I used to do a top 10 every year on this board. I just posted my top 10 on numis forums, but wanted to do one here too, since I am also a member of this board and, as said, did it the last couple of years here. It's copy/paste, so apologies to the members for whom this is double. OK, so, this year I added 12 coins to my collection. Im currently negotiating with a seller about the price of a coin that would surely make it in my top 10. But that process is ongoing, and I don't think it will be here this year, so I will have to add it to my list next year. To try and keep in line with tradition, I tried to make a real top 10. It proved nearly impossible and although me, myself and I are still debating the order of this list and the two coins that had to be excluded, I decided to post it and search for inner peace. Thing is, I collect very specifically, trying to add coins I really, really want to add and I think are fitting in my collection. That, in combination with a good, but not limitless budget, and soaring prices, makes it necessary to be strict in choosing which coins to add. I've added a poll to see if my list matches the preferences of other collectors. And yes, I'm an (almost) exclusively imperial guy, so it's strictly Romans here, and they deserve love too! Anyway, so in order of awesome to cool, here's my top 10: 1. Aureus of Domitian as Caesar. Yes, its a lovely aureus, but it's my no. 1 because I gifted myself this one in celebration of the birth of our daughter, in February. Nothing can beat that. 2. Augustus - IMP X ACT. One of my most beautiful coins, and a historical fascinating issue celebrating the defeat of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium. 3. Sextus Pompey. I've long searched for an affordable specimen of this type, and good quality. This great coin ticks all the boxes. 4. Trajan sestertius. I was able to catch this great piece for an acceptable bid, to my surprise. The portrait and patina are amazing, and it's the atristic composition of the reverse that made me want this coin for a long time. 5. Severan dynastic issue. Although when I posted this coin together with the Trajan DIVVS PATER type, hardly anyone replied, it's a coin I've wanted for a very long time. The portrait of Julia Domna is a bit worn, but the portrait of the boys on the reverse is simply perfect! 6. Domitian's coin reform - Sphinx. I think it was in the collection of AncientJoe's when I first saw a coin with the Sphinx on the reverse. Added the type to my wantlist and I finally was able to catch this one, which has obvious flaws, but shows a lovely depiction of the Sphinx on the reverse. What really blows my mind is that I have a Roman coin of nearly 2000 years old, showing a monument of 2500 something years before the time this one was struck! 7. Nero's market. Despite what you may think of this emperor, he sure had interesting coins. I was happy to acquire this desirable type with a great depiction of Nero's Macellum on the reverse. 8. Galba. I've been on the search for a denarius of Galba with a fine looking portrait for quite some time. Happy to have procured this denarius. A magnificent portrait of the emperor who refused to pay the praetorians, which added to his ultimate downfall! 9. Trajan AE As. A lovely coin with a great depiction of the temple of Honos, and I love coins with buildings and temples on the reverse. I enjoy the brown colour and portrait of Trajan as well. 10. Another Trajan - VIA TRAIANA. This is one of the coins that had been on my list for quite a while. As they are often seen in auction, I tended to spend my budget on other coins that were scarcer and harder to come by. This one came in a lot together with the DIVVS PATER type, which was also on my want list. I chose to add this one to my list, because I personally think the reverse is historically speaking just a bit more interesting. Thanks for looking, replying and/or voting! Below you may find the two coins that did not make it on the list. I couldn't add them to the poll, unfortunately. So if you'd pick them, please add it in the reply
And the two runner ups: Trajan - DIVVS PATER. A magnificent coin, strong portrait, lovely toning and interesting reverse. Septimius Severus sestertius. I lacked a sestertius of Septimius Severus, and although I was not specifically looking for one, this coin made me stray away from my wantlist. Magnificent portrait, and what a lovely green patina! It's also one of the earliest coins struck in Rome, which also gives a bit of interesting historical context.
Wow, beautiful coins! 1, 2, and 3 are my favorites. In particular, I like that Pompey the Great portrait coin!
Great choice of coins, all of them with quite interesting reverses or other historical significance (like Sextus Pompeii). Well done! I'm having a hard time picking a favorite, but if I was to add only one of them to my collection, it would obviously be the aureus. That said, I really like the excellent choice of bronzes.
