Group lot goodies: 83 x fun, plus a draw!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Severus Alexander, Nov 10, 2017.

  1. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    I think all of us enjoy going through a nice pile of unidentified ancient coins. (If you're like me, you even have occasional dreams of discovering a heap of coins hidden away in a drawer somewhere... very nice dreams, those!) I went after a big group lot recently in hopes of having this experience, and because the photo looked rather enticing:

    01499q00.jpg

    Looked like a nice variety! My thoughts went something like this: "The tiny gold Islamic piece and the Larissa drachm are surely worth quite a bit, no? and I don't have either! Hmm, what is that intriguing yellowish piece near the bottom right? Oooh, I like that Diocletian in the middle too. Sweet Aurelian portrait there, and a sestertius right next to it? what's that triskeles right next to the Diocletian, is that Lycian? Look, an FH to show Randy! ooh, I've been wanting one of those Armenian silvers, also a bearded Constantine..." etc. etc. No this wasn't @zumbly's amazing lot which included an Antony and an Otho denarius (!!), but still... definitely not run-of-the-mill! On the other hand, what was underneath the pile of neat looking stuff? a bunch of duds?

    The photo totally sucked me in, and I placed a bid at $16 U.S. per coin (including fees, exchange, & shipping)... and lo and behold, I won the lot! 83 coins in all. Awesome!!

    Wait, 83 COINS!?!?... HOLY YIKES AND A HALF, WHAT DID I JUST DO?!?! :nailbiting::nailbiting::bucktooth:

    If you're curious to know how I made out (like a bandit? or sucked in, hook, line & sinker?), if you'd like to take a better look at some of the coins in the lot, see what invisible mysteries they hide underneath them, or just pretend you're digging through the pile yourself, this is the thread for it. I have now photographed almost all of the coins individually and will take requests. Describe where it is in the group photo and I'll show you the coin in all its glory, or all its shame. Meanwhile I'll also gradually post some of my favourites, plus some of the duds. (Yes, there WERE duds, but I won't yet say how many...) I'll do my best to keep up, but please forgive me if there are times when I'm incommunicado!

    You're also invited to post anything related to what you see in the group photo, and also as the hidden stuff comes up. (Which I suppose probably means post anything at all...?)

    ALSO... if you help me with one of the coins (ID, further info I didn't know, or any interesting tidbit) I'll put your name in a hat and do a draw. Winner gets one of the coins. (NOT a dud, I promise!)

    I hope this thread captures and passes on some of the fun I had!
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    A nice lot!

    One is:
    Constantius II
    D N CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped & cuirassed right/ FEL TEMP R-EPARATIO, soldier standing left, spearing a fallen horseman wearing a Phrygian helmet, reaching back , Gamma left
    CONSIA Star in ex
    RIC 82
    Rare legend split (R-E)
     
  4. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Unbelievable what a bargain, so happy for you. Congrats.
     
  5. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    This one could be..

    Constans, AE4, Trier. CONSTAN-S PF AVG, rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN, Two Victories facing each other, each holding palm and wreath. Ivy leaf in centre. Mintmark: TRS. RIC VIII Trier 185.
    mix.jpg

    BTW Nice buy!Looking forward to seeing more..
    Paul
     
  6. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    This one could be...

    Crispus AE follis.. IVL CRISPVS NOB C, laureate head right / CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around VOT X within wreath. Mintmark STR. RIC VII Trier 431;

    mix.jpg

    Paul
     
  7. Deacon Ray

    Deacon Ray Artist & Historian Supporter

    That is a an awesome group of coins! Congratulations @Severus Alexander !
     
  8. Jwt708

    Jwt708 Well-Known Member

    Exciting! I'm interested to see how this turns out.

    Here's a related:
    [​IMG]
    Thessaly, Larissa
    AR Drachm, 6.0g, 20mm, 12h; c. 380-365 BC.
    Obv.: Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly right, wearing ampyx, earring, and necklace.
    Rev.: [ΛAPI]-ΣAIΩN, horse grazing right.

    Let's see the one fr the pile!
     
  9. Nicholas Molinari

    Nicholas Molinari Well-Known Member

    Nice lot. $16 per coin is a steal.
     
  10. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    On obvious Tacitus front and centre. Nicely silvered too.

    Tacitus Lug.jpg

    Probably like mine below.... but better than mine....

    Tacitus Antoninianus
    Obv:– IMP CL TACITVS AVG, Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
    Rev:– TEMPORVM FELICITAS, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and cornucopiae
    Minted in Lugdunum (A in left field | A in right field), Emission 5, Officina 1, from March to April A.D. 286
    References:– Cohen 144, RIC 65 Bust type C

    [​IMG]
     
  11. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    The bearded Constantine is probably an IOVI CONSERVATORI from Thessalonica, similar to this one:
    [​IMG]
    Thessalonica mint, A.D. 312-313
    RIC 61b
    Obv: IMP C CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: IVOI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN - Jupiter leaning on scepter and holding Victory; eagle at feet
    [dot]TS[dot]B[dot] in exergue
    23 mm, 2.8 g.
     
  12. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    Looks like an interesting London Constantius DIVO

    Divo Const.jpg

    Constantius I

    Obv:- DIVO CONSTANTIO PIO, Laureate and veiled bust of Constantius I.
    Rev:- MEMORIA FELIX / Lighted and garlanded altar with eagle on each side.
    Minted in London; Mint mark: PLN
    RIC 110
     
  13. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    Another Tacitus. Impossible to narrow down further without the bust type but most likely obverse described below.

    Obv:- probably IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, most likely to be radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
    Rev:- SPES PVBLICA, Victory with palm handing wreath to emperor holding sceptre. Minted in Cyzcius; //T

    RIC 207

    Tacitus SPES.jpg
     
  14. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Right hand side, lower middle of the photo, peeking through under the Licinius follis and Valentinian II AE2, I catch a glimpse of a BEATA TRANQVILLITAS of Constantine I, like the one below, but not necessarily from the same mint or with the same obverse portrait:
    [​IMG]
    Treveri (Trier) mint, A.D. 322-323
    RIC 369
    Obv: CONSTAN-TINVS AVG
    Rev: BEATA TRAN-QVILLITAS - Globe on altar inscribed VO/TIS/XXX; 3 stars above
    [dot]PTR[dot] in exergue
    20 mm, 4.2 g.

    You also have a Constantine I from the London mint near the top center of the photo, just left of that gorgeous Aurelian. I'm guessing that it has a Sol reverse, either SOLI INVICTO COMITI or COMITI AVGG NN:
    [​IMG]
    London mint, A.D. 310-312
    RIC 153
    Obv: CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: COMITI AVGG NN - Sol, with whip and globe
    PLN in exergue; star in right field
    24 x 22 mm, 4.4 g.
     
  15. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    This one is a bit of a stretch but I will stab at

    Carinus

    Obv:- M AVR CARINVS NOB CAES, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev:- PRINCIPI IVVENTVT,Carinus standing left holding Globe in right hand, Secptre in left.
    Rome Mint. //R S

    1th. emission Nov. A.D. 282.
    RIC 161 Bust Type C var (mintmark not in RIC)

    Carinus.jpg
     
  16. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    I could spend all day doing this, but I have to get to work. Too bad, this is fun.
     
    ominus1 and Severus Alexander like this.
  17. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    A Probus from the EQVITI series of Ticinum. The reverse will allow us to determine which part of the code it forms.

    OBV:- IMP C PROBVS AVG, Bust of Probus left, radiate, wearing imperial mantle and holding eagle-tipped sceptre

    Probus.jpg
     
  18. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    A nice looking Aurelian.

    I suspect it to be Rome mint from the style and probably an ORIENS AVG reverse...

    Possibly Sol stg. facing, head l., with r. hand raised and holding globe in l. hand; at feet to l., a bound and std. captive in oriental dress

    Aurelian.jpg
     
  19. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    An AE3 ending NOBILISSIMVS CAES. I suspect it to be Crispus from Thessalonica.

    Obv:- CRISPVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate cuirassed bust right
    Rev:- PRINCIPIO IVVENTVTIS, Crispus standing right in military dress, holding spear and leaning on shield

    Nobil.jpg
     
  20. maridvnvm

    maridvnvm Well-Known Member

    Carinus from Lugdunum.

    Likely obverse such as

    Obv:– IMP C M AVR CARINVS AVG, Radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right

    Carin Lug.jpg
     
  21. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    WOW!!! At $16.00 per coin, I'd say you 'hit it out of the park'!! Congrats!!!
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page