Hello everyone, The purpose of this thread is to 1) show my first additions of 2020 and 2) ask for your advice via a poll. It's the first time I use this possibilty, so I hope you are willing to fill it in! A friend of mine decided to no longer collect ancient coins and I offered to him to trade his ancient coins for 21st century euro's. He had collected 4 coins, 3 of which are coins of Antoninus Pius. The other coin is a denarius of Trajan with the column reverse, which I will sell since I already own that type and will not show here. The three AP coins mean that my coins of AP now total 6: 4 denarii and 2 sestertii. This is a bit too much for my modest collection so my sort of neurotic nature forced me to decide to part with at least 1, maybe even 2 coins. The one(s) I maybe will sell will be shown below. And no worries, I have permission of my friend concerning selling his old coins and I am not looking for a profit or something! Now for the coins. No. 1. This coin depicts victory advancing right, on the reverse, with the legend IMPERATOR II. This is a reference to the victory of AP over the Brigantes in Britannia (his governor actually, but hey, AP is the boss so he gets the credits, right!?). In that sense it is a coin very much to my liking as it refers to an actual historical event. The coin is a bit worn, especially the reverse, and I am not very fond of its colouring. You know I like my coins as green as Shrek! No. 2. The second coin is a very, very nice sestertius, a bit heavier and bigger compared to no. 1. The coin's colouring is definately better as no. 1. However, the flan shows a crack and I'm a bit worried about the green stuff growing in the crack and in the hair of AP. Is it BD? Or some other residue? No. 3. This denarius is a common type of AP but sharp and the obverse is beautiful due to the irridescence colouring. Then again, it is a common type of AP, so why keep it? No. 4. Last coin is the one I already owned. It is also a common denarius of AP. It is a bit more worn than coin no. 3, but the obverse has a nice darker patina with some goldish colouring around near the legend. Sweet, but should I keep or sell it? The reverse looks like an alien is depicted on it... So, that's it. Thanks for voting, please leave a comment below. And be sure to show your keepers of AP!
Hoard them all! Get more! One can't have enough Antonine coins. Heck, I have more than a hundred different types of his wife and daughter alone! By the way, all the cool kids have a darkly toned AP COS IIII denarius with Annona holding corn ears over a modius in one hand and an anchor on the other. Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161. Roman AR denarius, 2.88 g, 18.0 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 149. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XII, laureate head, right. Rev: COS IIII, Annona standing left, holding two corn-ears in right hand over modius and resting left hand on anchor. Refs: RIC 175; BMCRE 657-60; Cohen 284; RCV --; Strack 191.
Keep the sestertii, sell the denarii Antoninus Pius, Sestertius - Rome mint, AD 140/144 ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head right PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM, winged thunderbolt, S - C in field 25.86 gr, 31 mm Ref : Cohen #682, RCV # 4208, RIC III # 618 Q
@Limes, what a wonderful predicament to be in!...but (there's that but again) you must realize that we all have different motivations in our collecting habits, & it really comes down to our individual situations & wants (& needs). For example, were I in your shoes, I would not have even created this thread, because I would keep them all. I voted for you to sell all 4. The reason is that you don't seem committed or desiring of them. You seem to be very astute in your assessment of them, so you realize what you have. As for your friend, there are 2 great conundrums in collecting ancients: getting started , & getting totally out . Good luck to your friend! Many do the former, few do the latter. JMHO
Yep keep em all!.....Nice coins.... Antoninus Pius. 138-161 AD. AE As (9.86 gm, 25.5mm). Rome mint. Struck 140-144 AD. Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PI VS PP TRP COS III, laureate head right. Reverse: ANNONA AVG, S-C, Annona standing right, holding grain ears over modius in right hand, cornucopia in left; at feet to right, prow right. RIC III 675. VF.
I agree. If you can sell all, do so and find a place where they can be appreciated. I see people with similar lack of commitment to coins quit the hobby and suggest you either find coins you would not consider selling for no good reason or just sell all and leave. It would be different if the money were needed or you had better examples of the same coins but these strike me as close enough to the same grade that if each is not good enough for you, none are.
