This started as a Top 10, but I see that I actually selected 11, so 11 it is To some extent, they're in reverse order of being added to Tantalus. 1. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/117817.php Mark Antony denarius - struck in the Autumn of 42 BC in Greece at a mint following Antony. Sear's excellent History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators suggests that the IMP means this coin was struck after the second battle of Philippi (23rd October 42 BC) and the fact that Antony is depicted bearded means that it was struck immediately after the battle, before Antony and Octavian shaved off their beards, having avenged Caesar's murder with the deaths of Brutus & Cassius (or at least before the celator had modified the portrait). Crawford 496/1, HCRI 128, Sydenham 1168. 2. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/117816.php A fairly battered didrachm from ~265-242 BC, but I like it. Crawford 22/1, Sydenham 21. 3. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/116967.php Nero tetradrachm of Antioch. Not a main collecting area, but I have a few of these and picked up the Prieur reference in a CNG sale during the summer. Prieur 79. 4. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/116965.php This is a bit different in that the coin is probably unidentifiable and I actually bought it back in 2012, but only finally added it to Tantalus in 2017. The side I'm calling the reverse appears to have a large S C, meaning it's probably from Antioch, but I wouldn't say even that's 100% certain. The counterstamps are more clear though - Howgego catalogues them as numbers 130 & 408 - a grain ear with 8 grains and a laureate head right. There are some other marks which may also be counterstamps, but I'm sticking with 130 & 408 for now. 5. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/116847.php Numonia 2 denarius (C. Numonius Vaala). Crawford 514/2, Sydenham 1087, HCRI 322. In 2016, there was one on Vcoins and I dithered too long and someone else bought it. A couple have appeared at auction since and I ended up with this - the worst and cheapest of the three, but at least it's fully identifiable. The reverse is of interest, showing a soldier attacking a rampart defended by two soldiers. This is normally interpreted as marking the heroic act of an ancestor, while the obverse may depict an ancestor. However, Kuenker believe that the obverse features Cassius, who's not known from any certain portraits and didn't depict himself on his own coins: https://www.kuenker.de/en/information/presseinformationen/aktuelle-mitteilungen/86 This coin comes from the Clain-Stefanelli Collection, great collectors and numismatists and there must surely be a book in their life stories: https://www.money.org/uploads/pdfs/...APR.10.05.01-Elvira-Clain-Stefanelli-Dies.pdf 6. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/116400.php C. Memmius denarius. Crawford 427/1, Sydenham 920. I like this - it's a bit flatly struck and deserves a better photo' than wedged between my fingers and snapped with my 'phone, but this is the best I have of it for now. 7. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/116397.php C. Egnatius denarius. Crawford 391/1b, Sydenham 786a. This is a rare coin that had been listed for a while, then had its price reduced, so I bought it. My own photos are on the bottom, the seller's on top. Venus looks a bit sulky in it. 8. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/115278.php Man. Acilius Glabrio denarius. Crawford 442/1a, Sydenham 922. I had one of these already, but this from a Triskeles/Vauctions sale was an upgrade. From the Big Sky Collection, whatever that was! 9. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/114179.php Octavian denarius. RIC 253, HCRI 400. I like Octavian's denarii and this is the only one I bought in 2017. 10. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/114112.php Syracuse tetradrachm (upper pics mine; bottom pics, seller's). SNG ANS 664, HGC 2, 1536. I have a side-collection in Greek coins, especially Sicilian ones, and this was my first addition to Tantalus in 2017. It's corroded, but quite stylish. I spent a nice week between jobs driving around Sicily in 2015 to see where the coins came from - Palermo/Panormus, Segesta, Agrigento/Akragas, Selinunte/Selinus, Gela, Leontini, Syracuse, Catania. If I played and won the lottery, I could afford to collect them properly! 11. http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/116913.php Anonymous/M victoriatus. Crawford 71/1a, Sydenham 112, RBW 300. I picked up a few victoriati in 2017, this is probably the nicest-looking one. My pics on the bottom - it's not really so yellow. Roll on 2018 - a visit to NYINC in January, BANS weekend in Gillingham in April, about three coin fairs here in Dublin and maybe hope to London for a day sometime and who knows what treasures will be added ATB, Aidan.
Very nice group of mostly Roman Republic coinage and ones that I would welcome into my collection if I were collecting them. Will be a future goal and all those coins gave me ideas about what to look for.
Tantalus indeed. Tantalizing coins. Here’s a bit of heresy for you: my favorite photo was the one between your fingers. Often I enjoy a break from the “catalogue” photos and like seeing a coin literally in hand. My favorite coin is the Antony denarius. What a story that single coin tells!
@akeady ... gobsmacked... ALL of them are GREAT. You collect very much the same as I, and I enjoy EVERYone of your Top 11... in fact, would love to see all the ones you captured this year! Great job! LOL, that is why we have "bumped" into each other in a couple auctions. You have Good Taste. Here is a RR Didrachm that I enjoy that fits with your Didrachm buddy: Roman Republic AR Didrachm (Pre-Denarius Coinage) 275-270 BCE (Rare) 17.7 x 20.7 oblong strike, 7.3g OBV: ROMANO, laurel head of Apollo l REV: Horse galloping r, star above Crawford 13/1; Sear 23 These were struck as a response to Pyrrhus' invasion of Italy at the behest of Tarentum. He was King of Epirus 306-302 BCE and 297-292 BCE; King of Macedonia 288-285 BCE and 274-272 BCE; and King of Syracuse 278-276 BCE... Known for the term "Pyrrhic Victory" during his battles with Rome. Even though the battles were won by him, the Romans inflicted such losses on his armies that he could not ultimately sustain war with them.
I recognise your name from some CNG auctions, alegandron! Great minds think alike and all that I'm sure we'll contest more in the future. I'll post a link to my website soon - it's only a list to my RR coins on Tantalus at the moment, mostly so I won't buy duplicates by accident... ATB, Aidan.
All spectacular coins, congrats!! My eye is particularly drawn to the Memmius, the Glabrio, the victoriatus, the obverse of the tet, and the reverse() of the didrachm. My mind is drawn to the Antony, the countermarks, and the Vaala. You must have a very impressive Republican collection!
Some beautiful coins in your selection, I really like the MA portrait and that Syracuse TET is fantastic. Congrats on a great year of terrific buys.
Fantastic!! I LOVE them all and particularly your preference for variation in devices of the RR coinage. Hmm, it seems I generally would list my favorites of your 11 from the bottom up but constantly switch them around a bit
They're sort-of in reverse chronological order - #10 is the first one I got. #11 arrived some time in the middle of the year but when I made the list of tavd in Tantakus, I accidentally closed it and reopened it again. I don't really have a favourite from these, maybe #10 if pushed. I like RR coins - actually, #11 is C/M rather than just M (or MA). I forgot the C on the obverse when posting! Maybe I can add one or two more befire 2018, but they will be first arrivals of 2018 at this stage. Happy New Year, Aidan.
