Top 10 of 2016 from AncientJoe

I've enjoyed all of the Top 10 posts so far and have been delaying mine until one final purchase comes in which could be a contender... but alas, it looks as if customs will delay it into the New Year.

That said, this year was, by a wide margin, my most "productive" numismatic year so far, resulting in 41 new ancients in my collection. My top ten has changed every time I've thought about it so I figured I'd bite the bullet and write a post now just to draw a line in the sand.

#1: Kimon dekadrachm



My favorite coin for the year, and one of my favorites overall. This isn't from signed dies but I personally prefer it stylistically over the majority of Kimon dies. I've had my eye on this exact coin for a few years and finally managed to get it at the right price. Centering is notoriously difficult for dekadrachms, especially with the obverse (quadriga side) and I consider myself very fortunate to have found a pleasing example which happened to be on a slightly oblong flan, allowing for all of the design to show.

#2: Syracuse 16 litrai



I was quite surprised when I saw it in lot viewing - I didn't expect it to come back around this soon. I had hoped to bid on this coin when it was last sold in 2013 but didn't have the budget for it as it came up after a few earlier targets. I had to pay a bit more this time around but don't regret it at all.

#3: Kamarina tetradrachm



This coin jumped out of the tray to me when I first saw it ahead of the auction being posted at NAC's offices. I already had a Kamarina tetradrachm from almost the same pair of dies but this example was far superior in quality in my eyes. I managed to sell mine and acquire this which made it quite reasonably priced for the type.

#4: Kyrene stater



One of my first purchases of the year, from the Triton auction in January. I admired this type when seeing an example in a Leu catalog from the 90s and had always hoped to acquire one. When an example sold a few years ago for a nosebleed price, I had minimal hopes of acquiring this coin but I managed to snag it exactly at my max.

#5: Constantine the Great medallion



I've historically defined my collection as starting at the beginning of coinage up through the thousandth anniversary of the founding of Rome. This coin caused me to extend my end date by nearly a century and I couldn't be happier.

I was scrolling through auctions while waiting in the doctors' chair for a minor surgery and happened to find this in a relatively obscure sale which was closing in a few hours. I placed a last minute bid and couldn't believe I was successful. Possibly controversially, I wouldn't have bid on it if it weren't slabbed: the coin had a couple extra zeros in its pricetag relative to the other coins in the sale and I had no means of viewing it. I took a gamble and was sweating during the several-months-long process of getting an export certificate but when it arrived, I instantly loved it.

#6: Elis stater



Coins from the ancient Olympics always attract me and this is no exception. I've been hoping to find a higher grade example of the series but they almost always come quite worn. This coin has very attractive, subtle toning and wonderful style which has made it one of my favorites overall.

#7: Faustina Jr. aureus



As my avatar indicates, I admire Antoninus Pius and his family. This aureus of Faustina Jr is a perfect match for the Marcus Aurelius I purchased at the same sale, and brings me one step closer to completing the family tree. I already had a Faustina Jr but the style of this coin made me enthusiastically not mind the duplicate.

#8: Colosseum medallion



I was assuming this coin would sell for a very steep price and was therefore intending to skip it as there was a hefty set of auctions coming up shortly after which would consume a large portion of my budget. To my surprise, I was the only bidder and bought it for the opening price! It isn't perfect but it's a difficult type and a solid pair to my sestertius.

#9: Lampsakos stater



Pedigreed back to an 1874 find in Smyrna and photographed in several reference books, this coin should have been firmly on my bid list. However, I assumed my budget would be spent already from earlier lots. When my final lot went vastly under what I intended to spend, I messaged my dealer and urgently asked to bid on this coin (which was only two lots later). I managed to acquire it well under its last sale price and well under my max bid which essentially resulted in a "two for one" deal.

#10: Tanit stater



I purchased this at NYINC in January at the suggestion of a friend who had viewed it. The picture looked as if there were some striations in the fields which I would have been distracted by so I was going to pass but he viewed it the day before I arrived and (jokingly) threatened to buy it and sell it to me at a heavily marked up price out of spite if I didn't buy it first, so I obliged and was pleasantly surprised upon seeing it in person.

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A Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that 2017 brings health, happiness, and many new acquisitions to us all!

 

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Since most of us don't have the resources to collect pieces like these, it's a real pleasure to have you come around this forum and share your acquisitions. Health and happiness to you as well, and keep up the great work on the website!

 

Wow those are all awesome. I especially like the Elis stater. Very nice man you had a great year

 

Gorgeous coins @AncientJoe ! I enjoy them all. I particularly like your #10 Tanit Stater as it is similar to my inbound EL Carthage Stater. Well done!

 

Looks like a banner year, AJ! You certainly aren't squeamish about whittling your collection and forming new targets, and your collection grows ever more elite because of it. Wowza... what a collection!

You photography is equally wonderful

 

Incredible coins! Seeing coins like this makes me want to get deeper into ancients than I am now. Is coin number 9 gold or silver? Looks like it could go either way with the color.

 

Yes.

Electrum

 

@AncientJoe

Those are all superb coins. Congrats on these stellar additions to your collection.

 

It looks like you've had a tremendous year! I can't even pick a favorite amongst them... each is a marvel in its own right. Congrats!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy New Year to you too.

 

The big highlight of the year on these forums are the "Top Ten" from everyone! And yours are... well, you get the picture.

 

All gorgeous AJ!

 

Between the high quality photos and stunning coins, I'm truly amazed! Just wow.

That Kimon dekadrachm is something to truly savour.

 

That must be one of the best Elis in existence if not the best!

I love the modeling of both Zeus and the eagle.

John

 

Superb! My favorite is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

 

I have to agree with #1 due to the style which is simply exceptional. #5 is not what we usually think of when we say "Late Roman" but reminds me of the coins in Kent's Roman Coins where we were shown many multiples of magnificent style (mostly in gold).

 

did anyone not say "whoaaaa" 10 times as they scrolled down?

 

AJ, thank you very much for taking the time to write up those magnificent coins for us.

 

Superb coins that had me both drooling and moaning (since they are all WAY out of my budget) LOL

A fabulous array of coins with a terrific write-up!!!

Best holiday wishes to you and yours AJ!!

 

Spectacular coins.. a truly enviable collection