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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 3949456, member: 85693&quot;]I&#039;m all over the place with what I collect.&nbsp; As I age and my eyesight gets worse, I tend to like the big ones.&nbsp; But then some of my favorites are tiny ones.&nbsp; I make no sense!</p><p><br /></p><p>This being said, I never collected bronze much until a couple years ago, and now I find I might in general prefer the AEs.&nbsp; This has something to do with the interesting colors/patinas that these develop over the centuries. </p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ll take this opportunity to post a big one and a little one that I recently got that especially pleased me - a combination of heft and the color of the patina.&nbsp; There is also the types to consider - I&#039;ve wanted a &quot;PRIMI DECANNALE&quot; sestertius for a while, and Hermes is one of my favorite gods.&nbsp; I&#039;ll throw in an antoninus of Volusian as well - a favorite emperor, and somewhat hard to find.&nbsp; All of them pushed a lot of my collector&#039;s &quot;happy buttons.&quot; </p><p><br /></p><p>Big AE:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1040681[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Marcus Aurelius&nbsp; Æ Sestertius</b></p><p><b>(170-171 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Rome Mint </b></p><p>[IMP] M ANTONINVS AVG TR P X[XV], laureate head right / PRIMI-DECEN-NALES-COS III-SC in five lines within laurel wreath.</p><p>RIC 1006 (possibly RIC 1256)</p><p>(23.58 grams / 28 x 25 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>Little AE: </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1040680[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Caracalla&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Æ 19</b></p><p><b>Heliopolis, Syria, Coele-Syria</b></p><p><b>(198-217 A.D.)</b></p><p>ANT[ONIN], laureate head right / COL HEL, naked Hermes standing facing, head left, holding caduceus.</p><p>SNG Copenhagen 430; Lindgren I A2162a.</p><p>(5.16 grams / 19 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>Silver:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1040682[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Volusian&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Antoninianus</b></p><p><b>(251-253 A.D.)</b></p><p><b>Rome Mint</b></p><p>IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right</p><p>/ VIRTVS AVGG Virtus standing, head left, holding shield and spear.</p><p>RIC 186; RSC 135; Sear 9778.</p><p>(3.65 grams / 20 mm)</p><p><br /></p><p>P.S. This one is in pretty sad shape, but I love the colors on it and the weird alien insect-like rendition of the rulers - a Byzantine follis of Justin II and Sophia.&nbsp; I have a nicer one just like it, but I may prefer this lousy one.&nbsp; Go figure. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1040683[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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