Cicero12's Top 7 of 2020

WOW!..What a lovely group!...Museum pieces...
Love the reverse detail on the Caracalla a photo from the past!

 

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Questions: There were over a thousand aurei found at Boscoreale but they were not catalogued before dispersal. We see many from Nero and Vespasian. Are any known for Domitian Caesar? What other aurei (Caligula?, Galba?) are recognized as being Boscoreale coins?
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf...AhVLF1kFHZsjBKoQjJkEegQIAxAB&biw=1120&bih=571
The hoard was primarily silverware of great artistic value so the aurei were 'just coins' to the finders. I have to wonder if there were any silver coins from Pompeii. If the silverware survived without being destroyed by the eruption/burial it would seem there might have been silver coins found somewhere in the area devastated by Vesuvius but I have not seen anything on the question. The gold coins took on a distinctive red color. What would a silver or bronze coin in the same house look like? There must have been many thousand coins in the area on that day. I'm sure many were corroded out of existence but it would seem that some would have been preserved just as were the silverware. All the silver seems very 'cleaned'. Is there any record of what was done to those pieces?

 

As far as Roman gold goes, there are identified Boscoreale coins of all of the 12 caesars except for Julius. @AncientJoe has a glorious Domitian example. My Domitian COULD be from the Boscoreale hoard, but that is a judgment made on the toning and pedigree.

A non-exhaustive list was catalogued (by Canessa I believe) in Revue Numismatique. I have the article somewhere, I’ll see if I can dig up a link. Of course, a number of old catalogues also identify coins as being from the Boscoreale find, most often coins of Nero, the four emperors, or the Flavians.

 

Thanks everyone for the kind words! I’m especially happy about the kind words on the Severan pieces. I had been focusing on the 12 caesars, but I just couldn’t pass these Severans up.

 

Another great selection from a great collector with some great and unusual reverses : that of the Domitian, the Caracalla and the Geta sand out. Thanks for sharing

Q

 

I like all, but if I will have to take one I will chose Nero.
Congratulations !

 

Splendid coins, my favorites are Domitian with temple, Caracalla and IVDAEA.

 

Fabulous coins all!

Not surprisingly, I'm partial to the Vespasian Judaea Capta and the Galba, the latter of which illustrates the Rome mint portrait in sharp contrast to my own Spanish (Tarraco) mint portrait. I'm looking forward to more as the rest of the 12 Caesars join your group!

I'd also like to offer an early New Year's toast to the superb examples of provenance/pedigree provided for all of these coins. It appears we now have a resident expert researcher for many Roman issues.

 

All of my favorite laudatory expressions have been used up by others here! Your coins are “fabulous” in every respect. Thank you very much for posting these superb photographs and the meticulously researched narratives. We are so lucky to have these wonderful postings on Coin Talk.

 

These coins are beautiful! I can't wait until the day I can afford my first gold coin!

 

I once thought about sending my 700+ World 1200-1933 W AV coins to auction, using all that cash to get 100+ or so Aurei in MS. I just cannot do it/ I love those as much
John

 

Finally managed to track down the article it is in the below, I believe it begins on page 259, but searching Boscoreale will bring it up:

Le Musée : revue d'art antique | 1909-01 | Gallica (bnf.fr)

 

Wow @Cicero12 ! The Geta aureus is my favorite because of the style. The detail and correct looking scale of the hand and arm on the reverse is especially impressive. The Vespasian aureus is my second favorite for the historical reference. You obviously had a tremendous collecting year! Congratulations!

 

Wow! Great coins all, my favorite is the Geta.