Clavdivs: Top 10 of The Year of The Toilet Paper

Well three weeks left in this dumpster fire...

If anyone has not seen this ad from Match. com .. it really is hilarious and
sums up 2020 nicely.... best 90 seconds of a crappy year..




Now on to a few good things that happened to me this year. I actually wanted to wait a few days AFTER @AncientJoe put out his great list - I didn't want anyone to get mixed up as to who owned which coins...


#10:

Pantikapaion, Cimmerian Bosporos (340-325 BC)
AE, 20mm, 7.6gm
Obv: Bearded head of Pan/Satyr facing right with ass's ear
Rev: Π-A-N, forepart of griffin crouching left, right front paw raised, sturgeon swimming left below

I have long admired the fantastic obverse portrait on these coins and was very happy to find such a nice example that was very reasonable. The Satyr is such an amazing image.

#9.

Mysia, Kyzikos. Circa 510-475 BC. AR Obol (0.79 gm, 13mm).
Obv.: Forepart of boar l.; behind, tunny. Rev.: Head of lion l. in incuse square.

I have always really liked these little gems – so ancient – with wonderful artwork. I was looking for one with some nice detail on the lion.. as well as the boar AND tunny on flan – this wasn’t easy to do with my budget, so I was very happy to find this one at a reasonable price. This is my oldest coin, so it holds a special place in my collection and had to make the Top 10.

#8:

Sigeium, Troas. AR drachm. 400-300 BC. 16mm, 3.09 g. Triple crested helmeted head of Athena facing three-quarters right. / ΣIΓE, owl standing right, head facing, crescent behind head

A cool inexpensive owl !.. and the triple crested helmet of Athena make this an attractive issue

7:

Attica, Athens. Silver Tetradrachm (15.6g 32mm), ca. 165-42 BC. New Style issue.
Obverse: Head of Athena right, wearing triple crested Attic helmet decorated with Pegasos springing right.
Reverse: A-ΘE, owl standing right, head facing, on overturned amphora; in fields, magistrates' monograms; in lower left field, term of Hermes; all within laurel wreath.

A bargain bin new style tetradrachm - yes please.

6:

Diocletian 284-305
OBV: IMP CC VAL DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG
Bust Laureate, right
REV: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI
Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamysover left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae

I spent part of the year collecting these large folles of the first tetrarchy. This coin (and the one below) are beautifully centered with great busts and artwork. At 29mm this is a stunner in hand.

#5:

Reign: As Caesar, A.D. 293-305.
Denomination: Æ Follis. Diameter: 29 mm.
Weight: 9.34 grams. Mint: Cyzicus, c. A.D. 297-299.
Obverse: Laureate head right.
Reverse: Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia.
Reference: RIC 11a.

My first coin of Constantius I is one I really enjoy. The detail of the bust (hair, beard and laurel) are great .. a really beautiful coin in hand. My third coin from Cyzicus on this list.. and they span around 800 years - pretty cool!

The hair and beard on this coin always remind me of the G.I. Joe figures I used to play with as a kid in the '70s (THEY ARE NOT DOLLS!!) ..




#4:
The next two coins helped me complete my "Ragtag 12 Caesars Set" this year - a real highlight!!
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ragtag-12-caesars-set.366105/



Otho, Ruled Jan 15-Apr 16, 69 AD
AE28, Syria, Antioch Mint
Was Poppaea Sabina’s initial husband, but she had an affair with Nero and eventually left him for Nero while Nero was Emperor.
Obverse: CAE AVG IMP M OTHO, laureate head right.
Reverse: Large SC within laurel wreath of eight leaves, fastened at top with pellet.
References: RPC 4318
Size: 28mm, g
Ex: FSR Auction, Lot #212 (01-15-2019), Iomega Collection, 2020

#3:

Galba, Ruled Jun 8 68 AD-Jan 15, 69 AD
AE23, Syria, Antioch Mint
Obverse: [IMP SER GALBA] CAE AVG, laureate head right.
Reverse: Large SC within laurel wreath of eight leaves, fastened at top with pellet, between inner circle and outer dotted border.
References: RPC I 4315 var (obverse legend), McAlee 314 (same dies)
Size: 23mm, 8.99g
Notes: Very rare variety (obv legend), only two known to McAlee, but not this one (?). Does that make this the third known?
Ex: Savoca Coin Auction, 2nd Blue, Lot #887 (5-3-2019), Iomega Collection, 2020

Die match with this exact coin from McAlee Collection:
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=573121


#2:


C. Annius T.f T.n and L. Fabius L.f Hispaniensis (moneyers) 82-81 BC
mint in north Italy or Spain, 19mm, 3.89g
OBV: Diademed, draped bust of Anna Perenna r, caduceus behind, scales before, plow below. C ANNI TF TN PRO COS EX
REV: Victory with palm frond, driving galloping quadriga r. Q above, L FABI LF HISP in ex.

Anna Perenna was an old Roman deity of the circle or "ring" of the year, as the name (per annum) clearly indicates. Her festival fell on the Ides of March. There is so much that has interested me in this coin. The plow (well I think it is a plow?) on the obverse is a control mark - and I have read that there are over 15 different symbols that are used for this issue... from other farm implements, to weapon and animals.. I do not have RIC to confirm the number or the exact descriptions.
For the extremely interesting mythology behind Anna Perenna - this thread by our own @Jochen1 really hooked me and is well worth a read:
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/anna-perenna.346731/
I think the wear, bankers marks, scratches and toning ADD to this example - a coin that shows its experience throughout history and still looks great. An aged fine wine..

#1:

Titus AE As. AD 80. IMP T CAES VESP AVG P M TR P COS VIII, laureate head left / PAX AVGVST S-C, Pax standing left, holding branch and caduceus.

My #1 coin has a lot of problems but the bust of Titus is exceptional (to me anyway).
If this coin had a mind of its own - it would look around at the rest of the coins in my collection and probably say "I have made but one mistake.... but it must have been a big one for me to end up here"

Thank you for looking and for all of the great reading and friendship over the last difficult year. I hope we all have a great 2021 - we deserve it!!

Cheers!

 

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Super nice coins Claudius! They are all very beautifull and I am glad you had a great coin year!
John

 

I love that enigmatic portrait of number one. It’s almost as if the unequal striking of the obverse somehow adds to its eye appeal, as if that clear, smiling portrait sort of rises to the surface from the abstract background.

 

Hey hey! I purchased these two, lesser, versions of your 9 & 10 this year:


Amazing year thanks for sharing

 

Great coins from a strange year, Claudius!

 

Nice selections! I have a coin similar to your #10, and like the designs on both sides.

 

Fantastic set of coins all with great eye appeal, I have to admit I have a soft spot for those Mysia Obols hard to believe the Celator's skill levels going back so far, and yours is one of the best I've seen. Congrats on a great year of collecting.

 

Impressive Titus portrait, I also like #2 , #9 and #10 . Congratulations !

 

Great coins! I love 10, 9, 5, and 2 especially.

 

Your top 3 are my favorite too, but the whole list is excellent, IMHO. The Titus portrait is superb, and the Galba is a great catch. The two Tetrarchic folles are excellent examples, as is the Pantikapaion. You had a great coin year!

 

Beautiful folles of the Tetrarchy. I really like the Constantius I from Cyzicus. I like the little owl from Sigeium. One of those was on my top 10 list this year, too!

 

I can only say Otho, Galba and Titus! Nice coins my friend for a crappy year.

 

Nice, eclectic, bunch, @Clavdivs !

 

I like #10 best.

In addition to the symbols (at least 20? Is mine a lagobolos or carnyx?) These come with a series of letters. I don't have Crawford but wonder what he said about them. RIC covers only Imperial coins. This is Republican.

There are currently two groups of people: 1. Those who are anxious for 2020 to end and 2. Those who hope 2021 won't be worse. This is not the place to discuss that.

 

The type with control-symbols is Crawford 366/1a. Types 366/1b and 2a both have control-letters. Types 1c and 2b have control letters on the reverse instead of the obverse.

There are 27 different control-symbols listed in Crawford, at Vol I p. 382. The Plough and the Carnyx are among them. Also: arrow, caps of the Dioscuri, comb, crab, crescent enclosing star, fish, helmet, knife, lizard, pelta, quiver, scorpion, sickle, snake, spear, staff with double hook, standard, sword r., sword in scabbard l., syrinx, thunderbolt, thyrsus, trident, trophy, and wing. Take your pick!

 

That portrait of Titus is exceptional!

As for 2020..."What a long strange trip its been".

 

I believe someone posted one with the lizard control mark on here some years ago - I don't have the link handy.. but it really added to the coin and would be highly desirable. I do not own Crawford.. so just gathering info as I go. This is a very interesting issue with the historical connection to the Sertorian War and the excellent iconography.

 

I think you are referring to #2..
Yes - sorry - I stated RIC but meant Crawford... both of which I do not own.
I am quite sad that I did not buy the paperback Crawford when it come out a year or more ago.. for about $100. That $100 is a beautiful (top 10) coin to me.... but maybe it would have been the better long term option? Who knows.. allocating our coin budget is always a challenge. I have made my fair share of mistakes.

 

Claudius, The bronze of Galba, #3 is my favorite . The portrait is excellent & the coin has an attractive uniform patina. I like Diocletian era folles too, & #5 is a great addition for coins of that genre . Your #1 bronze of Titus has an excellent portrait indeed .

 

@Clavdivs........Lovely collection! For me the Titus is the #1 The engravers skill shines, especially the eye detail, and actually brings the coin to life!,Congrats on a good year..