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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;thejewk, post: 5186753, member: 100136&quot;]Well, it&#039;s been quite a year hasn&#039;t it?&nbsp; Far too much unpleasantness, too many untimely deaths (as if there could be too few), and lots of disruption.&nbsp; I&#039;ve been strangely unaffected by everything with my restricted mobility keeping me in place regardless of the restrictions, but at home it has made life for my wife and carer rather more difficult.&nbsp; I&#039;ll certainly remember trying desperately to get a slot for our internet shopping, and not being able to get essential items due to panicking people and their mass buying.</p><p><br /></p><p>In December of last year, my collecting took a swerve away from the Nerva-Antonines of my first collecting year, and I embraced a new focus a little closer to home; coins associated with Britannia, particularly those minted under Carausius and Allectus, and the new London mint established by Constantius upon Allectus&#039; defeat.&nbsp; I soon grabbed a copy of Cloke and Toone&#039;s catalogue, dived into the history, and as a result my top ten of the year is made up entirely from this new specialisation.&nbsp; I&#039;ll be including in my picks the coins I acquired last December, and excluding the item arriving later in this month.&nbsp; I haven&#039;t entirely abandoned the Nerva-Antonines, particularly the coins of Antoninus Pius and his direct family, but I find the complexities of Diocletian&#039;s system and its destruction by Constantine far more historically interesting at the moment, and the coins can be had for modest prices if you are willing to put in the work.</p><p><br /></p><p>On that note, I collect on a modest budget, and following on from Doug&#039;s top 10 in particular price brackets, I thought it might be interesting (and hopefully not crass) to list what I paid for each coin, including postage and any other costs, to show what is possible in this collecting area.&nbsp; I haven&#039;t split them into brackets, or into an order of preference, but I have listed them in date order to hopefully demonstrate the changes over time.</p><p><br /></p><p>In order of minting date:</p><p><br /></p><p>#1</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213685[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Unique</p><p>IMP CARAVSIUS PF AVG - Radiate, cuirassed and drapped bust right, holding a spear over shoulder in right hand, shield in left hand.</p><p>MONETA AVG - Moneta standing left holding cornucopia and scales.</p><p>No mint mark</p><p>3.29g, 21mm</p><p>Purchased from detectorist, found in Narborough, Norfolk in 2019</p><p>£40</p><p><br /></p><p>I spotted this coin while trawling eBay, my usual hunting ground, and thought I spotted a double strike under the mud, which was much thicker when I purchased it than it is now, and thought it would be interesting to research further.&nbsp; After some cleaning and some help here, I discovered that the double strike was actually a shield, and that Carausius was also holding a spear over his shoulder.&nbsp; I searched for quite a while trying to find a match, and the closest I got was a coin at the British Museum, but with mint markings on the reverse.&nbsp; After a little more research I discovered that Sam Moorhead was writing the new volume of RIC covering this period, and after a few emails I confirmed that it is indeed a type that he hadn&#039;t yet recorded, and presumably this will illustrate the reference in the coming volume.&nbsp; I love the coin with all its brutish and stumpy features, and I find it very exciting almost a year later that my research paid off.</p><p><br /></p><p>#2 </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213686[/ATTACH] </p><p>RIC 22</p><p>IMP C ALLECTVS PF AVG - Radiate, cuirassed bust right</p><p>LAETITIA AVG - Laetitia, draped, standing left, holding wreath in right hand and anchor in left hand.</p><p>S/A//ML - London</p><p>4.46g, 20mm</p><p>Purchased from detectorist, found in Sibley Hill, Wiltshire</p><p>£23.56</p><p><br /></p><p>After bagging a good Carausius, and knowing how ratty most coins of Carausius and Allectus are when they are found, I expected to have to spend a lot for a pleasing example of Carausius&#039; successor and potential murderer. For a reason I don&#039;t quite understand, this coin saw very little interest, and I got it for a song.&nbsp; It has everything I wanted for my first Allectus, decently legible legends, a strong profile with the characteristic thin and long head and pointed chin, and an attractive reverse stressing the maritime strength of Britannia.&nbsp; I&#039;ve cleaned it a little, but it still has some stubborn muck I don&#039;t wish to fight against, and I am happy with how it looks in the collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>#3</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213687[/ATTACH] </p><p>RIC VI (Lugdunum) 14B</p><p>IMP C MAXIMIANVS PF AVG - Laureate head right</p><p>GENIO POPVLI ROMANI - Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for cloak (chlamys) over left shoulder, right hand holding a patera, left cornucopiae.</p><p>-/-//- : Unmarked Continental 1</p><p>9.85g, 31x28mm</p><p>C. 296 AD</p><p>Purchased from Elm Hill Collectables, Norwich via eBay auction</p><p>£66.95</p><p><br /></p><p>Although not minted in Britain, in all likelihood, this coin is often referred to as &#039;Invasion Coinage&#039;, money minted at Lugdunum, or by a travelling mint near the Channel across the water from the British coast, by Constantius in order to pay the troops under his command in his efforts to take out Allectus and bring Britannia back into the Roman Empire.&nbsp; Although coins were being minted by Carausius and Allectus during their reign as evidenced above, Diocletian&#039;s monetary reforms had made the money obsolete, and also politically unsuitable.&nbsp; Presumably these coins sufficed for their immediate requirements until the London mint was opened.&nbsp; I didn&#039;t expect to be able to find one of these coins so quickly, and I also greatly enjoy flan oddities such as those seen here.&nbsp; The leftover silvering and dark patina make it very attractive in hand too.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>#4 &amp; #5</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213689[/ATTACH] </p><p>LMCC 3.01.024, RIC 37A</p><p>CONSTANTIVS NOB C - Laureate and cuirassed bust right </p><p>GENIO POPV - LI ROMANI - Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for cloak (chlamys) over left shoulder, right hand holding a patera, left cornucopiae</p><p>-/-//- : London Mint</p><p>8.47g, 28mm </p><p>303-May 305 AD</p><p>£45</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213690[/ATTACH] </p><p>LMCC 3.01.031</p><p>MAXIMIANVS NOBIL C - Laureate and cuirassed bust right </p><p>GENIO POPV - LI ROMANI - Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for cloak (chlamys) over left shoulder, right hand holding patera, left cornucopiae </p><p>-/-//- – London Mint</p><p>10.72g, 27mm</p><p>303-May 305 AD</p><p>£49.75</p><p><br /></p><p>Ex Spink Sale 8019, part of lot 109, 24/09/2008</p><p>Ex Dr. J S Vogelaar&#039;s Romano-British Collection.</p><p><br /></p><p>One of my goals this year was to collect an unreduced nummus for each of the original Tetrarchy from the London mint, a goal which I met fairly quickly.&nbsp; The nummi of Maximianus and Diocletian come from the period prior to these coins, during which the portrait style is rather scrappy and odd, but also endearing imo, but they did not make the cut for my top ten of the year.&nbsp; These two coins of the Caesars definitely do.&nbsp; Each was purchased separately from the same seller on eBay for reasonable prices. When I purchased the Galerius coin, I asked the vendor about provenance, but unfortunately his records had been lost due to a computer failure.&nbsp; I searched but was unsuccessful.&nbsp; On buying the Constantius some time later, he was able to give me a record of the Spink sale in which the coin had been sold.&nbsp; After a bit of searching I was surprised to see not only the Constantius coin, but also the Galerius as well, both part of a group lot from the sale of the important Romano-British collection of Dr J S Vogelaar which was sold by Spink and CNG during 2008-2009.&nbsp; Both coins are rather fine in style for the period, and are very attractive in the hand.</p><p><br /></p><p>#6</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213691[/ATTACH] </p><p>LMCC 4.03.004, RIC 42</p><p>IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust right </p><p>GENIO POPV – LI ROMANI - Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for cloak (chlamys) over left shoulder, right hand holding patera, left cornucopiae </p><p>-/-//- – London Mint</p><p>9.13g, 28mm </p><p>May 1st 305 – Spring 307 AD</p><p>Purchased from Elm Hill Collectables, Norwich via eBay auction</p><p>£63.35</p><p><br /></p><p>This is the only coin from the second Tetrarchy that I have managed to acquire this year, a rather wonderful condition unreduced nummus of Galerius as Augustus.&nbsp; It features the expected generic appearance that Galerius consistently shows on the London coinage, separated from Diocletian only by the lack of &#039;worry lines&#039; on his forehead.&nbsp; His straight nose also distinguishes him from the coins of Maximianus, whose coinage shares the same legend as this coin frequently.&nbsp; The smooth surfaces and lack of wear make this one of my most pleasing coins to hold and study.</p><p><br /></p><p>#7</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213692[/ATTACH] </p><p>LMCC 5.03.009 – Not in RIC</p><p>DN MAXIMIAN(O P) F S AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust right </p><p>MARTI&nbsp; PACIF - Mars, in military dress, lunging left, right hand holding branch, left spear and shield</p><p>PLN – London Mint</p><p>4.64g, 26mm, 23mm beaded circle </p><p>Second reduction nummus </p><p>November - December 307 AD</p><p>Purchased from the detectorist, found in Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire</p><p>£20</p><p><br /></p><p>I spotted this coin on eBay before I had become fully comfortable with the range of reverse types used at London, and before I had purchased a copy of LMCC.&nbsp; After extensive searching, I only found reference to a Constantine coin bearing the reverse design featured on this coin, and so assumed that it was a mule.&nbsp; I grabbed it for a pittance, cleaned it up a little, and asked the ever-obliging Lee Toone for his thoughts on it.&nbsp; He quickly came back to me and confirmed that it is not a mule, but a very rare but known type for Maximianus during his &#039;second reign&#039;.&nbsp; Furthermore, it is the third known example and probably the best of them, one having sold by Spink in 2008 in a very corroded condition, the other being in the collection of the American Numismatic Society.&nbsp; This coin, along with #1 and #2 of this list, need further cleaning by a professional at some point, because I fear damaging them.&nbsp; Unfortunately I am yet to find someone with the skill and the will to take them on.</p><p><br /></p><p>#8</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213693[/ATTACH] </p><p>LMCC 7.01.021, RIC London 143</p><p>CONSTANTINVS P AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust right</p><p>ADVENTVS AVG N - Emperor riding left, right hand raised, left holding up spear, on horse pawing seated captive to left</p><p>-/*/PLN - London</p><p>311-312 AD</p><p>3.6g, 21.5mm</p><p>Purchased from eBay from a gentleman selling the collection of his detectorist uncle.</p><p>£48.70</p><p><br /></p><p>After being outbid for a contemporaneous coin with the same reverse but a different legend, I had not expected to be able to add a coin to my collection this year which commemorated Constantine&#039;s arrival in Britannia to gather troops for his upcoming battle against Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge.&nbsp; I&#039;m sure you all understand the wish to add coins to you collection which directly reference historical events, and the coinage of this period, featuring a * in the right or left field, feature a plethora of historical and interesting reverse types.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although it has some unfortunate corrosion over poor Constantine&#039;s mouth, the coin is in superb condition, with a detailed and attractive reverse.&nbsp; There are a number of different legend and bust varieties for the ADVENTVS types from this period, but all of them are rare at best, so being able to get a good example within my budget was a highlight of my year.</p><p><br /></p><p>#9</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213695[/ATTACH] </p><p>LMCC 7.02.005, RIC 146C</p><p>IMP LICINIVS P F AVG - Laureate and cuirassed bust right</p><p>COMITI AA VV GG - Sol standing left, chlamys falling from left shoulder, right hand holding up globe, left whip</p><p>PLN/-/*</p><p>311-312 AD</p><p>23mm, 4.45g</p><p>Purchased from eBay, Ex. Lockdales</p><p>£35.35</p><p><br /></p><p>As I mentioned in the previous entry, the * issues at London were massively varied with many new and returning types, and with the exception of a few extremely common types, most are at least scarce.&nbsp; This coin is one of the rare types.&nbsp; Frequently the reverse legends of these coins use either AVG N, AVGG NN, or AA VV GG to express the plural Augusti, here &#039;To the companion (Sol) of the (or our) Emperors&#039;.&nbsp; I have a common but pleasant AVGG NN of Sol for Constantine, and this coin represents the other variety.&nbsp; An interesting (to me at least) coin with an odd patina that is more shiny in places than others, much more attractive in the hand than in pictures.&nbsp; One of my main goals for the next collecting year is to expand my collection of * types considerably to reflect the variety of coinage in this historically interesting year, the last period at the London mint where the propaganda utility of the mint was fully in swing.</p><p><br /></p><p>#10</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1213696[/ATTACH] </p><p>9.05.013 (cuirassed) or 9.05.015 (trabea) - RIC VII 271</p><p>CONSTANTINVS AG - Laureate and cuirassed or trabeate bust right, holding eagle tipped sceptre in right hand</p><p>BEAT TRANQLITAS - Globe on altar inscribed VOT/IS/XX in three lines; above, three stars</p><p>-/-//PLON</p><p>19mm, 3.71g, 321 AD</p><p>ex Alan Cherry, London Coin Fair 2019, purchased from eBay</p><p>£19.20</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin, on the common side of scarce, is included in RIC under one listing, and in LMCC under two, either cuirassed or trabeate.&nbsp; The presence of an eagle tipped sceptre and the high neck line of the clothing lead me to believe that it is in fact one type, both wearing a trabea.&nbsp; Other than the appeal of a consular bust, I immediately wanted this coin simply due to the fact that the surfaces are almost spotless, and it has almost no wear at all, with an decent if slightly uncentred strike.&nbsp; A charming little coin.&nbsp; I only wish coins from London of this late period were more commonly found in this condition.</p><p><br /></p><p>I hope you enjoy the coins as much as I have, and please let me know your favourites.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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