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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;kazuma78, post: 8061841, member: 17304&quot;]As we head towards the end of the year and as all auctions and sales are over that I anticipate participating in, I would say that I can safely post my top 10 list. I had a decent year but I must admit that it was a much more frustrating year than 2020 was in terms of acquisitions. I put in many extremely competitive bids and several that I considered too high even, and still lost most of the lots I bid on. Ultimately, I bought almost as many coins fixed price this year as I did at auction. I am certainly thankful for the coins I was able to acquire but I am definitely hoping that the market cools off some in the next 12 months. The ridiculous prices have been taking some enjoyment out of the hobby for me and I am ready for that to be over. OK, now enough whining from me, here are <b>my top 10 in chronological order of acquisition</b>.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#1) Koson Stater</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397345[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>SKYTHIA, Geto-Dacians. Koson. Mid 1st century BC. AV Stater (8.37 g). Roman consul accompanied by two lictors advancing left; monogram to left; KOΣΩN in exergue / Eagle standing left on scepter, holding wreath. Hourmouziadis dies B/f; Iliescu 1; RPC I 1701A; HGC 3, 2049. NGC CH MS 5/5, 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#2) Gold Daric </u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397347[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Persia, Achaemenid Empire AV Daric. Time of Xerxes II to Artaxerxes II. Sardes, circa 420-375 BC. Persian Great King or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, in kneeling-running attitude on exergual line to right, holding spear and strung bow; quiver over shoulder / Rectangular incuse punch. Carradice Type IIIb, Group C (pl. XIV, 42); BMC Arabia pl. XXIV, 15; Sunrise 28. 8.32g. NGC MS* 5/5, 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#3) Transitional Style Owl</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397349[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Attica, Athens. Ca. 455-440 BC. AR tetradrachm (17.18 gm). Early transitional issue. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three laurel leaves and vine scroll, crescent moon in front / ΑΘΕ, owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig with berry and crescent moon behind, all within incuse square. NGC CH AU 5/5, 5/5.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#4) Arabian Imitation Alexander III Tetradrachm</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397354[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Arabia, uncertain mint AR Tetradrachm. In the name of and imitating the types of Alexander III of Macedon. 3rd - 2nd century BC. Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Clean faced male deity with a ponytail hairstyle seated to left on backless throne, holding eagle and staff; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ retrograde below, ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ behind; in left field, head and neck of an oryx with prolonged antlers and small horse head to left. Unpublished in the standard references, for similar issues cf. O. Callot, ‘A New Chronology for the Arabian Alexanders’, in Coinage of the Caravan Kingdoms: Ancient Arabian Coins from the Collection of Martin Huth. (Ancient Coins in North American Collections 10, 2010), pp. 383, 383-402; HGC 10, 686-704; for prototype, cf. Price 690 (horse-head left). 16.96g, 26mm. aEF. Extremely Rare.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#5) Philip II Lifetime Tetradrachm </u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397367[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Kingdom of Macedon, Philip II, 359-336 B.C. AR Tetradrachm (14.47 grams), Pella Mint, ca. 342/1-337/6. HGC-3.1, 864; SNG ANS-384-95. Lifetime issue. Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right; Reverse: ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ, nude youth, holding palm frond and reins, riding horse right; thunderbolt below; N in exergue. Very well centered on the obverse and yielding great relief, this lightly toned and exceptionally wholesome piece offers tremendous eye appeal. NGC CH VF* 5/5, 5/5 Fine Style</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#6) Metapontion Nomos</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397373[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>ITALY. Lucania. Metapontion. AR Stater (Nomos) (8.04 gms), ca. 510-470 B.C.</p><p>HGC-1, 1028; HN Italy-1482; Noe-184. Obverse: Barley ear; Reverse: Incuse barley ear. Quite deeply toned and pleasing, this charming specimen is nearly free from any problems, with the noted minor edge bend the only issue observed. Typically encountered with more distractions, this piece towers above most and presents a solid, well-centered strike. NGC Ch EF 5/5 4/5, Edge Bend.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#7) Magnesia ad Maeandrum Trihemiobol</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397381[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 400-350 BC. AR Trihemiobol (9mm, 0.83 g, 6h). Helmeted head of Athena right / Trident within circular maeander pattern. SNG Kayhan 405–7; SNG von Aulock 2032. Attractive iridescent tone, a few marks. Good VF. Well centered and fine style.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#8) Thebes Stater</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397382[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>BOEOTIA, Federal Coinage. Circa 395-387 BC. Stater (Silver, 23 mm, 12.23 g). Boeotian shield. <i>Rev.</i> BO-IΩ Amphora; above, bow; all within shallow incuse. BCD Boiotia 8 (<i>this coin</i>). BMC 48 and pl. V, 14 (<i>same reverse die</i>) = Head, Boeotia, pl. V, 10. Traité III, 369 and pl. CCIV, 31. Rare. Beautifully toned and very well centered. Very fine.</p><p>From the collection of Regierungsrat Dr. iur. Hans Krähenbühl and from the BCD Collection, Triton IX, 10 January 2006, 8 (with original dealer&#039;s ticket).</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#9) Velia Didrachm</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397387[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Lucania, Velia AR Stater. Circa 300-280 BC. Philistion group. Helmeted head of Athena to right, helmet decorated with wing; AH monogram behind neck guard, Φ before neck / Lion standing to right; above, grain ear between Φ and I, Π beneath lion; YEΛHTΩN in exergue. Williams 478 (O238/R337); SNG Copenhagen 1578 (same dies); SNG ANS 1379 (same dies); HN Italy 1309. 7.46g. NGC XF* 5/5 5/5 Ex. Stacks&nbsp; 11/1946.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>#10) Constantius I Argenteus</u></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1397394[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Constantius I AR Argenteus. AD 305-306 CONSTANTIVS CAESAR, laureate head right / VIRTVS MILITVM, the four Tetrarchs sacrificing over tripod before arched gateway to circuit of city walls with eight turrets. 2.85 grams. Absolutely stunningly toned and lustrous coin with an excellent strike. NGC CH AU* 5/5 5/5.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>There were a few others that I might post as honorable mentions later in the thread, but these are my top 10. If you like, please feel free to vote for your top 3! Its always fun to see what is the most popular and how others tastes may differ from my own.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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