The Fourth was with me - No, it was the fifth

Today I attended a coin show conveniently scheduled on my birthday. For the first decades of my life, no one mentioned I was born on Star Wars Day (a holiday celebrated by my grandson - May the Forth be with you.) I was honored to find a coin that has been special to me since the type was my first Septimius Legionary (far right). It has been updated several times with the new coin being far left. I am not inclined to dispose of each of the successive upgrades so now I have five - all the same but all different to me. Why?

 

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Very nice! Happy birthday and congrats on the upgrade!!

 

Many years ago when I had just one, I was told that all of these were made from one obverse die and two reverse dies. The two on the left are one reverse while the three on the right are the other. More recently I have seen a coin offered at auction which uses a second obverse. I have a little trouble accepting it but still would like one. Perhaps some other birthday will provide it.
https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1436295
I also was told that the coins were extremely rare and there were only half a dozen known. That turned out to be a bit of an exaggeration. You know you never should listen to experts who tell you they know everything. The coins are scarce and rare if you require the full legend number XXII PRI to be on flan. This is the way with Septimius Legionaries of all numbers. Many coins are identifiable if you know the series but not all have the letters all staring back at you. Will I ever get an example good enough that I will not want these? Probably not. I may find a mint state one someday but I have room for six.

I thought of Bing today when a dealer was showing a young man an Antony legionary. He had most of them but needed a LEG V which the dealer appeared to have but that dealer, an honest man, pointed out a smudge just right of the V and said he believed the coin was LEG VI rather than V. I agreed. We who gather 'sets' by number are hopeful but sometimes reality rears its ugly head and we realize our folly. No sale.

 

I think that's a neat collection. Thank you for sharing your 5 coins.

 

A happy birthday wish above all coins. CHEERS.

 

Happy Birthday and congrats

 

The joys of a specialist. Many happy returns.

 

Happy birthday, Doug! Thanks for all of your great posts

 

Great coins and great stories! Happy birthday Doug!!

 

We are sharing the same birthday, Doug. Thanks for 'May the Forth be with you'! I'll remember that.

 

Do you still celebrate your birthday Doug? But just consider the alternative. Happy Birthday.

 

Happy Birthday and some great coins there Doug.

 

Happy Birthday, Doug! Wishing you many more years and coins ahead!

 

Happy Birthday Hoosier!

 

Happy late birthday! I found your site when I first started learning about ancients, and everything I read helped me and interested me. Thank you for what you’ve done.

 

Happy birthday, Doug! Multos annos!

 

Happy belated Birthday Doug. I wish you many more.

 

Happy birthday Doug! And beautiful coins!

 

I also share your birthday. Congrats!

 

Birthday Happy, get cake we must...