I looked at myself in the mirror this morning and wonder if I haven't aged 5 years in the last year ... very discouraging. I almost envy the Romans of 2000 years ago with their mirrors with fuzzy reflections. Ancient hand mirrors were sometimes made of polished stone, though they were generally made of metal, such as bronze or copper, and later of tin, silver, and even gold. It was probably not until the 1st century AD that mirrors of glass were introduced. Since the ancient mirrors were generally made of molten metal, they had to be highly polished in order to have good reflecting surfaces. Pounded pumice stone might be used for this purpose, it being applied periodically thereafter with a sponge that usually hung from the mirror itself. Nevertheless, ancient metal mirrors did not have as fine a reflecting surface as do today’s glass mirrors. A Roman bronze box mirror (1st century AD), composed of two disks hinged together, which would of have initially been plated on the interior to create a reflective surface. This specimen definitely need some polishing... So before I get too depressed, I focus on my favorite hobby. Do I have coins in my collection that could be described as "mirror coins" ? I know this is not a numismatic official term, but please look at my examples and you'll understand what I mean ! My best example of "mirror" coin: commonly called a brockage. Victorinus with Salus Two Augustus with a "mirror" obverse Two Victorinus with a "mirror" reverse. Interesting fact: these VIRTVS type are very common with the character standing right (160 specimens in the Cunetio hoard), but you won't see many standing left (only 5 in the same hoard). Also note that in my opinion the first example is depicting Virtus, but on the second one we can recognize Mars. Please show me a picture of you in the mirror or one of your "mirror's" coins !
MIRROR MIRROR Roman Republic AR Denarius ERROR BROCKAGE Q Fabius Labeo 124 BCE - ROMA X LABEO - Incuse and reverse of obverse Craw 273-1 Syd 532 Sear 148
Perhaps not what you had in mind, but it's the best I can do. No brockage here (yet). Not sure if it's two owls sharing a head or a single owl with two bodies. Fortunately, it looks better in hand. BTW, if your picture is anything to go by, it looks as if you aged a lot more than just 5 years the last year, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix! It will pass... To me it's more like time has been standing still this year or so. Like watching 'Groundhog day' over and over and over and over again...Hopefully, that will pass as well.
The brockage Salus is neat! my first brockage is an Octavian quinarius from Tkalec I bought shortly after I started collecting Roman Republican coins a bit later my first NAC auction wins (mostly unsolds) were RR brockages, I am still amazed when I hold these coins
Yes I'm very offended. I'm seriously thinking leaving CoinTalk and changing hobby. I've never been known here for my sense of humour. Thousands of members are hating me... But if you ever want to be forgiven I'd gladly accept as a gift your Troas coin above, with your diobol of Klazomenai, and why not your thunderbolt's example from Sicily...
Obverse brockage: Reverse brockage (Constantine Siscia, RIC 180): And a coin that is normally found as a brockage (John II Comnenus small module trachy from Thessalonica): I'm sure your mirror is lying, Ocat!!
..ya gotta wake up in the mornin' and lQQk into sumpin like this that's rose colored.. ...and now i gotta go listen Conlee sing that dang song
My favorite "Mirror Coins" have always been brockages. Since I'm a US Large Cent guy, I hope you can forgive my single-mindedness in a few of my favorites here.
