SA's favourites 2017: $1 to $100 list

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Severus Alexander, Dec 14, 2017.

  1. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    This has been a huge coin year for me, my best ever by a long shot, mostly because I joined CoinTalk in January. Thank you all!! :happy: On the other hand, I see that I overspent somewhat (I was shocked when I added it up!) because you folks have inspired me too much with all your cool coins! I'm going to rationalize my year's spending as making up for 10 years of not being on CoinTalk... but next year I will definitely have to rein it in! :shame:

    For this year, though, it would be impossible to keep myself to a single "top 10" list, so I hope you will forgive me for indulging in several. There will be a few thematic 2017-in-review posts, and also my overall top 15. (Or at least that's the plan as of now.)

    In honour of a thriftier 2018, for the first one I'm taking up @zumbly's dougsmit-inspired challenge to present 10 favourite coins for the year in rising ten dollar price brackets, all below $100 including fees, shipping etc. (I'm excluding anything that will appear in a later list.) Without further ado, then, here are the coins and my reasons for liking them...


    $1-10 range: Gallienus (253-68) antoninianus, part of the "zoo series." Rev. LIBERO P CONS AVG Panther (or tigress?) walking left.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 4.51.35 PM.jpg
    Why this coin? I love cats! 'Nuff said. (The only reason this was so cheap was that it was part of a group lot.)


    $11-20 range: Justinian (527-565) pentanummium from Carthage.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 5.11.23 PM.jpg
    From the same group lot as the previous coin, I like this for its cute little portrait and its scarcity, but mainly for its historical interest: it was issued soon after Justinian's reconquest of Africa from the Vandals in 533-34. When this coin was minted, the province still wasn't fully secured.


    $21-30 range: Hemibol of Themistokles, Ionia: Magnesia ad Maeander, 465-459 BCE. Barley grain/Youthful head (portrait of Themistokles?)
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 8.17.08 PM.jpg
    This coin is not a beauty, but it is extremely rare; and more importantly was issued by one of the most famous Greeks in history. Themistokles (you can just barely make out a Θ in the left field of the obverse) was responsible for the buildup of the Athenian navy as well as for the great victory at Salamis against the Persians using that navy. Later, the Athenians found him too big for his britches and ostracized him. He ended up serving as a Persian governor(!) and that's when this coin was issued. I was absolutely gobsmacked to get this coin at its super-low opening price. Obviously nobody else noticed it... the next cheapest example on acsearch, with a slightly better obverse and significantly worse reverse, sold for $425 + fees in 2012! I'll have more to say about Themistokles in a later 2017-in-review post... ;)


    $31-40 range: Value 100 wu zhu, issued in 221-223 by Liu Bei of the Kingdom of Shu, Three Kingdoms period. Hartill 11.1
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 9.11.23 PM.jpg
    I like this coin because it is a nice, chunky bronze with a pleasant patina, and because it has been attributed to Liu Bei, one of the famous heroes of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. This massive 14th century historical novel has a status in China similar to Shakespeare's works in the English-speaking world. (I confess I have not managed to get into it though! Maybe this coin will help me...)


    $41-50 range: Kasolaba, Caria, hemiobol, issued 400-340 BCE.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 9.43.22 PM.jpg
    C'mon, who could possibly resist that cute lil ram?! I think I'll be able to improve the reverse, which I also like, by lightening the toning on the face a bit. Note the clear letter from the Carian alphabet on the reverse behind the neck. As a language, Carian went extinct a few hundred years after this coin was issued.


    $51-60 range: Islamic, al-Andalus (Spain). Umayyads, al-Hakam II ibn 'Abd al-Rahman (AH 350-366 / AD 961-976). AR Dirham
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 9.57.55 PM.jpg
    This one grabs me mostly because of its historical interest: al-Hakam II, the second Caliph of Córdoba, was an excellent scholar, which is neat but not too out of the ordinary. What makes this guy particularly amazing as an Islamic caliph is that he was also openly gay, and employed a female mathematician as his personal secretary! This coin was minted in 356 AH in Medina Azahara, the "Versailles of the Middle Ages" that al-Hakam's father created as the capitol of his new Caliphate.


    $61-70 range: Remi debased gold 1/4 stater, 2nd to 1st c. BCE. Four parallel lines, last one L; to left, S. / Horse prancing to left; above and below, torques.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 10.16.30 PM.jpg
    The Remi were a Belgic tribe in northern Champagne, famed for their food and their horses. They remained loyal to Julius Caesar throughout the Gallic wars, and were essential for supplying horses for his cavalry. I knew I wanted a coin from the Remi with a nice Celtic horse on it... and for under $70 in gold? Deal!! (Admittedly heavily debased gold, but still...)


    $71-80 range: L. Calpurnius Piso and Q. Servilius Caepio, denarius, 100 BCE. Saturn / Two male figures seated on subsellium; on either side, ear of wheat.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 10.32.04 PM.jpg
    There's a lot of history packed into this coin. It was issued both to purchase stock for and to celebrate the Marius/Saturninus law mandating state-subsidized grain for the Roman populace, and both Piso and Caepio and their families were important figures in the Republic. The harpa behind Saturn is neat too. It's an ancient musical instrument like a bumpy sickle, and is associated with Saturn because of the gruesome use to which he put it, ensuring that his father Uranus would no longer procreate. :wideyed:
    Great toning, too bad about the obverse scratch... but that probably saved me some bucks!


    $81-90 range: L. Scipio Asiagenus, serrate denarius, issued 106 BCE. Jupiter / Jupiter driving quadriga.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 11.06.16 PM.jpg
    I've been wanting a serrate denarius, and liked the look and price of this one. Nice depictions of Jupiter, great horses, and nicely centred. After I bought it, I noticed the spelling error... it should be "ASIAG", not "ASAG". An interesting feature, rather than a bug, I'd say!


    $91-100 range: T. Quinctius Flamininus, denarius, 126 BC.
    Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 11.12.24 PM.jpg
    There are lots of positives about this coin. I love the toning, the apex behind Roma is neat, and it is from the Clain-Stefanelli collection. In addition, the Macedonian shield recalls the moneyer's important ancestor of the same name, who utterly defeated Philip V of Macedon at the battle of Cynoscephalae in 197 BCE, and proclaimed the freedom of the Greeks, to great rejoicing. (Of course he kinda lied, but it was at least sorta true for a little while!)

    And that's a wrap! For now...

    Please post anything relevant!
     
    Last edited: Dec 15, 2017
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  3. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    I can't believe (yes I know it's true, yet I can't believe it) you got such a beautiful Gallienus/panther for less than 10 bucks. That's amazing !

    A nice selection overall, and great deals

    Q
     
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  4. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Great value there, you have some total bargains for under $100, all decent detail.
     
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  5. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Great list... I love it! Your collecting interests cover a lot of ground and it really shows in that list. Nicely scored on that trio of thrifty Republicans, and the Gallienus Panther is sweet group lot find. I also love the Themistokles (I’ve never even seen one of them before), and that charming Kasolaba hemiobol is my absolute favourite on the list.
     
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  6. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Excellent coins and sweet deals!
     
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  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I agree that Gallienus panther is super neat (all these recent postings of his "zoo" coins have brought my attention to them for the first time).

    But this one is my favorite. Sweet toning!

    [​IMG]

    Really, I like ALL of those Roman Republican pieces.

    And I think the Celtic coin is cool.
     
  8. Daniel_R6

    Daniel_R6 Well-Known Member

    Great additions at great value. And a Gallienus “zoo series” in the $1-10 range - well done!
     
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  9. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

  10. Kasia

    Kasia Got my learning hat on

    I love this Idea and think I will be doing a couple lists, though they may have to wait some to post.
     
  11. LaCointessa

    LaCointessa Well-Known Member

    Wow! I love all your favorite coins and you got great bargains, which makes it even better. So why wouldn't you continue to grab those bargains in 2018!??!? Of course, @Severus Alexander, you simply must! :p

    (I also love a ram. At least I am almost positive I do but I am not sure. I came across it while coin cleaning. On the reverse it looks like a man trucking to the left in the background with a ram-like animal standing to the man's right a bit in the foreground with its body going left but his head looking out facing us. I was just looking at it again this morning thinking someone on CT must have an idea what this coin is. I've got to post it - maybe after I get back from running errands.)

    Thanks for posting your coins. I really enjoyed looking at them.
     
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  12. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Just WOW @Severus Alexander! That Themistocles is an absolute SLAM DUNK of an acquisition... but I'm not jealous or anything :wideyed::sour::bigtears:

    *totally jealous*
     
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  13. Gavin Richardson

    Gavin Richardson Well-Known Member

    I love this list. The only downside to posting Top 10's is that some of the beautiful high-end coins might discourage budget collectors from sharing the coins that have brought them pleasure this year. This list shows that, with patience, some very attractive and interesting coins can be had at relatively little cost. I hope others have found it as inspiring and encouraging as I have!
     
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  14. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Wow, a great list. I like them all!
     
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  15. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Of all the coins, I like the Kasolaba, Caria best.
     
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  16. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    Those are amazing especially at the prices you were able to acquire them---all have such wonderful eye-appeal.

    As a generalist, I love them all and would add each one to my collection!!
     
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  17. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    @Severus Alexander ! Super WELL DONE! Nice value, VERY cool coins, and just a nice group of coins! WOW for the price!

    Killer deals on those 3 RR Denarii!

    From our conversations, here is a Bull, not a steer, but a Bull... LOL, :D

    Carthage 216-215 BCE Sardinia mint  AE 3.3g Tanit L - BULL stndg R CNP 377a.JPG
    Carthage 216-215 BCE Sardinia mint AE 3.3g Tanit L - BULL stndg R CNP 377a
     
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  18. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Great group. I do appreciate the toning and historical ties as well.
     
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  19. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Thanks so much, everyone! I can't tell you how much of a difference it has made to have such a great group of coin buddies. There's each of our individual collections, and I also feel like there's the "CT Ancients & Medieval Collection" composed of all of them, to be found right here in our virtual museum.

    Wow, Gavin, those are kind words that mean a lot to me. Also makes me very comfortable with the idea that I'll have to curb my expenditure next year. You're right... there are wonderful coins to be had on any budget.

    The average cost for the group lot was 16 bucks per coin, but when I weighted them according to resale value, this one dropped down to $8.60. A bit artificial maybe, but I think that is the most accurate measure of its cost. I got pretty lucky with that group...

    That seems to be a popular one. After I've washed the youth's face I'll post it again, hopefully I won't wreck it! :bucktooth:

    Oh, I probably will. :) But there's also the plan of saving my budget for the big splashy buys, which can be bargains in their own right. What I will mostly cut down on are "hole-fillers," but I fear I will have to let some bargains whoosh by... it will be hard!! (I can try to tell a fellow CTer about them, but often you don't know it's a bargain until the last second.)
     
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  20. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    I look forward to these posts!!

    Good to know there are a few who take their generalism to similar crazy extremes. :wacky:

    Thanks, Gandalf. Pretty sure that coin of yours will be costing me money next year! ;)
     
  21. Smojo

    Smojo dreamliner

    Nice list, like most here that Kasolaba is great.
    I'm more laid back and drawn to that serrate L. Scipio myself, sweet RR
     
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