Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
My favorite ancient coin from 2019, and my favorite non-Republican coins from 2020
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 5153712, member: 110350"]Because I didn't join CT until the end of January of this year, of course I didn't post a "favorite coins of 2019" thread. So I thought I'd at least post my very favorite coin purchased last year now. Besides, I bought it in December of last year, so it almost qualifies for a 2020 list!</p><p><br /></p><p>Corinth AR Stater. Circa 375-345 BC. Obv: Pegasos flying left, Q below / Rev: Helmeted head of Athena left. Control-symbols behind head: Retrograde N and Ares standing left holding shield and spear. Pegasi 376 <i>var.</i> [“N” not retrograde”] [Calciati, R., <i>Pegasi Vol. I</i> (Mortara, 1990)]; Ravel 1056 [Ravel, O.E., <i>Les "Poulains" de Corinthe, I - II</i> (Basel, 1936; London, 1948)]; BCD Corinth 121 [Numismatik Lanz, <i>Münzen von Korinth: Sammlung B</i>, Auction 105 (Munich, 26 Nov. 2001)]; SNG Copenhagen 121 [<i>Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 15, Corinth </i>(Copenhagen 1944)]. 21mm, 8.46 g., 6h. <i>Ex.</i> <i>Roma Numismatics Ltd. Auction IX, 22 March 2015, Lot 168</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208942[/ATTACH]</p><p>As for my favorite coins of 2020, I've decided that my list is going to be entirely comprised of Roman Republican coins. But I can't decide on or post the list yet, because there are two Republican coins I ordered a while ago that still haven't arrived, so I have to wait and see how much I like them. And, since I bought a total of 30 Republican coins this year, it may take a while to narrow them down to 10.</p><p><br /></p><p>But I also bought 90 ancient coins this year that weren't Roman Republican, bringing my total number of ancient coins to 220 from the 90 I had at the end of last year (12 Republican, and 78 not). And I would hate not to acknowledge some of them, even if they don't make my "top 10." So here are my favorites from among them, in chronological order. (I didn't even try to rank them, and won't try to rank my top 10, either.)</p><p><br /></p><p>I chose the coins mostly because I found them physically appealing, but there are some I liked just as much for the historical and cultural associations (like the two with Egyptian themes and the Trajan with an underfed, mourning Dacian on the reverse), or because they're not very easy to find in decent condition at a price I can afford. And there are many more that had one side I liked just as much as any of these -- for example, my denarius of Tiberius (which has a great obverse) or my Hadrian tetradrachm from Alexandria with a wonderful Osiris-Canopus jar on the reverse -- but the other side wasn't nearly as nice. I had to reduce the number somehow!</p><p><br /></p><p>I will try to keep the descriptions relatively short by omitting the more obscure reference works that I originally cited. Most of the photos are dealers' photos, but I did substitute a few of my own when the dealers' pictures weren't good or the color was really off. I'm not claiming that mine are any great shakes, but I think they're an improvement.</p><p><br /></p><p>(The numbering begins with 11, to make clear that these are not my official top 10, which I'll post when I can, sometime after the last two Republican coins arrive.)</p><p> </p><p>11. Egypt, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy VI Philometor [“Mother-loving”] (First reign, 180-164 BCE), ca.180-170 BCE, Alexandria Mint. Obv. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis / Rev. Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt, ΠTOΛEMAIOY on left, BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right. Seaby 7895 [Sear, David, <i>Greek Coins & their Values</i>, <i>Vol. II: Asia & Africa</i> (Seaby 1979)]; SNG Copenhagen 262-268 [<i>Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum</i>, <i>Part 40: Egypt: The Ptolemies</i> (Copenhagen 1977)]. 26 mm., 12.14 g.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208943[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>12. Lydia, Tralleis/Tralles, AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, 127/126 BCE or 122/121 BCE, Magistrate Ptol-. Obv. Cista mystica with lid ajar and serpent emerging; all within ivy wreath / Rev. Bowcase (gorytos) with two serpents (one to left and one to right, heads at top); H [= date = Year 8 = 127/126 BCE or 122/121 BCE] over ΠTOΛ [PTOL] above, between serpents’ heads, TPAΛ [TRAL] in left field; to right, Dionysos in short chiton standing facing, head left, holding thyrsos in right hand and mask of Silenos in left hand. SNG Copenhagen 662-663 <i>var. </i>[different year] [<i>Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 28, Lydia Part 2 </i>(Copenhagen 1947)]. 24 mm., 12.64 g. [probably = 3 drachms, not 4], 1 h. <i>Ex: CNG Auction 225 (13 Jan. 2010), Lot 144. </i></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208945[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>13. Syria, Seleucid Empire, Antiochos VIII Epiphanes (Grypon) Tetradrachm, 109-96 BCE Antioch Mint. Obv. Diademed head of Antiochos VIII right / Rev. Zeus Nikephoros seated left on high-backed throne, holding Nike on outstretched right hand and scepter in left; to outer left, E/P monogram above A [Antioch]; ΔI monogram below throne; BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY EΠIΦANOYΣ; all within laurel wreath. <i>Seleucid Coins</i> [SC] Pt. 2, 2309; <i>Seleucid Coins Online</i> [same] (see <a href="http://numismatics.org/sco/id/sc.1.2309);" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/sco/id/sc.1.2309);" rel="nofollow">http://numismatics.org/sco/id/sc.1.2309);</a> Seaby 7145 (ill.) [Sear, David, <i>Greek Coins & their Values, Vol. II: Asia & Africa</i> (Seaby 1979)]; Hoover HGC 9, 1200 [Hoover, Oliver, <i>Handbook of Syrian Coins, Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series, </i>Volume 9 (2009)]; SNG Israel 2554-55 [Spaer, A. & A. Houghton, <i>Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Israel I, The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins</i> (London, 1998)]. 27 mm., 16.2 g.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208947[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>14. Galba AR Denarius, Aug-Oct 68 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head right, IMP SER GALBA AVG / Rev. S P Q R/ O • B/ C S [OB CS <i>= </i>OB CIVES SERVATOS (<i>For Saving the Citizens</i>)] in three lines within oak wreath. RIC I 167, RSC II 287, Sear RCV I 2109 (ill.). 18.33 mm., 3.29 g.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208948[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>15. Trajan AR Denarius, 106 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right; IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TRP COS V P P / Rev. Captive Dacian in peaked cap with wide brim, seated right on shield in mournful attitude with left elbow on raised left knee, and face resting in left hand; below, curved Dacian sword (falx) right; SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. RIC II 219 (<a href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=RIC+II+Trajan+219" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=RIC+II+Trajan+219" rel="nofollow">http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=RIC+II+Trajan+219</a>); RSC II 529; Sear RCV II 3168 (obv. var.); BMCRE 175 (<a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11584" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11584" rel="nofollow">https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11584</a>). 17 mm., 3.02 g., 6 h.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208950[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>16. Hadrian AR Denarius, 136 AD, Travel Series, Rome Mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right / Rev: AEGYPTOS, Egypt reclining left, holding sistrum in right hand and resting left arm on basket; to left, ibis standing right. RIC II-3 1482 (2019 ed.), old RIC II 297d (1926 ed.), RSC II 99, Sear RCV II 3456, BMCRE 801-3. 18 mm., 3.11 g., 7 h.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208951[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>17. Julia Domna, AR Denarius ca. 201 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, hair waved vertically and fastened in large bun in back, IVLIA AVGVSTA / Rev. Isis, wearing polos on head, draped, standing three-quarters right, head right, holding the nursing infant Horus in left arm against left breast, with her right hand holding a wreath or other ring-shaped object against her chest, her left foot against prow, right, and her left knee bent with Horus resting on it; to left of Isis, rudder rests against altar; SAECVLI FELICITAS. RIC IV-1 577 (p. 170), RSC III 174 (ill.), Sear RCV II 6606, BMCRE 166. 18x20 mm., 3.35 g., 6 h. <i>Ex. A.K. Collection; ex. CNG Triton XX Auction, Jan. 10, 2017, part of Lot # 614, No. E027. </i>[Note that in reality, contrary to the dealer's photos, the coin is not green at all.]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208952[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>18. Balbinus AR Denarius, April-June 238 AD, Rome mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP C D CAEL BALBINVS AVG / Rev. Bearded Genius of the Senate or Emperor, togate, standing front, head left, holding branch in right hand and short transverse scepter in left hand, PM TRP COS II PP. RIC IV-2 5, RSC III 20, Sear RCV III 8489 (ill.). 20 mm., 2.65 g. (<i>Ex: Kirk Davis, Cat # 74, Fall 2019, Lot 83</i>).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208953[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>19. Julian II, AE Double Maiorina, 361-363 AD, Sirmium [Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia] Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG / Bull standing right, two stars above, SECVRITAS REIPVB; in exergue: mintmark star-BSIRM-palm branch. RIC VIII Sirmium 107B (p. 392), Sear RCV V 19152 (ill.), Cohen 38. 28 mm., 8.48 g. (<i>Purchased from Frank S. Robinson.</i>)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1208954[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[# 20 to follow.]</p><p><br /></p><p>Feel free to post any and all comments and opinions, or anything else you think is appropriate.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="DonnaML, post: 5153712, member: 110350"]Because I didn't join CT until the end of January of this year, of course I didn't post a "favorite coins of 2019" thread. So I thought I'd at least post my very favorite coin purchased last year now. Besides, I bought it in December of last year, so it almost qualifies for a 2020 list! Corinth AR Stater. Circa 375-345 BC. Obv: Pegasos flying left, Q below / Rev: Helmeted head of Athena left. Control-symbols behind head: Retrograde N and Ares standing left holding shield and spear. Pegasi 376 [I]var.[/I] [“N” not retrograde”] [Calciati, R., [I]Pegasi Vol. I[/I] (Mortara, 1990)]; Ravel 1056 [Ravel, O.E., [I]Les "Poulains" de Corinthe, I - II[/I] (Basel, 1936; London, 1948)]; BCD Corinth 121 [Numismatik Lanz, [I]Münzen von Korinth: Sammlung B[/I], Auction 105 (Munich, 26 Nov. 2001)]; SNG Copenhagen 121 [[I]Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 15, Corinth [/I](Copenhagen 1944)]. 21mm, 8.46 g., 6h. [I]Ex.[/I] [I]Roma Numismatics Ltd. Auction IX, 22 March 2015, Lot 168[/I]. [ATTACH=full]1208942[/ATTACH] As for my favorite coins of 2020, I've decided that my list is going to be entirely comprised of Roman Republican coins. But I can't decide on or post the list yet, because there are two Republican coins I ordered a while ago that still haven't arrived, so I have to wait and see how much I like them. And, since I bought a total of 30 Republican coins this year, it may take a while to narrow them down to 10. But I also bought 90 ancient coins this year that weren't Roman Republican, bringing my total number of ancient coins to 220 from the 90 I had at the end of last year (12 Republican, and 78 not). And I would hate not to acknowledge some of them, even if they don't make my "top 10." So here are my favorites from among them, in chronological order. (I didn't even try to rank them, and won't try to rank my top 10, either.) I chose the coins mostly because I found them physically appealing, but there are some I liked just as much for the historical and cultural associations (like the two with Egyptian themes and the Trajan with an underfed, mourning Dacian on the reverse), or because they're not very easy to find in decent condition at a price I can afford. And there are many more that had one side I liked just as much as any of these -- for example, my denarius of Tiberius (which has a great obverse) or my Hadrian tetradrachm from Alexandria with a wonderful Osiris-Canopus jar on the reverse -- but the other side wasn't nearly as nice. I had to reduce the number somehow! I will try to keep the descriptions relatively short by omitting the more obscure reference works that I originally cited. Most of the photos are dealers' photos, but I did substitute a few of my own when the dealers' pictures weren't good or the color was really off. I'm not claiming that mine are any great shakes, but I think they're an improvement. (The numbering begins with 11, to make clear that these are not my official top 10, which I'll post when I can, sometime after the last two Republican coins arrive.) 11. Egypt, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy VI Philometor [“Mother-loving”] (First reign, 180-164 BCE), ca.180-170 BCE, Alexandria Mint. Obv. Diademed head of Ptolemy I right, wearing aegis / Rev. Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt, ΠTOΛEMAIOY on left, BAΣIΛEΩΣ on right. Seaby 7895 [Sear, David, [I]Greek Coins & their Values[/I], [I]Vol. II: Asia & Africa[/I] (Seaby 1979)]; SNG Copenhagen 262-268 [[I]Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum[/I], [I]Part 40: Egypt: The Ptolemies[/I] (Copenhagen 1977)]. 26 mm., 12.14 g. [ATTACH=full]1208943[/ATTACH] 12. Lydia, Tralleis/Tralles, AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, 127/126 BCE or 122/121 BCE, Magistrate Ptol-. Obv. Cista mystica with lid ajar and serpent emerging; all within ivy wreath / Rev. Bowcase (gorytos) with two serpents (one to left and one to right, heads at top); H [= date = Year 8 = 127/126 BCE or 122/121 BCE] over ΠTOΛ [PTOL] above, between serpents’ heads, TPAΛ [TRAL] in left field; to right, Dionysos in short chiton standing facing, head left, holding thyrsos in right hand and mask of Silenos in left hand. SNG Copenhagen 662-663 [I]var. [/I][different year] [[I]Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Copenhagen, The Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, Danish National Museum, Part 28, Lydia Part 2 [/I](Copenhagen 1947)]. 24 mm., 12.64 g. [probably = 3 drachms, not 4], 1 h. [I]Ex: CNG Auction 225 (13 Jan. 2010), Lot 144. [/I] [ATTACH=full]1208945[/ATTACH] 13. Syria, Seleucid Empire, Antiochos VIII Epiphanes (Grypon) Tetradrachm, 109-96 BCE Antioch Mint. Obv. Diademed head of Antiochos VIII right / Rev. Zeus Nikephoros seated left on high-backed throne, holding Nike on outstretched right hand and scepter in left; to outer left, E/P monogram above A [Antioch]; ΔI monogram below throne; BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY EΠIΦANOYΣ; all within laurel wreath. [I]Seleucid Coins[/I] [SC] Pt. 2, 2309; [I]Seleucid Coins Online[/I] [same] (see [URL]http://numismatics.org/sco/id/sc.1.2309);[/URL] Seaby 7145 (ill.) [Sear, David, [I]Greek Coins & their Values, Vol. II: Asia & Africa[/I] (Seaby 1979)]; Hoover HGC 9, 1200 [Hoover, Oliver, [I]Handbook of Syrian Coins, Royal and Civic Issues, Fourth to First Centuries BC, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series, [/I]Volume 9 (2009)]; SNG Israel 2554-55 [Spaer, A. & A. Houghton, [I]Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Israel I, The Arnold Spaer Collection of Seleucid Coins[/I] (London, 1998)]. 27 mm., 16.2 g. [ATTACH=full]1208947[/ATTACH] 14. Galba AR Denarius, Aug-Oct 68 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head right, IMP SER GALBA AVG / Rev. S P Q R/ O • B/ C S [OB CS [I]= [/I]OB CIVES SERVATOS ([I]For Saving the Citizens[/I])] in three lines within oak wreath. RIC I 167, RSC II 287, Sear RCV I 2109 (ill.). 18.33 mm., 3.29 g. [ATTACH=full]1208948[/ATTACH] 15. Trajan AR Denarius, 106 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right; IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TRP COS V P P / Rev. Captive Dacian in peaked cap with wide brim, seated right on shield in mournful attitude with left elbow on raised left knee, and face resting in left hand; below, curved Dacian sword (falx) right; SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. RIC II 219 ([URL]http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=RIC+II+Trajan+219[/URL]); RSC II 529; Sear RCV II 3168 (obv. var.); BMCRE 175 ([URL]https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-11584[/URL]). 17 mm., 3.02 g., 6 h. [ATTACH=full]1208950[/ATTACH] 16. Hadrian AR Denarius, 136 AD, Travel Series, Rome Mint. Obv: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, bare head right / Rev: AEGYPTOS, Egypt reclining left, holding sistrum in right hand and resting left arm on basket; to left, ibis standing right. RIC II-3 1482 (2019 ed.), old RIC II 297d (1926 ed.), RSC II 99, Sear RCV II 3456, BMCRE 801-3. 18 mm., 3.11 g., 7 h. [ATTACH=full]1208951[/ATTACH] 17. Julia Domna, AR Denarius ca. 201 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, hair waved vertically and fastened in large bun in back, IVLIA AVGVSTA / Rev. Isis, wearing polos on head, draped, standing three-quarters right, head right, holding the nursing infant Horus in left arm against left breast, with her right hand holding a wreath or other ring-shaped object against her chest, her left foot against prow, right, and her left knee bent with Horus resting on it; to left of Isis, rudder rests against altar; SAECVLI FELICITAS. RIC IV-1 577 (p. 170), RSC III 174 (ill.), Sear RCV II 6606, BMCRE 166. 18x20 mm., 3.35 g., 6 h. [I]Ex. A.K. Collection; ex. CNG Triton XX Auction, Jan. 10, 2017, part of Lot # 614, No. E027. [/I][Note that in reality, contrary to the dealer's photos, the coin is not green at all.] [ATTACH=full]1208952[/ATTACH] 18. Balbinus AR Denarius, April-June 238 AD, Rome mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP C D CAEL BALBINVS AVG / Rev. Bearded Genius of the Senate or Emperor, togate, standing front, head left, holding branch in right hand and short transverse scepter in left hand, PM TRP COS II PP. RIC IV-2 5, RSC III 20, Sear RCV III 8489 (ill.). 20 mm., 2.65 g. ([I]Ex: Kirk Davis, Cat # 74, Fall 2019, Lot 83[/I]). [ATTACH=full]1208953[/ATTACH] 19. Julian II, AE Double Maiorina, 361-363 AD, Sirmium [Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia] Mint, 2nd Officina. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right, FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG / Bull standing right, two stars above, SECVRITAS REIPVB; in exergue: mintmark star-BSIRM-palm branch. RIC VIII Sirmium 107B (p. 392), Sear RCV V 19152 (ill.), Cohen 38. 28 mm., 8.48 g. ([I]Purchased from Frank S. Robinson.[/I]) [ATTACH=full]1208954[/ATTACH] [# 20 to follow.] Feel free to post any and all comments and opinions, or anything else you think is appropriate.[/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Ancient Coins
>
My favorite ancient coin from 2019, and my favorite non-Republican coins from 2020
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...