Big coins are impressive. If you want a huge ancient coin, there are some very large Ptolemaic pieces, 40 mm or even larger (here is one CoinTalk thread on them) https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ptolemy-iii-zeus-with-eagle-reverse-246-221-bc.245651/ and the facing head coins of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (AD 527-565) of years 12-15 are near 40 mm or more. Here is a big coin that came today, a full 38 mm, that is not so common: It is a Roman provincial coin from Seleucia ad Calycadnum in Cilicia (the south coast of modern Turkey at the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea. Gordian III facing Tranquillina Tyche facing Apollo. Four heads on one coin! SNG Danish Cilicia 218. Sear Greek Imperial -- not listed. SNG von Aulock Kilikien 5845. 38 mm. 27.87 grams. It is hard to grasp the scale of coins from internet photos. If you don't know, this might seem the size of a 27 mm coin of, say, Marcianopolis. But 38 mm makes for a whopping coin and it makes a huge impression in hand. Show us your large-diameter ancient coins!
Okay, if I must Zeugitana, Carthage. 15 shekel; AE; 45 mm, 95 gm. Rare. Ptolemy II. 48 mm, 91.8 gm Same as above, with a 5 mm Pangeia Region AR coin for dramatic comparison Ptolemy IV; 42 mm, 67.9 gm Nero sestertius; Annona & Ceres. 34 mm, 26.7 gm Hadrian; Emperor with Alexandria kissing his hand. 35 mm, 24.8 gm
That's a real pond skipper you got there. You should take a photo of it laying flat in the palm of your hand just to shoe it's size relative to your hand. And four heads on one coin is a pretty darn good deal. I don't really have any large coins, but let me take a look and I'll post my largest a little later.
very nice new coin val....i love big coins! and small coins... well, and medium coins also really. anyway, here's my largest ancient (40 mm)... my second largest (35 mm) ... this coin is not an ancient, but it's my largest at 48 mm. a 1770 10 kopek from Russia.
Nice big whopper! I'm fond of provincial issues from Seleucia ad Calycadnum too but haven't had any luck acquiring one yet. My largest (thanks to a seriously oversized flan) non-Ptolemy is also 38mm, and also from Cilicia. MAXIMINUS I Thrax AE38, 20.44g Cilicia, Anazarbus. 235-238 AD Ziegler 663; SNG Levante 1480 O: AY K G IOY OYH MAZIMEINOC CEB, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right. R: ANAZ END MHTRO B-G CYNQYCIA OI KOYMENHC, (ME and NH ligate), female figure (Synthysia) holding bipennis over shoulder, standing left before bull standing left.
Super coin, Valentinian (congrats on picking-up that beauty!!) Wow, and what a sweet showing of great coins from the ol' peanut-gallery (awesome coins, gang) ... Apparently I have thirty-one coins that have diameters that are greater than 30mm, but only a couple that break the 40mm barrier (and they're both Ptolemy Eagles) ... ... ummm, here are ten examples of my favourite +30-40mm big-babies ... Diva Julia Titi Sestertius Tiberius Dupondius Divus Augustus Sestertius Lucius Verus Sestertius Commodus Sestertius Antoninus Pius Drachm Anonymous Roman Repubic AE As Ptolemy IV Philopator Heraclius overstruck on Justin I Gallienus 11 Assarion with c/m
