Nvb top 10 of 2019 (posted 2 years late but better late than never)

I always intend to post a top 10 list and for one reason or another do not get around to it.. so sure it is 2021 now but 2019 was a big year so it deserves the treatment..
I purchased a lot of coins so a lot of keepers were left off the list

These coins are posted in no particular order..
Enjoy and of course comments are welcome =)



#1) Roman Republican, Quadrigatus



Material: Silver
Weight: 6.65 g
Diameter: 24.50 mm
Obverse: Laureate head of Janus,
Reverse: Jupiter, hurling thunderbolt and holding scepter, in galloping quadriga right driven by Victory ROMA
Crawford 28/3

#2) Celts in Eastern Europe AR Tetradrachm. Zweigarm Type.




Description
Celts in Eastern Europe AR Tetradrachm. Zweigarm Type. Circa 3rd century BC.
Unknown tribe.
Celticised, bearded head of Zeus to right, with two 'horns of Ammon'; the neck truncation and dotted border forming volutes / Stylised rider wearing crested helmet on horseback to left, right arm outstretched; wheel and pellets before. Göbl, OTA pl. 25, 291/5 (same dies); Lanz 585 (this coin).

13.30g, 24mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine; beautiful old cabinet tone. Rare.

From the Hermann Lanz Collection; this coin published in M. Kostial, Kelten im Osten - Gold und Silber der Kelten in Mittel- und Osteuropa - Sammlung Lanz (Staatlichen Münzsammlung München, 1997);
This coin exhibited by the Staatlichen Münzsammlung München at the 1997 International Numismatic Congress in Berlin; at the Berliner Bank also in 1997; also exhibited at the Luitpoldblock Palmengarten, Munich in 2003 (exhibition #104[reverse]).

#3) Sicily, Syracuse, Agathokles (317-289 BC), AR Tetradrachm





17.29g
25mm (approx)
Head of Arethusa facing left wearing earring, hair wreathed in grain, three dolphins around, rev. quadriga galloping left, triskeles above, ypaoin in exergue (SNG ANS, no. 633; SNG {Copenhagen}, no. 753), very fine.

#4) Attica, Athens, New Style Tetradrachm








Attica, Athens, New Style; Magistrates Mened- and Epigeno-, Asklepios, c. 135/4 BC, Tetradrachm, 16.90g. Thompson-353, rev. like a which equals 352b, but neither of these coins is illustrated. Obv: Helmeted head of Athena r. Rx: Owl standing r. on amphora, head front; ethnic and magistrates' names l. and r., in l. field Asklepios standing l., leaning on serpent staff; third magistrate EΠIΓO in r. field (final O impinges on wreath), Z on amphora (written like sideways H), ME below; all within olive wreath. Right obverse field and cheek of Athena strongly cleaned. EF

#5) Alexander III Tetradrachm, Amphipolis mint




Weight: 17.11 g
Diameter: 27.00 mm
Alexander III, Tetradrachm, Amphipolis, struck by Antipater under Philip III, circa 322-320 BC
Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin,
Zeus seated left on low throne, holding long scepter in his left hand and eagle standing right with closed wings in his right; to left, bow in bowcase,BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΛEΞANΔPO

#6) AV Histamenon of Basilius II 976-1025





Christ facing
Basil and Constantine facing, with cross
4.42g
25mm
Sear 1800, Ratto 1945
Ex Sternberg VI, 1976 lot 1032

#7) Seleucid, Laodikeia Ad Mare
Tetradrachm 65/64 BC





Tyche right with turreted headdress
Zeus seated left with Nike and sceptre
15.26g
28mm
ANSMN 28, 1983. Dca-s 314
Extremely rare date


#8) Egypt, Ptolemy I Tetradrachm 323-283 BC



Herakles right with elephant headdress
Athena Alkidemos right with spear and shield
15.56g
28mm
Sear 7750
Ex Nick Economopolous, ex Frank Robinson


#9) Black Sea Region, uncertain mint AR Tetradrachm.








Description
Black Sea Region, uncertain mint AR Tetradrachm.
In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Circa 250-200 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, holding sceptre; AΛEΞANΔPOY to right, BAΣIΛEΩΣ to left, ΟΠ monogram under throne. Price 1322. 16.99g, 30mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine;


#10) Septimius Severus Æ29 of Pautalia, Thrace. AD 193-211.




AY K Λ CЄΠTI CЄVHPOC ΠЄP, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right /
Asclepius seated right on back of winged serpent, holding serpent-entwined staff; serpent-entwined staff; OVΛΠIAC ΠAVTAΛIAC in two lines below. Varbanov 4681-9 var. (obv. legend).
29mm
14.65g,
7h
Very Fine. Extremely Rare.



Honorable Mention) Celts in Eastern Europe AR Tetradrachm. Doppelkopf Type.



Description
13.47g
24mm
6h

Celts in Eastern Europe AR Tetradrachm. Doppelkopf Type. Circa 3rd century BC. Janiform bearded head of Zeus / Rider on horseback to right, wearing helmet with long crest; rosette before. Göbl, OTA pl. 19, 223/1 (same dies); Kent/Mays, BMC I pl. 7, 111 (same dies); Lanz 540 (this coin).

Very Fine. Scarce.

From the Hermann Lanz Collection; this coin published in M. Kostial, Kelten im Osten - Gold und Silber der Kelten in Mittel- und Osteuropa - Sammlung Lanz (Staatlichen Münzsammlung München, 1997)

Honorable mention) Denarius, Imperatorial Rome. L. Plautius Plancus



AR Denarius
20.5mm, 3.90 g, 7h
Rome mint. Facing mask of Medusa with disheveled hair; coiled serpents flanking / Aurora flying right, conducting four horses of the sun and holding palm frond. Cf. Crawford 453/1a-b, d-e; CRI 29; cf. Sydenham 959, 959a; cf. Plautia 15, 15a-c;cf. RBW 1583-4. Lustrous, marks and scratches, large flan/metal flaw on reverse, weakly struck in areas. Good VF

Honorable Mention) Artuquids of Mardin AE Dirhem




Ruler: Nur al-Din Muhammad.
Obv: Angel facing with right wing raised - holding serpent.
Rev: Name and titles of Nur al-Din in 5 lines.
Mint: Hisn Kayfa or Amid.
Very Scarce in this condition. Ref: S&S type 9.
28mm, 11.72gm

 

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lovely coins - 3 is my favorite. the Artuquids of Mardin AE Dirhem
is fascinating although out of my collecting area.

 

Uh Oh.. I was updating some photos and managed to nuke the bottom section of the original post.

Trying to fix..

 

wow #6 and #3

 

They are fascinating indeed.. I picked up several in 2018-2019 and love them all. This particular coin might be my favourite of the bunch, but its close.

 

@Nvb - fantastic set, your 2019 - was an amazing year! All great, but it is hard to beat Arethusa, New Style Athena and Histamenon. Now I want to see your 2020 list)

 

Lovely coins. Best of luck in 2020!

(We all heard rumors about a virus in Asia, but I'm sure it'll all blow over in a week or two. It's going to be a breeze. )

 

All beautiful, but my favorites are 1, 3, and 7. Impressive!

 

Thanks for all the comments.
This was a tough list to make and I ended up gearing it mostly towards the more ‘flashy’ Greek coins I bought in ‘19.

With about half of my current collection being purchased in 2019, and lot of arguably more ‘interesting’ coins missed the cut that would be slam dunk top 10’s any other year. A few Coriosolite staters, Turkoman bronzes, Alexandrian drachms, and a great subereat come to mind

 

Glad you went ahead and posted this-- there is some great eye candy here!

The massive flan and beautiful toning on the quadrigatus make it a showstopper. It's really one of the loveliest I recall seeing. Great eye appeal.

That Basilius II histamenon looks like it belongs on the cover of a book! Gorgeous coin, gorgeous photos.

The Zweigarm Celtic tet is remarkable for its artistry and pedigree.

Wish #10 was mine . I have the Caracalla version. His daddy's is more artistic .

Wonderful Agathokles and Ptolemy I tets.

 

How in hell could you hide those wonders for such a long time ?

#6, 3 and 1 are my choice, but Oh my ! that horse on the celtic tet !!!

Q

 

Better late then never!
Man, you got some beauties/ so I will pick all of them!
Wish you a great 2022/ please post your top ten in 2022
John
PS: After carefull consideration/ I picked #3/ but the others are equally fantastic....