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<p>[QUOTE="TIF, post: 2407966, member: 56859"]I don't know which of my coins is the most rare. Several appear to be truly rare but hard data to support the claim is of course spotty. I haven't gone out of my way to document rarity in my database but sometimes I make notes. I probably have a dozen, maybe two dozen, coins which might qualify as rare.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are a few which, at least by virtue of finding no or few others, are probably truly rare. I have not bothered to check for minor varieties within otherwise rather abundant Imperials. </p><p><br /></p><p>One of the many fun things about collecting ancient coins: we can all afford rare coins without having to resort to a USB microscope to look for VAM variety or infinitesimally doubled dies <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_569992e99fea4820b6561fd78f212ea8.jpg/v1/fill/w_1000,h_517,al_c,q_90/ae43f8_569992e99fea4820b6561fd78f212ea8.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>IONIA, Klazomenai</b></p><p>4th century BC</p><p>AE10.7, 1.53 gm.</p><p>Obv: head of Athena right</p><p>Rev: ram lying left, winged boar above, Φ in left field; ANOK (ANOY?) below</p><p>Ref: Not in literature consulted, including Imhoof-Blumer, F., Kleinasiatische Münzen</p><p><i>I've seen a few of this general type but not with the winged boar above the ram. I've searched online archives and various public domain reference books. </i></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_6d55f90db02845a1b703055c500baeee.jpg/v1/fill/w_1020,h_503,al_c,lg_1,q_90/ae43f8_6d55f90db02845a1b703055c500baeee.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>ZEUGITANA, Carthage</b></p><p><b>early 2nd century BCE</b></p><p>AE 15-shekel, 45 mm, 95 gm</p><p>Obv: wreathed head of Tanit left</p><p>Rev: horse standing right, left foreleg up; solar disk with uraei above</p><p>Ref: Alexandropoulos J (2000) Les monnaies de l'Afrique Antique, 103; Müller L (1861) Numismatique de L'Ancienne Afrique, 131; Luynes 3782; Jenkins GK and Lewis RB (1963) Carthaginian Gold and Electrum Coins, Royal Numismatic Society, London, pl. 28 12</p><p><i>There are two versions of this 15-shekel coin. Both types qualify as at least scarce by almost any standard, but the "horse standing right, foreleg raised" is apparently very rare. <a href="http://www.magnagraecia.nl/coins/Punic_map/Zeugitana_map/Zeugitana.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.magnagraecia.nl/coins/Punic_map/Zeugitana_map/Zeugitana.html" rel="nofollow">Magnagraecia.nl</a> reports four specimens. If any of you see one of these online, please let me know so I can add it to my records.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_28ed51df612844ac939eb41f4c54c159.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_485,al_c,lg_1,q_90/ae43f8_28ed51df612844ac939eb41f4c54c159.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>IONIA, Klazomenai</b></p><p>499-494 BCE</p><p>AR diobol, 9mm, 1.2 g</p><p>Obv: forepart of winged boar left</p><p>Rev: incuse square</p><p>Ref: Cf. BMC 9-10 (drachm); cf. Traité I 488 (drachm). VF, toned, porous. Very rare with boar left, apparently unpublished as a diobol</p><p><i>Perhaps a bit close to modern collector mentality, but this one qualifies as rare because the winged boar is facing left. Right-facing Klazomenai diobols are plentiful but I've not seen another left-facer.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/marcusaureliussphinxobol-rt-jpg.468934/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar</b></p><p>AE obol, 20.5 mm, 6.0 gm. Alexandria.</p><p>Year 15 (CE 151/2)</p><p>Obv: MAVPHΛICKAICAP; bust right, bare head</p><p>Rev: Sphinx crouched right; LIE (date) above in left field</p><p>Ref: Emmett 1919.15, R5; Dattari 3221</p><p><br /></p><p><i>I have many Roman Egyptian coins which are rated "R5" by Emmett ("found only in one or two of the major published Alexandrian collections") but some of them are not that hard to find on the market. Conversely, some of the coins with lower Emmett rarity numbers are extremely hard to find in the market. </i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Emmett is about to publish a new catalog of Alexandrian varieties from Elagabalus onwards. I'm almost sad to see this happen. One of the nicest things about collecting Alexandrian coins has been not having to worry about assigning importance to minor variations à la RIC. I won't bore you with a parade of all of my "book rare" Alexandrians but you can see most of my Roman Egypt coins <a href="http://www.tifcollection.com/#!roman-egypt/c1qth" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.tifcollection.com/#!roman-egypt/c1qth" rel="nofollow">here</a> (I have many more not yet loaded to the website).</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>I don't have many Roman Imperials but a few are supposedly rare. Of those, this Postumus may be my rarest, and it came from a large group lot:</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cointalk.com%2Fproxy.php%3Fimage%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fstatic.wixstatic.com%252Fmedia%252Fae43f8_f6e3e51ceda94760a459591360a1a514.jpg%252Fv1%252Ffill%252Fw_1000%252Ch_535%252Cal_c%252Cq_90%252Fae43f8_f6e3e51ceda94760a459591360a1a514.jpg%26hash%3D8bc0edb92896975e6c5aa5b1ff079699&hash=05400d3b6bad087269872a9d6e9d1f73" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>Postumus</b></p><p>CE 260-269</p><p>antoninianus, 20 x 22 mm, 3.0 gm</p><p>struck CE 263 in Cologne</p><p>Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right</p><p>Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left, leaning on a column, holding a scepter in her right hand and a cornucopiae in her left; at her feet to left, globe</p><p>Ref: RIC VII 81, Cologne; AGK (corr.) 70. Cunetio -. Elmer 334. Gilljam -</p><p><br /></p><p>I don't buy a coin just because it is said to be "rare", although that certainly is a bonus if it truly <b>is</b> rare <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Also, buying an ancient coin primarily for its rarity may lead to disappointment when a hoard is found. I wonder how many hearts will be broken once <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/interesting-finding-of-roman-bronze-coins-in-seville-hope-you-understand-some-spanish.277990/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/interesting-finding-of-roman-bronze-coins-in-seville-hope-you-understand-some-spanish.277990/">the just-discovered Seville hoard</a> is catalogued?</p><p><br /></p><p>Instead of longing for coins because of their rarity, often I wish a given coin weren't so rare-- that way I might have a shot at acquiring it. An Eid Mar denarius comes to mind. Even if tens of thousands of them existed, I'd still love to own such a pointed reminder (pun intended <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />) of an important historical event. <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-funniest-ancient-coin-ever.277187/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-funniest-ancient-coin-ever.277187/">"Winged Dolphin Man"</a> is another. Oh how I want one!! Please, Santa, Please! There are a few other very rare coins on my wish list but I don't want to reveal what they are in case I am ever in the position to bid on one <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="TIF, post: 2407966, member: 56859"]I don't know which of my coins is the most rare. Several appear to be truly rare but hard data to support the claim is of course spotty. I haven't gone out of my way to document rarity in my database but sometimes I make notes. I probably have a dozen, maybe two dozen, coins which might qualify as rare. Here are a few which, at least by virtue of finding no or few others, are probably truly rare. I have not bothered to check for minor varieties within otherwise rather abundant Imperials. One of the many fun things about collecting ancient coins: we can all afford rare coins without having to resort to a USB microscope to look for VAM variety or infinitesimally doubled dies :D. [IMG]https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_569992e99fea4820b6561fd78f212ea8.jpg/v1/fill/w_1000,h_517,al_c,q_90/ae43f8_569992e99fea4820b6561fd78f212ea8.jpg[/IMG] [B]IONIA, Klazomenai[/B] 4th century BC AE10.7, 1.53 gm. Obv: head of Athena right Rev: ram lying left, winged boar above, Φ in left field; ANOK (ANOY?) below Ref: Not in literature consulted, including Imhoof-Blumer, F., Kleinasiatische Münzen [I]I've seen a few of this general type but not with the winged boar above the ram. I've searched online archives and various public domain reference books. [/I] [IMG]https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_6d55f90db02845a1b703055c500baeee.jpg/v1/fill/w_1020,h_503,al_c,lg_1,q_90/ae43f8_6d55f90db02845a1b703055c500baeee.jpg[/IMG] [B]ZEUGITANA, Carthage early 2nd century BCE[/B] AE 15-shekel, 45 mm, 95 gm Obv: wreathed head of Tanit left Rev: horse standing right, left foreleg up; solar disk with uraei above Ref: Alexandropoulos J (2000) Les monnaies de l'Afrique Antique, 103; Müller L (1861) Numismatique de L'Ancienne Afrique, 131; Luynes 3782; Jenkins GK and Lewis RB (1963) Carthaginian Gold and Electrum Coins, Royal Numismatic Society, London, pl. 28 12 [I]There are two versions of this 15-shekel coin. Both types qualify as at least scarce by almost any standard, but the "horse standing right, foreleg raised" is apparently very rare. [URL='http://www.magnagraecia.nl/coins/Punic_map/Zeugitana_map/Zeugitana.html']Magnagraecia.nl[/URL] reports four specimens. If any of you see one of these online, please let me know so I can add it to my records.[/I] [IMG]https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_28ed51df612844ac939eb41f4c54c159.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_485,al_c,lg_1,q_90/ae43f8_28ed51df612844ac939eb41f4c54c159.jpg[/IMG] [B]IONIA, Klazomenai[/B] 499-494 BCE AR diobol, 9mm, 1.2 g Obv: forepart of winged boar left Rev: incuse square Ref: Cf. BMC 9-10 (drachm); cf. Traité I 488 (drachm). VF, toned, porous. Very rare with boar left, apparently unpublished as a diobol [I]Perhaps a bit close to modern collector mentality, but this one qualifies as rare because the winged boar is facing left. Right-facing Klazomenai diobols are plentiful but I've not seen another left-facer.[/I] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/marcusaureliussphinxobol-rt-jpg.468934/[/IMG] [B]EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar[/B] AE obol, 20.5 mm, 6.0 gm. Alexandria. Year 15 (CE 151/2) Obv: MAVPHΛICKAICAP; bust right, bare head Rev: Sphinx crouched right; LIE (date) above in left field Ref: Emmett 1919.15, R5; Dattari 3221 [I]I have many Roman Egyptian coins which are rated "R5" by Emmett ("found only in one or two of the major published Alexandrian collections") but some of them are not that hard to find on the market. Conversely, some of the coins with lower Emmett rarity numbers are extremely hard to find in the market. Emmett is about to publish a new catalog of Alexandrian varieties from Elagabalus onwards. I'm almost sad to see this happen. One of the nicest things about collecting Alexandrian coins has been not having to worry about assigning importance to minor variations à la RIC. I won't bore you with a parade of all of my "book rare" Alexandrians but you can see most of my Roman Egypt coins [URL='http://www.tifcollection.com/#!roman-egypt/c1qth']here[/URL] (I have many more not yet loaded to the website). [/I] I don't have many Roman Imperials but a few are supposedly rare. Of those, this Postumus may be my rarest, and it came from a large group lot: [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cointalk.com%2Fproxy.php%3Fimage%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fstatic.wixstatic.com%252Fmedia%252Fae43f8_f6e3e51ceda94760a459591360a1a514.jpg%252Fv1%252Ffill%252Fw_1000%252Ch_535%252Cal_c%252Cq_90%252Fae43f8_f6e3e51ceda94760a459591360a1a514.jpg%26hash%3D8bc0edb92896975e6c5aa5b1ff079699&hash=05400d3b6bad087269872a9d6e9d1f73[/IMG] [B]Postumus[/B] CE 260-269 antoninianus, 20 x 22 mm, 3.0 gm struck CE 263 in Cologne Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left, leaning on a column, holding a scepter in her right hand and a cornucopiae in her left; at her feet to left, globe Ref: RIC VII 81, Cologne; AGK (corr.) 70. Cunetio -. Elmer 334. Gilljam - I don't buy a coin just because it is said to be "rare", although that certainly is a bonus if it truly [B]is[/B] rare :). Also, buying an ancient coin primarily for its rarity may lead to disappointment when a hoard is found. I wonder how many hearts will be broken once [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/interesting-finding-of-roman-bronze-coins-in-seville-hope-you-understand-some-spanish.277990/']the just-discovered Seville hoard[/URL] is catalogued? Instead of longing for coins because of their rarity, often I wish a given coin weren't so rare-- that way I might have a shot at acquiring it. An Eid Mar denarius comes to mind. Even if tens of thousands of them existed, I'd still love to own such a pointed reminder (pun intended :D) of an important historical event. [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-funniest-ancient-coin-ever.277187/']"Winged Dolphin Man"[/URL] is another. Oh how I want one!! Please, Santa, Please! There are a few other very rare coins on my wish list but I don't want to reveal what they are in case I am ever in the position to bid on one :D.[/QUOTE]
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