Here's a couple of coins I acquired in the early seventies. First is a roll find that I had to break the wrapper to remove it. I thought I scored a nickel, lol. This next one was given to me by my Grandmother. She pulled it out of her garden in upstate NY in the early 60's. Oh, and it's not copper for those who have never seen it posted before. And last is my favorite Morgan Dollar die I picked up a couple of years ago that started my '83-O quest.
I collect because: Bela IV of Hungary It is awesome to own coins of famous and colorful rulers, like this coin of Bela IV of Hungary, one of the most famous and important kings of Medieval Eastern Europe. Bohemond III I collect because it is cool to hold in my bare hands coins that people were using during key moments in history...like this coin from the Principality of Antioch, from the time of the Crusades. Plautilla I collect because it is incredible to own coins commemorating events and cultures that have long passed into obscurity through the passage of millennia after millennia. Imagine what the world was like nearly 2000 years ago when this coin was fresh off the Roman mint. Cherronesos lion And I collect ancients because modern coins can't approach the beauty and mystery of coins whose dies were hand carved, and whose blanks were hand struck over two millennia ago by skilled celators, and whose works of art can still be appreciated 2,400+ years later in the form of the coins they left behind for us.
Great coins! Love to see them. I have way too many that I would like to add to the thread, but I'm going to add two coins that I bought purely because the resonated with me. I'm not putting sets together for either of these denominations. This has an even, copper toning on both sides. It's more evident in the picture of the reverse. It's lustrous and I love it. I'm not a barber fan, but I do like the looks of this coin.
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to collect US commemorative (classic) issues. Early on, I was satisfied with '64 ('58) grades but I've since 'upped the ante' to '65 or better. It's a progression we all go through at one time or another, as we graduate from the mundane and seek higher quality.
I believe it to be a contemporary counterfeit and I'm not sure what it's made of. One of these days I would love to get it under an XRF analyzer.
Wow that Judd pattern is incredible and the obverse die crack on the 1876 is outstanding. I really like terminal die state coins.
Not rare by any means, just nicely struck and patinated. I love the depiction of Athena on the reverse. Gordian III and Tranquillina marriage issue, Anchialus, Thrace.
This may seem odd coming from a Classic fan like myself, but this - my only Modern (a set) - is the one in my collection which most means "collecting" to me: It's commemorating a subject which is near and dear to my heart, and is a gift from my closest friend. I don't own anything related to numismatics of greater importance to me.