[Poll] #8 Cucumbor vs #9 Orfew (round 1) CIT 2017

Hello and welcome to the first round of the 2017 CoinTalk Coin Imperator Tournament. If you aren’t aware of the tournament then you can read about it here.

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an...intalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/



Please take a minute to appreciate the excellent coins shown below and cast your votes. A BIG thanks to both our contestants for sharing these cool examples!

#8 @Cucumbor



AR Denarius, Julius Caesar,minted in Italy, c.49 BC
Roman Republic
Dia.:
Wt.: 4.05 g
Obv.: CAESAR, elephant walking right, trampling on snake
Rev.: No legend, Simpulum, sprinkler, axe and apex
Ref.: HCRI # 9, RCV #1399, Cohen #49

Price: $390 (purchased 1993)

Why It’s Cool:
This is an emblematic coin every roman coin collector is willing to have in their trays along with a few others, such as the tribute penny, or for the very high end collectors the EID MAR denarius (in some ways it might be considered as "the poor man's EID MAR"). For that reason, even though it's been struck in high numbers, prices are always high on nice examples. When I bought it, people called me silly for spending so much on that coin, but for me it's worth every cent any time.

#9 @Orfew



Theophilus (AD 829-842), with Constantine and Michael II.
AV Solidus, Constantinople mint.
Dia.: 20.07 mm
Wt.: 4.38 g
Obv: *ΘЄOFI-LOS bASILЄ Θ,
Rev: MIXAHL S COhSTAhTIN', Sear 1653. Berk 249. DO 3.
Ex: Harlen J Berk

Price: $200 (purchased 2016)

Why It’s Cool:
Theophilos was a member of the Amorian dynasty of Byzantine emperors. He was famous for strengthening the walls of Constantinople and for building a hospital. He both won and lost several battles during his rule. What I think is most interesting about him is that he was the last of the iconoclastic emperors. He rules during the second iconoclasm of the empire. An iconoclast is literally a breaker of icons. Icons cold be interpreted as representation of holy figures or merely as representative or symbolic. This coin depicts Theophilos on the Obverse and both his deceased son and father (Constantine and Micheal) on the reverse. I really like the style of the portraits. Of course, the other thing I love about the coin is that it is gold.


Comments
The comment section of this thread will be open for shameless lobbying, good natured discussion and for anyone to explain their voting logic if they choose.

I know that I don’t have to tell you fine, upstanding ladies and gentlemen this but remember to keep the banter civil and, respectful and POSITIVE lest the mods become upset with us. Remember this is all in fun and will benefit a good cause no matter who wins

…and of course PLEASE post your relevant examples pile on style!

 

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I'm surprised this one hasn't gained more talk - I'm loving both coins! To get Caesar at the beginning is pretty cool too...

 

Nice coins guys, love Cucumbor's Denarius Orfew's Solidus rocks also....tough choice.....
John

 

Before I vote, I must ask when the coins were bought, because $390 for that JC denarius would be considered grand larceny today.

 

I agree this is a great matchup.

Julius Caesar coins are always historically interesting.

But....

A gold solidus for $200??? That's crazy.

Both have great eye appeal.

 

You are right John. I should have incuded that. I just updated with an edit.

Not sure if that changes the voting any but vote changes are allowed on this poll.

Thanks for catching that @John Anthony

 

Man Y'all lucky I'm not in this...

 

For information purposes I bought the solidus a few months ago.

 

What a buy, I wished you lived in Australia I would follow you around.

 

Although I didn't see anything about that in the contest rules, and for ethical reasons, I will not cast my vote on that one (I have my preference though )

Good luck to @Orfew and myself

Q

 

i don't know.. for one in that condition...hmmm sounds about right.

 

It is really tough to establish guidelines for prices, if someone had bought a $500 dollar coin in 1970/ it would be worth 20X as much or more today. So if anyone here, bought a mintstate Gordian II Denarius for $300 back in 1987, today that coin would sell for $6700, it would have been a great buy. Only US coins are selling for less today then ten years ago/ ancients have tripled in that time.
John

 

Here's a good place to calculate inflation's effects on prices:

https://inflationdata.com/inflation/Inflation_Calculators/Cumulative_Inflation_Calculator.aspx

Note that $1.00 in 1970 is the same as $6.42 today. So based on inflation ONLY, a $500 coin in 1970 would cost $3,210 today.

But I don't think inflation is really relevant in the contest. Partly because of inflation and rising prices in the ancient coin marketplace, Cucumbor's coin is outstanding value for the money relative to those coin types. Orfew's coin is outstanding value for a gold coin in that condition. How do you compare the two?

 

In this coin fight, I go Caesar's elephant. Not the best design of one on a small coin, but historic. C's coin is in great condition, well struck, centered, ... O's gold is impressive, but not my thing.
My favorite elephant coin -

 

It was brought to my attention that I misspelled @Cucumbor in the title of my post. Dang spell check. I have offered my apologies to Q and it's okay, he was cool with it...

I also thought this post needed a *bump*

 

No worries @Curtisimo
When I signed in, Cucumber sounded a bit too much vegetable, for some reason I thought I should strenghen it a bit with a hint of Terminator

Q

 

That's one beautiful coin rrdenarius, great detail.

 

2 awesome looking coins. Really like the elephant not to mention its a Julius Caeser Denarius. But then again how can you not like a gold coin? And at that price too? Wish I could find gold coins for that price.

 

Both great coins in there own right, tough contest. Best of luck to the both of you.

 

Another tough one! I had to go with the $200 solidus for value/money, and there was no beating JC for historical and numismatic significance. In eye appeal, it was very nearly a tossup. JC has a broad flan and the whole design on flan, which seems super uncommon for these coins, but, in the end, I had to go with the Byzantine offering. I have to say these are both fine pieces, and I would be absolutely thrilled if I owned either of them.