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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ryro, post: 8146411, member: 91461&quot;]At the end of last year I said that I would get some more aesthetically pleasing coins and more Greeks in 2021... what an awful year to gun for <i>pretty<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie60" alt=":kiss:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie16" alt=":artist:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></i> coins and 6 of my top 10 are Roman denarii.</p><p>Don&#039;t worry. I still have at least one or two ugly little chocked full off history gems for you all, but this year&#039;s top 10 is decidedly a hats off to the die engravers. (NOT celetors! That is a VERY specific term to die engravers from a specific time and town in Sicily<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie26" alt=":bookworm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.)</p><p>I had a really hard time not picking any MSCs here, but did already spoil you all with my early year end MSC thread: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/not-a-top-ten-is-it-no-just-ten-macedonian-shields-that-i-bought-this-year-top-ten-alert.390207/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/not-a-top-ten-is-it-no-just-ten-macedonian-shields-that-i-bought-this-year-top-ten-alert.390207/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/not-a-top-ten-is-it-no-just-ten-macedonian-shields-that-i-bought-this-year-top-ten-alert.390207/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>I may have greater coins, more expensive or prettier, or historically impactful, heck, I bought my first gold and lifetime Julius Caesar portraits this year and they didn&#039;t make mustard. However, these are the coins that I picked today.</p><p><br /></p><p>My last major coin acquisition of 2021 eeks in at #10, however could just as easily came in at #1 despite being the ugliest of the bunch.</p><p>Possibly the most important, influential and well known woman in history (whoes more? Livia Augusta, Joan of Ark, Oprah???)</p><p>Despite the overcleaning the portrait gives enough of a hint that power and personality may have been what seduced Caesar and Antony.</p><p>#10 Cleopatra, the Kardashian of her times, VII:</p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]IRsc57nK8mg[/MEDIA]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420743[/ATTACH]</p><p>Cleopatra VII Thea Neotera,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 51-30 BC. 40 Drachmai or Obol (Bronze, 20 mm, 8.61 g, 12 h), Alexandria. Diademed and draped bust of Cleopatra VII to right. Rev. BACIΛIC[CHC KΛEO]ΠATΡAC Eagle standing left on thunderbolt with wings closed; to left, cornucopiae; to right, value mark M (= 40). SNG Copenhagen 422-4. Svoronos 1872. Weiser 184. Patina stripped and heavily brushed, otherwise, fine.</p><p>From a European collection, formed before 2005. Purchased from Leu Numismatik Dec 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Maybe the most beau-TIF-ul coin and rarest<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie85" alt=":smuggrin:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />of this here list come from a land that even Alexander the Great himself could not reach nor subdue.</p><p>Keeping in mind there is still HEATED debate on the exact iconography. [USER=57495]@zumbly[/USER] reminds us, &quot;I suspect some misattribution, though admittedly my only basis is that they seem to depict a winged <a href="http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Murloc" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/Murloc" rel="nofollow">murloc</a> rather than an iguana, and that species is indigenous to Azeroth.&quot;</p><p>Learn more at the first post here on coin talk on the subject, page 2 is where things get intense: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/hear-no-evil-see-no-evil.269689/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/hear-no-evil-see-no-evil.269689/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/hear-no-evil-see-no-evil.269689/</a></p><p>I would add a possible connection with these ancients and those of TIFopalus hip-hopalus.</p><p>#9 A coin type that YOU don&#039;t have... unless your [USER=56859]@TIF[/USER] ... or me<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie7" alt=":p" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]M7u5SdjDSQQ[/MEDIA]</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420747[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>TIFFILY, Tiphonia</b></p><p><b>c. 5th century BCE</b></p><p>AR 17, 7.4 gm</p><p>Obv: Forepart of winged iguana left</p><p>Rev: Monogram within dotted square, incuse</p><p>Ref: SNG 2,</p><p><i>Note: Metallurgic analysis shows this unusual coin to be 99.9% pure silver yet oddly porous.</i></p><p><i>Ex [USER=56859]@TIF[/USER] collection</i></p><p><br /></p><p>I LOVE this coin. I HATE this coin. But either way, it&#039;s gonna stay in my collection a long time.</p><p>Not only does Ant Pius hair (after two decades of rule) look like a wavy comb-over they remind of</p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]FxIo57WURRE[/MEDIA]</p><p>And, of course, my Michael Sera looking, preteen, Marcus Aurelius gets more and more beautiful as you zoom in. The curly hair, the severe look and the stare give hints of maybe the greatest philosophers, led alone emperors, of all time.</p><p>#8 THE Dynamic Duo; Antoninus Aurelius:</p><p><i>[ATTACH=full]1420710[/ATTACH] </i></p><p><i>Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. Denarius. Minted 140 CE Ob. : ANTONINVS AVG. PIVS PP TR. P. COS. III. Antoninus Pius bare head to the right. Rev .: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG. P. III F. COS. Marcus Aurelius bare head on the right. 3.13 grs. Slight skates skates. EBC / Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. Light uneven patina and extremely fine. C-21a; RIC-415c; BMC-148. Former Martí Hervera - December 10, 2002, n. 801. Purchased from Soler y Llach, Coleccion Scipio,&nbsp; Oct 2021</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Talk about just dripping with, oozing, just downright being sloppy with history.</p><p>Exhibit A: A profile of Rome&#039;s greatest general until Caesar. Also known as one of the most handsome men in Rome (though with hard fighting, hard living, hard drinking and hard loving they say Pomps didn&#039;t age well.</p><p>Exhibit B: The coin was minted by his son,&nbsp; Sextusual, to honor his father and to drum up support. Mind you, having to resort to piracy we get the obligatory sucking up to the God (and frankly, we can never get enough images of Poseidon on coin whom is woefully hard to come by) of the sea on the reverse... but what a wild scene it is.</p><p>Exhibit C: In the pseudo-Virgilian poem &quot;Aetna&quot;. Lycurgus retells the story thus:<i> &quot;It is said that in Sicily a river of fire erupted forth from Etna flowing throughout the area and towards one nearby city in particular; everyone tried to flee in an attempt to save themselves, but one young man, on seeing that his elderly father was unable to run from the torrent of lava, which had almost reached him, lifted the old man up onto his shoulders and carried him away. Weighed down by his burden, I think, the lava flow caught up with him too. Here, one can observe the benevolence of the gods towards virtuous men: the story says that the fire encircled the area and that they alone were saved. As a result, the place was dubbed ‘seat of the pious’, a name it still retains. The others who, in their haste to flee, abandoned their parents, all met a painful death.&quot;</i></p><p>#7: Sextus Pomps pops while Poseidon stomps:</p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]bm51ihfi1p4[/MEDIA]</p><p><i>[ATTACH=full]1420713[/ATTACH] </i></p><p><i>Sextus Pompeius.</i></p><p><i>Denarius, Sicily circa 42-40, AR 19.6 mm, 3.19 g. MAG·PIVS·IMP·ITER Head of Cn. Pompeius Magnus r.; behind, jug and before, lituus. Rev. PRAEF Neptune standing l., r. foot on prow, holding aplustre; on either side one of the Catanaean brothers carrying his father on his shoulder. In exergue, CLAS·ET·ORæ / [MARIT·EX·S·C]. Syd. 1344. B. Pompeia 27. C 17. Cr. 511/3a.</i></p><p><i>Very rare. Struck on large flan. F-VF Purchased from GN Damian Marciniak October 2021</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Being the father of the greatest man EVER would be tough. Doubldie so when you are the greatest man to live up to that point in time.</p><p>So, clearly I needed his most iconic coin. A little idiosyncrasie, I love that the symbol below the horse is Zeus&#039;s thunderbolt!</p><p>#6: Father of the greatest:</p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]v2AC41dglnM[/MEDIA]</p><p><i>[ATTACH=full]1420714[/ATTACH] </i></p><p><i>Philip II AR Tetradrachm. Pella, 342-336 BC. Lifetime issue. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth on horseback right, holding palm and reins; thunderbolt below, [N in exergue]. Le Rider 222-306. 14.22g, 24mm, 7h. VF. Purchased from Savoca July 2021</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>&quot;Baby, I&#039;m amazed at the way you hunt me all the time. And maybe I&#039;m afraid of the way I&#039;ll eat you</i></p><p><i>Maybe I&#039;m amazed at the way you leave a little line. You hang out that twine. Maybe I&#039;m amazed how I need to digest you. </i></p><p><i>Maybe I&#039;m a Minotaur, maybe I&#039;m a lonely minotaur whoes in the middle of something I don&#039;t understand. &quot;</i></p><p><i><a href="https://youtu.be/cdDPR8GzXy8" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://youtu.be/cdDPR8GzXy8" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/cdDPR8GzXy8</a></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>#5 Paul McCartney&#039;s favorite coin of Ryro&#039;s:</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/cdDPR8GzXy8" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://youtu.be/cdDPR8GzXy8" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/cdDPR8GzXy8</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420707[/ATTACH]</p><p>CRETE, KNOSSOS.</p><p>AE (2.54 g), approx. 200-67 BC BC: head of the bearded Zeus to the right. Back: Labyrinth between ΚΝΩΣΙ / ΩΝ. Svoronos, Crete 116.2.00, Lindgren. Nice. Ex BAC Numismatics 2/9/2021</p><p>&quot;Knossos, the famous city of the mythical King Minos, is closely linked to the mythical tales of Daidalos and Ikaros, Theseus and Ariadne, Minos and Pasiphai, and of course, the Minotaur and the Labyrinth. According to legend, Daidalos built the labyrinth at the request of King Minos, who wanted a secure place to confine the son of his wife, Pasiphai. The son - the Minotaur - was the unnatural result of the union of Pasiphai with a sacrificial bull, and was monstrously half-human and half-bull. Daidalos cleverly built the labyrinth so that the Minotaur could never escape (and according to Ovid, in doing so almost lost himself within its walls).Each year seven youths and seven maidens were brought from Athens, at the time subject to Knossos, to be sacrificed to feed the Minotaur. One year, wishing to free Athens from this ghastly tribute, Theseus, son of King Aigeus of Athens, connived with his father to join the next shipment of youths so that he could slay the Minotaur and free his fellow victims. With the help of King Minos&#039; daughter, Ariadne, he smuggled into the labyrinth a sword and some string to help him navigate his way out again. He slew the beast, but on his return voyage to Athens he neglected to raise a white sail, the signal by which his father the king would know of his success. King Aigeus, in despair at seeing a black sail on the returning ship, hurled himself into the sea, which now was henceforth called the Aegean.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>Hard to know where to place one of the most iconic coins, that happens to be repaired (I&#039;d post the after Pic, but 10 p per post, ya know).</p><p>Even when I bought this coin in three pieces I knew it was gonna be a keeper. The unique artistry, ridiculously complex minting process these coins went through, that near golden toning and the history of Magna Graecia all add up to my...</p><p>#4 Apollo all in pieces:</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/0XcN12uVHeQ" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://youtu.be/0XcN12uVHeQ" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/0XcN12uVHeQ</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420711[/ATTACH]</p><p>Bruttium, Kaulonia. Circa 525-500 BC. AR Nomos (31 mm, 6.63 g).</p><p>Obv. Apollo advancing right, holding branch aloft in right hand, left arm extended, upon which a small daimon, holding branch in each hand, runs right; KAVΛ to left; to right, stag standing right, head reverted.</p><p>Rev. Incuse of obverse, but daimon in outline and no ethnic.</p><p>Noe, Caulonia Group A, 1 (same dies).</p><p>Rare. Cracked in three parts, otherwise, very fine/fine</p><p>Purchased from Auctiones gmbh March 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>For more on this fresh coin: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/david-r-sear-class-act-and-no-the-r-in-his-name-isnt-for-ryro.381225/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/david-r-sear-class-act-and-no-the-r-in-his-name-isnt-for-ryro.381225/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/david-r-sear-class-act-and-no-the-r-in-his-name-isnt-for-ryro.381225/</a></p><p><br /></p><p>I know, I know, technically this coin should be #2<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> due to the double bubble. Despite perfection, I&nbsp; just couldn&#039;t place her any higher (unless I could find a penthouse that nobody would know about<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie6" alt=":cool:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />).</p><p>#3 Double bubble (little in the middle but she got much Domna):</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/X53ZSxkQ3Ho" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://youtu.be/X53ZSxkQ3Ho" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/X53ZSxkQ3Ho</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420708[/ATTACH]</p><p>Julia Domna</p><p>Denarius . 193-196 AD . Rome . (Ric- 536 ). Ob .: IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Bust draped to the right . Rev .: VENERI VICTR, Venus standing to the right, leaning on a column, holding a palm and an apple . Ag . 3.18 g. Displaced. Tone . EBC . Tauler &amp; Fau Jan 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Learn/drool about her more right here: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/double-bubble-feature-domnad-if-i-do-and-domnad-if-i-dont-or-best-these-buns-isis-cans.374033/#post-5483030" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/double-bubble-feature-domnad-if-i-do-and-domnad-if-i-dont-or-best-these-buns-isis-cans.374033/#post-5483030">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/double-bubble-feature-domnad-if-i-do-and-domnad-if-i-dont-or-best-these-buns-isis-cans.374033/#post-5483030</a></p><p><br /></p><p>KING OF THE GAULS=Literally what his name means (or something close to it. What? Are you a linguist? Oh, you are. Well, please decipher linear B for us all). I don&#039;t know how to make the reasoning for this coin&#039;s being my #2 anymore clear.</p><p>During a dark time where a militaristic genius foreigner was invading his land just to kill, steal and send good news back to Rome this man unified groups of people that had NEVER united before. Hard men used to hard living... and almost pulled off the upset<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie58" alt=":jimlad:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie78" alt=":punch:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie30" alt=":bucktooth:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />only to become the scapegoat for killing millions of his own people.</p><p>Vercingetorix portrait may very well be on this coin. Even if not, and it&#039;s just one of his countrymen, this is still thy closest image we have of the great man.</p><p>I almost forget to mention the obvious, it&#039;s a fourée. But what a fourée it is. For a portrait known for its individualistic style, this particular specimen gives me chills whenever I break it out for a look.</p><p>Just let the irony of him coming in second place, again, sink in</p><p>#2 Vercinget-fouree-ix</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/GR35pRz7JQ8" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://youtu.be/GR35pRz7JQ8" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/GR35pRz7JQ8</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420709[/ATTACH] L. Hostilius Saserna. Fourré Denarius (18-19 mm, 2.86 g), Rome, 48 BC.</p><p>Obv. Bearded male head to right, his hair straggling out behind him; cloak around neck and Gallic shield behind.</p><p>Rev. L HOSTILIVS / SASERN, Nude Gallic warrior, holding shield with his left hand and hurling spear with his right, standing left in a galloping biga being driven to right by a seated charioteer holding a whip.</p><p>Cf. Craw. 448/2; Syd. 952.</p><p>Fourré. Very fine. Purchased from Auctiones gmbh March 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Though purchased at the VERY beginning of the year, when you look this good and lay reference to some much AWESOMENESS you get the V.I.C. (Very Important Coin) treatment.</p><p>An image of the last great Macedonian king. Made by a decedent of the man who helped subdue him and his family. An obverse just filthy with old cabinet rainbow toning. A reverse that shine like the sun and one of the most ADORABLE horsies on any coin of the Roman Republic.</p><p>Blah, blah.</p><p>#1 my horns bigger than that. It was COLD that day!:</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/GC5E8ie2pdM" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://youtu.be/GC5E8ie2pdM" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/GC5E8ie2pdM</a></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1420712[/ATTACH] L. MARCIUS PHILIPPUS. Denarius (112 or 113 BC). Rome.</p><p>Obv: Head of Philip V of Macedon right, wearing diademed royal Macedonian helmet with goat horns; Roma monogram to upper left, Φ to lower right.</p><p>Rev: L PHILIPPVS .</p><p>Equestrian statue right; mark of value in exergue. Crawford 293/1. VF 3.99 g. 19 mm.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Ex Numismatik Naumann</p><p>Purchased Jan/2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Read all about it right heera!</p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-last-truly-great-macedonian-through-enemy-eyes-my-greatest-denarius-but-is-it-the-worlds-best.374740/#post-6229160" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-last-truly-great-macedonian-through-enemy-eyes-my-greatest-denarius-but-is-it-the-worlds-best.374740/#post-6229160">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-last-truly-great-macedonian-through-enemy-eyes-my-greatest-denarius-but-is-it-the-worlds-best.374740/#post-6229160</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks so much for all the enlightenment, entertainment and friendship my CT pals. I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year (and a bunch more magnificent ancient coins!)![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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