Cucumbor's six - 2017 review

Hi CT friends,

As many other members here, I think I'm done for 2017, hence I can start my year review.

Having bought 32 coins only this year, 19 of them being for the Dombes principality, I wouldn't want boring the assembly by showing "variations about the liard" or things of the like.

I've made a selection of six (as I did last year) which have my preference among them, at least today, and for various reasons.

#6 - A cockroach to begin with, precisely because it's a roach (and some of them deserve to be done justice), and because it was a gift from a friend and dealer. The portrait is of the better style.


Gordian III, Antoninianus Rome mint, AD 238-239
IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III seen from behind
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre, a small figure of the Emperor at his feet
5,33 gr
Ref : Cohen # 105 (3), RIC # 2, RCV # 8614


#5 - A crocodile. They've been quite popular on the boards lately (I know for certain @LaCointessa loves them) and that one stopped me for the incredible style on Agrippa's portrait and its good centering


Augustus & Agrippa, AE Dupondius Nemausus mint, after AD 10
4th type
IMP DIVI F PP, Laureate heads of Augustus looking right and Agrippa looking left, back to back
COL NEM, Crocodile chained to palm tree
13,52 gr
Ref : RCV #1731, Cohen #8


#4 - A jeton. Not so often do we have the opportunity of showing a jeton here. This one has been issued for Gaston d'Orleans, prince of Dombes AD 1629. At this time the king of France was his brother Louis XIII. All his life Gaston has plotted against him and after his death against his nephew Louis XIV. Anyway, This jeton has been issued to commemorate victory at the battle of "Pas de Suze" against the italians on March, 6th 1629. The reverse depicts an altar that can be seen on many of our ancients, reason why it's today #4


Gaston d'Orleans, prince usufruitier de la Dombes (1627-1650) jeton argent
+ GASTON . DE . FRANCE . FRERE . UNICQVE . DV . ROY Ecu d'Orléans couronné entouré des colliers des ordres du roi
PONET VICTORIA METAS (Victory will settle the frontiers) Un autel orné de guirlandes, élevé sur un massif montagneux.
Ag - 4,39 gr - 27 mm
Ref : Feuardant -

#3 - An eagle. My 21st example of the divi series struck by Trajan Decius was a major buy. Just because of Henry and Steve wasn't it #1 (see below). I've extensively presented it here


Augustus, Antoninianus Rome mint AD 250/251
DIVO AVGVSTO radiate head right
CONSECRATIO Eagle facing with spred wings and head left
3.10 gr
Ref : RIC IV # 77, Cohen # 577, RCV # 9458
in qblay's catalog : AU27/A045
Ex Gemini XIII auction, #291


#2 - A chick. Steve has been a very good friend of ours here and the Ancient section of CT owes him a lot. He's facing difficult times and has had to part with quite a lot of his treasures. Some of us are now their caretakers on his behalf. Steve we miss you !


Tranquillina, Drachm Cappadocia, Caesarea- Eusebia, AD 241-244
Tranquillina, Augusta, AR Drachm - Dated Regnal year 4 of Gordian III (AD 240/1)
CABINIA TPANKVΛΛINA AV Draped bust right, wearing stephane
MHTPO KAICA B N E Mount Argaeus ЄT Δ (date) in exergue
2.72 grams - 18 mm
Ref : Bland, Last # 58, Sydenham, Caesarea Supp # 617a
Ex CNG e-auction 354, #352
Ex Steve P. collection

#1 - A denier. Although the denier tournois is abundant for Gaston d'Orleans, there is no regular issue of any of them for his father in law, Henri II de Montpensier, and only a handful of silver essays is known to exist. For years I could only dream of having one of them in my trays someday. I even went to the Lyon Musée des beaux arts, for the only purpose of taking a picture of their specimen. When that one poped up at auction earlier this year, it had to be mine. My enormous bid having been successful, here it is in the end


Henri II de Montpensier (1592-1608 ) essai du denier d'argent, frappe posthume
+ . H . P . DOMBAR . D . MONTISP Buste cuirassé à gauche
+ DNS . ADIVTOR . MEVS . 1609 Deux lis dans une couronne
1,73 gr - 18 mm
Ref : Divo Dombes #122

Q

 

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Wow, terrific coins. I love the Henri II.

 

Great coins, I like the Gaston d'Orleans & Tranquillina best.

 

I agree with @Orfew, that Henri II is very special.

 

NICE NICE NICE NICE @Cucumbor ! Lovem.

Sometime, I would really enjoy seeing your Dombes collection too.

I like your Croc... the Palm Tree looks VERY different! Very cool...


My Palm:

RI Augustus oak crown -Agrippa rostral crown L AE Dupondius 26mm 12.6g 10-14 CE Nemausus chained Croc wreaths RIC I 158

 

Nicely done
I really like that Tranquillina and the G III is nice to boot

 

Who is Cuculbor?

 

Wow, Q, I'm glad there are some non-ancients in there, or all six would be my favorite.

The Tranquillina is sweet, the Augustus divi enviable, the croc coin outstanding, and the Gordie one of the best I've ever seen!

Heck, even the Gaston and Henri deserve some love...

 

Really nice six! But my favorite is the one from Dombes/Henri II real nice portrait Here is my only coin from Dombes
AV 1/2 Pistole 1575 Trevoux Mint ex: Kunker Auction (preservation stempelglanz)
Louis II de Bourbon Montepensier 1560-82
Comment: The guy who struck this coin should have been fired! for doing a crappy job/ quality of the strike is very poor.....

 

Great divo augusto - want one like that!

 

Yes! Yes! @Cucumbor! I love crocs. I certainly do. And yours is a great one. with the entire croc from tip of snout to tip of tail. It is unusual because your palm tree looks like waves of water. I adore @Alegandron's croc, too with that natural sandy patina. Thanks for showing your top six coins of the year.

I am putting together a top 5 list since I'm still such a newbie.

 

Outstanding croc!!! Lovely!

 

#6, the Gordian III, has excellent nice style and a strong strike in good metal from an unworn obverse die and not-much-worn reverse die. That makes it special. There are many Gordian III pieces out there, but not many better than that one.

 

That Henri II is fantastic!! Congrats on catching such a rarity!

 

This guy is almost as irreverent as me. Thank the Lord he has a good heart and a fair (better than that) sense of humor. I love your ancients my friend. And I love your catalog........

 

I dare say, I have to quite agree........

 

Nicely done Q. All winners. My favorites are the croc and the eagle.

I like crocs too!

 

That is so funny @Curtisimo. Who doesn’t enjoy a butterfly (or a dinosaur, even) landing on his or her nose?

Nice croc you have there!

(This photograph is on a greeting card from maybe 20 years ago and it says © AGC, Inc. - Carlton Cards)

 

Sweet @Cucumbor ! That was kind of my my year as well, a mix of Roman and older cool modern stuff...I like your style!

I LOVE that croc!

Here is a 17th century French jeton I own...

 

Great top 6! I'm loving that croc!


Thanks,
Jacob