Another List : Favorite Coins from $1 - $100

This format was started by Doug in a post last year, and I really enjoyed playing along. The idea is that we show ten coins bought this year costing between $1-$100, with each coin representing your favorite in its own ten dollar price category (ie., your favorite coin between $1-$10, then $11-$20, and so on, all the way up to $91-$100).

None of my coins below duplicate coins in my Top 10 list as the cheapest one in that list, at $125, slightly misses the $100 cutoff here. My hardest choices came in the $61-$70 and $71-$80 brackets, which is probably not surprising since my average per-coin spend for the year was just a bit north of $70.

Please feel free to play along even if you have coins missing in some of the price brackets... post your own threads (better) or post in this one if you prefer. Here's my list, from cheapest to most expensive (prices inclusive of any auction and shipping fees)...

$1 - $10
GALLIENUS. AE Antoninianus ($6)

There may be a halfway decent coin lurking beneath the dirt and mineral deposits here, but I'm not much of a coin cleaner and in any case quite like how this one looks in all its grungy glory. I have about thirty Gallienus coins, but didn't have one with this DEO MARTI reverse. $6 shipped? I'm in!

$11 - $20
GALLIENUS. ALEXANDRIA, Troas. AE20 ($14)

Another Gallienus, but this time a provincial from Alexandria Troas. I really like the coins of this city and didn't have one of this type. It's a little raggedy but quite well-centered, and still sports a strong bust and nice detail on the eagle.

$21 - $30
KINGDOM OF AXUM. Anonymous. AE16 ($24)

$24 bought me this pretty AE from Axum, the Ethiopian kingdom that adopted Christianity in the 4th century AD. The central depression on the reverse was once inlaid with gold, but on mine just a few flecks (in the lower right quadrant) remain. Still, how cool is this coin!

$31 - $40
PISIDIA, Termessus Major. Pseudo-autonomous. AE30 ($36)

Brian Buckland of Bargain Bin Ancients showed this colourful and impressive 30mm bronze from Termessus Major in a post here a couple of months ago. To me, it looked like a double striking accident at the mint compressed the figure of Tyche on the reverse into an oddity with just a head, robed legs and no torso. Naturally, I contacted him soon after to ask if it was for sale .

$41 - $50
CONSTANTIUS CHLORUS. AE Antoninianus ($43)

Antoninianii of Constantius and Galerius are scarce, having been struck for a short period prior to Diocletian's comprehensive monetary reforms, which killed off the old workhorse denomination of the 3rd century for good. I had a Galerius but no Constantius, and this one made up for its worn reverse die with a great hook-nosed portrait that was struck nice and deep.

$51 - $60
TRAJAN DECIUS. AR Antoninianus ($51)

Yet another one with one side better than the other, and if the reverse was as good as the obverse, I don't think the coin would qualify for inclusion on this list. The portrait here looks almost living to me, and at the same time stately in its toned silver and black.

$61 - $70
ILLYRIA, Apollonia. AR Drachm ($68)

I bought at least half a dozen coins in this price bracket this year that I really love, but the rules are that there can only be one winner... this, a rare drachm of Apollonia showing the Fires of its famed Nymphaeum as part of the design on the reverse. I had to have it to pair with an equally rare hemidrachm, which was the first coin I posted here this year. As much as this was a coin I wanted to win, nobody else seemed to want it, which was just fine by me .

$71 - $80
GORDIAN III. AR Antoninianus ($71)

Another price bracket in which I had many favorites, and I waffled alot of which to choose. In the end, it was this common-as-cockroaches antoninianus of Gordian III, with its excellent strike, minty luster, and wonderfully detailed face of Jupiter. I know many here would probably balk at paying $71 for an ant of Gordian III, but this one called out, and my wallet duly answered. Sometimes, you don't hate when that happens.

$81 - $90
JULIAN THE APOSTATE. AR Siliqua ($88)

It's a tad worn and nicked (....and cracked... and pitted...), but for me, this siliqua of Julian still has the goods. Decent strike, details, nice old cabinet toning, and a hammer price that says, "it's too late now, you bought me!" . The reverse has black ink markings placed on it by a previous collector... some don't like their coins to have any physical vestiges of prior ownership, but I don't mind this one here at all.

$91 - $100
BYZANTINE EMPIRE. Heraclius. AR Hexagram ($99)

I hardly ever go down as far as the Byzantine Empire with my collecting, but when I learnt that Heraclius had appropriated the silverware of the church to get enough metal to mint these hexagrams, I just really needed to get one of them. The art on it still looks cartoony to me, but this is a coin with actual historical coolness to its very fabric, and just for that, it beat out all the other coins in its category.

So, I hope you've not all suffered end-of-the-year-list fatigue by now, and that some of you will go ahead and post your $1-$100 coins... I look forward to seeing them!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Excellent group. I really like the siliqua.

 

I only have a few that fall into these categories.

51-60
I really liked the depiction of Romulus and Remus on this denarius of Domitian
57.00


61-70
It is not ancient, but I love this coin anyway. It is a Napoleonic 5 Franc piece in nice condition.
68.00



81-90
A gold Napoleon 5 Franc piece. I know it has a cut on the edge but I still love it.
85.00



91-100
This nice and rare Trajan Didrachm
100.00

 

@zumbly good thread idea and coins. I like the previous owner's marks on a few of my coins. I would not want the marks on all of them. I will have to do some work for one of each group, but the first group is easy. I bought 20 mites for $20 = $1 per coin. They make great give-aways to young collectors.

The smiles are much better than the coin pics.

 

Great idea for a list! You guys are killing me with your lists - every time I log in there are dozen new ones. I can't keep up!!

 

My favorite bang-for-the-buck pieces are the Aksum (Axum) piece ($21-30), Constantius ant ($41-50) and the Gallienus ($1-10). Nice job!

 

Cool thread!! I really like your series of posts!!!

I'll start with a couple of my least expensive:


AE15 of Demetrios I Poliorketes 306-283 BC., King of Macedonia - Macedonian shield with DHR monogram of Demetrios at centre / BA - SI, Macedonian helmet (3.21 grams, 15/14 mm) 294-288 BC., Pella mint, SNG Alpha Bank 969 Newell 132 SNG Cop. 1224, Fine, green patina.
My cheapest at $14.89;


And the second cheapest at $24.50:
Billon-Tetradrachm of Nero, year 10 63/64 AD., Alexandria mint in Egypt. Av. rad. head right Rv. bust of Poppaea right quality is very fine weight is 13,33gr. Dattari 196, Milne 217


And, my third cheapest at $23.50 and probably my favorite of this price range is:
Danubian Celtic AR tetradrachm - imitating Philip II of Macedon/ Second-first century BC./ Laureate head of Zeus right / Horse trotting left, wheel above. 8.7grams,/ 24mm/

 

A Nero/Poppaea at $24.50 is a super deal. What history!

 

Two middle range examples:

Denar of Roman Republic T. CARISIVS III VIR, 46 BC., Rome mint. Av. bust of Victory right Rv. Victory in quadriga right quality is about very fine Cr.464/5 weight is 3,79gr. $48.00


Silver-Antoninian of Volusianus, 251-253 AD., Rome mint. Av. drap. bust with rad. head right Rv. Salus standing right, feeding snake over patera quality is very fine+ weight is 3,39gr. RIC 184 $57.00

 

I wanted to post a cheapskate ten favorites this year but my purchases seem to have clustered to the point that I did not buy anything worth having in some brackets and a fistfull in others (lots of $30-39 this year). Of Zumbly's group, I'd say the bargains are the Aksum at $24 and the Apollonia at $68 which is what some pay for the common reverse of these. Excellent group.

 

$1-$10

TRALLES, LYDIA CITY COINAGE
AE14
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Zeus
REVERSE: TΡAΛΛIANΩN, humped bull walking left, head facing, ΩΡΠΛT monogram in left field
Struck at Tralles 200-1 BC
3.1g, 16 mm
BMC 63; SNG Munich 702; SNG Tuebingen 3866-3867

$11-$20

NUMERIUS FABIUS PICTOR
AR DENARIUS
OBVERSE: Head of Roma right in winged helmet, G below chin, mark of value behind
REVERSE: N•FABI / PICTOR; The Flamen Quirinalis, Q. Fabius Pictor, seated left; shield at side inscribed QVI/RIN in two lines, ROMA in ex
Rome, 126 BC
3.7g, 17mm
Cr268/1; 1b; Fabia 11; Sydenham 517a

$21-$30

THESSALY, LARISSA
AR Trihemiobol
OBVERSE: Head of the nymph Larissa right, wearing pendant earring
REVERSE: ΛAPI above, ΠΛE in exergue, horse right, about to roll
Struck at Larissa 370-360 BC
1.4g, 12mm
BCD Thessaly II 274; Hoover, Volume 4 under "trihemiobols (c. 1.5g)" on page 146, number 474. R2 = Very Rare...3-24 extant examples

$31-$40

EUBOIA, HISTIAIA
AR Tetrobol
OBVERSE: Wreathed head of Histiaia right
REVERSE: ΙΣΤ−ΑΙΕΩΝ (partially retrograde), Nymph seated on galley right; SI below
Struck at Histiaea, 369-146 BC
2.23g, 15mm
BCD 379

$41-$50

M SERGIUS SILUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: EX S C ROMA *, head of Roma right
REVERSE: horseman galloping left with sword & severed head held aloft, Q below horses leg, M SERGI below, SILVS in ex.
Struck at Rome 116 BC
3.66g, 18mm
Syd 534, Cr286/1, Sergia 1

$51-$60

L JULIUS CAESAR ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS JULIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: CAESAR Head of Mars left in crested helmet
REVERSE: Venus Genettris with scepter, in chariot drawn by two Cupids left, lyre in field, contolmark above, L IVLI L F in ex.
Struck at Rome, 103BC
3.85g, 17mm
Cr320/1, Syd 593a.

$61-$70

MARCUS ANTHONY RESTITUTION
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANTONIVS AVGVR III VIR R P C, Galley left.
REVERSE: ANTONINVS ET VERVS AVG REST, legionary eagle between two standards, LEG VI between
Struck at Rome, 168AD
3.81g, 20mm
RIC III 443 (Marcus Aurelius) ; BMCRE 500

$71-$80

TITUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M Laureate head of Titus to right
REVERSE: TR P IX IMP XV COS VIII P P Wreath on curule chair
Struck at Rome, January-June 80AD
3.41g, 19mm
RIC 108
Ex JAZ Numismatics

$81-$90

MARCUS ANTONIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley, thyrsos behind prow
REVERSE: LEG IX, eagle between standards
Patrae 32-31 BC
3.44g, 18.39mm
RSC 27
Ex Agora Auctions, Sale 62, Lot 156

$91-above

 

Oh, MAN, JW... I am gonna have YOU buy my coins! Awesome coins for AWESOME deals!!! Those are KILLER!

 

Way to go with the Nero/Poppaea, @Mikey Zee. I also like the Carisius denarius a lot.

As expected, @Bing is a master at this game. Even more jealous of the L.J. Caesar denarius now! And well, just about everything else on your list.

 

@Bing, the Mark Antony restitution piece was a real steal. Also the Caesar from 103 BC is excellent.

 

I agree with Valentinian's picks.

 

I'll refrain from making my own thread since I don't have enough to fill each category, but here goes:

$0-$9

Judea
Alexander Janaeus, r. 103-76 B.C.
AE Prutah, 12.3mm x 0.8 grams
Obv.: Upside down anchor within circle
Rev.: Star of eight rays surrounded by a border

Had to make the category start at $0 since this was a gift...

$10-$19

Crusader Issue of Lucca
Henry III-V, r. 1035-1125
Crude AR Denier, 15.27mm x 1.1 grams
Obv.: H center, IMPERATOR around
Rev.: LVCA forming cross, ENRICVS around

Cheapo extra from a coin show

$20-$29

Italian States, Genoese Caffa
1360s?
AE Pul, 17.29mm x 1.3 grams
Obv.: Christogram countermark, from Genoese Caffa
Rev.: ?
Note: countermarked. Ex Andy Singer

Part of a lot, the way I figured the value of the others, this would fit in the $20 range. If it actually was from the 1360s Caffa (and thus connected to the Black Death as I hope), then this was a steal at the price!

$30-$39

Northern Song China
Hui Zong, r. 1101-1125 (1102-1106)
AE 10 Cash, 35mm x 10.5 grams
Obv.: 崇宁重宝 (Chong Ning Zhong Bao)
Rev.: Blank

A JA special!

$40-$49

Imperial Rome
Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D. (203 A.D.)
Rome Mint, AR Denarius, 20.4mm x 3.21 grams
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right
Rev.: INDVLGENTIA AVGG, IN CARTH in ex, Dea Caelestis seated facing on lion galloping right over rushing waters, holding thunderbolt and scepter
Ref.: RIC IV-1 Caracalla 130a, p. 231.

So... I neglected to keep a record of the total amount I paid in this coin. The auction record says I paid $45, but that doesn't account for fees and shipping. It's likely in the 50s or 60s. Well, this can fill in those categories since I don't have anything else there!

$50-$59
See above

$60-$69
See above

$70-$79

French Feudal, Aquitaine
Henry II, r. 1152-1168
BL Denier, 16.57mm x 0.8 grams
Obv.: +hENRICVS REX, cross pattée
Rev.: º+º / AQVI / TANI / ºEº, in four lines
Ref.: AGC 2 (1/a), Duplessy 1030, Roberts 3881, SCBC 8001,
Ex. R.D. Frederick Collection. Ex. A.H. Baldwin

Had quite a number fit in this range, but this was at the top of my top ten list, so it naturally grabbed this spot.

$80-$89
Nope

$90-$99
Nada

Honorable Mention:

Italian States, Venice
Pietro Zani, r. 1205-1229
AR Grosso, 19.79 mm, 1.9 grams
Obv.: [·+·]P·ZIANI· ·S·M.VENETI outside (Z retrograde), D/U/X down banner held between doge and St. Mark facing
Rev.: [I¯C] X¯C across field, Christ enthroned facing.

I had several coins I purchased for about 90€ each, including shipping, which pushed the cost up to about $105. This would be the top of the bunch, but was nearly in the $90-99 range

 

@FitzNigel
I like the Grosso.

 

nice idea Z...i wouldn't have got into ancients if you couldn't find cool stuff for cheap! there are all sorts of cool coins on this thread aren't there? still kind of shocks me you can find such interesting stuff for so little money. in some ways, i'm kind of glad there aren't many people interested in ancients!


6 out of my top 10 were under 100 dollars, all were under 150...so, i'll just post a few cheapie honorable mentions.

4 bucks...




under 10 bucks....




i bought this from JA, i think it was about 20 bucks?



30 bucks...



40 something...

 

Love the Siliqua; the ones with Julian as Caesar are always scarce.

 

Nice! That Constans Fel Temp for under $10? Sweet!