I'm currently in the middle of a two-week "on call" for my job that requires that I'm either at home or at work for calls 24x7. Not being able to do my daily walks in the park has stressed me out, as has receiving calls at all hours of the day since our customers are worldwide. Even though I'm near collapse now, I only have one more week to get through. However, a bright point was today's Roma auction. I started off with this coin from Myndos. Myndos was a rare setback for Alexander the Great, who was repulsed when he attempted to take it. He eventually took it anyways, but this may be the most serious blemish to his perfect record in battles. Interestingly, this exact coin came up at auction twice before and didn't receive a single bid. I therefore felt confident putting a bid slightly over the estimate, only to get outbid the next day. I thought about it a bit, put in a last minute bid, and got it. This next coin was the main reason I participated in the auction. For some time, I've discounted all Baktrian coins as not being relevant to my Philip II, Alexander III, and the Age of the Diadochi collection. However, Diodotos I did secede from Antiochos II and did have ties to the others. His coins can get pricy, but there were four at auction and I resolved to just bid on each until I got one. I was outbid on the first, but got the second. Interestingly, this one had the highest estimate of the four. After that, I went back and forth about whether to pick up some "snacks" as @Ryro calls them. Finally, I broke down and put close to minimum bids for four coins of emperors/empresses I didn't have and won three. AFAIK these are all common issues because I'm cheap, but the Diodotos coin occurred late in the Greek section, so it was Roman snacking or no snacking. Crispus Herennia Etruscilla Herennius Etruscus Other than the one snack, I only had one other loss. I won't post it here since it's someone else's, but it was a very common Greek coin where I put in a max about 10% higher than what I felt was the fair market value, and for some reason it went for nearly three times my max. I'll have plenty of other chances to grab one. Feel free to show off your recent wins!
Not nearly as plentiful and diverse as your lot, but interesting, if only to a more niche numismatist and/or collector focused on the late roman coinage, here is a FORTVNA AVG / SPQR radiate of Claudius II Gothicus from the Smyrna phase of the series in late 268 to perhaps January 269, RIC Temp 828, three other specs recorded by Estiot and Mairat:
Those are nice pick-ups! Congratulations. The reverse on the first coin is really cool. What is the object in the middle? I've really trimmed back my bidding, due to a hefty tax bill from a land sale made last year. So I have to focus on coins that fit a narrow range, budget-wise. One coin was this Æ Hyperpyron of John III Ducas-Vatazes, a common coin, but in nice grade and not double struck, as so many examples are. I'll prove more information after its arrival. I'm a longtime listener of classical music, along with occasionally other music. This is one my favorites going back to my childhood and a good antidote when feeling the blues:
An interesting Myndos Poseidon/Dolphin+Trident and overall a good day at the auction. I'll post this not-so-recent win from Myndos. Karia, Myndos, AR Drachm, 2nd-1st century BC, Hermolykos, magistrate Obv: Laureate head of Serapis right Rev: Headdress of Isis set on two grain ears, thunderbolt below; [MY]-NΔΙWΝ to left, [ΕP]-MOΛYKO to right and this recent win (or at least recent arrival) - RPC (temporary) 11054 from Cotiaeum, Phrygia from the time of Elagabalus. Phrygia, Cotiaeum; pseudo-autonomous; AE24 6.9g; time of Elagabalus (218-222). M Aur Markianos Au Ko, archon. Obv: ΔΗΜΟϹ, bare head of the Demos right. Rev: ΕΠΙ ΑΥΡ ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΥ ΚΟΤΙΑΕΩΝ, Cybele seated left, holding patera and resting arm on tympanum; between two lions.
