Curtisimo’s Top 10 of 2019

Gorgeous coins and wonder write-ups, @Curtisimo ! Very nice! And some of the provenances are just GREAT!

Of course, I am STRUCK by your Vitoriatus! Punic Wars? Always good by me!

JII Bull? Excellent... I always enjoyed his story about reverting back to the old Gods of Rome.


RR Victoriatus after 211 BCE Jupiter Victory Trophy VF Craw 53-1 Syd 83



RI Julian II CE 360-363 AE1 maiorina Diademed R - SECVRITAS REIPVB 2 stars Apis Bull stg R ANT-Gamma 2 palms ANTIOCH RIC 217 LRBC 2641

 

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The poll results are really fun to watch. Thanks all for voting! (I don’t know why I get such a kick out of this CT feature... I just think it’s fun). I am pleasantly surprised to see my Hadrian getting some love and also that all the coins have earned at least one vote.

Thanks furryfrog!

I had a sneaking suspicion you might appreciate the campgate and the Ancyra.

I blame (and thank) your fascinating threads and coins for compelling me to add more architecture to my collection every year.

Thanks @Orielensis . This year was a good year for my Nerva-Antonine denarii additions and I am very happy with both the M. Aurelius and Hadrian examples you mention Maybe next year I’ll finish the “phase 1” set. Thanks again for the kind words, my friend.

Thanks Z! You are too kind. Despite the slow start I had some good luck in the back half of the year with acquiring coins with interesting provenance. AMCC was a treasure trove for that this year. I admire your collection very much and I was happy to add a few coins from your collection this year which you probably noticed with my #7. The BCD Thessaly was another of yours that could easily have made the list had I not already posted it to my other year end category list.

Thanks Limes! May your 2020 be a great year as well... collecting and otherwise!

Thanks gogili! It’s nice to see the campgate getting some love. While the campgate reverse may be very common I think there is a lot of interest in the type. I was very happy to add this one this year. I appreciate your comment.

Haha well spotted DRay. I can see the resemblance now that you mention it.

Thanks Bing! Another shout out to my new campgate. That makes me very happy. Coins don’t have to be expensive to be fun. I much appreciate your comments.

Sorry to be such a bad influence Great bull coin. These are fun for the history and iconography but they are also just nice to hold. Really big coins. Thanks for the nice words brother.

You read my entire ramblings! I am honored. I agree with everything you say about the context of the M. Aurelius denarius. I was not expecting to add a M. Aurelius this year that met all my parameters which were largely influenced by many of the details you mention. I was very happy to acquire this example from a CT friend (thanks Andrew!).

I will also say that I greatly enjoy your posts (rambling or no ). Even though you just celebrated your 1 year CT membership it feels more like you’ve been here for years!

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I also want to say to all my CT friends in case I forget to say it later...

Merry Christmas!

 

Just one word: WOW ! I’m just sad you didn’t invite anyone from CT to your party last month. Shame on you.

 

Thanks for the kind words my friend. I’m sure all 7 would feel right at home in your fabulous collection.

Thanks Doug. I like that one a lot as well. I am happy the coin is being professionally treated by someone who knows better than me how to save the coin for posterity.

Thanks TIF. I hope you enjoy a less stressful and highly successful 2020 as well. I always look forward to your fun and educational posts.

Thanks RC. I hope your 2020 is filled with great coins and interesting write ups just like 2019. I must say that it was rather satisfying to crack open the Aelius.

Thanks David

 

Curtis, I missed you thread yesterday, so here are my three favorites : #3 the Caracalla brass tetrassarion. This coin is a gem, beautiful die work, well centered, & in choice condition. Caracalla has an unusual forlorn expression, someone who is very troubled by his past. A gifted celator did this portrait . My 2nd favorite is #4, the Aelius denarius because of the stunning portrait, My 3rd favorite is #6, the Hadrian denarius because the portrait is excellent & the reverse interesting.

Four Julian II AE1 coins have been posted on this thread, so I might as well post my example again . I bought my example 13 years ago, & at the time it was the most expensive Roman bronze in my collection . I could sell it today for a handsome profit .

 

You picked up some great coins, Curtis. All of them are special in their own way, the history behind each coin is incredible. Excellent write up, and love those old auction tags!
John

 

Great 10. I really like that Julian

 

What a awesome group @Curtisimo ! The Julian is awesome and the MA and (especially) the Trajan denarius have sweet toning! Very interesting about the history of you #10 coin also!

 

Thank you Shea! I hope your 2020 is great as well.

Thanks for the kind words. I also thought the story behind the Helbing coin was really eye opening. One of the members of the family, Gerard Hirsch fled to Prague but was later arrested and sent to Auschwitz. He survived and re-founded a family auction house that still exists today. The Kallai family (my #5) suffered a similar and just as sad fate.

Thanks @7Calbrey . Merry Christmas to you as well.

That is a wonderful bull coin @bcuda . You don’t see these with silvering very often. That’s a keeper!

I figured you might prefer that one. I am always in awe of your early and pre-denarius collection. Great bull as well. Merry Christmas Brian.

Shoot. If I would have known I was throwing a party I would have sent out the invite. Ancient Roman themed appetizers and unmixed wine...

Thanks for the kind words Al and what a wonderful Julian bull!

Thanks John! Merry Christmas

Thanks Randy!

Thanks Chris. I ended up with a few coins with some interesting history and I’m glad to have them. Merry Christmas.

 

I was expecting the Julian coin as your first, when I saw the write up I was already stunned by the look of it. Eventhough you had break half of the year, you got some great Roman additions!

 

I like the big bronzes of Julian II and Caracalla. The Alex tet is third.

 

Thanks Pavlos. Unfortunately my Greek additions slowed to a trickle this year. I think I probably added only 2 or 3. I thought I won a coin I’ve been after for a long time (closed AT my max ) and I think I would have won a Babylon tet had not my connection failed during live bidding. Oh well better luck next year I guess.

Thanks ACH

 

Very fantastic coins Curtis!

 

Thanks @NLL

 

Still catching up on the top-10 threads... mostly I'll just be clicking "like" a bunch of times, but had to post in this one, even though Curtis probably won't see it for a while as he hasn't been around much lately.

Nice bull, Curtis! Like many others, the Caracalla (which I hadn't seen wow!) and the Hadrian travel denarius rounded out the top 3 for me. The ex-Orfew MA denarius was a strong challenger, though.

As for the need to post, goes... well, I couldn't allow the thread to continue to exist without this, could I?