Sallent's Epic Top 10 Coins of 2016

Incredible portrait on the Rome minted Sep Sev.

 

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I'm going to do one more tonight. I'll probably do one or two more tomorrow:

#8:


M. Fonteius. 87 B.C. AR denarius (19.87 mm, 3.93 g, 5 h). M· FONTEI C·F, laureate head of Apollo Vejovis right; monogram below chin, AP monogram below chin / Eros (or infant winged Genius) seated on goat right; caps of the Dioscuri above; filleted thyrsos below; all within laurel wreath. Crawford 353/1a; Sydenham 724; RSC Fonteia 9. Toned EF, Minor reverse die break.

This coin was in my list of coins to get almost since day one of my ancient coin collecting journey. I'm not ashamed to admit it was all about the goat. I just had to have me one of them fluffy goats. I've had it now for about 6 months and I'm still very exited about owning it.

I think the caps representing the discouri is also a very nice touch to what is already one cool coin. Different versions of the discouri theme feature heavily in Roman Republic coins, so in a sense it is nice to see this unique coin still retains one of the more traditional themes of Roman Republic denarii design.

 

The design on this coin is one of the nicest on any RR coin. I did own two, but sold/traded one to Mat. I'm always looking at these for the variances. Yours is plain lovely.

MN FONTEIUS CF ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Apollo Vejovis right, M FONTEI CF behind, thunderbolt below, ROMA monogram below chin
REVERSE: Infant winged Genius (or Cupid) seated
Struck at Rome 85 BC
3.87g, 20mm
Cr353/1a; Fonteia 9

 

Agreed. Love the design of this coin:


RR Fonteius 85 BC AR Den Apollo tbolt Cupid Goat Pilei Wreath Sear 271 Craw 353/1a

 

Yeah, these coins are true beauties. However (SPOILER ALERT) I think #7 on my list will far outdo the M. Fonteius in style and sheer beauty...which is not hard to believe considering it comes from one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and arguably the most beautiful city in the entire Mediterranean.

Tune in tomorrow and find out.

 

All winners so far.....Naturally, i'm looking forward to the remainder of your posts!

 

#7:


Pietro Gradenigo 1289-1311
Venice
AR Grosso 21mm. 2.18g.
The doge at left, and St. Mark at right, standing facing, supporting pendant; DVX between. PE. GRADONICO. .S.M. VENETI.
Nimbate Christ enthroned facing; IC-XC flanking.
Biaggi 2794
Note: Nicely toned with underlying lustre.


I would love to talk about this coin, but @FitzNigel 's thread on the history of the Grosso is so good that I recommend you read it and give him a like (if you haven't done so already)
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/medieval-the-grosso-and-the-fourth-crusade.285435/

 

Sweet coins so far Sallent. I can't wait to see the rest. The scorpion coin is fantastic

 

That's what I'm talking about... I have to keep stoping myself from buying more of these grossos... I've already got one, I keep saying..l

 

Well, if you are a big silver bug, my collection would probably look like coin porn, kind of like if you are a big gold bug @panzerman 's collection is pure sex.

 

Wow ! what a fantastic coin !
I dunno what JC has taken prior to pose for the picture but I'd like to meet his dealer : look at those eyes !!

Q

 

Yeah, this Jesus would fit in perfectly at a California hippie community circa 1969.

 

Love them all....esp. the Medieval types. I have a lot of lawyers for lawn care clients, sadly not one collects coins! Coin collectors rock!!!!!

 

Might be too late for my 2016 list, but I'll go ahead and add it as a special mention:

SPECIAL MENTION

Thessaly, Larissa. Ca. 356-342 B.C.
AR hemidrachm. Ex BCD, Ex C.C., May 1993.
(15.58 mm, 2.32 g, 10 h).
Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left
ΛAPIΣ-AIΩN, Horse standing right, preparing to roll.
BCD Thessaly II 333; SNG Copenhagen 132. VF.
Ex BCD,
Ex C.C., May 1993.

And now, for #6 on my list, another lady.

#6

Plautilla
AR Denarius 19mm. 2.70g. Rome Mint 202-205 A.D.
Draped bust, r., with hair in horizontal waves and drawn into large bun at back.
PLAUTILLAE AVGVSTAE
Caracalla and Plautilla standing hand in hand, the former holds a roll.
PROPAGO IMPERI
RIC IV 362; RSC III 21
Note: Faint cleaning scratches.

This coin holds a special place in my heart. Plautilla looks so young and innocent and I find it easy to relate to this unfortunate young woman. I look at this coin and it breaks my heart, knowing that the monster on the reverse whom she married treated her so badly and murdered her. She was just a young girl who got caught in the middle of Imperial affairs and paid for it with her life. That's why this coin has to be on my top 10 list, because it stirs so many emotions within me in a way few other coins do. I can just imagine Plautilla and her daughter on the day Caracalla sent his centurions to murder them, and I can feel the sadness in her face on the obverse of this coin.

Tune in tomorrow for #5, and maybe #4 too. It will be worth it.

 

You know my love for Plautilla, I can just agree with your statement on the poor young lady/big macho man

Q

 

Ooh, I love the portrait of Plautilla on this one too. Nice #6.

 

You've been busy this year, Counselor. Nice acquisitions and love to see the RR in particular!

 

#5 is a tie (just like #9). Can't be helped, sometimes coins are just so good one can't decide between them.

#5(a):

Kings of Baktria Indo-Greek
Apollodotos I Circa 180/174-165/160 B.C.
AR Square Drachm 20mm. 2.42g.
Elephant standing right; (RK) monogram below.
BASILEWS APOLLODOTOU SWTHROS
Zebu standing right; W below.
Bopearachchi 4E; SNG ANS 324-327
Note: Light toning in devices.

An elephant and a zebu walk into a bar...I don't know if you all remember @stevex6 's endless elephant and zebu jokes when I posted this coin in this forum for the first time.

She is square, got double the animals most coins have, and Greek and native writing on it (a bilingual coin). What's not to love about this Indo-Greek beauty?

#5(b):


Kavadh I, AD 499-531
AR Drachm, 28mm, 4.1g, 10h
Obv.: "Kava (may he) prosper" in Pahlavi (crude), with letter base inward; crowned and cuirassed bust right, crescents on shoulders, stars flanking crown.
Rev.: Fire altar with attendants; star and crescent flanking flames, date in outer left field; mint in outer right field.
Reference: cf. MACW 1012-16.

Not because it is my coin, but this is honestly one of the most beautiful Sassanian coins I have ever seen. The portrait of a young Kavadh I is divine. It also helps that it has such a great story: Kavadh I was the first hippie in the world, becoming vegetarian, giving away his wealth, and promoting free love and not war. He lost his kingdom because he wanted his nobles to share their wives freely with the poor, and this was a step too far for the Sassanian nobility. This got him locked up in the Castle of Oblivion, from where he escaped and reclaimed his kingdom.

The moral of the story being: Compulsory wife-swapping leads to rebellion.

 

That baktrian is sweet!