[Poll] IMPERATOR CHAMPIONSHIP! #3 Alegandron vs #5 zumbly - CIT 2017

After weeks of interesting and entertaining matches we have finally narrowed down our field to just two members who will face off over the next four days with the title of CoinTalk Coin Imperator on the line! Our winner will take the tournament gold medal and will be able to celebrate the first ever CT triumph where he will nominate his charity of choice to receive a donation on his behalf. Perhaps our triumph will even hold some additional fun and surprises so make sure to be on the look-out after the end of this match.

If you still aren’t aware of the tournament (where have you been all month?!) and would like to get caught up on the action you can do so at the following link;

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



#3 @Alegandron


Roman Republic
Anonymous, 234-231 BCE
AR Didrachm (6.6g, 20mm, 12h)
Rome mint
Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right
Rev: Unbridled horse prancing left, ROMA above.
Ref: Sear 28; Crawford 26/1; RSC 37
Comments: Very distinct Greek influence.
ACSearch posts several, and many are listed as 'Rare' / 'Very Rare'. CNG shows none in their Research database. Personally, I consider them 'Scarce'.

Price: approx. $1,600 (2016 Purchase)

Why it’s cool:
I am always fascinated how events get started... I enjoy understanding the 'foundations' of things, history, or events.

During the Third Century BCE ENORMOUS changes happened to the City of Rome and the Roman Republic. They started amassing an Empire after fighting Punic Wars with Carthage, Wars with Pyrrhus, and wars with various Italic States and Celtic Tribes. During this time, Rome minted their first silver coins. This silver mintage reflected the Roman Republic's ability to amass wealth, and their developing a trading sphere outside of just Central Italia. Rome was setting the foundations of their well-known and Great Empire.

The Romans began minting Silver coinage in 280 BCE, striking AR Didrachmae and very scarce AR Drachmae to trade with the Southern Italian Greek Cities (Magna Graecia). They also utilized a parallel currency system with their new silver coins. This encompassed cast coinage based on the Roman Libral Pound and their fractional units in cast bronze. These were called Aes Grave coinage.

After the First Punic War ended in 241 BCE, Carthage was forced, in the Treaty of Lutatius, to pay Rome 3,200 talents of silver over a 10 year period (241-231 BC). In order to meet these demands, the Carthaginian general Hamilcar (Hannibal's father) was forced to invade Hispania and exact tribute from the silver mine rich local tribes.

This silver Didrachm corresponds to the end of that period where tribute silver could still be used for Roman coins. The design references back to the very earliest silver designs on Roman coins with the exception that the inscription "ROMANO" was changed to "ROMA". It is unclear what significance this entails. This coin type disappears around the time that the tribute from Carthage ends. Shortly after this date the financial strains of preparing for and fighting the Second Punic War caused the Romans to debase some of their silver coins.

During this Didrachm's minting, Rome's territory included just the red portion of the below map. They were in control of the Italian peninsula... just before becoming an Empire. The Didrachm shown above was part of the wealth that fueled the People, the Trade, the Legions, and the Will to expand into one of the greatest Empires.

This Apollo / Prancing Horse Didrachm design is among Rome's more beautiful coins!




#5 @zumbly


MACEDONIA, as Roman Protectorate
AR Tetradrachm. 16.84g, 32.7mm. MACEDONIA (as Roman Protectorate), First Meris, Amphipolis mint, circa 167-149 BC.
Obv.: Diademed and draped bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder, in the center of a Macedonian shield.
Rev.: Club; monogram above, two monograms below, MAKEΔONΩN, ΠPΩTHΣ below; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to left.
SNG Cop 1313; Prokopov 127.

Price: approx. $380 (2017 Purchase)

Why it’s cool:
The year is 167 BC, and Perseus V, King of Macedon, is being led in chains through the streets of Rome. He is being paraded in the lavish triumph of his conqueror, the consul L. Aemilius Paullus, who is accorded the nameMacedonicus. The Third Macedonian War is at an end, and the famed Greek kingdom that gave rise to Philip II and Alexander the Great has fallen to the Roman Republic.


A section ofThe Triumph of Aemilius Paulus by Carle Vernet, 1789
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

This silver tetradrachm, struck soon after in the newly-created Roman protectorate of Macedon, is a tangible artifact of the short, seminal chapter of history that follows the end of that war. According to the historian Livy, the Roman Senate proclaimed that Macedonian citizens were to retain their liberty, "so that it might be clear to all the world that the arms of Rome did not carry slavery to the free, but on the contrary freedom to the enslaved." To that end, even as the royal portrait was replaced with a bust of the goddess Artemis, the new coins would betray no other trace of Roman dominion over the erstwhile kingdom. Employed on the obverse was a traditional Macedonian shield design used in the past by several kings of the Antigonid dynasty, with the reverse legend declaring that the coin was "of the First (Meris, or district) of the Macedonians". These coins - Greek beauties struck under Roman authority - would exemplify the relationship between the ostensibly autonomous Macedonian republics and their foreign 'protector'.

Despite the fact that enormous quantities of these First Meris tetradrachms were struck, it is interesting to note that the production was never haphazard, and the series was amongst the most well-made of all ancient coins. While one can imagine how an off-center strike would greatly detract from the aesthetic effect of the Macedonian shield design on the obverse, one would be hard-pressed to find actual examples of such shoddy manufacture. Furthermore, some dies, such as the one used to strike this coin, were true masterpieces of the die worker's art, with the portrait of Artemis in the central boss of the shield engraved in exquisite Classical style.

The many interesting aspects of these First Meris tetradrachms have always made me think of them as coins that are common yet quintessential, each one a fascinating blend of beauty, historical significance and numismatic interest.




...and with these absolutely amazing entries our tournament for 2017 will come to a bittersweet close. I want to once again thank all who have participated, voted or followed our first annual tournament. So one last time feel free to pile on, comment or post goofy pictures just for the heck of it

 

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Fantastic Tetradrachm @zumbly !!! I love that coin! Well played! That one is already on my target list.

 

Superb didrachm, @Alegandron. A highlight of your collection for me. I really enjoyed the write-up too!

 

Wow !
I'm really impressed with those two beauties, congrats to both of you for a smart choice (smart choices at every stage of the competition should I say) and good luck !
Another tough one vote

Q

 

Now I'm sitting calculating how long it will take me to save up to get that Tetradrachm. Both beautiful coins. After careful consideration along with some sloppy math, and if my truck doesn't give me any more trouble, I may afford one somewhere between the end of the summer and Thanksgiving.

 

Both beautiful coins to finish the competition a credit to you both, my votes are split, as I have mentioned in an earlier round I can't go past the punic era of Roman history so I have given @Alegandron that vote, as for value for money that is tighter than it looks, I gave it to @zumbly but just, as the Didrachm is so close to EF it is well worth the dollars. As for eye appeal I gave half a vote each as I could not split them.

 

I want to thank Curtisimo the great, for doing an excellent job !

another tough cookie to cast votes, both coins are great, never saw that Roman didrachm before, the Macedonian shield is well known and a beautifull coin to own,
the concave shape is just amazing.

 

Fantastic Coins both! I am selfishly pulling for Zumbly (hey, if I lost in the first round, at least it may be to the champ!)

 

great coins and histories both! i commend Curtisimo the Great for invent and master of ceremonies, along with all those brave and noble contestants who, win or lose, entertained and enlightened us. kudos to y'all

 

Unsurprisingly, I'm having a hell of a time deciding how to use my three votes

I just placed a bid on a RR Didrachm and I have an example (or two) of 'Macedonia Under Roman Rule'---so obviously I LOVE them both....and each one has an excellent write-up.

Congrats to @zumbly and @Alegandron for posting two WINNERS!!!

And thanks again to @Curtisimo, our 'Master of Ceremonies'!!

 

Thanks guys! I've actually had a lot of fun managing this tournament and I've gotten the chance to interact more with a lot of you.

Nice example @Andres2. After seeing you and zumbly show these coins they are going to have to go on my shopping list (which seems to be only getting longer and longer )

Both of our championship matches are proving to be immensely entertaining! Both will be photo finishers. As of this message;

Zumbly: 51
Alegandron: 50

Love it! This is our first close match where the deciding factor seems like it will be eye appeal instead of interest.

 

Love these coins ... you see them, then you hear them and then you feel them knock you off out of the easy chair.

 

Well nice coins you two!

 

Wow => both of you dudes rock!! (you're both among my favourite coin-bros)

and those fricken coins => "wow, well played" (hey, it's no horoscope coin, but they're both nice)



I gave Gandalf the eye-appeal (hey, that's one sweet animal-coin!!)

... and yah, I gave Z-Bro the value-vote ...

Oh, and I can be bought for the tie-breaker (I'm just sayin')

Just jokes => it's gonna be a close one (hopefully it's a tie)

I love both of you guys

 

You've done a fantastic job and I've enjoyed this little contest a great deal. Sorry I haven't posted much, but I've been following the matches every night. Kudos to all the participants and especially to you for hosting it.

 

Alegandron - 62
zumbly - 59

Another epic battle...

 

So hard to vote, they are both awesome coins. Of course I had to give some points to the Tet. one of my own.

 

Hooboy... this one is tough! Had to give Alegandron the nod for history (and it seems fitting that it is an early Republican) even though Z made a valiant effort at the writeup (and one I will steal when I finally get my own First Meris tet). Z got my vote for eye appeal (that's one of the most artistic First Meris tets I've seen) and he also nosed out Alegandron on value.

It's hard not to factor in friendships but both competitors are good coinfriends so that's no help .

Looks like some people haven't voted. C'mon everyone-- weigh in

 

Currently 68 apiece. I've yet to make a foray into the dark side, but have been following this tournament since it started. Very cool concept.
What happens in the event of a tie, bonus tiebreaker round?

 

This is a good question and one I hope I don't have to answer! I was thinking about this a lot since our other finals round match ended up decided by a single vote!

My initial thoughts were to make a tie breaker based on average margin of victory or total tournament points. Both of these will be problematic though as it seems it would penalize Z for that entertaining nail biter in round 2.

Maybe consider it @Mikey Zee 's final revenge

...also @Mad Stax you should come to the dark side... it's nice over here.