My Top Purchases of 2018

This year has been a pretty good year compared to past years. I have made more of a focus on Roman Tetradrachms & Medieval coins.

Many of the coins selected were “dream” coins, I.e. the Athens owl, Nero/Claudius dual portrait tet and some others.

Many of these coins were acquired at “what a steal” prices.

One of the first tets I bought this year. It was an emperor I needed and the patina & price was won me over.


Carinus (283 - 285 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Potin Tetradrachm
O: A K M A KA-RINOS K, laureate and cuirassed bust right.
R: yche standing left, rudder in right, cornucopia in left. LA (Year 1 282/3 A.D.) to left.
8g
18mm
Dattari 5576; Milne 4667; Emmett 4012


Empress Alexandrians are fairly rare & I was excited to add this to my collection for less then $60. Very rare to boot.


Otacilia Severa (244 - 249 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
O: MWTCEOV HPACEMCTPA diademed draped bust right.
R: Nike advancing right. L-B (Year 2) to right.
Alexandria Mint 245 A.D.
23mm
13.28g
Dattari 4989


A long dream coin many ancient collectors crave to own. This year I finally got the dream coin off the list. It may have some rough surfaces, but for the price & free of test cuts, it was a win.


Attica, Athens (353 - 294 B.C)
AR Tetradrachm
O: Helmeted head of Athena right
R: AΘE Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square.
16.59g
21 mm
Kroll -; HGC 4, 1599

Ex. Numismatik-Naumann, Auction 52, Lot 126


A coin I never thought I would own, but during my usual skimming on eBay this coin was ending with very little bids and just before it ended, I put a decent bid in and won it for $84 total.


Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)
Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch
AR Tetradrachm 
O: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GER, laureate head of Nero right; star behind.
R: [DIVOS] CLAVD AVG GERMANIC PATER AVG, laureate head of Claudius right.
Syrian Mint - 63-68 AD
14.11g
26mm
Prieur 48; RPC I 4123; BMC 172; Sydenham 65 (Caesarea); RSC 2; McAlee 270.

I’ve owned many Othos this year, one was a denarius I sold off at a nice sum & I turned around & got this very rare Otho Alexandrian Tet. Though it wasn’t cheap, I was happy to add it to my tetradrachm collection.


Otho (69 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
O: AYTOK MAPK OΘΩNOΣ KAIΣ ΣEB, laureate head right, LA (year 1) lower right.
R: EΛEY-ΘEPIA, Eleutheria (Liberty) standing left, wreath in extended right hand, scepter in left hand, leaning with left elbow on column, simpulum (ladle used for tasting and pouring sacrificial libations) left in lower left field.
12.58g
24.4mm
Milne 359; RPC I 5354 (5 spec.); Dattari 327; BMC Alexandria p. 25, 208; Curtis 238; Kampmann 18.6; Emmett 184


This variety with a simpulum on the reverse is much rarer than the same type without this control symbol. RPC reports only 5 specimens with the simpulum and 17 specimens without it. This variety is missing from the important collections in Cologne, Paris, and Milan, and we know of only one example offered at auction in the past two decades (CNG 76, 12 Sep 2007, lot 3152, VF, $430 plus fees).

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Realizing how affordable Charles I half crowns were, I set out to get one and I was lucky & got it for $55, not bad when most are over $100 and much more.


Charles I (1625 - 1649 A.D.)
AR Half Crown
O: · · CAROL[V]S D’· G’· MAG’· BRI’· FRA’ ET · HIB’· REX ·, Charles on horseback left, holding reins with left hand and sword in right / (triangle in circle).
R: CHRISTO · AVSPICE · REGNO ·, oval coat-of-arms.
Group IV
Tower (London)Mint, Struck 1641 - 1642 A.D.
34mm
14.96g
Cf. Bull 463/31; Brooker 374 var. (HI not HIB); North 2214; SCBC 2779.

Another type I always wanted. How cool is it a coin features Jesus rising from the grave. For some reason I won it for $20.


Andrea Dandolo (1342-1354 A.D.)
AR Mezzanino nuovo
O: AN DADVL SM VENE DVX, Doge and St. Mark holding banner, P in ex.
R: •XPS•RES-VRESIT•, Christ emerging from tomb, holding banner and cross.
.77g
15mm
Biaggi 2822

As mentioned earlier, empress tets are tough to get. This is another that went unnoticed and ended cheap.


Faustina Jr. (147 - 175 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Billon Tetradrachm
O: Draped bust right
R:Isis Pharia standing right, holding sistrum and billowing sail; L I Z (Year 17) across field.
Stuck 153-154 A.D.
12g
23mm
Dattari (Savio) 3250; K&G 38.86; Emmett 1949.17.

Ex. Roma Numismatics E-Sale 16; Lot 306. Feb. 28, 2015
Ex. Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung Auction 247; Lot 4627. March 10, 2017

Another dream coin, a Alexander III tetradrachm. One of my favorite dealers on Vcoins listed it and I was lucky to have the $ & be online as it was listed to score this at a great price, for a lifetime issue.


Alexander III the Great (336 - 323 B.C.)
AR Tetradrachm
O: Head of Alexander as Hercules right, wearing lion-skin headdress.
R: AΛEΞAN∆POY, Zeus enthroned left, right leg forward (archaic lifetime style), eagle in extended right hand, long scepter vertical behind in left hand, bow on left.
Salamis mint, struck 332-323 B.C.
16.95g
25mm
Price 3139 ; SNG Alpha Bank 662; Newell. Salamis 7.

Lifetime Issue

An emperor fairly high on my want list but never made it a mission to acquire. Well this coin found me because it popped up on the “similar to what I bought” wheel on eBay and it was ending a few days. It had a low bid and near the closing seconds, I put a fairly high bid and won it for under $100 total.


Aelius (136 - 138 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: L AELIVS CAESAR, bare head right.
R: TR POT COS II, Felicitas standing left, caduceus in left, cornucopia in right.
Rome Mint, 137 A.D.
3.16g
18mm
SRCV II 3973, RIC II Hadrian 430, RSC II 50, BMCRE III Hadrian 969

 

This was an odd buy this year. I had it on my want list on Vcoins for sometime to see it sold. Then a few months later, it’s listed on eBay for much less then asking on Vcoins, needless to say I jumped on it.


Domitian (81 - 96 A.D.)
SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch
AR Tetradrachm
O: AVT KAISAR DOMITIANOS SEB GERM, laureate head right; aegis at point of bust.
R: ETOUS NEOV IEROV H, eagle standing facing right on thunderbolt; palm in right field. RY 8 (88/9 AD)
14.77g
26mm
Prieur 145; RPC II 1978; Wruck 108

This was just a coin listed cheaply that I acquired, didn’t realize it’s better then usual for the type.


BITHYNIA. Kalchedon (340 - 320 B.C)
AR Siglos
O: KAΛX Bull standing left on ear of corn.
R: Mill-sail incuse
5.35g
19mm
SNG BM 112

The three below are lumped together because one of my goals this year was a set of Henry Viii & family.


Henry VIII (1509-1547 A.D.)
AR Groat
Second Coinage
O: hЄnRIC’ VIII D’ G’ R’ ΛGLIЄ Z FRΛnCЄ, crowned bust right (Laker bust D); saltire stops, Lombardic lettering.
R: POSVI DEV’ ΛDIVTORЄ’ mЄV’, royal shield over long cross fourchée; saltires in forks, double saltire stops, Lombardic lettering.
Tower mint; im:arrow, 1526-1532 A.D.
25mm
2.55g
SCBC 2337E; North 1797


Edward VI (1547 - 1553 A.D.)
AR Shilling
O: (tun) ЄDWΛRD’· VI : D’· S’ ΛGl’: FRΛ’· Z : hIB’· RЄX :, crowned and mantled bust facing slightly left; rose to left, XII to right.
R: (tun) POSVI DЄVM ·’ : ΛDIVTOR Є’· MEV·’·, coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée.
5.7g
32mm
North 1937; SCBC 2482


Mary (1553 - 1554 A.D.)
AR Groat
O: mΛRIΛ : (pomegranate) D’. G’. ΛnG'. FRΛ’. Z : hIB’. RЄGI’, crowned bust left; double and single annulet stops.
R: VЄRITΛ S (pomegranate) TЄm PORIS FILIΛ, royal coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée.
Tower (London) mint; im: pomegranate
23mm
1.86g
North 1960; SCBC 2492

One of my last buys of 2018. Deep down I wanted a Shilling with a better portrait and thanks to the right time skimming eBay and having the money, I ended up with wish.



Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603 A.D.)
AR Shilling
O: (key) ELIZAB’· D’· G’· ANG’· FR’· ET : HIB’· REGI, crowned and mantled bust left (bust 6B).
R: (key) POSVI DEV’· AD IVTORE M · MEV’·, coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée.
Sixth coinage. Tower (London) mint; im: key. Struck 1595-1598 AD
31mm
5.81g
North 2014; SCBC 2577

For sure one of my obscure purchases this year. I bought this off of @Valentinian as Bertram, but ended up being Friedrich von Pluvoise, which was distinguished by the curly hair. It is also pretty scarce, especially compared to Bertram.


Friedrich von Pluvoise (1171-1173 A.D.)
FRANCE, Provincial
Metz (évêché)
AR Denier
O: FRIDERICS, Bareheaded and draped bust left.
R: (rose) METE[N]SIS, Cross path with central pellet; crescent in second quarter, rosette in third quarter.
.76g
15mm
Robert 1; Boudeau 1623; Roberts 8856

 

Wow Mat ! KILLER year! Very very nice... no favorites, other than ALL of them! I would take them all into my collection.

 

Nice year, Mat! You sure do manage to track down good deals.

The Faustina Jr and Otacillia tetradrachms are my favorites.

 

those are some dandies...congrats on good year

 

WTG Mat a very productive year and still better than a month to go...I want an Owl

 

It looks like you had a very productive year! Of course my favourite is the Domitian tet, interesting story behind it too.

 

Awesome acquisitions, @Mat !

 

Since we have many new members this year. let me point out that many of us will be posting our top 10 or 12 (or whatever is appropriate for you) favorite purchases of the year including, as Mat did, a short explanation of why each coin made your list. It is not expected that these be your 10 most expensive, rare or wonderful coins in any particular respect but the ones that contributed most to your enjoyment of the hobby. I do suggest that you wait until you think you are finished buying coins in 2018 but we each now can be working on a list of candidates and eliminating coins we know will not be on the list. While Mat did not, many will rank the coins and give an order to the list which may cause others here to say, "My favorite was your #3." I hope we will have plenty of interesting lists including coins we have seen and coins you neglected to share before.

 

WoWiE!!! An Athens owl tet for $84?!? And that lifetime ATG3 tet. But man O man, that Domitian = class

 

I do love this time of year on the board... not quite ready to post my top 10 yet though.

Love your coins Mat! That Mezanino was a steal! I was looking at one in slightly better condition for $150...

 

Fantastic additions, @Mat ! I'd have to say my favorite is the Faustina II tet with the Isis Pharia reverse type! I've been looking for an Isis Pharia, but they're kinda pricey!

 

Very nice coins @Mat. I love both the Domitian tetradrachm and the Venetian Mezzanino nuovo. You have a great group of coins to show for 2018.

 

There’s still a month left

 

Great pickups @Mat
I like them all very much but I have to say that Domitian really stands out for me.

 

Is it 'Year End List' season already?

One of my favorite things on CT has always been looking at everyone's list of favorite purchases of the year and their sharing what made each coin special for them. This is a great list to get things started, Mat. It looks like you've picked up many nice coins this year. The Faustina II tet is my favorite.

 

Hey Mat,

a good year for sure

 

My favorite is also the Faustina but for a different reason than the reverse type. My want list includes two dated Faustina coins of Alexandria. The first would have a young looking portrait and a high year date. The second would have an older portrait and a lower number year date. This would be to show that coins dated year 11 and higher refer to dates of Faustina's father Antoninus Pius while 10 and under refer to her husband Marcus Aurelius's dates. A coin dated 11 was struck almost 24 years before one dated year 10 and the faces on these coins show the passage of time. Mat's year 17 would be fine for a young 'as daughter' example. Today I own neither. CNG has sold coins that would do quite nicely.

https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=349333 year 11 young

https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=140427 year 6 old

 

Very nice @Mat - I'm not even sure how many coins I have bought this year, somewhere in the neighborhood of 25-30 I would guess. Will share them at the end of December, I may still make a couple more purchases before then.