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<p>[QUOTE="TIF, post: 3941095, member: 56859"]<span style="color: #000000">Cheers, fellow CoinTalkers <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">Life has been a constant challenge since the back-to-back category 5 hurricanes of 2017 which caused so much destruction in the Virgin Islands. Not long before the hurricanes I began thinking about moving back to Texas. The hurricanes delayed that plan by a couple of years. I had make repairs to my condo (interior; still waiting on exterior repairs!) and get a number of things in order for the move. To say it was difficult would be a tremendous understatement.</span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">The last months of this year were particularly busy with preparing my place for sale, selling it, working, packing, and the myriad of other things that go along with a major move.</span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">I finally made it back to Texas last week. Of course there is still much to do in getting settled, and my mom’s house requires a ton of repairs, some of which are urgent-- I'm still much busier than I want to be right now.</span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">Keeping up with the huge number of new threads on CoinTalk has been impossible but I hope to catch up soon, at least for all of the year-end list. Thanks again, [USER=83845]@Curtisimo[/USER], for the handy list!!</span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">I’ve been so busy that some of the coins in this list have not yet been written up or posted, and I gave up trying to do so before writing this year-end post. </span></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #000000">The order is subject to change on a whim <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. </span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>10. Banquet scene</b>. This is a type of coin I've wanted for a while. They aren't plentiful and in higher grade can get pretty pricey. Perhaps I was impatient to have bought this lower grade coin but I'd been outbid on a better one. This will do for now but I would very much like a higher grade example, so expect me to bid against you when the next one comes up <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/hadrian-bizyabanquetreshoot-rt-jpg.1002592/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>THRACE, Bizya. Hadrian</b></font></p><p><font size="3">117-138 CE</font></p><p><font size="3">Æ 24 mm, 9.5 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: [AVTO TPAIAN] ΑΔPI ANOC KA[ICPA CЄB]; laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, thin strip of drapery on near shoulder</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: [BIZ]YH[NΩN]; banquet scene: man reclining left on klinè; at his feet is seated a female figure, with right foot on stool, extending left hand toward (or feeding?) a coiled serpent erect before a second stool; to left, youth standing facing, head right; to right, forepart of horse left</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: Jurukova 8 var.; RPC III 732.7 corr. (from a similar CNG coin). Rare.</font></p><p><br /></p><p>The popular story of the reverse is probably fiction or wishful thinking, but I'll copy a CNG blurb about it here for your lurid pleasure <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />:</p><p><br /></p><p>"This coin depicts an interesting scene that was repeated by two other emperors and was obviously of great local significance. While sometimes thought to depict the local myth of King Tereus being served the corpse of his son in revenge for his crimes against his sister-in-law, the serpent or serpent-entwined staff beneath the couch has led others to identify the central figures as Asclepius and Hygeia. A fuller understanding of this scene unfortunately eludes us."</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>9. Apollo Didymeus.</b> [USER=103829]@Jochen1[/USER] provided <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/apollo-philesios-and-the-movable-stag-of-kanachos.330205/#post-3294998" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/apollo-philesios-and-the-movable-stag-of-kanachos.330205/#post-3294998">a dizzying writeup of the statue of Apollo holding a moveable stag</a>, and that seems to be the same Apollo on this coin.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/api-apollodidymeustet-rt-jpg.907157/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius</b></font></p><p><font size="3">regnal year 11 (147/8 CE)</font></p><p><font size="3">billon tetradrachm, 23 mm, 14 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ANTωNEINOCCEB EVCEB; laureate draped bust right, seen from behind</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: Apollo Didymeus standing facing, holding quiver and stag; LENΔEKATOV around</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: Emmett 1358.11; RPC Online 14267; Dattari-Savio Pl. 108, 8084.</font></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/alexandrian-tetradrachm-with-an-unusual-deity.335154/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/alexandrian-tetradrachm-with-an-unusual-deity.335154/"><font size="3">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/alexandrian-tetradrachm-with-an-unusual-deity.335154/</font></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>8. Chicken and waffles <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</b> Another rather unattractive coin but one that was intriguing because of the reverse design. We speculated about the possible reason for the “waffle” reverse in <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/chicken-waffles.333266/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/chicken-waffles.333266/">this thread</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/dardanoschickenandwaffles-rt-jpg.892740/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>TROAS, Dardanos</b></font></p><p><font size="3">c. 450-420 BCE</font></p><p><font size="3">AR obol; 9 mm, 0.56 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: cock standing left</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: cross-hatch pattern</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: Nomismata 3, 303; Demeester 98; SNG Ashmolean 1119 (all references unverified; I do not have copies of these reference books/catalogs)</font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>7. An apparently unpublished Alexandrian obol.</b> Roman Egypt is a specialty interest of mine so naturally a coin not in Emmett is satisfying. Saying it is unpublished is a little bit flyspecky though because there are a few known with Agathodaemon right instead of left, but not with the reverse date of RY 4. There is certainly a lot we don't know about these rare bustless Alexandrian bronzes. It looks like I may not have shown this before on CT even though I bought it early in the year.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1038748[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><font size="3">EGYPT, Alexandria. Anonymous bronze obol</font></b></p><p><font size="3">c. 1st - 3rd century CE; time of Caligula per some sources)</font></p><p><font size="3">Æ obol, 19mm, 4.18 g, 12h. Dated RY 4 (AD 39/40, if issued during Caligula's reign)</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: Agathodaemon serpent erect left; star(?) to right</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: Uraeus serpent erect left; L ∆ (date) across field</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: Unpublished, but cf. <a href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5110" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5110" rel="nofollow">RPC I 5110</a> (uraeus right; date); cf. Emmett 4248 (Agathodaemon right; date) </font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>6. Athens owl tet from the classical "mass emission" period</b>. With tens of thousands of examples on the market it is difficult to pick one but for various reasons the time and price were right for this one. Sure, I could have waiting for a better one— maybe even at a similar price— but this was a very reasonable deal and ticked all my requirements for the type. As feared though it makes me want more-- an archaic owl tet, a transitional owl tet ("Starr type"), other denominations...</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1038847[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>ATTICA, Athens</b></p><p><font size="3">c. 454-404 BCE</font></p><p><font size="3">AR tetradrachm; 17.21 gm, ~25 mm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: head of Athena right, with frontal eye</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive sprig and crescent to left; AΘE downward in right field; all within incuse square</font></p><p><font size="3">Removed from an NGC slab; AU 5/5 strike, 3/5 surfaces, "Parliament Collection"</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: I really don't know. There are so many catalogs and types and I have no idea how nitpicky various catalogers are. Reid Goldsborough noted that David Sear said there were so many owl tets that in all his years he's never seen a die matched pair! Suffice it to say that this coin is authentic and it is from the "mass emission" period... a "classical owl tet".</font></p><p><font size="3"><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/whats-the-secret-handshake-another-new-owl-tet-club-member.339458/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/whats-the-secret-handshake-another-new-owl-tet-club-member.339458/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/whats-the-secret-handshake-another-new-owl-tet-club-member.339458/</a></font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>5. Egyptian iconography 1000 miles removed: Melita (Malta), with a distinctly Egyptian reverse.</b> When I saw these types I fell in love with the mystery. Yes, it is not high grade but it is in the upper tier of examples, strike/surfaces/grade-wise. They’re all mostly awful <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Two of these rare coins appeared in quick succession. I bought both and show both here because they each have their plusses and minuses. Which of the two I prefer is a toss-up. <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-coins-of-melita.342722/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-coins-of-melita.342722/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-coins-of-melita.342722/</a></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/melitanephtys-rt-jpg.966137/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>ISLANDS BETWEEN SICILY AND AFRICA, Melita.</b></font></p><p><font size="3">c. 218-175 BCE. Æ 29 mm, 10.82 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: Veiled and diademed female head right</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: Mummy of Osiris standing facing, head left, between winged figures of Isis and Nephtys, each holding a palm frond; Punic ‘NN above</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: SNG Copenhagen (Vol. 8) 458-9</font></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/melitaisisnephtysosiris2-rt-jpg.966136/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>ISLANDS BETWEEN SICILY AND AFRICA, Melita.</b></font></p><p><font size="3">c. 218-175 BCE. Æ 29 mm, 10.84 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: Veiled and diademed female head right</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: Mummy of Osiris standing facing, head left, between winged figures of Isis and Nephtys, each holding a palm frond; Punic ‘NN above</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: SNG Copenhagen (Vol. 8) 458-9</font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>4. Another coin of Melita. </b>One of the best examples out there and I had to pay accordingly.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/melitawingedmale-rt-jpg.966140/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>ISLANDS BETWEEN SICILY AND AFRICA, Melita.</b></font></p><p><font size="3">c. 160 BCE. Æ 27 mm, 11.88 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: Head of Isis (?) left; Tanit symbol with Kerykeion to left; MEΛΙΤΑΙΩΝ around right</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: Winged male deity (Osiris?) wearing the double crown of Egypt, kneeling left and holding a crook (or sceptre) and a flail</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: CNP 949; Coleiro in NC 1971, 3; SNRIS 2.15 (<i>this coin</i>)</font></p><p><font size="3"><i>ex David Freedman collection; Triton V, New York 2002, no. 292</i></font></p><p><br /></p><p>I tried a video presentation for these Melitan coins and it turned out fairly well and was fun to do, although personally I'd rather read about a coin than watch a video. Unless it's a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsFFXNJiPxY" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsFFXNJiPxY" rel="nofollow">Kevin Butcher coin video</a> <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]iF27fpFcHdA[/MEDIA]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>3. Taras dolphin rider. </b>I love these coins. The issue is so vast and there are so many variations… it would make for a wonderful specialty. For now this is my only example but in the future I’d love to have more examples from different time periods.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/tarasnomos-rt-ed-jpg.1002419/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><font size="3"><b>CALABRIA, Tarentum</b></font></p><p><font size="3">circa 344-340 BCE per CNG's cataloger; 380-345 BCE per Cote/Ratto;</font></p><p><font size="3">AR nomos (didrachm); 21 mm, 7.72 gm, 9h</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: Warrior, holding small shield in left hand, dismounting from horse galloping left; horizontal T below</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: Phalanthos (Taras?), holding helmet in right hand, riding dolphin left; TAPAΣ to upper right, I and waves below</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: Fischer-Bossert group 47, 657 (V252/R509); Vlasto 437 (same dies); HN Italy 876; Côte 152</font></p><p><font size="3"><i>Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient Coins, Sept 2019</i></font></p><p><font size="3"><i>Slabbed prior to its most recent sale to me and quickly de-slabbed upon arrival; NGC XF, 5/5, 4/5, Fine Style.</i></font></p><p><font size="3"><i>Prior sales: CNG's Coin shop (date unknown); Roma Auction 6 lot 327 (Sept 2013)</i></font></p><p><font size="3"><i><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-tarentum-dolphin-rider.347715/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-tarentum-dolphin-rider.347715/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-tarentum-dolphin-rider.347715/</a></i></font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. A rare type of a rare usurper.</b> This coin was brought to my attention by [USER=4298]@Cucumbor[/USER], who owns one of the finest Egyptian “octodrachms" of <b>Domitius Domitianus</b>. Those octodrachms are fantastic, showing Serapis walking right. The coin below is a smaller denomination and I'm not certain how this was valued at the time or what the denomination was called. Tetradrachm? Hexadrachm? It's larger than Egyptian tetradrachms of that era. There is only one other of this type in ACsearch. It's good to have coinfriends <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. <i>Thanks, Cuke!!</i></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1038369[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><font size="3">EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitius Domitianus</font></b></p><p><font size="3">RY 2 (297-8 CE)</font></p><p><font size="3">potin tetradrachm/hexagram/othergram; 9.56 gm, 23 mm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: ΔOMITIANOCCEB; laureate head right</font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: draped bust of Serapis to right, LB left and palm to right</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: Datt. 6186; Emmett 4242</font></p><p><br /></p><p>Showing the coin in this thread may be tempting the postal demons because it has not yet arrived from France; images are edited seller pictures. If the reverse bottom looks a bit fuzzy it’s because I had to recreate parts of the coin that were covered by the cgbfr URL. Looking forward to having it in hand!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. Eumenes I tetradrachm.</b> My favorite of the year, bought several months ago but I've been too busy to write up it up ... a tetradrachm of Eumenes I with an utterly magnificent portrait of Philetairos! It looks great in pcitures and even better in person. The artistry! The relief! I’ve admired these tets of Eumenes I but never thought I’d get one because I wanted specific dies (these) in high grade and simply wasn’t willing to pay a few thousand for a high grade example. The coin gods smiled upon me that day and I won this coin for far less than expected (three and a half times less than this coin sold for in 2012 <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie100" alt=":wideyed:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />). There's more to wanting this than just desiring a pretty coin, but that can wait for a real writeup/video <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1038850[/ATTACH]</p><p><b><font size="3">KINGS of PERGAMON, Eumenes I</font></b></p><p><font size="3">263-241 BCE</font></p><p><font size="3">AR tetradrachm 29 mm, 16.94 gm</font></p><p><font size="3">Obv: head of Philetairos right, wearing laurel wreath </font></p><p><font size="3">Rev: ΦIΛETAIPOY; Athena enthroned left, right hand resting on shield set at her feet, gorgon on shield; left elbow resting on small sphinx seated right; transverse spear in background, ivy leaf above knee, monogram on throne, bow to right</font></p><p><font size="3">Ref: BMC Greek (Mysia) 31, p.115; SNG France 1606–9 </font></p><p><font size="3">Formerly slabbed, NGC Ch AU 5/5 3/5, Fine Style</font></p><p><i><font size="3">Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient coins, Great Collections 15 Sept 2019</font></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1038882[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The coin was one of seven or so singled out for print advertising of this collection's sale, which is another reason I was shocked to have acquired it for such a good price.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1038828[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>At least two more of the coins in the above advertisement were picked up by CT members.</p><p><br /></p><p>...</p><p><br /></p><p>I bought fewer coins this year-- some high-dollar, some middle-range, and a bunch of "snacks" <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. Most were provincial; some were Greek. Only one was Roman imperial and it is a fourree. I haven't given many of the years' coins the attention they deserve in terms of research and writeups. The coming year will likely see a continued trend towards buyer fewer coins and hopefully I'll spend more time organizing and reading about the coins I have. That's certainly a big part of the fun anyway <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />.</p><p><br /></p><p>Feedback on my list and ranking is welcome.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="TIF, post: 3941095, member: 56859"][COLOR=#000000]Cheers, fellow CoinTalkers :) Life has been a constant challenge since the back-to-back category 5 hurricanes of 2017 which caused so much destruction in the Virgin Islands. Not long before the hurricanes I began thinking about moving back to Texas. The hurricanes delayed that plan by a couple of years. I had make repairs to my condo (interior; still waiting on exterior repairs!) and get a number of things in order for the move. To say it was difficult would be a tremendous understatement. The last months of this year were particularly busy with preparing my place for sale, selling it, working, packing, and the myriad of other things that go along with a major move. I finally made it back to Texas last week. Of course there is still much to do in getting settled, and my mom’s house requires a ton of repairs, some of which are urgent-- I'm still much busier than I want to be right now. Keeping up with the huge number of new threads on CoinTalk has been impossible but I hope to catch up soon, at least for all of the year-end list. Thanks again, [USER=83845]@Curtisimo[/USER], for the handy list!! I’ve been so busy that some of the coins in this list have not yet been written up or posted, and I gave up trying to do so before writing this year-end post. The order is subject to change on a whim :D. [/COLOR] [B]10. Banquet scene[/B]. This is a type of coin I've wanted for a while. They aren't plentiful and in higher grade can get pretty pricey. Perhaps I was impatient to have bought this lower grade coin but I'd been outbid on a better one. This will do for now but I would very much like a higher grade example, so expect me to bid against you when the next one comes up :D. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/hadrian-bizyabanquetreshoot-rt-jpg.1002592/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]THRACE, Bizya. Hadrian[/B] 117-138 CE Æ 24 mm, 9.5 gm Obv: [AVTO TPAIAN] ΑΔPI ANOC KA[ICPA CЄB]; laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder, thin strip of drapery on near shoulder Rev: [BIZ]YH[NΩN]; banquet scene: man reclining left on klinè; at his feet is seated a female figure, with right foot on stool, extending left hand toward (or feeding?) a coiled serpent erect before a second stool; to left, youth standing facing, head right; to right, forepart of horse left Ref: Jurukova 8 var.; RPC III 732.7 corr. (from a similar CNG coin). Rare.[/SIZE] The popular story of the reverse is probably fiction or wishful thinking, but I'll copy a CNG blurb about it here for your lurid pleasure :D: "This coin depicts an interesting scene that was repeated by two other emperors and was obviously of great local significance. While sometimes thought to depict the local myth of King Tereus being served the corpse of his son in revenge for his crimes against his sister-in-law, the serpent or serpent-entwined staff beneath the couch has led others to identify the central figures as Asclepius and Hygeia. A fuller understanding of this scene unfortunately eludes us." [B]9. Apollo Didymeus.[/B] [USER=103829]@Jochen1[/USER] provided [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/apollo-philesios-and-the-movable-stag-of-kanachos.330205/#post-3294998']a dizzying writeup of the statue of Apollo holding a moveable stag[/URL], and that seems to be the same Apollo on this coin. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/api-apollodidymeustet-rt-jpg.907157/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius[/B] regnal year 11 (147/8 CE) billon tetradrachm, 23 mm, 14 gm Obv: ANTωNEINOCCEB EVCEB; laureate draped bust right, seen from behind Rev: Apollo Didymeus standing facing, holding quiver and stag; LENΔEKATOV around Ref: Emmett 1358.11; RPC Online 14267; Dattari-Savio Pl. 108, 8084.[/SIZE] [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/alexandrian-tetradrachm-with-an-unusual-deity.335154/'][SIZE=3]https://www.cointalk.com/threads/alexandrian-tetradrachm-with-an-unusual-deity.335154/[/SIZE][/URL] [B]8. Chicken and waffles :D.[/B] Another rather unattractive coin but one that was intriguing because of the reverse design. We speculated about the possible reason for the “waffle” reverse in [URL='https://www.cointalk.com/threads/chicken-waffles.333266/']this thread[/URL]. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/dardanoschickenandwaffles-rt-jpg.892740/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]TROAS, Dardanos[/B] c. 450-420 BCE AR obol; 9 mm, 0.56 gm Obv: cock standing left Rev: cross-hatch pattern Ref: Nomismata 3, 303; Demeester 98; SNG Ashmolean 1119 (all references unverified; I do not have copies of these reference books/catalogs)[/SIZE] [B]7. An apparently unpublished Alexandrian obol.[/B] Roman Egypt is a specialty interest of mine so naturally a coin not in Emmett is satisfying. Saying it is unpublished is a little bit flyspecky though because there are a few known with Agathodaemon right instead of left, but not with the reverse date of RY 4. There is certainly a lot we don't know about these rare bustless Alexandrian bronzes. It looks like I may not have shown this before on CT even though I bought it early in the year. [ATTACH=full]1038748[/ATTACH] [B][SIZE=3]EGYPT, Alexandria. Anonymous bronze obol[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=3]c. 1st - 3rd century CE; time of Caligula per some sources) Æ obol, 19mm, 4.18 g, 12h. Dated RY 4 (AD 39/40, if issued during Caligula's reign) Obv: Agathodaemon serpent erect left; star(?) to right Rev: Uraeus serpent erect left; L ∆ (date) across field Ref: Unpublished, but cf. [URL='https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/5110']RPC I 5110[/URL] (uraeus right; date); cf. Emmett 4248 (Agathodaemon right; date) [/SIZE] [B]6. Athens owl tet from the classical "mass emission" period[/B]. With tens of thousands of examples on the market it is difficult to pick one but for various reasons the time and price were right for this one. Sure, I could have waiting for a better one— maybe even at a similar price— but this was a very reasonable deal and ticked all my requirements for the type. As feared though it makes me want more-- an archaic owl tet, a transitional owl tet ("Starr type"), other denominations... [ATTACH=full]1038847[/ATTACH] [B]ATTICA, Athens[/B] [SIZE=3]c. 454-404 BCE AR tetradrachm; 17.21 gm, ~25 mm Obv: head of Athena right, with frontal eye Rev: owl standing right, head facing, closed tail feathers; olive sprig and crescent to left; AΘE downward in right field; all within incuse square Removed from an NGC slab; AU 5/5 strike, 3/5 surfaces, "Parliament Collection" Ref: I really don't know. There are so many catalogs and types and I have no idea how nitpicky various catalogers are. Reid Goldsborough noted that David Sear said there were so many owl tets that in all his years he's never seen a die matched pair! Suffice it to say that this coin is authentic and it is from the "mass emission" period... a "classical owl tet". [URL]https://www.cointalk.com/threads/whats-the-secret-handshake-another-new-owl-tet-club-member.339458/[/URL][/SIZE] [B]5. Egyptian iconography 1000 miles removed: Melita (Malta), with a distinctly Egyptian reverse.[/B] When I saw these types I fell in love with the mystery. Yes, it is not high grade but it is in the upper tier of examples, strike/surfaces/grade-wise. They’re all mostly awful :D. Two of these rare coins appeared in quick succession. I bought both and show both here because they each have their plusses and minuses. Which of the two I prefer is a toss-up. [URL]https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancient-coins-of-melita.342722/[/URL] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/melitanephtys-rt-jpg.966137/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]ISLANDS BETWEEN SICILY AND AFRICA, Melita.[/B] c. 218-175 BCE. Æ 29 mm, 10.82 gm Obv: Veiled and diademed female head right Rev: Mummy of Osiris standing facing, head left, between winged figures of Isis and Nephtys, each holding a palm frond; Punic ‘NN above Ref: SNG Copenhagen (Vol. 8) 458-9[/SIZE] [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/melitaisisnephtysosiris2-rt-jpg.966136/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]ISLANDS BETWEEN SICILY AND AFRICA, Melita.[/B] c. 218-175 BCE. Æ 29 mm, 10.84 gm Obv: Veiled and diademed female head right Rev: Mummy of Osiris standing facing, head left, between winged figures of Isis and Nephtys, each holding a palm frond; Punic ‘NN above Ref: SNG Copenhagen (Vol. 8) 458-9[/SIZE] [B]4. Another coin of Melita. [/B]One of the best examples out there and I had to pay accordingly. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/melitawingedmale-rt-jpg.966140/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]ISLANDS BETWEEN SICILY AND AFRICA, Melita.[/B] c. 160 BCE. Æ 27 mm, 11.88 gm Obv: Head of Isis (?) left; Tanit symbol with Kerykeion to left; MEΛΙΤΑΙΩΝ around right Rev: Winged male deity (Osiris?) wearing the double crown of Egypt, kneeling left and holding a crook (or sceptre) and a flail Ref: CNP 949; Coleiro in NC 1971, 3; SNRIS 2.15 ([I]this coin[/I]) [I]ex David Freedman collection; Triton V, New York 2002, no. 292[/I][/SIZE] I tried a video presentation for these Melitan coins and it turned out fairly well and was fun to do, although personally I'd rather read about a coin than watch a video. Unless it's a [URL='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsFFXNJiPxY']Kevin Butcher coin video[/URL] :D. [MEDIA=youtube]iF27fpFcHdA[/MEDIA] [B]3. Taras dolphin rider. [/B]I love these coins. The issue is so vast and there are so many variations… it would make for a wonderful specialty. For now this is my only example but in the future I’d love to have more examples from different time periods. [IMG]https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/tarasnomos-rt-ed-jpg.1002419/[/IMG] [SIZE=3][B]CALABRIA, Tarentum[/B] circa 344-340 BCE per CNG's cataloger; 380-345 BCE per Cote/Ratto; AR nomos (didrachm); 21 mm, 7.72 gm, 9h Obv: Warrior, holding small shield in left hand, dismounting from horse galloping left; horizontal T below Rev: Phalanthos (Taras?), holding helmet in right hand, riding dolphin left; TAPAΣ to upper right, I and waves below Ref: Fischer-Bossert group 47, 657 (V252/R509); Vlasto 437 (same dies); HN Italy 876; Côte 152 [I]Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient Coins, Sept 2019[/I] [I]Slabbed prior to its most recent sale to me and quickly de-slabbed upon arrival; NGC XF, 5/5, 4/5, Fine Style.[/I] [I]Prior sales: CNG's Coin shop (date unknown); Roma Auction 6 lot 327 (Sept 2013)[/I] [I][URL]https://www.cointalk.com/threads/my-first-tarentum-dolphin-rider.347715/[/URL][/I][/SIZE] [B]2. A rare type of a rare usurper.[/B] This coin was brought to my attention by [USER=4298]@Cucumbor[/USER], who owns one of the finest Egyptian “octodrachms" of [B]Domitius Domitianus[/B]. Those octodrachms are fantastic, showing Serapis walking right. The coin below is a smaller denomination and I'm not certain how this was valued at the time or what the denomination was called. Tetradrachm? Hexadrachm? It's larger than Egyptian tetradrachms of that era. There is only one other of this type in ACsearch. It's good to have coinfriends :). [I]Thanks, Cuke!![/I] [ATTACH=full]1038369[/ATTACH] [B][SIZE=3]EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitius Domitianus[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=3]RY 2 (297-8 CE) potin tetradrachm/hexagram/othergram; 9.56 gm, 23 mm Obv: ΔOMITIANOCCEB; laureate head right Rev: draped bust of Serapis to right, LB left and palm to right Ref: Datt. 6186; Emmett 4242[/SIZE] Showing the coin in this thread may be tempting the postal demons because it has not yet arrived from France; images are edited seller pictures. If the reverse bottom looks a bit fuzzy it’s because I had to recreate parts of the coin that were covered by the cgbfr URL. Looking forward to having it in hand! [B]1. Eumenes I tetradrachm.[/B] My favorite of the year, bought several months ago but I've been too busy to write up it up ... a tetradrachm of Eumenes I with an utterly magnificent portrait of Philetairos! It looks great in pcitures and even better in person. The artistry! The relief! I’ve admired these tets of Eumenes I but never thought I’d get one because I wanted specific dies (these) in high grade and simply wasn’t willing to pay a few thousand for a high grade example. The coin gods smiled upon me that day and I won this coin for far less than expected (three and a half times less than this coin sold for in 2012 :wideyed:). There's more to wanting this than just desiring a pretty coin, but that can wait for a real writeup/video :). [ATTACH=full]1038850[/ATTACH] [B][SIZE=3]KINGS of PERGAMON, Eumenes I[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=3]263-241 BCE AR tetradrachm 29 mm, 16.94 gm Obv: head of Philetairos right, wearing laurel wreath Rev: ΦIΛETAIPOY; Athena enthroned left, right hand resting on shield set at her feet, gorgon on shield; left elbow resting on small sphinx seated right; transverse spear in background, ivy leaf above knee, monogram on throne, bow to right Ref: BMC Greek (Mysia) 31, p.115; SNG France 1606–9 Formerly slabbed, NGC Ch AU 5/5 3/5, Fine Style[/SIZE] [I][SIZE=3]Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient coins, Great Collections 15 Sept 2019[/SIZE] [/I] [ATTACH=full]1038882[/ATTACH] The coin was one of seven or so singled out for print advertising of this collection's sale, which is another reason I was shocked to have acquired it for such a good price. [ATTACH=full]1038828[/ATTACH] At least two more of the coins in the above advertisement were picked up by CT members. ... I bought fewer coins this year-- some high-dollar, some middle-range, and a bunch of "snacks" :D. Most were provincial; some were Greek. Only one was Roman imperial and it is a fourree. I haven't given many of the years' coins the attention they deserve in terms of research and writeups. The coming year will likely see a continued trend towards buyer fewer coins and hopefully I'll spend more time organizing and reading about the coins I have. That's certainly a big part of the fun anyway :). Feedback on my list and ranking is welcome.[/QUOTE]
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