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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Pellinore, post: 3289643, member: 74834&quot;]For myself I wanted to make a list of the nicest coins I acquired in 2018. It took me quite a while. In all, I probably bought about 200 coins and sold about 10. First I collected pictures of all the coins I had made a picture &amp; description of, and put them in months, often leaving out the lesser ones (ending up with 120). Then I selected the best – sometimes four of one month, sometimes 15. After that, I made a lower division and a top division, trying to show my major collecting areas.</p><p><br /></p><p>So this list is chronological, and not building up to a Grand Finale. I couldn’t bring myself to confine it to ten coins. Therefore, it is long, hope you will enjoy it.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. My first Athenian coin.</b> </p><p>I’m not collecting Greeks, but occasionally picking up some. This funny type just had to be in my collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>AE13 Athens, 340-317 BC. Obv. Helmeted head of Athens t.r. Two-bodied owl peering at you, above Eleusinian ring. <b>Α / Θ – Ε. Kroll 41. HGC 4, 1736. 13 mm, 1.95 gr.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869672[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. A most beautiful Classical portrait. </b></p><p>(Agrippa). Caligula 37-41. AE As in honor of his grandfather Agrippa (died in 12 BC). Obv. Head of Agrippa left, wearing rostral crown. M AGRIPPA COS III. Rev. Neptune standing, holding dolphin &amp; trident, S C on either side. 25 mm, 14.50 gr.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869673[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>3. Sometimes faults emphasize the beauty of a coin.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Probus 276-282, Antoninianus brockage. Obv. Radiate, cuirassed bust to the left. IMPPRO BVSAVG. Rev. Same, incuse. 21.5/24 mm, 3.45 gr. Silvery with exquisite patina.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869777[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>4. Awesome double strike.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Constans. 337-350. AE centenionalis, dramatic double strike on reverse. Obv. Bust to right. DNCONSTA/ NSPFAVG. Rev. FEL TEMP REPARATIO - Soldier advancing right, head left, holding spear and leading boy from hut, doubled; SMNB in exergue (Nicomedia mint, also doubled). 348-350 AD. 20-22 mm, 2.86 gr. RIC VIII 70; LRBC 2291. Ex CNG 394 Lot 518. Ex The Stevex6 Menagerie of Ancient Animals &amp; Awesomeness.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869778[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>5. Uncommon barbarous imitation.</b> </p><p>AE imitation of Constantine I, ca. 320. Victoria Laetae (VLPP). 18 mm, 2.4 gr. Double struck, overstruck? Reddish.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869779[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>6. The quirkiest smile I ever saw on a coin. </b></p><p>AR hemidrachm Vespasian (69-79), Caesarea in Cappadocia. Obv: Laureate head of Vespasian to right (with big grin). AYTOKP KAICAP OYЄCΠACIANOC CЄBA. Rev: Nike walking to the right, holding wreath in her right hand and palm frond in her left. No text. 14.5 mm, 1.85 gr. Metcalf 17.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869780[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>7. What a super artistic rendering of the Sun and the Moon conjoined!</b> One sees how much classical coin art has evolved since the beginnings of the Roman empire.</p><p><br /></p><p>Tetradrachm Elagabalus (218-222), Alexandria. Potin. Dated RY 5 (221/222). Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Conjoined busts of Helios, draped and wearing radiate crown, and Selene, draped and wearing crescent-moon crown, right; L Є (date) to lower right. 22.5 mm, 12.62 gr. Köln 2342; Dattari (Savio) 4116; K&amp;G 56.61; Emmett 2933.5. Good VF, some roughness.<a href="http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/10149/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/10149/" rel="nofollow">RPC 10149</a> (13 pcs, all pictured worse than mine).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869781[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>8. Only after receiving this coin I found out it is a fourrée, something the auction house should have recognized at first sight. This in the beginning took away much of my joy, but now I feel better, because it really is a <b>most beautiful Macedonian tetradrachm with just a few exquisite Celtic accents</b>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Eastern Celts, Lower Danube. Uncertain tribe. Early 3rd century BC. AR early imitation of a Philip II tetradrachm of Amphipolis. Fourrée! Obv. Laureate head of Zeus t.r., behind it, a leaf. Rev. Jockey and horse riding t.r. Under it, labda over a bucranium. Under the prancing leg of the horse, an A. 24.5 mm, 13.85 gr. Flesche -. Cf. Göbl <i>Ostkeltischer Typenatlas</i> 10, nr. 1 and 2.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869782[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>9. The oldest coin issued in the town where I was born. </b></p><p><br /></p><p>Groningen, under bishop of Utrecht Bernulph (1040-1054). AR denarius. Obv. Bishop’s crosier with legend BACVLVS. Around this+ BERNVLDVS EPS.&nbsp; Rev. Cross with four points in the corners. GRONINGA or something like it. 17 mm, 0.68 gr. Ilisch I, 18.3.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869783[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><b>10. Tiny Parthian bronze in excellent condition.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Osroes I (109-129). AE chalkous. Obv. King with pointed beard to the left. Rev. Tyche to the right, year ZKY = 427 (=AD 115). 11 mm, 1.55 gr. Sellwood 80.20.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]869786[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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