Doug's 2015 $5 to $100 list

Zumbly's wonderful post on 2015 favorites under $100 inspired this variation of that theme. My $100 idea was from 15 years ago when you could get several nice coins for under $100 total. Today, the numbers and grade are going down. The coins shown below are all 2015 purchases, all are $100 or under and NONE are on my regular list of 2015 favorites which I have been holding just in case something wonderful arrives in the next couple weeks. These are not my second favorites but they are a representative from each $10 bracket starting with a coin that cost between $90 and $100 and ending with one that was under $10. I looked at a lot of junk and have others I like better but were pushed aside by something I bought for the same price. A couple were selected for being the only coin I bought for a number in that span but only a couple are coins I might not buy again (because I paid too much). Prices include postage.


Coin purchased for $90 to $100


Titus denarius / capricorn Coin show - $100
Actually this was exactly $100 at a coin show and I probably would have paid a bit more since its main fault is wear and wear bothers me less than some people. Many people don't like coins that grade below VF and this one is in that category. Flavian denarii were good enough silver that they wore quickly. Still I found it a nice strike and well enough centered to bring it home.

$80-$90

Hadrian denarius / Minerva - European auction - $86.48

You always pay too much when you buy at a European auction because the final number will include their buyer's fee and high postage. I bought this one mostly to justify paying postage on another coin bought at that same sale which cost too much to make this list and was not special enough to make my favorites. This is, as far as I am concerned, a pretty coin but nothing all that special. Its claim to fame is that it was the only coin this year for which I paid $80-$90.



$70-$80
C. Coilius Caldus denarius 104 BC – Coin show - $75

The appeal of this Republican denarius is the standard Roma head is facing left and the tone is not the blast white you see so often. I had other coins in this bracket but felt more people would relate to a mid-grade Republican than some of the strange things in the bracket.

$60-$70


L. Papius denarius 79 BC – Coin show - $60

This is a beautiful, well struck coin of a popular type that should sell for a lot more were it not for the fact that the face of Juno was destroyed before it was struck by the flan being weight adjusted with a scoop of metal removed. Technically speaking, the coin is not damaged since the scoop was done before the coin was struck and is a regular part of the mint practice. That does not mean you should not get a big discount when you buy one. Demand for a coin like this is low. I buy them as a minor specialty. You shouldn't.


$50-$60

Philip I AE tetradrachm Coin show - $50

I considered this a bold and pretty example of a better than many reverse of a series I sort-of collect. It is not a rarity but a coin I was happy to find. It was not my first Alexandrian Philip type. I doubt it will be the last.

$40-$50

Probus AE antoninianus eBay - $42.38

This is a mid-grade example of a coin from the Probus EQVITI series from Ticinum (I have a web page explaining them). I already had the reverse in a much finer example but this one had the less common obverse legend including INVICTI. I would not have bought a duplicate of the ordinary obverse just because it was an EQVITI but the obverse made it worthy of a bid. No one else wanted it.


$30-$40

Sasanian, Kushro II 624-5 AD Coin show - $33

This is a “Wonderful” coin. It says so in the obverse margin (APD means wonderful along with several other translations). I had been wanting an margin inscribed coin. This was clear enough that I figured I would be able to read the mint and date (MR 35, feel free to correct me). Sasanian drachms are as big as baubles from the old days get and this was reasonably pretty. These are very common but probably suffer in popularity from the legends being a script few collectors read. I do not pretend to read them but compare them to “wonderful” online resources and get the ID right at least part of the time.


$20-$30

Persis AR obol 1st century AD eBay - $23.76

I know very little about these small silver coins of Persis and find conflicting information on their identification. I do not have the book on them (Alram) and do not know if the information from any given source is current or long outdated. What I saw here was a lot of legend on a better looking coin than many of the ones I see sold for a lot more money. Whether I get into them more deeply or not is a question yet to be addressed. This one came maked Pakor but it seems more a match for some I see as Napad, son of Namopad. Anyone who is comfortable with these and would like to educate me, please do.

$10-$20

Byzantine, Manuel I AE tetarteron 1143-1180 AD eBay - $13.99

I bought quite a few low end Byzantine bronzes this year but none were spectacular. This one has a decent face of St. George and some legend (in other words – not the worst I've seen). Byzantines should be priced according to rarity and appearance. I felt this one was. I did not have a St. George type so I bid.



Under $10

Byzantine, Justinian I Antioch AE 20 nummi 552 AD – Coin shop $5

This was part of the group I bought at a small coin shop so the $5 is a breakdown after taking into consideration the 'bulk discount'. They might have ask more if I had only bought this one but I would not have paid over $10 so here it is. It turns out the catalog says these were made with obverse dies intended for 40 nummi coins so you only get legends if the coin is off center. This is centered perfectly. It also have a clear reverse and the slightest hint of facial details (I said slightest!). It is what it is and that is not pretty. The other coins that might have been used here were messy overstrikes and other clearly outlined but faceless facing coins. $5 is more than fair but over $10 would strike me as unnecessary.

My real list of 10 favorites will go up when I give up on finding another coin worth including that can arrive by year's end. That probably means I should post now.

 

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Great coins Doug, but I really, really like that Hadrian/Mineriva

 

I do too! For some reason that one is especially appealing.

 

It is a very appealing coin. The portrait is very nice!

 

All winners for those sweet prices ... I like the Hadrian too, but the Titus Capricorn is also a cool snag!!

 

The hadrian & Persis obal I like the best.
I also like the Philip I Tet. but the green...wouldn't trust it.

 

I also Love the Hadrian and Philip I coins the best!!!

Terrific coins for the price(s)!!!

Two I haven't yet posted on similar threads for less than $25.00 and $40.00 respectively---- about low retail by my estimation for the type and grade.

Probus Ant:

Mysia, Kyzikos Hemiobol:

 

That's an excellent price for that denarius. A great bargain.

About Flavian denarii wearing faster because of a higher silver content - I know you have mentioned this before, but I've never read or heard about this from anywhere else. Do you recall where this info came from? I would think with the surface enrichment of silver on denarii that most eras would basically have the same surface silver content and would thus wear at about the same pace.

 

I believe the process of surface enrichment is considerably over stated. It does no good on good silver. I would not expect the layer to be thick enough to do more than make the color better. When can it be proven to start? Certainly it was used when the content approached billon but not when they were using Sterling or coin silver. The observation is that Flavians in the market are more often worn. Are you saying that coins of the next century that are that worn just don't make it to market because no one wants them but they are as common? I do not have references for things I was taught when I started in the hobby. Maybe it is an old wives tale.

http://www.totalmateria.com/page.aspx?ID=CheckArticle&site=ktn&NM=239
This page states that alloys finer than sterling are too soft for practical use.

http://riograndeblog.com/2012/11/me...sure-it-and-why-it-matters-for-silver-alloys/

The above chart shows hardness increasing until it flattens off at about 80/20 where it stays until about 30/70 which is borderline billon. I'd say 30% silver would certainly benefit from surface enhancement but that's not to say it would not before that. This is a question to ask a metallurgist, not me. Another matter is the chart covers AR/CU alloy but coins were never just two metals. It would make a difference whether the 80% silver coins had a mix of other metals that would add or subtract hardness. I know there are coin collector type people into this sort of question since there is a Yahoo group on metal. I am a member but do not read every post.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/numismet/info

 

I very much like the idea of posting favorite coins within particular price ranges. Well-played!

 

Awesome coins and nice deals on them Doug

 

all great coins for their bracket!

love the roma, love the philip, love the scoop, ...i would have taken the 5 buck coin for the cool O "pie" in ex...

oooooohhhhhhhhh pie.

and you're lucky i didn't see that manuel I on ebay!!!

 

I really love this thread idea! Almost all the coins shown in the OP I'd happily have bought at those prices. I like the Hadrian denarius, Philip I tet and Persis obol best.

I'm going to play along ... here are my ten favorite coins of 2015 that fall in the ten price bands from $100 to under $10. There's an overlap of three coins with the list in my other thread, but hey, I get to show another seven that don't make an appearance in my Top 10 of 2015. Again, I'm excluding group/mixed lot purchases and going with handpicked individual buys with their shipped prices.


$90 - $100

ROMAN REPUBLIC, C. Annius, L. Fabius - AR Denarius ($95)
Technically, this isn't my coin since it was given to my father on his birthday this year, but I did make the purchase, and I really, really like it, so here it is!


$90 - $80

SIKYONIA, Sikyon - AR Hemidrachm ($83)
I picked up five coins of Sikyon in various denominations this year. I love this hemidrachm, with its blue-grey silver toning and leftover earthen highlights. Big Brother Stater will show up in my Top 10 of the year list.


$80 - $70

PONTOS, Komana - AE28 ($72)
I had many coins I like fall into this particular price band, but my choice was easy. Back in July, this coin was in my Top 10 for the year at the half way mark... it's been bumped off, so I'm glad it gets a showing here. Despite being conditionally-challenged, it's from a rare mint, and not a coin that you get a shot at often. It's also not often that a collector of this type gets to say, "Behold, the face of Medusa!"


$70 - $60

HADRIAN - AE22 of PHRYGIA, Apameia ($61)
I like how this Roman provincial coin tells the story of its city with its reverse design. It was an impulse pickup, and I did the research later, which I summarized in this thread.


$60 - $50

MAXIMINUS THRAX - AR Denarius ($54)
I needed a Maximinus Thrax with the 'Bigchinnicus' portrait, and this was it. I think the nose is no slouch either!


$50 - $40

CONSTANTINE I, as Filius Augustorum - AE Follis ($48)
I've had the FIL AVGG issues on my want list some time. I ended up picking up two of them this year, and though I prefer the other one, in competition with other coins in their respective price bands, this one came out tops in its category while the other one didn't.


$40 - $30

ROMAN REPUBLIC, Anonymous - AE Quadrans ($34)
An overlap with my other list of budget coins. I bought many coins in this price band this year, but this one is the clear favorite.


$20 - $30

CILICIA, Kelenderis - AR Obol ($29)
This little 9mm beauty was acquired at a Harlan Berk auction. The tag says, "Lovely imagery on such a small flan". I agree!


$10 - $20

THESSALY, Magnetes - AE Tetrachalkon ($17)
I don't buy many coins from ebay, but occasionally I find some that I really like. This handsome Greek bronze is one of them.


UNDER $10

IONIA, Teos - AR Tetartemorion ($9.90)
Another ebay snack, this one managed to squeak into this price category by the narrowest margin... fitting I suppose, given how miniscule it is. Shown here with a grain of rice - it's tiny, but it makes a big impact .

 

Perhaps Flavian denarii appear more worn because they circulated longer and not because of their metallic composition? I find your theory intriguing which is why I asked where you heard it from. If it's an "old wive's tale" we may not be able to track it down!

 

Nice coins, Z-brothers (Zumbly & Mikey-Z) ... thrifty winners!!

 

Z, my favorites the your most expensive and your least expensive!

 

Zumbly demonstrates what I have suspected before. If I were to ask someone here to spend my money and select my coins, Z would be my first choice. We agree on what is worth having and what something is worth more often than not. While I admire coins of several other regulars here, they would spend me into the poorhouse. I won't be asking Z to take over this duty, however, it is the fun part of the hobby.

 

Here are three 2015 CNG examples that were all less than $100 ...

Fourree Kings of Macedon, Philip III ($45 hammer => $70 delivered)




Philip II (as Caesar) Sestertius ($60 hammer => $87 delivered)




Sogdiana, Local Issues, Samarkland ($60 hammer => $87 delivered)



... yah, they always seem so thrifty, but then you tack-on the 15% and the $18 delivery!! (oh well => they're all still pretty sweet)

 

The last coin you posted is prima facie evidence, as far as I'm concerned, that the Ancients had magnification lenses available to them. There is no way someone could carve such intricate design into something the size of a grain of rice without some sort of magnification.

This coin is ipso facto proof that ancient use of magnifying lenses. Does anyone care to make a rebuttal to this?

 

$81-$100 range:

$84 + shipping: A scarcer Republican type from a time when sextantes were only minted in very small numbers. The provenance can't be beat, this coin has been part of some of the greatest Republican bronze collections of recent memory: Ex. McCabe, Ex. RBW, Ex. Goodman.

Roman Republic Æ Sextans(6.5g, 19mm). Anonymous(Marcus Durmius?), 189-180 BC. Rome mint. Head of Mercury right wearing winged Petasos, •• above / Prow of galley right; bull standing right and MD above, •• before, ROMA below. Crawford 142/5, Sydenham 299d. Ex. Andrew McCabe, Ex. RBW, Ex. Goodman(CNG 45, lot 1333)


$61-$80 range(two coins here because I couldn't make up my mind):

$80 + shipping: A nice, big Ptolemaic drachm from Alexandria series V. This has to be one of the most impressive coins I have and it's one of the first I show to friends and family. Even though I've sold or am in the process of selling many of my Greek coins, this is one of the ones I plan to keep.

Ptolemaic Kingdom. Ptolemy IV Philopator. 222-205/4 BC. Æ Drachm (39mm, 65g). Alexandria mint. Series 5. Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right / ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; to left, filleted cornucopia; Σ control mark between legs. Svoronos 992; Weiser 61 (Ptolemy III); SNG Copenhagen 205-6; Noeske 147-9. Svoronos attributes to Ptolemy III



$67 shipped from Israel. Anyone who collects Judaean coins can tell you how rare it is to find a prutah this nice. So often they are ugly, struck way off center with worn dies and the paleo-Hebrew has only a few characters legible. I knew this one was special as soon as I saw it. Very sharp legends and a nice cornucopia. Worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

Hasmoneian Kingdom of Judaea, John Hyrcanus I AE Prutah. 135-104 BC. Obverse: 'A' monogram, YHO(HH)NN("Yehochanan") H("the") KHN("Priest") H("the") GDL("high") W("and") (HH)BR("Council") H("the") YHWDYM("Jews") Paleo-hebrew within wreath. Reverse: Double cornucopia adorned with ribbons, pomegranate between horns, border of dots. Jerusalem mint. Hendin 1131. Meshorer TJC A


$41-$60 range:

£40(~$60) + shipping: A nice example of the very scarce Crawford 191/3 "VAL" series triens. Rough surfaces, but all of the devices are there and clear which is one of the big things that I value in Republican bronzes, especially scarce types like this.

Roman Republic Æ Triens(21mm, 7.29g), Valerius moneyer, 169-158 BC. Helmeted head of Minerva right; above, four pellets / Prow right with peaked deck structure; VAL monogram above; four pellets before; ROMA below. Crawford 191/3. Sydenham 356b. Babelon Valeria 3

$21-$40 range:

This was part of a group lot of 2x Svoronos 840 and 1 Svoronos 839(same devices, slightly larger) that I won on CNG for $60 + buyer's fee + shipping. Worked out to $26.30 shipped per coin. I sold the other 840 to a new collector who was wanting to buy a Ptolemaic as his first coin and the 839 to our own John Anthony and kept this tiny one for myself. It compliments the drachm nicely.

Ptolemy III, Euergetes, 246-222 BC AE Chalkous(12.0mm, 2.0g). Kaunos mint. Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right/ΠΤΟΛΣΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΣΩΣ Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, trident left. Ex. J. P. Righetti Collection #43. Svoronos 840(attributed to Berytos mint)


$20 or less range:

Actually this was only $.99 + shipping from a dealer and mentor of mine. He had a bunch of coins ending around the same time on eBay and I think most people(myself included) were focused on a really fantastic Caligula denarius that was ending a few seconds before this one, but it went way, way higher than I could afford so I had to back off. I ended up bidding $5 or something on this one and was the only bidder, so I got it for the opening bid of 99 cents.

MACEDON. Under Roman Rule. Gaius Publilius, Quaestor. 148-146 BC. Æ 22mm (10.65g.) Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right. Reverse:GAIOU TAMIOU POPLILIOU legend in two lines within wreath. SNG Copenhagen 1320.


Free:

Won in a contest over on Reddit's AncientCoins subreddit. Interestingly enough, from the same guy I purchased the above coin from for 99 cents.

Judaea. First Jewish War. Struck year two 67/68 A.D. Obverse: Rimmed amphora with paleo-Hebrew inscription YEAR TWO. Reverse: Vine leaf on small branch with tendril, paleo-Hebrew inscription FREEDOM OF ZION. Hendin 661