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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Cucumbor, post: 8078712, member: 4298&quot;]... continuing</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Ptolemaic kings of Egypt, Ptolemy II Philadelphos - Obol</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Last february, in the round # 1 of the famous « <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coin-1-guess-the-cter-2021.375497/#post-6439087" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/coin-1-guess-the-cter-2021.375497/#post-6439087"><b>Guess the CTer</b></a> » contest that [USER=83845]@Curtisimo[/USER]&nbsp; gifted us with, I wrote about the coin : I don&#039;t often add greek coins to my collection, apart (with just one p that time, tagging [USER=116315]@Claudius_Gothicus[/USER] <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />) from the occasionnal bronze and the very rare silver, but when I saw this portrait of Alexander III wearing elephant skin, I immediately knew I had to have it. It&#039;s not a thoughtful purchase, i.e. the coin that would be part of a project, but really a kind of &quot;that coin talks to me, listen !&quot; buy. Even though I had to throw in much more than the average coin of this type would cost, I think it&#039;s worth every penny, due to the exquisite engraving, preservation and patina. A real gem in hand.</p><p><br /></p><p>Almost one year later I would write exactly the same thing and never regreted its purchase</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402474[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Ptolemy II Philadelphos : Obol (Bronze), Alexandria, circa 260s-246 BC.</b> </p><p>Diademed head of the deified Alexander III to right, wearing elephant skin headdress and aegis around his neck, and with horn of Ammon on his forehead. </p><p>ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ Eagle with open wings standing left on thunderbolt;between the eagle&#039;s legs, Λ. </p><p>24 mm, 10.43 g, 1 h</p><p>Ref : Lorber B250</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #000000"><b>Bosporan kings, Rhescuporis II with Caracalla – El Stater.</b></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p>In my specialized field I&#039;am able to discipline myself on buying specific coins, because I don’t have the type/year, or it is an upgrade, or whatsoever excuse to adding one more to the series. In numerous occasions however I can’t resist the coin screaming « buy meeee ! » even though out of my league.&nbsp; Last year, a <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/bosporan-kingdom-sauromates-ii-el-stater.360957/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/bosporan-kingdom-sauromates-ii-el-stater.360957/"><b>Sauromates II with Septimius Severus stater</b></a> made my # 1 of the year. Since I was « at it », and adding a second one seeming sensible to some point, I got the following one electrum stater. Call me crazy, hope I’m not starting a new collection though <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402475[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 513 (216-217 CE)</b></p><p>BACIΛΕωC ΡHCKOΥΠOΡIΔOC (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Rhescuporis II right, before, trident.</p><p>Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right. ΓΙΦ at exergue (year 513)</p><p>7,63 gr – 18 mm</p><p>Ref : MacDonald # 556/3</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Syria, Antioch, Herennius Etruscus as Caesar, 249-251 - Tetradrachm.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Pursuing my quest for nice specimens of Syro-Phoenician tetradrachms ( <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> [USER=97383]@Al Kowsky[/USER] ), among others I got that particularily nicely struck Herennius Etruscus tetradrachm. It ticks several boxes : <a href="https://www.colleconline.com/fr/collection-items/5561/monnaies-antiquite-av-jc-ap-romaines-republicaines-imperiales-trajan-dece-les-divi" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.colleconline.com/fr/collection-items/5561/monnaies-antiquite-av-jc-ap-romaines-republicaines-imperiales-trajan-dece-les-divi" rel="nofollow"><b>Trajan Decius and his family</b></a> on the one hand, and <a href="https://www.colleconline.com/fr/collection-items/6475/monnaies-antiquite-av-jc-ap-provinciales-romaines-1-tetradrachmes-syro-pheniciens" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.colleconline.com/fr/collection-items/6475/monnaies-antiquite-av-jc-ap-provinciales-romaines-1-tetradrachmes-syro-pheniciens" rel="nofollow"><b>syro-phoenician tets</b></a> on the other hand</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402476[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Herennius Etruscus, Cesar (249-251) - Tetradrachme de billon de l&#039;atelier d&#039;Antioche,</b> 247 - 7° officine </p><p>ЄPЄNN ЄTPOY MЄ KY ΔЄKIOC KЄCAP Buste drapé à droite vu par l&#039;arriere. Z sous le buste</p><p>ΔHMAPX ЄΞOYCIAC Aigle à gauche, les ailes déployées, tenant une couronne dans son bec et une palme dans ses serres. A l&#039;exergue SC</p><p>28 mm, 10.24 g, 7 h</p><p>Ref : Prieur # 640, McAlee # 1153g.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Nemausus, Augustus &amp; Agrippa, halved dupondii type II, II &amp; IV</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Everybody agrees, <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/of-galleys-and-crocs-about-a-nice-portrait-of-octavian.370127/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/of-galleys-and-crocs-about-a-nice-portrait-of-octavian.370127/"><b>Crocs are fun !</b></a></p><p><br /></p><p>The more the funnier. But finding those in good condition is tough and pricey. An option, although a bit frustrating, is to find nice examples of them cut in half !</p><p>With a bit of research nice examples can be found at reasonnable price. Here’s a virtual tray showing three different portraits of Agrippa on three different half dupondii of three different types (according to the usual french classification in four types, which is disputed) : type II, III and IV. The type IV isn’t a 2021 purchase, but the two others are. One can see the evolution of Agrippa’s appearence from a young, slim and eager young lad to a more mature and wise man.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402477[/ATTACH]</p><p>RPC # 523, 524 and 525</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Gordian III, Aeternitas denarius </b></p><p><br /></p><p>Not only AMCC auctions have very nice offerings, but many have cool provenances. This one is no exception, being ex [USER=84744]@Severus Alexander[/USER]&nbsp; (the Boss) himself !</p><p><br /></p><p>The lot description says it all : « <i>It is difficult to find high grade, well struck denarii of Gordian III from fresh dies; this coin is worthy of the best collections</i> », I am thus honoured to be its new caretaker for the years to come</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402479[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Rome mint, 4th emission, AD 12-239/05-243</b></p><p>IMP GORDIANS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate and draped bust right</p><p>AETERNITATI AVG, Sol, radiate and draped over left shoulder and arm, standing facing, head left, raising right hand and holding globe in left.</p><p>2,76 gr - 20,5 mm</p><p>Ref : RSC # 39, RCV # 8672, RIC # 111, Michaux # 275</p><p><br /></p><p>Provenance : AMCC3 auction # 253. From the Severus Alexander collection; ex Frank Robinson Auction Sept. 2020 (from Frank’s collection), hammer 101 USD; ex Künker Auction 333 lot 1249, “from the collection of a Hanseatic Roman friend.”</p><p><br /></p><p>During the same auction, I’ve been lucky enough to snap two others GIII antoninianii, one of them being the « brother ant » to the denarius above</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402478[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Rome mint, 4th emission, AD 12-239/05-243</b></p><p>IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right seen from behind</p><p>AETERNITATI AVG, Sol, radiate and draped over left shoulder and arm, standing facing, head left, raising right hand and holding globe in left.</p><p>5,71 gr - 23,5 mm</p><p>Ref : RSC # 41, RCV # 8603, RIC # 83, Michaux # 369</p><p>Provenance : AMCC3 auction # 254. Ex DNW “Roman Coins from the Collection of Keith Cullum, Part 1” 05.06.2019 lot 1345, acquired by Cullum from John Cummings in 1993. (Cullum was chairman of the Essex Numismatic Society.)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Gallienus Zoo series left portrait and panther</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Another niche of mine being the Gallienus Zoo series, I was thrilled when the last Paul-Francis Jacquier yearly auction popped up with a run of interesting, some very rare, specimens of the series. Although I put high bids (well, high to me and to what I though they would fetch), I was largely out bid on all of them but one. Still, I’m satisfied with this ,ugly, but <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/yet-another-gallienus-zoo-series-coin-but-a-lefty-this-time.388758/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/yet-another-gallienus-zoo-series-coin-but-a-lefty-this-time.388758/"><b>left portrait with the panther reverse</b></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1402480[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Gallienus, Zoo series antoninianus - Rome, AD 267-268.</b></p><p>GALLIENVS AVG. Radiate and draped bust left</p><p>LIBERO•P•CONS AVG/B. Panther advancing left</p><p>2,23 g.</p><p>Ref : Wolkow, CMR Gallien # 19g+2 (R3); C 588; RIC 230; Cunetio –; MIR 713o.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And to finish with <b>A ghost !</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This is the coin I purchased from Agora auction last july. It should be in my top 10, as it’s a very rare coin, reportedly known by 4 examples only, this one being illustrated in Wildwinds</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m afraid it will remain a mystery to you folks !! <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Q[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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