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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;zumbly, post: 3115822, member: 57495&quot;]When the Finn Johannessen Collection of Claudius II was sold last year by CNG, I took the opportunity to purchase a few group lots that looked interesting and affordable to me.&nbsp; While pulling out some of the coins from these lots to photograph recently, it occurred to me that they&#039;d make for an interesting CT poll.</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m showing four coins in total, all Claudius II antoniniani, each very different from the others, but all IMHO worthy of collecting for reasons that I&#039;ll mention below along with pics of the coins.&nbsp; The poll is easy - no right or wrong answer, simply choose your favorite - but what I think may be interesting to see is how the votes get split at the end of the day. </p><p><br /></p><p>Beyond choosing your favorite, please feel free to reply to this thread sharing the reason for your choice, and if you&#039;d like to, rank all four coins from your favorite to your least. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Coin #1: Rome mint / Annona reverse. Published in The Celator vol. 16, no 10 (Oct 2002). </b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]791702[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>Perfectly centered on a round flan, with just a bit of striking weakness. A very common but more than respectable example of a Rome mint product of the time. As a bonus, this coin was illustrated in an article written by the collector, Finn Johannessen, in The Celator in 2002.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Coin #2: Smyrna mint / Mercury reverse. Extremely Rare, one of two known.&nbsp; </b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]791704[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>Not just a rare variety, but an actual rare type. The combination of PROVIDENTIA AVG and Mercury only ever occurred at Smyrna, itself a rare mint for Claudius II. In the new RIC V/I online database, only two specimens are recorded (including this one). As a basis of comparison, the same database records more than five <i>hundred </i>examples of Coin #1 above. On the other hand, can numismatic significance trump appearance? Just based on looks, I&#039;d have to admit that this coin clearly belongs in the junk bin.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Coin #3: Rome mint / Pax reverse. High grade, for a Claudius II.</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]791705[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>This one has a straight forward appeal for me - best strike, highest grade. It&#039;s a good-looking coin, even sans patina and on a slightly compact flan (we are talking about Claudius II coins, afterall).</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Coin #4: Siscia mint / Pax reverse. Dramatic obverse double strike. </b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]791703[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>Kevin in quality control strikes again! Off-center on both sides, worn reverse die, somewhat irregular flan, and a ridiculous obverse double strike... but that double strike, it&#039;s so ridiculous that it&#039;s good!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Poll on! </b>And apologies in advance for the lack of a bacon option <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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