First half of 2017

I just received my two wins from Ken's recent auction (thanks Ken, they're beautiful!), and it occurred to me that this was the half point of the year. I think I've been buying more than usual this year, so I decided to lay it all out in a single picture as an overview of the year so far (in order of acquisition):

I might need to tone it down for the second half of the year (I wouldn't claim I won't buy anything else, but I have been a bit too active...). Still, I love them all! Pile on with whatever you like - maybe favorite purchase of the year so far?

 

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Great first half. I like many of the medieval hammered coins.

 

That is a very nice group of coins.

I have bought 15 coins so far this year.

I cannot limit it to one so here is a top five.

 

cool mix of coins FN! you're going to have rough time picking out just 10 coin for your top 10 list this year!


you also orfew, those are 5 sweet coin!

 

Yes, I had been thinking about that. In January I thought I already had my top purchases with the two Henries...

 

Wonderful, eclectic set of coins and a great graphic displaying them all, bravo!

 

very nice bunch NF!

 

You actually have a few more days to binge as you are lacking just a few more to make two coins per week!

 

I've bought 50 coins so far this year. Here are my top 10:

#10: Argos Triobol



#9: Wang Mang spade



#8: Marcus Aurelius sestertius



#7: Gallienus tetradrachm



#6: Augustus denarius



#5: Seljuq Turks of Rum dirham



#4: Valens siliqua



#3: A tie between my Victoriatus and the tetradrachm of Probus

 

#2: lifetime denarius of Julius Caesar



#1: My collection of Constantine and sons from the London mint

 

Fitz, that's a really interesting and varied selection... nicely done! Taking stock at the year's half way mark really makes one wonder what the next six months will bring.

Five favorites of 2017 in no particular order...

MACEDON, First Meris Tetradrachm


ROMAN REPUBLIC, Cordius Rufus denarius


ANTONINUS PIUS, Alexandria AE drachm, Nilus & Euthenia


ELAGABALUS, Nicopolis ad Istrum, AE27, Pan stomping panther


CALABRIA, Tarentum, AR Nomos, ex Vlasto Collection plate coin

 

Wow you guys are putting me to shame great additions Fitz.

That Victoriatus is totally boss @Sallent

I've been on the lookout for a First Merris but I haven't seen anything as nice as yours @zumbly

 

Nice coins and nice title. I think mine should be called 'The Stoic Collection'. I know you focus on Norman. How do you choose your other coins? That's quite a range of Celtic and Roman.

 

my heart raced when I saw that last coin. beautiful design can you please tell me more about it ?

 

A nice first half of the year!

 

Thanks! Keep looking... This issue was so large and the bust styles so varied that there'll be one for any taste. It took me about three years to finally find this one.

 

This thread definitely wins the internet today! Here are my top 10 faves from 2017, listed in chronological order of issue:

Ptolemy III (246-221 BC) AE octobol, 46mm, 93.27g

Carthaginian Spain, quarter-shekel issued ~237-209 BC (rare), features of Hannibal/Barca family in portrayal of Melqart?

Octavian/Augustus quinarius, 29-28 BC, ASIA RECEPTA:


Antoninus Pius as Caesar (138), denarius, scarce


Magnus Maximus (383-388) AE 2, mint of Constantinople (issued during the short period while Maximus was recognized by Theodosius I). Extremely rare (type, obv. legend, and mint)


Basiliscus (475-6), AV semissis (rare):



Anglo-Saxon, Southwest England (Kent-Thames) early 8th c., AR sceat:


Merovingian, issued in St. Denis/Catullacum (burial place of the Frankish kings), early 8th c., AR denier (extremely rare):


Philippicus Bardanes (711-713), AE follis of Constantinople (rare):


Sihtric III (Silkbeard) (995-1036), Dublin mint, AR penny Phase II (rare):


I also need to slow down for the second half of 2017.

 

The Norman focus has been a recent decision. My focus has really been 12th century. I had bought a few Caracalla denarii in the past and decided to build a portrait series by year, and this year I stumbled into Provincials (preferably with interesting reverses). Everything else has been simply catching my fancy for the right price (except the Celtic piece - I sought that out after a trip to Salisbury last year - https://www.cointalk.com/threads/celtic-the-durotriges.295132/)

Thanks for all the posts guys! Looks like the rest of you are having a good year too!

 

Here's a few:
(Sadly my camera broke limiting my ability to take decent pics)


Merovingian denier, unclear mint
Belfort 6400
Prou 2884

Found in England, this denier has an obverse very similar to English secondary sceattas of series G. The reverse legend with the letters "A IT B" has not been clearly deciphered (maybe A B TI in retrograde). It is thought to be related to coins of Quentovic which have the legend ABBATI. This suggests the coin may have had some ecclesiastical significance, possibly coined for an abbot in northern France.




Primary phase sceatta
S.779
Series C1
O: Radiate bust right, APA in runes
R: Degenerated standard with TOTII

The quality of the artistry during the primary phase decreased as time progressed. The reverse "standard" is derived from old Roman coins.




Viking penny in the name of St. Peter of York ca. 910-920
Moneyer: unknown
Mint: probably York
S.1006 (var.)
N.551 (var.)
O: ZCIIIT R, tree and key symbols
R: +B.RACEC

This a rare variant of the "swordless" St. Peter coinage, with a blundered version of "Sancti Petri" in one line, instead of the usual two lines.




Sceat of Alchred, king of Northumbria 765-774 with Ecgberht, archbishop of York
Moneyer: unknown
Mint: York (presumably)
S. 854
O: +AL.hHRDh (retrograde)
R: EGBERhT AR

A rare coin produced in the last year of Ecgberht's life. Ecgberht produced coins with Eadberht, Aethelwald Moll, and Alchred. He was a contemporary of Venerable Bede.




Seljuk denier of Kaykhusraw II
(Don't have full attribution yet)
Peer pressure from others with nice examples pressured me to pick one up. Not a bad thing, considering such a cool design and really not that pricey