First real Ancient purchase

Thanks to a huge assist from Deacon Ray, this beauty is on its way to me! Might not be the most expensive Ancient coin out there. But, it's my first legit Ancient, and the first time my wife showed interest in helping pick out a coin. Her eyes lit up when she saw this one, so I pulled the trigger.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Thats a nice example. I always liked that bust type, oddly enough I never got one of that type.

 

Sweet score! I'm curious - any idea what your wife liked about it?

 

Very nice coin.

 

She liked the reverse. It was more involved than any of the other denarii (hope that's the right usage of denarii) we looked at in our price range.

 

Very nice @GerardV. I like the reverse as well. Good detail all around.

 

Than you to everyone for the kind words!

 

That's a pretty fabulous first ancient coin purchase! Yay for your wife being involved in the selection!

 

That's pretty darn excellent for a first ancient. Welcome to the dark side!

 

I'm always interested in reasons for liking or not liking coins given by non collectors. Trajan has hundreds of types and this one is a nice example of what I might term mid level "involvement". I hope her guidance leads you to more coins this nice. I suggest you introduce her to Hadrian's travel series. Some of them have very interesting little details.

 

Nice coin. Congratulations.

 

Well, that gives me an excuse to look them up and make sure she takes a look!

 

Sounds like a rallying cry to me! C'mon folks, let's give him the information he needs to "sell" this idea to his wife

https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/2789/Ancient-Hadrian-coins/

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=100892.0;wap2 (Forum Ancient Coins thread about relative rarity of the different travel series denarii)

https://followinghadrian.com/hadriantravels/

Most folks collect the denarii but there are some in bronze and in gold if your pockets are deep.

Let's pile on our travel series coins! Calling @Okidoki, @zumbly, and everyone


HADRIAN. CE 117-138
AR Denarius. 18 mm, 3.53 gm. struck CE 134-138, Rome
Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, laureate head right
Rev: AFRICA, Africa with elephant skin headdress, reclining on rock, holding scorpion and cornucopia, basket of fruit before her
Ref: RIC II 299



HADRIAN
AR Denarius. 18 mm, 2.95 gm. struck CE 134-138, Rome
Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right
Rev: AEGYPTOS; Aegyptos reclining left holding sistrum; ibis standing right at feet
Ref: RIC II 297

 

HADRIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, Laureate head right
REVERSE: AFRICA, Africa reclining left holding scorpion & cornucopiae, basket of grain at feet
Struck at Rome, 136 AD
2.76g. 18.5mm
RIC 299/RSC 138

 

I'm doomed- the history surrounding these coins has fascinated me since I was 10 years old. If I can drag her into it, my days of chasing Peace Dollars, Lincoln Cents and Franklins might be over.

 

Not from the travel series, but a nice Hadrian all the same:

HADRIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate head right, draped left shoulder
REVERSE: P M TR P COS III, Aeternitas standing front, head left, holding the heads of the sun and moon
Struck at Rome, 119-121AD
3.0g, 18mm
RIC 115, C 131

 

Excellent plan! Cash out those mass-produced carbon copy moderns and join us on the Fun Side.

Bonus: we don't have to have five page threads debating whether our coin is AU53 or AU55

 

The 'Travel Series' denarii are a good idea. In addition to what TIF has already shown, I also have the following.

HISPANIA


ITALIA


GERMANIA


ASIA


NILUS

 

Congrats on such a terrific first purchase @GerardV ...and to having a wife who actually shares your enthusiasm!!

Hey, where's @Okidoki ???

Super posts everyone!!

I'll pile on with my last two purchases of Trajan; a drachm and a tet:

 

TRAIANUS (Trajan):


RI Trajan CE 98-117 AR Drachm Struck CE 114-116 Arabia Petraea Bostra - Camel SNG ANS 1158


RI Trajan AR Denarius 98-117 CE 3 Standards


RI Trajan AR Denarius 98-117 Riding Horse