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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Shea19, post: 5297874, member: 90981&quot;]I&#039;ve really enjoyed seeing everyone&#039;s lists, and I had been waiting for one last coin to arrive before posting my top 10 list.&nbsp; It has certainly been a crazy year.&nbsp; Thankfully, I&#039;ve been fortunate to stay in good health and with a job that can be done remotely, which has allowed me to spend way more time with my 3-year old son.&nbsp; I&#039;ve also ended up having much more time for coins, and I&#039;ve been lucky to add some nice new coins to my collection this year.</p><p><br /></p><p>10.&nbsp; Herennia Etruscilla</p><p><br /></p><p>I bought this at the NYCINC show in January.&nbsp; It really is hard to believe that it was somehow still this year, seems so long ago.&nbsp; I love the portrait of the empress and especially the detail on her hairstyle.&nbsp; Within a couple of years after this coin was struck, things would go downhill for her quickly, and she&#039;d lose her husband, both sons, and fall into obscurity.&nbsp; But here, she looks beautiful, stylish, and even has a smile on her face...a nice image of her at her best.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222977[/ATTACH]</p><p>Herennia Etruscilla, AR Antoninianus, Rome mint. 249-251 AD.&nbsp; Pudicita reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Victorinus</p><p><br /></p><p>My first coin from the Gallic Empire, and my first NAC win.&nbsp; I lost out on all of my other bids at this auction by a lot, but was very excited to come away with this one.&nbsp; Thought it was a great rendering of Victorinus and of Pietas sacrificing, and with much better metal than I expected for this time period.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222983[/ATTACH]</p><p>Victorinus, Antoninianus, 269-270 AD, BI (22 mm, 3.90 g.), Radiate and cuirassed bust r./Rev. PIETAS AVG Pietas, veiled, standing l. sacrificing out of patera over altar at her feet. RIC 57.&nbsp; NAC 2020 Spring Auction</p><p><br /></p><p>8.&nbsp; Caracalla Tetradrachm- Antioch</p><p>I&#039;ve been slowly putting together a subcollection of Caracalla&#039;s provincial tets, and was very happy to add this one.&nbsp;&nbsp; A big, thick coin which really which highlights his signature scowl...just a mean, nasty emperor looking especially mean and nasty.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222982[/ATTACH]</p><p>Caracalla, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch, BI Tetradrachm (27 mm, 12.00g), 215-217 AD. Laureate head of Caracalla to r./ Rev. Eagle with spread wings standing facing, head to right and holding wreath in beak; star above cornucopiae below. Prieur 244.</p><p><br /></p><p>7.&nbsp; Marcus Aurelius consecration denarius</p><p>This coin was struck shortly after the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 A.D., a critical time in history when Commodus took over as emperor and started slowly running the Empire into decline.&nbsp; The expressive portrait of Divus Marcus Aurelius really stood out to me, and I knew I just had to have this as soon as I saw it listed.&nbsp; Marcus is usually depicted with a stoic, dignified facial expression, but here, he looks as though he is startled or stunned at what he is seeing. I thought this was a perfect symbol for this time period and the transition...it looks like the late emperor is looking out from beyond the grave at the future, and thinking &quot;what is my idiot son doing to my Empire?&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222979[/ATTACH]</p><p>Divus Marcus Aurelius. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.24 g). Consecration issue. Rome mint. Struck under Commodus, 180 AD. Bare head of Divus Marcus Aurelius right / Rev. CONSECRATIO, eagle standing right on globe. RIC III 273 (Commodus).</p><p>From the Phil Peck (&quot;Morris&quot;) Collection</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Julia Domna denarius</p><p><br /></p><p>This denarius is from late in the reign of Julia Domna.&nbsp; She is shown looking a little older, and seemingly showing the stress of all she&#039;d been through by this point. At the same time, she also still looks regal, tough, and is still sporting the greatest hairstyle in the Empire. Being the most powerful woman in the world may be great, but it still takes its toll, and I think that this coin shows it well.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222978[/ATTACH]</p><p>Julia Domna, AR Denarius (20 mm, 3.77 g), Rome, circa 214 A.D. IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG Draped bust of Julia Domna r./Rev. VESTA Vesta standing front, head to l., holding palladium and long scepter.&nbsp; RIC 390 (Caracalla).</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Heracles and Omphale- AE from Lydia</p><p>This is a fun mythological issue which shows a lesser-known episode involving the Greek hero Heracles (Hercules). As punishment, Heracles was forced to serve as a slave for a year to Omphale, the mythical queen of Lydia. Omphale had a good sense of humor, and humiliated Heracles throughout the year, forcing him to wear women&#039;s clothing and perform women&#039;s household chores. On the reverse of this coin, Omphale is shown with two of Heracles&#039; prize possessions: she is holding his club and wearing the skin of the Nemean lion.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222981[/ATTACH]</p><p>Lydia, Maeonia. <i>Pseudo-autonomous issue</i>. AE Hemiassarion (18 mm, 2.92 g), time of Trajan, 98-117 AD. Head of Herakles to left. <i>Rev.</i> [MAIO]NΩN, Omphale standing right, wearing Herakles&#039; lion skin and holding his club. RPC IV.2 online 1325.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-punishment-of-heracles-bronze-from-lydia.365383/#post-4771783" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-punishment-of-heracles-bronze-from-lydia.365383/#post-4771783">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-punishment-of-heracles-bronze-from-lydia.365383/#post-4771783</a></p><p><br /></p><p>4.&nbsp; Antiochus IV Epiphanes- &quot;Egyptianizing Series&quot; bronze</p><p>This coin is from Seleucid king Antiochus IV&#039;s &quot;Egyptianizing&quot; series, and I&#039;ve been wanting to get a nice example from this series for a long time. Coins from this series resemble large Ptolemaic bronzes, and were struck during the time of his successful campaigns and occupation of Egypt. In addition to its historical importance, the coin is HUGE (33 mm and 34 g), a very fun piece to have in hand.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1223071[/ATTACH]</p><p>Seleucid Kings of Syria, Antiochos IV Epiphanes, AE Hemidrachm (33 mm, 34.37 g), &quot;Egyptianizing&quot; series, with bevelled edges, struck in honor of Antiochos IV&#039;s victories over Egypt, Antioch, 169-168 BC. Laureate head of Zeus-Serapis to right; with Osiris cap upon taenia./ <i>Rev.</i> ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΣ Eagle standing right on thunderbolt.</p><p><br /></p><p>3.&nbsp; Caracalla denarius</p><p>This is a unique version of a fairly common issue.&nbsp; It has a nice sharp&nbsp; portrait from a brand new obverse die, that for some reason was struck on a hot mess of a crooked oblong flan.&nbsp; The coin manages to be both beautiful and ugly at the same time, and I love it.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1223039[/ATTACH]</p><p>Caracalla, AR Denarius, circa 213-217 A.D., Rome, (22mm.,3.02g.) Laureate head of Caracalla to right/ Rev. VENVS VICTRIX, Venus standing left, holding Victory and spear and leaning on shield set on helmet. RIC 311b.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Posthumous Alexander the Great tetradrachm</p><p>A Macedonian tetradrachm has been on my want list for a very long time, and I&#039;m so happy I pulled the trigger and got this one.&nbsp;&nbsp; The coin was struck around 10 years after the death of Alexander the Great, under Antigonos &quot;The One-Eyed&quot; Monophthalmos, one of the famous generals who served under Alexander, and who was a major player in the Diadochi Wars after Alexander&#039;s death.</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;ve never owned a coin struck in such high relief, almost like a mini-sculpture.&nbsp; Not much else to add...I just really love this coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1222980[/ATTACH]</p><p>Antigonos I Monophthalmos, As Strategos of Asia, AR Tetradrachm (24.5mm, 17.10 g). In the name and types of Alexander III of Macedon. Susa mint. Struck under Aspesias, satrap of Susiana, circa 316-311 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin /Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, wreath; below throne, PO above strut, ΠP monogram below. Price 3855.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-macedonian-tetradrachm-struck-under-antigonos-i.371119/#post-5185248" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-macedonian-tetradrachm-struck-under-antigonos-i.371119/#post-5185248">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-macedonian-tetradrachm-struck-under-antigonos-i.371119/#post-5185248</a></p><p><br /></p><p>1.&nbsp; Group lot of Provincial Tetradrachms (Trajan Decius, Gordian III, Philip I, Philip II)</p><p><br /></p><p>Is it “cheating” to put a group lot of 4 coins as #1 on a “Top 10” list?&nbsp; Probably, but since these all came as part of the same auction lot, I always consider them together.&nbsp; I love provincial tets, and opening the package from CNG with all of these in one envelope was definitely my favorite coin moment of the year.&nbsp; The Decius is probably the best of this group, but it was too hard to choose a favorite, so posting all 4 was much easier. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1223038[/ATTACH]</p><p>Group lot of BI tetradrachms from Antioch- (Clockwise) Trajan Decius, Gordian III, Philip II, Philip I</p><p><br /></p><p>Hope you enjoyed these as much as I&#039;ve enjoyed looking at all of your lists!&nbsp; I&#039;m interested to see which are your favorites.&nbsp; Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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