My First 'Roman' Gold

When I first started collecting I was very paranoid about fakes, but assured myself that since I would only ever buy low quality Roman bronzes, I needn't worry. Wow have I changed course!

Here is my newest win, from yesterday's CNG auction:



Leo I. AD 457-474. AV Solidus (21mm, 4.46 g, 6h). Constantinople mint, 10th officina. Struck AD 462 or 466. D N LEO PE RPET AVG, pearl-diademed, helmeted, and cuirassed bust facing slightly right, holding spear over shoulder and shield with horseman motif / VICTORI A AVGGG, Victory standing left, holding long, jeweled cross in right hand; star to right; I//CONOB. RIC X 605; Depeyrot 93/1. VF, “X” graffito on obverse, a few light marks on reverse.

Please show your Roman gold.

 

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Gorgeous coin! Nothing can be more Roman that that coin.

 

Very nice, congrats

 

Gorgeous is right - very nice coin.

 

Sweet addition

 

Beautiful coin Nicholas.

 

Could you please tell us how much you paid for this charming coin? This way I can foretell how much I have to spare every month to acquire such a valuable beauty.
Thank you.

 

Very nice addition, well done.

 

Very nice choice and a beautiful design as well. You did good.

 

Awesome coin! I love the horseman on the shield. Here's mine, which I snagged at the very end of last year, my first Roman solidus:

 

Thanks for the comments. It hammered at $500, which I think is a good buy.

 

Nice gold! My first and only gold so far:

VALENS
AV Solidus
OBVERSE: DN VALENS PER F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: RESTITVTOR REIPUBLICAE, Valens standing right, holding labarum in right hand & Victory on globe in left, cross to left. Mintmark star ANTE star
Struck at Antioch, 364 AD
3.6g, 19mm
Antioch RIC 2d,xxxvii-5

 

No gold yet, but I'll be getting into gold in the near future - solidi, not aureii.

 

I don't really have much of a plan with my recent gold binge. They just seem like good buys and it is nice to look down at a tray with gold coins. It also gets me out into other realms of ancients I've neglected with my monomaniacal studies of Acheloios (I'm currently writing a dissertation on Acheloios, for those of you who might worry I've abandoned my life's work!)

 

Great start into Roman gold coinage This was my first ever Roman gold coin
From Harlan Berk Auction.
Probably the most easy to obtain Roman Aureus

 

Because it is a CNG coin you can find out on the CNG site. Click on "Research" (at the middle of the top) and enter in distinctive coin info. Remember the PR they give does not include the buyer's fee.

 

That's a nice and valuable solidus Nicholas, congrats on winning it
Sadly, I can't show any roman gold yet. I still have to buy my first one, and would very much like it to be an aureus with a wolf and twins reverse (dreams are free of charge )

Of course I do have some gold coins, but they're rather belonging in the medieval/modern sections. I wouldn't want to challenge @panzerman in any way though

Q

 

I have that "dream" reverse/ BUT its a Baroque era coin from Piacenza.....still one of my favorites from my coll.
AV 2 Doppie 1626 Parma Mint
Odoardo Farnesse Duke of Parma
His Father was a brilliant General who commanded the Spanish Army of Philip II in the Flanders theatre of the War vs the Protestant rebellion.
NOTE: the mintmaster forgot to include Romulus and Remus on reverse design1

 

Superb piece. Congrats on acquiring your first gold coin!

 

I don't have much Roman gold. My main interest is late Roman and Byzantine, and then, not so much gold, but rather silver and better quality copper. But here are a few of my late Roman gold, acquired many, many years ago. They are:
1. Constantius II, Solidus, Constantinople
2. Constantius II, Solidus, Antioch
3. Pulcheria, Tremissis, Constantinople
4. Theodosius II, Solidus, Ravenna. Worn, but rare.
5. Valentinian III, Solidus, Ravenna
6. Basiliscus and Marcus, Semissis, Constantinople. Worn, but rare.
7. Leo III / Constantine V. Tremissis, Rome. Included to show debasement in the western mint by the early 8th. century.