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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;TIF, post: 3281112, member: 56859&quot;]Wow, what a hectic year-- especially here at the end.&nbsp; It hasn&#039;t been a pleasant year at all with one difficult thing after another, but coins and CoinTalk remain a bright and happy place in my life.&nbsp; Thank you all, CoinTalk family, for making this such a wonderful place <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; Many of the following coins have not previously been posted to CT.&nbsp; I meant to do detailed writeups of each but life kept getting in the way.&nbsp; Maybe next year I&#039;ll be able to give them the writeups they deserve.</p><p><br /></p><p>My primary area of interest has become Provincials, and in particular, coins of Roman Egypt.&nbsp; Within that realm my favorite coins are those with Egypt-specific reverses or other unusual reverses.&nbsp; Here are my 10 favorites.&nbsp; I feel terrible for not posting every last one, like I&#039;ve slighted the other coins <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie3" alt=":(" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1.&nbsp; Domitian diobol/Agathodaemon riding a horse.</b>&nbsp; This is not only a favorite for the year but of <i>all</i> years.&nbsp; This coin is just so wonderful I can hardly stand it <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; Beautiful portrait, supremely weird reverse, great condition, illustrated in Emmett (twice!), awesome pedigree... what a special coin.&nbsp; I&#039;m lucky to have it.</p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/domitianagathodaemononhorse-rt-jpg.759269/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian</b></p><p>Æ diobol; 25 mm, 10.86 gm</p><p>Regnal year 10, CE 90/91.</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; AVT KAICAP ΔΟ ΜΙΤ CEB ΓΕΡΜ, laureate head right</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; Agathodaemon serpent, wearing the skhent crown (emblematic of upper and lower Egypt), on horseback galloping left; L I (date) below</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Köln –; Dattari (Savio) –; K&amp;G 24.109; RPC II 2585; SNG Copenhagen 214; Emmett 277.10 (R5).</p><p><i>Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection</i></p><p><i>Ex West Coast/Lloyd Beauchaine Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 41, 19 March 1997), lot 1110</i></p><p><i>Ex Classical Numismatic Review Vol. XVI, No. 1 (January 1991), lot 31</i></p><p><i>Ex Numismatic Fine Arts Fall Mail Bid Sale (18 October 1990), lot 2365</i></p><p><b>Appearances:</b></p><p>Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 39 (<i>this coin</i>)</p><p>Obverse illustrated in Emmett as the header for the Domitian section, p. 24 (<i>this coin</i>)</p><p>Fully illustrated in Emmett, p. 26 (<i>this coin</i>, discussing the unusual reverse).</p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/so-these-exist-snake-cowboys.314032/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/so-these-exist-snake-cowboys.314032/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/so-these-exist-snake-cowboys.314032/</a></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/thegoodsnake-edited90msec-gif.759268/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>2.&nbsp; Marcus Aurelius diobol/foot of Serapis.</b>&nbsp; Not previously shown on CoinTalk, this coin was another unexpected and wonderful pick up.&nbsp; It is also fully illustrated in Emmett.&nbsp; Numismatist Willam E. Metcalf (former Chief Curator for the American Numismatic Society) describes this as &quot;one of the homeliest coin types every devised&quot;&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie59" alt=":joyful:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie59" alt=":joyful:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; The meaning of the reverse is not known with certainty but it may be a representation of the colossal statue of Serapis in ancient Alexandria.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867370[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>EGYPT, Alexandria.&nbsp; Marcus Aurelius</b></p><p>AE diobol, 22.8 mm, 8.33 gm</p><p>RY 17 (176/7 CE)</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; MAVPHΛIOCANTωNINOC; laureate head right</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; right foot and ankle (of a statue of Serapis?), pointing right; draped bust right of Serapis above, wearing kalathos; LI[Z] in right field</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Dattari (Savio) 3516; Emmett 2254.17 (<i>this coin illustrated, p. 96</i>); K&amp;G 37.411 <i>(this coin illustrated</i>).&nbsp; Extremely rare. None in CoinArchives.</p><p><i>Ex WRG Collection</i></p><p><i>Ex Kerry K. Wetterstrom Collection (Part II, Classical Numismatic Auctions XIII, 4 December 1990), lot 130.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>From the auction writeup:</p><p>An enigmatic type that most likely represents the colossal statue of Sarapis by Bryaxis, which is “always described as a colossus, the god’s right foot and ankle were the only parts of the statue which were within reach of the worshipper.” Since a statue of a god was “no less potent than the god himself,” and touching it “could effect a cure,” then the coin type “merely portrays a familiar but distinctive piece of religious apparatus.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Perhaps Monty Python&#039;s Foot of God is actually the Foot of Serapis?&nbsp; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/footofserapisanimation-gif.858414/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>3.&nbsp; Trajan drachm/Triptolemos</b>.&nbsp; Because I can&#039;t resist chariots being drawn by things other than horses and this Triptolemos reverse is particularly well preserved.&nbsp; The portrait is quite nice too.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867386[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>EGYPT. Alexandria. Trajan</b></p><p>AE drachm, 33.5 mm, 22.09 g</p><p>Uncertain regnal year</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; [AYT] TPAIANCE BΓEPM∆AKIK; Laureate bust of Trajan to right</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; Triptolemos in a chariot drawn right by two winged Agathodaemon serpents</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Emmett 601; RPC III 4336.4</p><p><br /></p><p>The leaned-back posture of the serpents looked familiar somehow... then it clicked.&nbsp; R. Crumb&#039;s &quot;Keep On Truckin&quot; dudes!! If you were alive in the late 1960s or early 1970s you&#039;ll remember it...</p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_24bc0ecbdad24e4886c033dc88b626b6~mv2.png" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ae43f8_eb5de0f5c39945c49139b9f767f971c7~mv2.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>4.&nbsp; Trajan drachm/elephant quadriga</b>.&nbsp; Despite the large array of &quot;alternate modes of transportation&quot; I&#039;ve accumulated, I lacked an elephant quad until now.&nbsp; This one is very well preserved.&nbsp; Egyptian drachms circulated for a long time so finding one with such crisp devices is always a delight.&nbsp; This one is also ex Dattari and a plate coin <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; The only reason it didn&#039;t rank higher in this favorites list is that elephant quadrigas are not particularly unusual across a swath of ancient coin issuers.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867405[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>EGYPT. Alexandria. Trajan</b></p><p>AE drachm, 32.3 mm, 19.8 gm</p><p>Regnal year 14 (110/11 CE)</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; AYT TPAIANC EBΓEPM∆AKIK; laureate bust right, with aegis on left shoulder</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; Trajan, laureate, wearing a toga and holding an eagle-tipped sceptre and branch, standing in an elephant quadriga right; LIΔ above.</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Emmett 462.14; Dattari-Savio Pl. 31, 766 (<i>this coin</i>); RPC 4510.3 (<i>this coin</i>)</p><p><i>ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>5.&nbsp; Aelius tetradrachm/Homonoia</b>.&nbsp; This was my 2018 Secret Saturn gift and I was completely blown away.&nbsp; I could only imagine it coming from a few people and I correctly guessed... [USER=77077]@Theodosius[/USER] was my Saturn.&nbsp; I&#039;m still stunned at this incredible gift and will always treasure it!!</p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/aeliustet-ss2018-rt-jpg.861024/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>EGYPT, Alexandria. Aelius</b></p><p>137 CE</p><p>Billon tetradrachm; 23 mm, 13.16 gm</p><p>Obv: ΛAIΛIOCKAICAP; bare head right</p><p>Rev: ΔHM EΞOVC VΠAT B; Homonoia standing left, holding cornucopiae and patera over garlanded altar</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Emmett 1350.2; Köln 1271; Milne 1539</p><p><i>Ex Theodosius Collection </i></p><p><i>Ex John A. Seeger Collection</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>6.&nbsp; Trajan drachm/centaur biga</b>.&nbsp; I have a Domitian centaur biga but this reverse is much better (not that I consider this acquisition redundant!!).&nbsp; It&#039;s from T.J. Buggey&#039;s collection.&nbsp; I wish I&#039;d realize his Alexandrian coins were being sold sooner.&nbsp; I have a couple of his now but missed out on the bulk of them.&nbsp; Trajan looks unusually handsome and youthful in this portrait.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867412[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Egypt, Alexandria. Trajan</b></p><p>AE drachm, 34.73 mm, 21.18 gm</p><p>Regnal year 12 (108/9 CE)</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; [AVT TRAIAN] CEB ΓE[PM ΔA]KIK, laureate and draped bust of Trajan right, seen from behind</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; Trajan, raising hand and holding scepter, driving biga of centaurs right; above, L IB</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Emmett 464.12 (R4).</p><p><i>Ex Tom Buggey Collection</i></p><p><i>Ex Jean Elsen</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>7.&nbsp; Trajan drachm/Harpokrates with lower body of a crocodile (let&#039;s call this a &quot;Harpodile&quot; <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />)</b>.&nbsp; I had tried and failed to acquire one of these in the past; the examples were heartbreakingly awesome.&nbsp; I don&#039;t mind this rougher coin as an alternative though because these oddball reverse types can get very pricey!&nbsp; It&#039;s from the Tom Buggey collection.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867418[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Egypt, Alexandria. Trajan</b></p><p>AE drachm, 32.07 mm, 18.28 gm, 1 h</p><p>Regnal year 15 (111/12 CE)</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; [AVT T]PAIAN C-ЄB ΓЄ[PM ΔAKIK]; laureate bust of Trajan right, drapery on left shoulder</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; Harpocrates of Canopus with hindparts of a crocodile, standing left, pointing finger at mouth and holding cornucopiae; LI - E across field</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Emmett 500.15; Milne 659</p><p><i>ex Tom Buggey Collection</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>8.&nbsp; Antoninus Pius drachm/harbor scene with Isis Euploia.</b>&nbsp; I&#039;ve drooled over this type ever since seeing [USER=99412]@PeteB[/USER]&#039;s spectacular example (please post it here, Pete!).&nbsp; One day an example came up for auction.&nbsp;&nbsp; The condition was terrible but I targeted the coin anyway-- there might not be another for a while!&nbsp; Soon after (before that coin came up for auction), another example came to auction!&nbsp; <i>What to do, what to do?</i>&nbsp; I had to bid on both, of course <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; I preferred the second coin (shown below) but couldn&#039;t count on winning it.&nbsp; I ended up with both.&nbsp; Here&#039;s the second coin, marginally better than the first one:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867427[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>EGYPT. Alexandria. Antoninus Pius</b></p><p>AE drachm; 31 mm, 16.76 gm</p><p>Regnal year 18 (154/5 CE)-- probable date</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; [ΑVΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟС СЄΒ ЄVC]; laureate bust right</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; The Harbor of Alexandria: Isis Euploia standing left, holding grain ears and rudder; to left, prow above Euthenia seated right, propping herself up on hand; to right, stern above Nilus reclining left, holding rudder; L I/H (date) to upper right.</p><p>Ref:&nbsp;&nbsp; Emmett 1589.18; RPC IV online 13846; Dattari (Savio) 8772; K&amp;G 35.661.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>9.&nbsp; Trajan tetradrachm/Nilus</b>.&nbsp; This is one of those &quot;better in hand&quot; coins, probably because my aging eyes make the surfaces look better <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.&nbsp; It&#039;s a heavy little thing-- these tets still had quite a bit of silver at this time, apparently.&nbsp; Another ex Dattari <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/trajantet-nilus-dattari-rt-jpg.847636/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><b>EGYPT, Alexandria. Trajan</b></p><p>Regnal year 18 (114/5 CE)</p><p>billion tetradrachm, 24 mm, 12.8 gm</p><p>Obv: AVTTPAIANAPICEBΓEPMΔAKIK; laureate bust right, star in right field</p><p>Rev: draped bust of Nilus right, crowned with taenia and lotus bud; cornucopia at left shoulder; LI-H</p><p>Ref: Dattari 670 (this coin); Dattari-Savio plate 26 #670 (this coin); RPC 4851.16 (this coin cited); Emmett 387.18, R4.</p><p><i>ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>10.&nbsp; Maximian tetradrachm/Herakles.&nbsp; I seems appropriate to have a Herakles reverse for Maximianus Herculius yet somehow I lacked one until [USER=87404]@Justin Lee[/USER] put his up for auction in AMCC1.&nbsp; I feel like I stole it <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie87" alt=":sorry:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> but am delighted to have the coin!</p><p>[ATTACH=full]867431[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>EGYPT, Alexandria. Maximianus</b></p><p>tetradrachm;&nbsp; 20 mm, 8.78 gm</p><p>Obv:&nbsp; MAΞIMIANOCCЄB; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right</p><p>Rev:&nbsp; Herakles standing facing, head left, holding apple in right hand and club in left; star in upper right field; L-S&nbsp; across fields</p><p>Ref:&nbsp; Emmett 4131.6;&nbsp; Dattari 5915</p><p><i>Ex Justin Lee collection</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>...</p><p><br /></p><p>It was another great year for my collection.&nbsp; Apologies ahead of time for hogging the board, but in the next couple of days I hope to post my top non-Alexandrian favorites and all of the amazing gifts I received this year from other CT members!&nbsp; This place really is amazing <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>Happy New Year, everyone![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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