Getting into ancients - how did I do?

Guys, seeing some of the ancients in the Secret Santa, I decided to look at a number at a local shop that he hadn't attributed yet. I bought 3 of them. I (believe) I attributed 2 of the them, but the greek coin, I'm failing at.

Constantine - 18mm - not many have left facing busts. I called this RIC VII 306 S
Altar with globe on it, VOTIS XX on the altar. BEATA TRANQUILLITAS on reverse

Love the centering/detail on this. Wish the text were a little clearer



Constantius II - 24mm - RIC VIII 95 - FEL TEMP RE-PARATIO SMES (Cyzicus)
My photo stand isn't up yet after the move. Sorry for the flash effect that saturates the detail on this coin.





This coin, I'm lost. 24mm. The text has greek characters, and the eagle usually means greek, but using the text search on wildwinds, I couldn't find anything. Any hints?

I thought it was AKNIOUFI...

 

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The last is a Roman Provincial, Egyptian Tetradrachm. I can't make out the emperor, but asomeone will come along and help soon. The others, especially the first are pretty nice. And the FH reverse on the second looks like good detail. So, I think you did well.

 

The Alexandrian tetradrachm is Philip I, and it looks like the letter in the reverse right field is gamma, making it regnal year 3, or AD 245/6.

Nice choices!

 

Thanks! With that, I was able to decipher the text as A K M IOV FILIPPOC ...

I'm trying to make out the second letter on the reverse. Looks like an 'r', but perhaps time has wiped some of it away. You said it looks like a gamma. Not seeing that one in the lists yet. more digging.

 

I would say JA is correct with the regnal year 3.

Someone with Emmett will probably show up yet to give you the exact reference number.

The first coin is quite attractive it looks like it might have been overcleaned once upon a time but the details on the bust are awesome!

 

Nice find!

 

Thanks! The overcleaning look is just due to the flash on my camera. Eventually, I'll get my camera stand up and working and will retake the photo.

 

Awesome coins and welcome to the dark side.

The first one looks really nicely detailed. You did good picking them up, and its nice to have a store that sells ancients.

 

Nice finds. You are about where I was two years ago. Just starting out on the ancient bandwagon. It's a fun ride!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. You're off to a nice start!

 

love your first coin...albeit overcleaned by a big margin. soak it in sodium sesquicarbonate for a week and then dry it and leave in the sunshine for a year....

 

The Cyzicus mintmark is SMKS for sacra moneta Kyzikos 6 (Greek numeral for the workshop 1-6 or A-S). The Philip is Emmett 3480. I'm not thrilled by the soft look of the Constantine but that could be a photo problem rather than sign of casting. Assuming it is genuine, I'd call the three a good start if your intention is to be the kind of collector I am. There are many in the hobby who would suggest you spend the same money on a single, nicer coin. I keep telling myself I will do that someday but it has not happened yet.

http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/fh.html
I show a no better delta (4) shop Cyzicus on the above page which you may find helpful in understanding the falling horseman type. I don't have a page on the other two but keep telling myself that I should do one on the Alexandria issues. Several of us here seem fond of them and several others have made a point of saying how much they don't like them. That is the name of the game. There are enough ancients that we each can build a collection that looks nothing like the ones assembled by our friends here on CT. US collectors often fail to realize just how many options there are in ancients. Our group here is a pretty good place to see a number of those options. I hope you

 

Many thanks! Always appreciate the education I get here.

 

I am with Doug and if you have a chance would like to see other photos of the Constantine. It could just be the photograph, but I agree something looks weird. The lettering looks so very soft versus the design.

I only bring this up since you are new. If it's authentic it's a pretty spectacular piece.

 

We have you now, hook line and sinker, Ancient on, very nice..

 

You guys inspired me to break out my stand and macro lenses and such.. only then did I remember that I forgot what the heck I was doing. My camera gave me fits (my grey-matter issue) and I just ended up with some simple snapshots with better stability, a little better lighting and backgrounds...

Certainly not happy with them yet - both coins are a bit darker chocolate in color and the Constantine bust shows much better depth in hand. The left side on obverse/reverse still seems a bit weak. I'll see if I can play with the lighting or processing to get them more accurate. I had no idea the green gook was on Constantius' chin until this photo.. Still have a mighty hard time seeing it in hand.

Thanks for the encouragement -- and if you suspect a fake, please advise.
I only paid $60 combined for the two of them, so it wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

I see nothing wrong with either coin. The Constantine looks like a weak strike on the left side of the coin while the Constantius looks like a weak strike on the left obverse/right reverse. The Constantius reverse otherwise looks pretty darn good. I would not pay $60 for the two, but everyone here knows me as the cheapskate of the forum. I would say $15-$20 each.

 

That Constantine looks better now. Bing, I am cheap as well but do not see how that Constantine is only a $20 coin. Constantine yes, but not that Constantine.

I think they were nice pickups sir.

 

You are most probably correct, but I never stop looking for bargains. NEVER!

 

Chris is right about the Constantine. The left-facing bust with consular robes and eagle-tipped staff is quite scarce. RIC calls it common, but try and find one as nice as the OP's. Much more common among the left busts of this period are the coins of Crispus and Constantine II, but they don't get the royal accoutrements - just shields and spears and victories on globes.

I like this coin very much - it's exactly the sort of less-common Constantinian aes that I look to cherry-pick.

 

I have a nice example of the BEATA types, also from the Trier mint...

Constantine I
AE Follis, 19.5mm, 3.61g; Trier mint: 322-3
Obv.: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG; helmeted, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS; Globe set on altar inscribed VO/TIS/XX, above, three stars // dot PTR dot.
Reference: RIC VII Trier 368 (p. 197)
Notes: ex-Langtoft hoard.