Post your latest ancient!

It is one of the better ones out there and surprisingly it didn’t break the bank.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Here's a recent acquisition. This fits nicely in my "Lunar" or "celestial" catergories.
CILICIA. Hierapolis-Castabala. Faustina II (Augusta, 147-175). Ae.
Reference: RPC 6183
Condition: Very Fine
Weight: 12.89gr
Diameter: 26.87mm

This is a rather cool coin because it depicts the Moon (Faustina II as Selene) on the Obverse- look for crescent moon on forhead and Helios (either as Commodus as a youth or Marcus Aurelis) on the reverse wearing a radiant crown. I haven't found many examples. So if you know of any other published records of this coin- other than what RPC reports- it would be greatly appreciated if you shared the infomation here.

 

Arrived yesterday

 

Lycia, c. 520 BC!
silver obol.

 

Fine looking coin @Nicholas Molinari

 

I just got in this recent auction win. It's a continuation of my collection of Roman Emperors and my first Commodus coin. His coins can be had fairly cheaply if one is willing to compromise on quality, but I wanted a half-decent example (especially the portrait) and this nice chunky sestertius fits the bill nicely!

 

Here is another coin which, although not my latest purchase, is one of the latest I've properly photographed. It's my favorite ancient Chinese coin, and also my oldest.

 

From Abakainon, mid 4th century, featuring Acheloios of the Helikon. Truly, I never thought I’d get a chance at one of these, and I ended up winning it for about 1/3 of what I was willing to pay.

 

Continuing my collection of Constantine family portraits, here is one I got in today:





I am particularly happy with this one for a couple reasons. First of all, as I have been finding, the Rome mint seemed to produce some of the best Constantinian portraiture (See my Rome mint portrait of Constantine I here). This Fausta portrait from the Rome mint is about as nicely done as any I've seen.

Second, as I was contemplating purchasing it, I did a quick search for Rome mint Fausta coins and found this very coin had been sold through CNG a few years ago, as part of a group lot of three:

Auction Lot (cngcoins.com)



And finally (and best of all!) as you can see from the CNG listing, this coin came from the collection of Giovanni Dattari, a very well-known 19th-century collector of ancient coins, notably Alexandrian coinage, but also many others as well. A great write-up about Giovanni Dattari and his famous collection can be read here, written by @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

Neither the CNG listing nor the Dattari provenance was given in the dealer's listing. The coin had already been on my watch list, and when I discovered the 100+ year-old provenance I did not hesitate to purchase!

Needless to say I am very happy with my new coin and am now on the lookout for a Rome-mint Helena or Crispus coin.

Oh by the way, when I was looking up the RIC number on OCRE I couldn't find any with that particular obverse legend (hence the "var." in my photo). If anyone who has the official published RIC could check for me I'd be greatly obliged!

 

OCRE has the wrong obverse legend for 294 and they also have a DIVO Claudius coin picture. The legend FLAV MAX FAVSTA AVG is RIC VII Rome 292. The shorter legend FL MAX is Rome 293 and 294. The difference between the two is the bust type-- 293 is bareheaded while 294 has a diadem. Yours is bareheaded, so RIC 293. Below is 294 for comparison.

 

Thank you so much! I will edit accordingly.

 

Couple that arrived recently

 

Images came out pretty dark, it is very bright in hand. From when Aurelian required that coinage went to a ratio of 20:1 copper to silver.

 

Constantine I
A.D. 320
18x19mm 2.3g
CONST-[ANTINVS AVG]; helmeted and cuirassed bust right.
VIRTVS EXERCIT; Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side, S-F across fields.
in ex. AQ[P]
RIC VII Aquileia 48

brockage

 

Fantastic obverse brockage, nice pick up.

 

Excellent, congratulations! I've had only a few coins with that type of florescent green/magenta patina. It's a beauty to behold, especially on a coin of that rarity.

 

One of late emperors and my second solidus.