Ancients: What are you hunting for?

Most of us has a wishlist with ancient coins. I mean coins that are more or less within our budget range and that we hope sooner or later to add in our trays (I am not speaking about coins that we can - for evident reasons - only dream of like a signed decadrachm of Syracuse, a tridrachm of Delphi or a Naxos tet)

As for me, I have a few numismatic goals:

• A coin of Troezen in Argolis (very rare and hard to find-> not sure that I will find one within the delay)
• A stater of Elis/Olympia (like the one of Theodosius for instance)
• A nice tet of Syracuse from the time of the Deinomenid Tyranny
• A stater of Lokris Opuntii
• An incuse stater of Poseidonia (a drachm will do)

Please feel free to share your wishlist!

 

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Holes in my portrait series: Gordian II, Antinous, Constantine III, Maximus of Spain, Alexander of Carthage, Martinian, Nepotian, Basiliscus, Eugenius, Majorian, Avitus etc.
None of it is cheap!

 

Whatever strikes my fancy really. Maybe to give an idea, a nice F Antioch tet of Antony and Cleopatra, a few more types like my avatar coin, some Byzantine gold. Not really zeroed in on a ton of coins, I buy as I am able to what I am able to.

 

Antich Tet of Otacilia Severa for under $70. Athens Owl Tet., better grade Otho denarius for close to what I paid for my current.

Thats about it.

Everything else is buying what appeals to me and in my budget.

 

I want to complete my 12 Caesar set (all slabbed, all day)



... but seriously, it would be kinda cool to snag a coin from all 12 Caesars (I am still missing most of the difficult ones: JC, Vitellius and good ol' Otho)

Ummm, but other than that => I want to keep scoring amazing random coins ... yah, every time I search for a coin, I find two or three more examples that are just as cool, or even more cool!! (man, it seems hopeless!!)

=> I'm never gonna complete my set!!

 

There are so many types of coins...from so many different time periods and empires...and well...at least for 2017 I would like to add a man faced bull.

 

It is clear that for most of us this is an endless quest! There are so many different types...

 

On the want list for this year:
Henry II Tealby
Henry II short cross
German imitation of a short cross
Richard I Aquitainian issue
William X Aquitaine
Henry II Comte Provins
And a Folques V of Anjou

And I keep getting distracted by other things. Two unexpected purchases are heading my way from Europe that have wiped out my budget for a while...

 

Oh you know what, something I want to add is a Geta provincial from Rabbathmoba to complete the set.

 

The usurpers series is costly (sometimes for coins in very poor condition).
This is an aspect (high prices for extremely rare coins) that prevents me to go to far into specialization (for the Peloponnese -> very high prices for extremely rare bronzes that are worn).

 

It is a city that I had never met before. I learn something today (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=rabbathmoba).
There are so many types...
By the way, statues and architectural elements are also something that appeal to me!

 

I know almost nothing about medieval coins (shame on me!).
btw, what is the reference book for the coinage of that period?

 

I want a Mark Antony Legionary denarius CHORTIS SPECVLATORVM.

Serving as scouts and messengers, the cohortes speculatorum filled the role of spies within each legion. Normally ten in number per legion, Mark Antony created a special group of cohortes who specifically served around him, carrying out personal instructions and protecting his well-being, essentially acting as an early secret service–a concept which was further developed during the empire under Augustus.

 

If anyone has a spare one of these sitting around, hit me up.


Vespasian
AR Denarius
Rome mint, 74 AD
RIC 689 (R3), BMC 47, RSC 571
Obv: No legend; Bust of Sol, radiate, draped, facing
Rev: VESPASIA-NVS across field; Vespasian, bare-headed in military dress, stg. l.

This unique specimen currently resides at the BM.

 

Hmmmm... I, too, want a Mark Antony CHORTIS SPECVLATORVM denarius...





Oh, okay, fine... Bing can have the next one. Seniors first .

 

This is why I'm going to refrain from posting most of my wish-list coins

 

There is no one reference, which I think deters many from medieval. I've been using the Standar a catalogue of British Coins/Seaby for the English coins (although I need to get a copy of a North's English Hammered Coins), and a combination of Robert's silver coins of medieval France, Duplessy's Les monnaies Feodales, and a few other odd books for the French coins.

 

I'm with Steve on this. The best coins are the ones I buy not having the slightest idea in advance that it existed or that I might have a chance to get it. My #1 coin of last year was my Anonymous Byzantine overstruck on an 800 year old as of Gordian III. I bought it three seconds after I found it existed but had no idea that there might be such a thing. 2016 was a good year. 2017 will be better if I continue to get surprises NOT on my list. OK, now what am I to ask for? Yes, I would love a John VIII stavraton overstruck on an Aegina turtle but putting that on a want list hardly seems productive. For several years I have want listed a Magnentius Falling Horseman but I just got a (unfortunately barbarous) Decentius instead. Certainly the best coins are those that did not exist until one showed up. Would I like to find the third known Domitian II in a junk box full of Tetrici and barbarous radiates? Sure, why not. When I was a kid my Santa list always ended "...and some surprises." Some things never change.

 

1) A late 5th century BC Stater of Sikyon


2) An early issue republican Roma Denarius of good style with a Dioscuri reverse

3) Sestertius of Trajan with reverse showing him appointing the new ruler of Parthia

4) Late 5th century BC persian Daric

 

I Have a few lists I am working on

Rome
Sulla
Cassius
Brutus
Lepidus

France
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Louis IX
Napoleon gold 40 francs

England
Cnut
Aethelraed II
Stephen
Richard I
John
Richard III
Henry VIII