Ancients: Coins That Grew On You After You Got Them

Let's be candid here: we've all bought coins at an auction, or based on a picture, or recommended by someone else, that at first we didn't like as much as we thought. But then, after having the coin a while, and especially after handling it a few times, we've concluded "Wow, this coin is a lot cooler than I thought when I first got it." It might be amusing and interesting to see a few of those coins and learn why/how our thinking about those coins changed.

Here's one of mine:

CLAUDIUS 10 B.C. - 54 A.D.
AE Sestertius (29.21 g.) Rome 41 - 54 A.D.
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP Laureate head right. Rev. SPES - AVGVSTA Spes, draped, advancing left, flower in right hand, raising skirt with left, S C in exergue



When I first received this coin, I wasn't sure I liked the patina (and it's less mottled than the picture makes it appear) and I almost sent it back to my dealer! But he convinced me that it was a good coin, and after a few days my opinion changed 180 degrees on it. Not just the patina, but the level of detail and artistry on both the obverse portrait as well as the reverse rendering of SPES just grew enormously on me over the next week or so when I looked at it in hand. Now I can't imagine why I ever thought of sending it back!

I have a few others like this but I'd like to see everyone else's examples before I post any more.

 

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I felt that I overpaid for this coin as I originally didn't like it in-hand when I received it, but the next day, I picked it up again in the sunlight and had a completely different perception of it, able to see much more of the detail and surfaces. I showed it to a dealer friend of mine who said my price was reasonable, which always helps take the sting out of it. It's one of the nicer examples of this type and the realized price was reflective of this, but looking at the subsequent examples which have come to market, I'm happy.

It was minted to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of Rome and I have yet to be able to fully do it photographic justice:

 

I know this coin does not compare to the two coins preceeding, and I know there are some deposits that the image has picked up but are hard to see in hand. I cannot explain why, but I seem to grow more fond of this little beauty the longer I have it. At first, I don't think I was disappointed, but I wasn't overly excited either. It is one of those coins I keep coming back to just to admire the artistry.


Amisos, Pontos AE20
OBV: Head of youthful Dionysos right, wreathed with ivy
REV: Thyrsos leaning against cista mystica draped with panther skin; AMISOU below
Struck 85-65BC
8.8g, 21mm
SNG BM Black Sea 1199-1200

 

I feel that way with Licinius

 

I suppose this one of Constantine as well

 

Good post. Most of the time its the story I hear about a coin afterwards that makes me appreciate more. An example was that roman republican picturing the nabatean king aretas surrendering. I have another coin I am stalking right now dripping with this kind of history. If I win it I will make sure to share.

 

I bought this Julia Domna denarius in 1994 but did not appreciate it as much until,

in 2000, I got this one from the same dies but showing a die clash.

I'd have to look up the records to see which came first but each of these six Septimius Severus coins struck from the same obverse die caused each of its predecessors to gain status in my eye. Six is my personal best for different coins with one die the same but I know there are at least a dozen reverses used with another die of the series. I just don't have them all. I do wonder if there are more than these six for this set and adding another coin would boost the prestige in my eyes of the other six.


I don't generally increase my opinion of a coin because it is in good condition but I do sometimes decrease my opinion of a coin I know I should not have purchased. The exception to this are lower grade coins that gain the longer I go without seeing another or a better specimen. I try not to be too interested in condition but we all like pretty coins. I certainly would like to upgrade some coins (examples below) but none of them have been bested yet so they gain in glory until that horrid day when Martin will post an EF and my coins will drop to also ran status. For now, these gain status each day they remain as my best or only. The part that bothers me most is that I will have to search for someone willing to even give them a safe home when I'm gone by which time they will have raised even higher in my view. No right thinking auction house would want them.

 

I honestly didn't expect to like this one as much as I did. It had me looking at many other Sassanian types and it took a lot to resist getting it a companion.

 

Thats nice.

 

Found one that qualifies for this thread. It is my Volusian. I was a sad coin I bought cheap and I knew it was gonna need cleaning. So after some elbow grease I ended up with the coin below.

It wont win any beauty contests but I like it.

For anyone who wants to see the before pics its in the thread below.

http://www.cointalk.com/threads/cleaned-my-first-ancient-silver.218129/#post-1581677


Volusian (251 - 253 A.D.)
AR Antoninianus
O:IMP C C VIB VOLVSIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
R: FELICITAS PVBL, Felicitas standing left, long caduceus in right, cornucopia in left.
Rome
23mm
4g
RIC IV (Gallus) 205; RSC 32.

 

Not sure if this one counts, as I never not liked it. It was recommended(thank you Doug) to me, but I was set on getting a high grade denarius of Geta, with a very ugly portrait. Fortunately, the coin I bought was "missing" and I was able to get this at a discounted price. I liked it enough to get it as a second choice, but now it's one of my favorites. I later got a nice coin of Geta with a good portrait, ironically through the same process of buying a coin(from a different dealer this time) that also was missing, also discounted.




Philip I AR Antoninianus. Antioch? mint, 244 AD. IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS P F AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right, PM below bust / VIRTVS EXERCITVS, Virtus standing right, holding spear & resting hand on shield. RIC 74, RSC 245