Doug's Ten Favorites from 2015

Doug's Ten Favorite New Purchases of 2015

Disclaimer: I have hard enough time selecting ten coins without getting too specific over the exact order. I hope I have not overlooked anything or made a mistake on which coins were first last January but my record say these were all 'born' this year. One was from January and three from November with the others scattered between. I have no expectation of buying much in what is left of December since I have no shows and have pretty much stopped following major auctions for one reason or another. I hope I'm wrong and the coin of the century shows up tomorrow. Maybe???


#10. Divus Claudius Gothicus AE antoninianus Milan, 270 AD – eBay May


#10 squeaked in under the wire and is the only one of my ten that can be termed late Roman at 270 AD. The feature that caused its inclusion is the obverse legend including the word 'GOTHICO' by which we regularly know Claudius II but that appears on very few of his coins. As these go, the condition is not bad but it does have a flan flaw that does nothing for the legibility of the important word. Would a bold legend there have elevated the coin higher on our list? Maybe. As it is this coin is a lot closer to dropping off the list than it is to climbing.


#9. Athens half of fourree new style tetradrachm, 2nd century BC – vCoins November


This coin has more problems than the average junker but captured my interest to the point that I needed it. Falling at #9 shows it is not all that special but it would not have made the list at all or even been purchased had the coin been whole or solid silver. Go figure! As it is, the half allows inspection of the interior structure of a fourree. I had a lot of fun making the image of it simulating a roll over in hand so I'm sure some of the favorite status relates to this factor. The coin was once the possession of Reid Goldsborough and still appears on his page on Athenian fourrees. I bought it from a vCoins dealer that I particularly respect. That is a win-win provenance on a strange-strange coin (or half thereof).



#8. Thasos AR stater, 510-490 BC – eBay February


The appeal of this archaic stater is the way the die was cut straight down making the relief more of a cliff than a taper. Of course that made it a challenge to photograph and show that factor. I don't have one showing the whole coin at an angle yet so here is the straight on shot that misses the point. Most of these have some doublestriking probably due to the need to hammer the thing several times to drive the silver down into the deep parts of the obverse. There are several variations of this and I needed the one with the claw hand on the woman being carried off by the satyr. Will another year drive me to get the other variations I still lack? Who knows?



#7. L. Pomponius Molo AR denarius, 97 BC – Coin show (Richmond, VA) October


I bought several Republican denarii in 2015. This is the most interesting and the highest grade of the bunch so it will represent not only itself but all those 'also ran' candidates. I could not live with myself buying a coin just because it was in good condition (not my style) but this one has an interesting reverse showing King Numa Pompilius about to sacrifice a reluctant goat being dragged to the alter by an assistant. The family of the moneyer claimed descent from Pompo, a son of Numa Pompilius. The obverse shows Apollo suggesting that god as the recipient of the sacrifice. I probably would have elevated this coin higher on my list had the die work been finer but this is about average for these that I have seen. The eyes could have been executed better. I bought this one from a dealer that has been my friend for a long time but whose personal specialties do not overlap mine often. That day he had a nice selection of mid grade Republicans so I got three of which this is the best.



#6. Caracalla Caesar AE25 – 4 assaria, Tomis 196-198 AD – Coin show (Baltimore, MD) November


I like several things about this coin but I particularly like the way a dealer went out of his way to show it to me. We have known each other for years and I used to buy a lot of coins from him before he started selling mostly slabs at prices over my head. He thought I might like this one. He was right. Caracalla has a lot of Provincial coins from a number of cities. This is unusual in that it shows Caracalla before he was elevated to Augustus. The same type does exist with an older boy's portrait but I'm glad to have the Caesar style here. Tomis often marked denominations in assaria with a Greek numeral in the reverse field. This is delta = 4. The two Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux) are shown reclining. The twins are often shown together as jugate heads or paired horsemen but this scene is unusual and that was why the seller thought I might want it. I am a fan of Tomis denominations which included a few coins marked 1 ½ and 4 ½ so was happy to have this four as well. This is not a terribly rare coin but most online example do have the older Augustus portraits and legends.



#5. Septimius Severus AR denarius Emesa mint 194 AD – European auction January


I was thrilled to get the coin since it is the fifth reverse I have for this obverse die. The first was 'My Favorite Coin'. It is made distinctive by the PEPT for PERT and the legend ending COSI on the obverse. The reverse is Minerva (a scarce goddess for Septimius) with reverse legend substituting F for E in MINFR. It is not a terrifically rare coin but a Minerva variation I did not have. Its main appeal is the obverse die link. This makes it #5. A higher number may be assigned when I get a dozen reverses with this obverse die.



#4. Syracuse, Hiketas II, AE23 hemilitron 288-279 BC overstruck on Artemis/thunderbolt type – Coin store (Ohio) July


Dumb luck caused me to stop at a small coin store in Ohio as we were passing through. I asked if they had any ancients and was shown a bag of stuff they had not gone through and knew nothing about. Some coins they thought were worth more than I did but, overall, they were quite reasonable on nicer coins. Many coins were absolute junk and nearly worthless. Condition matters. I bought a few including this bronze that shows strong evidence of being overstruck on an earlier coin of Syracuse (Sear 1207). The undertype thunderbolt was issued both by Agathokles and under the Democracy but just enough legend shows through to establish the undertype was a Democracy coin. Overstrikes are always cooler when the undertype is fully identifiable. This coin would have made my ten had I bought it from a dealer that knew what it was. It climbed a bit higher on the list due to the circumstances and, did I mention, dumb luck.


#3. Trajan Decius AE double sestertius 249-251 AD – Coin show (Fredericksburg, VA) September


When perceived poverty caused me to sell 150 of my coins in 1974, one of the ones I missed most was my double sestertius of Trajan Decius. Circumstances (mostly my cheapness) never allowed me to replace it until I saw this low grade example. It is a different reverse than the one I had before but not much different in grade. These late double sestertii are similar in size to single sestertii of the first century. A few years later Postumus issued the denomination but his were much smaller (mostly thinner). Compared to other coins after the first years of Vespasian, the doubles of Decius are quite impressive. Still the main appeal of the coin was replacing the one that got away so long ago.


#2. Aspendos AR stater 420-370 BC with two countermarks – Coin show (Baltimore, MD) November


The wrestlers of Aspendos are a popular type but usually just show the pair grappling. A few coins show one trying to trip the other or, as here, a punch to the midsection. Workmanship at this mint was not always top notch. This coin has a short flan crowding the obverse left and reverse right. The missing hand of the reverse slinger is offset by an exceptionally clear city name. Most interesting to me are the countermarks on each side. The whorl on the obverse right may be ordinary but the reverse shows a Janiform head (of whom???) at the bottom. Neither mark does serious damage to the design on the other side although I would have preferred to see the flattened feet in full detail. I still would have purchased the coin if it lacked the countermarks or the gut punch (it was reasonable) but the special features are what elevated the coin to #2 on this list.


#1. Sybaris AR starter (wide fabric-29mm) 530-510 BC – Coin show (Baltimore, MD) November


Of the South Italian types with reverses being the incuse of the obverse, my favorite has always been this bull of Sybaris. I have wanted one for years. I have been watching this one in a dealer's stock for two years but only now were we able to meet in the middle when it came to price. I paid too much for a VG coin so I'll overgrade it to Fine. The coin is quite worn weakening the obverse legend YM (sigma was rotated at this early date) and erasing most of the obverse bull detail. The coin has a pleasing tone and unchipped edge. The same show (but a different dealer) had a cheaper one with less wear but a chippy edge and slightly rough surfaces. I prefer a worn coin to these other faults. Sybaris coinage was interrupted when the city was destroyed in 510 BC leaving a gap in the period when neighboring cities issued their smaller, thicker incuse types. The coinmakes me want more of these strange incuse reverse types linked to the influence of the Pythagoreans if not to the great mathematician himself who lived in the region at the time. The sad part is I could not bring myself to make this coin or any of these ten prime coins in my 99 ½ favorite coins of all time since they were not clearly more interesting than something similar already there. A few, including the bull, did get added as a supporting player on the page with my previous favorite.
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/favs.html

So is a year that adds no prime favorite a failure? Perhaps, but it was fun. The ten here came from nine different sellers. Five came from coin shows (four different ones). Two came from eBay and two from other mail order sources. The one remaining was the most unusual being from a brick and mortar coin shop. Most interesting to me is the fact that well over half of the coins I bought this year were late Roman but the ten includes not a single coin from the fourth century AD. Half were Greek; the other half Roman. It was a bad year for 'other' ancients. The learning point here probably is that I should slow up on the later Romans of which I have too many now and buy more Greek. Half of the ten could fit to some degree in my 'technical' collection. Preparing this report should help me do a better job selecting coins in 2016 if only I am wise enough to listen to my own council.

 

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This is the angle shot mentioned in #8. Sometimes I do buy a coin for the photo challenge.

 

Oh I think I like the Aspendos the best!!! Great Choices for 2015.

 

All wonderful coins Doug. My favorite is the Thasos. Good detail and great photography.

 

another fun to read top 10 list! I'm still holding out on mine, but i'll have one in common with this list.



look at the buns at that satyr, you know he works those glutes out!

the halved fourree is great, reclining dioscuri is neat, and number one and two absolutely should be in the spot they are in.

 

Nice!! => wow Mentor, you had another great year (congrats)

Ummm, I think my favourite is your #4 example => Syracuse, Hiketas II, AE23 hemilitron 288-279 BC overstruck on Artemis/thunderbolt type



... very cool

*edit* ... I spent a sober-sec this morning re-reading your Top-10 and smiled (it is always a good time reading your coin-descriptions ... not unlike myself, you seem to pour a bit of emotional-attachment into your purchases) => yah, and therefore the reader finds himself at the humane society rather than ye ol coin-shoppe!!? ...... yah, you seem to need a real "connection" before you'll pull the trigger (ummm, or "adopt" a friendly waggy-tailed coin!!)



I like that about you and your coins, my friend ... none of the coins that made your list are in any jeopardy of being sold (okay sure, at some point they may be donated to "Gordon" at your local elementary school, but other than those lucky chess-club champs, nobody is gonna wrestle your new coins out of your tight-grasp!!)

More coin-comments => I really like the Caracalla as well (super-cool that they're chillin' on their sides!!) ... total winner

The "wrestlers" is always in my coin-cross-hairs, but I really want a "sweet-classic" example, so as you know => those babies blow the budget!! (it remains one of my unicorn-coins ... man, I let one of Batman's sweet examples fall through the cracks and I've never found an example quite as cool => so I'm kinda chasing that coin's ghost ... maybe in 2016?) .... oh, but I brought it up because your cool example is definitely a "total win" in the ol' wrestler category!! (congrats) ... the belly-punch is a total winner (the c/s is merely extra style-points) ... great coin

and my final comments are regarding your awesome 2015 Flagship example => I obviously "love" this gorgeous animal-coin (wow, yummy!!) ... funny though, because when I'm thumbing-through the auctions I often glide-by thinking these are merely brockage-errors (which are also very cool, but I already have a couple of examples) ... but this coin-type is definitely another example that I should be hunting for (older than dirt "and" they usually have very cool animal carvings)

Summary => your coins are awesome and I always love reading your coin-posts .... I can't wait to see your next coin show scores (always a great tale with a bunch of amazingly interesting examples!!)

=> I hope that you keep bringin' it in 2016!! (Happy Holidays, brother)

 

Nice coins! Ahh, you ancient collectors keep posting these cool coins, and keep tempting me to search for new ones for my collection.

 

I like your alpha and omega, #1 & #10! Good job on photos. My goal for next year is to clear enough room in my man cave enough to have a set place for my camera. I bought a stand a couple of days ago. So far the results are modest.

 

I don't know who could consider that list a failure, Doug. It looks to me to be a connoisseur's selection of coins and really shows what the hobby has to offer beyond the typical considerations of grade and rarity. I see there as being a lot to learn from your 2015 choices and what you have to say about them.

I've been looking for one of the wide-flan incuse types from Lucania or Bruttium for some time now, so my favorite is your #1. After that, #2, #4, #6 and #3 in that order. But honestly, I would be happy to have any of the ten in my collection.

 

The left closeup looks like a NASA photo of some distant moon. Cool!

 

Wonderful selection of coins and awesome photos Doug.

 

Nice picks, Doug, I happen to like 7 and 1 best.

 

A thoughtful assortment. #6, the Caracalla provincial, is my favorite of the bunch.

 

A very eclectic selection, most being far from what I'm usualy looking for, but hey, that's exactly what we all here expect from you, Doug : pointing the light on what we would otherwise overlook

Thanks and congrats
Q

 

=> ahaha ... "moon" ... I get it (good one)

 

#7 is my favourite of the group, but they all are quite interesting in one way or another. Very impressive.

 

I can find more and more reasons to Love all of your picks in a slightly different order and change that a bit as I keep discovering (or realizing) certain attributes that you mention or those that I didn't give enough credit or consideration for-----but the RR guy in me makes me especially fond of #7.

 

Your decades of ancient collecting acumen are showing. Nice coins! My personal favorite is #1. Superb detail and patina.

 

#1 all the way Doug. Those are some nice top tens for this year!

 

When I first saw this coin I thought it was one of those sex coins from the Roman Empire I've heard exist. Does anyone have any of those, or is that just a myth?