My top ten for 2019 (Ancient/ Medieval)

Well, I just had breakfast (four of my homemade cinnamon buns) Time for as promised #2. Hopefully snow will be gone by Sunday and I can finish my Fall leaf cleanups....
This is from Stacks/ Bowers event.....mystery coin
EL Trite (1/3) Stater
Ionia circa 650-600BC
Unknown Mint City
No one has a clue what is on obverse (looks like cluster of grapes)????
reverse: Two Punches
NGC: MS 5/5 4/5
Pozzi 2350 SNG Von Aulock 7761 Boston 1749

 

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Very nice!! Not all coins have something recognizable on them.
Case in point, some of the Presidential dollars and the Susan B.
Anthony dollars. Since there is snow you are waiting
for to melt, you could show us a few more. I will be more than
happy to loan you a crow bar to pry open up the vault door.

 

Did you see the Koln early dated AV Goldgulden Triton XXIII??? 1438

 

Yes I did. A very nice piece to be sure. I thought about bidding,
but it is, IMHO, only slightly better over all than my piece. Mine
has some scmutz, but I can live with that.

 

Have you ever seen these in mint state?

 

I've only seen a few pre 1500 AD dated and undated coins. They
were nice, but possibly not to your STRICT STANDARDS. Of the
1436-38 Goldguldens I've never seen any. Super/Mega collector
Robert Levinson might better answer that question. The ones that
he has bought in TPG plastic were more than likely freed from their
"tomb" minutes after taking possession of them. In my collection
of early dated coins I only have a small handful that might grade
as high as Ex/Au. On many of the dates I already have, I've tried
to upgrade them going as far as to bid 5x-8x high estimate.
About 2/3 of the time I wasn't even close. When you max bid 1500 Euros
and the coin sells for 2500+ Euros you know your bid sheet for that
coin was a beer coaster on the auction podium. The saying is " Go
big or go home" is very true. In many cases I never left the house.
Many who read this will think I'm crazy for such high bids, but the
bottom line is, it's what you got, not what you don't have. As on
any forum, there is some fun for bragging rights and just out right
showing off which I have been accused of more than once.

 

Here is coin #3
Kushan Empire
AV Dinara ND Gandhara Mint
Vasu Deva II 270-300
obv. King sacrificing at altar
rev. Siva with "Bull" Nandi.....looks like he got a head butt from Nandi Lots of tridents!
From Roma Auction

 

I am ASTOUNDED by the attention to detail on the ceremonial clothing. Just WOW!

 

Here is #4

Something Ostrogothic.... from Heritage Auctions
AV Solidus ND Rome Mint 20mm./ 4.45g. MS 5/5 5/5
Theodorich I / in name of Eastern Emperor Zeno
After Rome was sacked by Alarich in 410AD/ the "Western Emperors" where mere puppets of the Ostrogoth Kings.
Theodorich reigned from 493-526AD

 

Time for #5 (Only since this coin once in auction)

Satraps of Caria
AV 1/8 Daric 7mm. 1.05g Halikarnassus Mint
Pixodaros 341-338BC
He owed his allegiance to Artaxerxes III of Persia
Coin has a "weapons" motif "Tridents and Axes"

 

Great looking example. What is that on lower left of the obverse?

 

Thanks Bing!
The coin under magnification shows tiny gold globules, I guess during striking? In hand/ due to small size (7mm.) not noticeable. Only one reference book shows this coin.

 

Time for #6
Mysia/ Kyzikos
EL Hemihekte (!/12 Stater) ND circa 550BC
Kyzikos Mint
Wild Boar riding a Tunny
Quadripartite Incuse Square
Leu Auction
Really like these primative coins....

 

Love the pig @panzerman. Yum! SPECK (BACON)!

 

Thanks Bing, yes I crave Pizza with bacon crumbles/ mushrooms/ sundried tomatoes/ roasted red peppers!
My grandfather used to eat German pumpernickel bread with bacon lard, still lived to 94!

 

Yes, we used to get the fresh bread with lard every year at Christmas markets in Germany. I remember thinking it was bread with some kind of cheese spread at first, but it turned out to be lard and I loved it. My son is at the Christmas market in Aachen as I type this. I hope he gets a lard sandwich for his old man.

 

I believe the Germans call it Schmaltz. Yum!

 

Exactly right. We also use goose/ duck lard to make Red Cabbage/ cooked in wine. Great to add to Pea/ Lentil/ Bean Soups when made from scratch

 

Numero Sept....a weak Emperor
AV Solidus ND Thessalonika Mint struck 388-93AD
Eastern Roman Empire
Arcadius
From Roma

 

Wow - that reverse is just stunning. Love it!!