My top ten(ish) Ancients

#4 is a wonderful bronze coin of Augustus with a fantastic portrait, minted during the reign of Tiberius that I was very fortunate to get, along with another coin which I'll post for #2, for a great price. It looks even better in hand. I almost got a Corinthian stater instead, but it was snatched up very quickly and I think I ended up with a better coin.

Divus Augustus Æ As. Commemorative by Tiberius. DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER, radiate head left / Eagle standing on globe facing, wings spread, head right, S C at sides. RIC 82

 

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Just as a fallow up to #4 I thought I'd share one of my first ancients of the same type.

 

Definitely an improvement over the older one. Its one of my favorites portrait wise of yours.

 

Thanks as bad as the 2nd one is, I think its a permanent part of my collection.

 

That thing would be on the fast track to ebay or trade, lol.

 

Yeah, but he probably has an attachment to it since he bought it early on in his collecting experience. I can appreciate that, but then again I am a hoarder.

 

Well reread my top 10, that sept. severus. I would only part with it for an Eid Mar, lol.

But I was able to part with my second coin I ever purchased.

Sometimes it's ok to let go

 

If I really had to choose 1 of these 2 to keep, I would keep the better of the 2. But then again, if I had to part with one, it would be for need of money and I couldnt get much for the lessor one lol Both are special to me though

 

It was pointed out to me once that being a dealer was better than being a collector because you get to handle many, many more coins and have to opportunity to learn more about more coins as they pass through your hands. I'm not a dealer. Most coins never escape once in my grasp. I believe either method works. What I do not see is the middle ground. Those are the collectors who buy at retail and sell at wholesale to raise cash to buy more coins at retail. Those are the people who will sell any coin they have without bothering to learn more than their cash value. Many of these people now call themselves dealers - a status easier now with eBay and vCoins - but are no more a true dealer than is someone who has a yard sale is a 'fashion merchandiser'. I suggest we each decide honestly whether we are into coins or into buying and selling. They are different hobbies.

 

#3 is a tie between these sestertii. Of the two, I like the one of Pius the most but thy are both really great coins. Both are nice and heavy, feel good in hand, have great portraits and wonderful patinas. I like the rive patina of the A. Pius sestertius more, and it's also a bit more scarce. A funny thing about these two is that they were outside in a car port for 30-40 years under a tarp.


Antoninus Pius AE Sestertius. 157-158 AD. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II, laureate head right / TR POT XXI COS IIII, S-C in ex, Roma seated left on cuirass, foot on helmet, holding Victory and parazonium; shield behind. RIC III 979a Strack 1147 Banti 490 BMC 2036 . 27.7 g

Severus Alexander AE Sestertius. 235 AD. IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / P M TR P XIIII COS III PP S C, Sol walking left, holding whip and raising right hand, cloak billowing out behind. RIC IV 541; BMCRE 964; Cohen 457 22.3 g

 

Nice, I like the Sev. A more but the pius has some nice colors going on with it.

How'd they end up under a tarp for so long?

 

I think they were part of a shop's collection and the owner had passed away leaving the inventory to their family. Not sure if they just didn't know what to do with them or didn't want to part with them.

 

Oh, weird, well at least they are with someone who can enjoy them.

 

#2, this is the one I mentioned in #4. A coin that I don't think I will be able to do better than. Another coin I was very lucky, and very happy to get.

Claudius Æ As. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP, bare head left / LIBERTAS AVGVSTA S-C, Libertas standing facing, with pileus and extending left hand. RIC 113, Cohen 47, BMC 202 10.9 g

 

That is an extremely pretty coin Randy. I will be curious what you rated higher than this one.

 

Thanks This was almost #1. I left out allot of nice coins I have, and strangely the only ones I've picked so far are AE.

 

Maybe that is telling you how much you like AE coins versus AG. Nothing wrong with that at all, I prefer a larger AE coin over a small AG coin myself.

 

Definitely, I like early roman bronze more than silver. That being said, I still really like my silver I don't have an opinion on gold since I have any, and probably wont ever own any Though #1 on this list will be silver

 

Lovely #2, one of my favorites of yours also. I thought this would be #1 myself.

 

Thanks Mat. If I was doing just my best top ten it probably would be #1. Putting a number of which one is my favorite is pretty hard lol