Just for fun: How do you like your silver?

I like coins that show their age...

 

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Something with some color...

Julia Domna, AD 193-217. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.13g). Laodicea mint. Struck circa AD 196-202. Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA; Draped bust of Julia Domna facing right with hair waved and coiled at back. Rev: PVDI-CITIA; Pudicitia veiled, seated left, right hand on breast, left at side of chair. Ref: RIC IV 644. Ex Glenn Woods.

 

I wouldn't usually choose "black" but I have one:


Faustina II. 18-17 mm. 3.23 grams.
Struck under Antoninus Pius 148-152 at Rome.
FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL
VENVS
Venus standing left holding apple
RIC 506b. Sear II 4705.

 

Tough question! I like all the variations but gravitate towards toning with iridescence. I have silver coins ranging from dipped bright to nearly black.

Here's what my coins are wearing this season

Dark and uniform toning:


THRACE, Byzantion
340-320 BCE
AR siglos, 17 mm, 5.0 gm
Obv: Heifer standing left on dolphin swimming to left
Rev: Incuse mill-sail pattern
Ref: SNG BM Black Sea 21


PHLIASIA, Phlius
400-350 BC
AR obol, 11 mm, 0.84 gm
Obv: forepart of butting bull left
Rev: large Φ surrounded by four pellets
Ref: SNG Copenhagen 8-9
from Triskeles Auctions, Oct. 2013
ex BCD Collection, not in previous BCD sales.
Handwritten round tag and auction clipping indicates that BCD acquired this coin from Sotheby's, 26-27 May 1976, lot 88, for £55 + 10% VAT

"Cabinet" toning, some with hints of iridescence:


ROMAN REPUBLIC, M. Piso M.f. Frugi
58 BCE (redated from Crawford's 61 BCE by Hersh and Walker, 1984)
AR denarius, 20 mm, 3.94 gm
Obv: terminal bust of Mercury right, wearing winged diadem; calix below chin; to left, star above wreath; dotted border
Rev: M·PISO·M·F / FRVGI above secespita (sacrificial knife) and patera; all within laurel wreath
Ref: Crawford 418/2b; Sydenham 825; Calpurnia 23
formerly slabbed, NGC
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-different-frugi.279241/


Lucilla
Empress CE 163-169, wife of Lucius Verus
AR denarius, 19 mm, 3.25 gm
Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA; draped bust right
Rev: PVDICITIA; Pudicitia, veiled, standing left, with right hand preparing to draw a veil across her face (or had she just drawn the veil off her face?), left hand at side
Ref: RIC III 780


Septimius Severus
Rome, CE 206
AR denarius, 3.41 gm, 20 mm, 12h
Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right
Rev: LAETITIA TEMPORVM, the spina of the Circus Maximus decorated as a ship facing left, with the turning posts at its prow and stern, a sail mounted on the central obelisk, and the spina's other monuments visible in between; above the ship, four quadrigas racing left; below, seven animals: an ostrich at left and a bear at right; between them a lion and a lioness chasing a wild ass and a panther attacking a bison
Ref: RIC 274; BMC 343.
ex Colosseo Collection

Eye-popping iridescence (I tilt the coin under the camera until the color is maximally displayed-- saturation is not boosted beyond what the camera does without me asking it to):


SICILY, Selinos
Circa 410 BCE
AR litra, 11mm, 0.76 g, 1h
Obv: nymph seated left on rock, right hand raised above her head, extending her left hand to touch coiled serpent before her; selinon leaf above
Rev: man-faced bull standing right; ΣEΛINONTIOΣ above; in exergue, fish right
Ref: Potamikon, p. 116 figure 152 (this coin); HGC 2, 1229; SNG ANS 711–2 var. (ethnic); SNG Ashmolean 1904–5; SNG Lloyd 1270 var. (same); Basel –; Dewing –; Rizzo pl. XXXIII, 6. Good VF, dark iridescent tone, some porosity. Rare.
ex MoneyMuseum, Zurich;
ex Leu 79 (31 October 2000), lot 404;
ex Athos Moretti collection, #482, unpublished manuscript


KINGS OF MACEDON, Philip II. 356-336 BCE
AR tetradrachm. 24mm, 14.20 gm, 12h
Pella, 342-336 BCE
Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right
Rev: ΦIΛIΠ-ΠOY, youth, holding palm and reins, on horseback right, thunderbolt below, N in exergue
Ref: Le Rider 222-306. SNG ANS 385-95
ex Colosseo Collection


CORINTHIA, Corinth
circa 375-300 BCE
AR stater, 22 mm, 8.55 g, 1h
Obv: Pegasus flying left; qoppa below
Rev: helmeted head of Athena left; A-P flanking neck truncation; to right, chimaera rampant left
Ref: Ravel 1010; Pegasi 428; BCD Corinth 102; HGC 4, 1848
ex CNG Inventory 828126 (November, 2008)
ex Gorny & Mosch 170 (13 October 2008), lot 1381
ex Giessener Münzhandlung 21 (22 March 1982), lot 37


Roman Republic
moneyer L. Julius L. f. Caesar, 103 BC
AR denarius, 17mm, 3.9 gm
Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left; CAESAR; ・C (retrograde)
Rev: Venus Genetrix in chariot left, drawn by two Cupids; lyre to left; ・C (retrograde) above
Ref: Crawford 320/1
ex RBW Collection


KINGS of PERGAMON, Eumenes I
263-241 BCE
AR tetradrachm 29 mm, 16.94 gm
Obv: head of Philetairos right, wearing laurel wreath
Rev: ΦIΛETAIPOY; Athena enthroned left, right hand resting on shield set at her feet, gorgon on shield; left elbow resting on small sphinx seated right; transverse spear in background, ivy leaf above knee, monogram on throne, bow to right
Ref: BMC Greek (Mysia) 31, p.115; SNG France 1606–9
Formerly slabbed, NGC Ch AU 5/5 3/5, Fine Style
Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient coins, Great Collections 15 Sept 2019


CALABRIA, Tarentum
circa 344-340 BCE per CNG's cataloger; 380-345 BCE per Cote/Ratto;
AR nomos (didrachm); 21 mm, 7.72 gm, 9h
Obv: Warrior, holding small shield in left hand, dismounting from horse galloping left; horizontal T below
Rev: Phalanthos (Taras?), holding helmet in right hand, riding dolphin left; TAPAΣ to upper right, I and waves below
Ref: Fischer-Bossert group 47, 657 (V252/R509); Vlasto 437 (same dies); HN Italy 876; Côte 152
Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient Coins, Sept 2019
Slabbed prior to its most recent sale to me and quickly de-slabbed upon arrival; NGC XF, 5/5, 4/5, Fine Style.
Prior sales: CNG's Coin shop (date unknown); Roma Auction 6 lot 327 (Sept 2013)
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-tarentum-dolphin-rider.347715/

Minimal toning:


THESSALY, Thessalian League
48/7 BCE
Magistrates Nikolaos, Ni..., and Gorgias
AR stater, 23 mm, 6.3 gm
Obv: head of Zeus right, wearing oak wreath
Rev: ΘΕΣΣΑ / ΛΩΝ Athena Itonia striding right, hurling spear with her right hand and extending shield in her left; above spear, ΝΙΚΟ -ΛΑΟΣ; below shield, ΝΙ; to left and right, Γ-ΟΡ/ΓΙ-Α/Σ
Ref: CNG 78, 14 May 2008, 485 (same dies). Grose 4928 var.
ex Höher collection

 

While I agree with the 'cabinet toning' ideal, the truth is I generally pick coins for what they are and don't make buying decisions on color or even condition unless the coin is available commonly in varying grades and tones. Examples:

I have always loved the colorful tone of my Hadrian but I bought it because I wanted the Alexandria from the Travel Series. Had the same grade coin been available that day, in that place but had grey tone I probably would have bought it.


Similarly I like my black Caracalla from Caesarea


but I don't hold being lighter against my Septimius Severus.


I do dislike the bright and shiny ones but that did not stop me from wanting this Republican bright white denarius. I do wish it did not have the black spots.


The exception is this siliqua of Constantius II which I bought largely due to the subtle color.