still sitting 1/2 on a piece of cardboard, with a look of "*huh*" on your face ... ummm, was there some sort of "extra-parts" problem , or what?



=> you rock, my coin girl!! (rock!!)


:high5:

 

edited

 

drats!!

sorry once again, dougsmit => that is an absolutely "cool" coin (I would love to be the dude that noticed the "doors") ... you must have kicked arse at those "what is different in this picture?" ...... I scored fairly poorly

 

I might have one with doors, i honestly do not know. I kept all of the campgates from that lot i bought, about 30 or so, but admit i lost interest in them. Most of mine seem to be constantine II if i remember. I do admit open doors are scarce.

Yeah, i don't even bid much on Frank's auctions. He is way popular nowadays, and i find most stuff going high. Heck, he sold a Hormizd II for like $300 last time.

 

How were your Elymais?

 

Elymais were pretty nice. Most were aVF to VF.

For campgates, I don't have any open doors, but how about almost no door?



Here is another that was kind of pretty, (though my photography skills really don't show it).

 

I see nothing wrong with your photos. Maybe your a super perfectionist?

 

Well this sure proves you're a lady as no man would ever read the instructions...to put that togther! Oh no we wait til we found out the Part "R" is missing and then ......{ censor } ourselves so the neighbors kids don't hear us....

 

Doug, that is a nice campgate. I have been looking for one with doors at a decent price. Good acquisition.:thumb:

 

Great Campgate!

Interesting that it has open doors...

Makes it different :thumb:

 

The door versions have a different reverse legend VIRTVS rather than the normal PROVIDENTIA. I have no idea why.

 

Interesting. I wonder in this context PROVIDENTIA was basically showing how strong and powerful the empire was, while VIRTUS was trying to show how they were willing to compromise and be friends with their neighbors.

Just a WAG.

 

Constantine I AE 3, open door campgate
306-337
Arelate mint
Diameter: 20.6 x 21.8 mm
Weight: 2.26 grams
Obverse: Constantine I
Reverse: 4 turreted campgate with open doors
Reference:
Other: VF … areas of porosity as shown

 

Constantine II open door campgate follis
Minted 325-326
Diameter: 19.0 x 20.9 mm
Weight: 3.1 grams
Obverse: Constantine II right, CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C
Reverse: 12 row campgate with open doors, 4 turrets and star above, VIRTVS CAESS, TA(crescent)RL in exergue
Reference: RIC VII:294 for Arles
Other: Exquisite detail (EF) ... Minimal surface roughness … Scarce

 

Constantius II open door campgate AE 3
337-361 AD
Diameter: 18.1 x 20.3 mm
Weight: 2.9 grams
Obverse: Constantius II right, FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C
Reverse: Campgate with 4 turrets and open doors, star above, S in left field and F in right, VIRTVS CAESS, ARLQ in exergue
Reference: RIC VII:316 for Arles
Other: Superb detail (EF) ... Light encrustaiton left obverse edge

 

steaks or ribs ? hamburgers or hot dogs ? yummmmy