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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 8100595, member: 19463&quot;]I really was not sure that I would have a list to post this year but I have participated every time since 2013 when I started off with a top 5 list of the 107 coins I bought that year. 2021 ended up with 14 new coins so picking 10 means some will be not so great. It was my worst coin year since I retired from the Army in 1988. This is my unlucky 13th list and easily my worst. I feel compelled to post it anyway. Will there be a 2022 list?</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-top-10-index.351239/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-top-10-index.351239/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-top-10-index.351239/</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The odd part here is there is not a single Greek coin. I like Greek coins. Only one is silver. Six came from the coin show I attended last Saturday when I felt pressured to buy at least enough coins that would allow a top ten. The countdown:</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>10. Many Postumus double sestertii are overstruck on earlier coins but this one is on another Postumus. It has been posted here before. I bought it hoping I could prove to my satisfaction that the two obverses were the same die making this possibly a demonstration of the theory (which I believe correct) posted by Curtis Clay that striking teams alternated between two reverses sharing one anvil obverse. This proof eludes me. The coin shows a single figure of Victory overstriking two Victories facing each other. It is not a pretty coin but would climb the list were I able to prove the die match. As it is, the coin is an ugly mess and barely #10.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408604[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>9. From the show Saturday is an AE25 Provincial of Julia Domna from Thessalonika with Nike reverse. It is my only coin of Domna this year. There were no Septimius Severus additions. I thought 2020 was bad with just 3 SS and 1 JD.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408606[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>8. My only silver to make the list is a Trajan denarius with Abundentia or Annona (depending on where you look) standing with a child. Under them is ALIM ITAL referencing the Alimentalia program through which Trajan fed poor children in Italy. I have a few others of the Trajan types with exergual legends explaining the type so this one was not too much of a stretch but still only #8.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408607[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>7. The main appeal of the Maximus as was the fact that it was an as rather than the more often seen sestertius and used the more full obverse legend C IVL VERVS MAXIMVS CAES. The reverse showing priestly implements is common for him.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408609[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>6. This as of Severus Alexander was explained more fully today in the thread wishing our friend Severus Alexander Victory over cancer. When I bought it I thought it was just another decent looking as.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408608[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>5. From the other show earlier this year came this sestertius of Aelius. It could be better looking but I had no sestertius of Aelius and this has some appeal despite having the common Concordia reverse.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408611[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>4. From here on down are the four coins I bought this year that I think I would have liked in a &#039;normal&#039; year when I could find more coins that I liked. I have long wanted a sestertius of Nerva. I would have preferred one with a more interesting reverse, no damage on the reverse and a more excessive nose but few Nerva sestertii show up in my price bracket and I felt lucky that this one was not taken by those of you who pay EF prices for F coins. In most years, I might have considered this a &#039;space filler&#039; but in 2021 it made #4.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408612[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>3. I saw several things of appeal on this consecration issue for the Divine Galerius from the mint at Thessalonika. The obverse legend DIVO MAXIMIANO requires care in cataloging to avoid confusion with Maximianus. The reverse shows his tomb. The coin is said to have been issued by Licinius who may also have been the only person who thought Galerius deserved consecration. There are surviving accounts of people (mostly Christians?) who thought his agonizing death was what he deserved.&nbsp; The coin has some damage but is not all that bad looking and something I did not have.&nbsp; I also like the fact that all the letters A have the open top common in this period from some mints. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408610[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>2. From a CNG sale a couple months ago is my Alexandria billon tetradrachm of Gordian III as Caesar. It is listed as a common type but I value any coin from the short period Gordian was Caesar under Balbinus and Pupienus of some interest.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408613[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>1. Top spot for 2021 is another Alexandrian tetradrachm but this is one I had been wanting. It is Nero year three (his first year for Alexandrian coins) and show a much younger portrait that the common, later coins with &#039;fat Nero&#039; faces. The reverse is the serpent god as described in the legend ΝΕΟΑΓΑΘΔΑΙΜ dated LΓ. Agathodaimon is shown rearing up from the grain. I like &quot;good luck&quot; snake coins. The sad part is that the dealer had two very similar for the same price. I selected this year 3 which had slightly more clear legends over the year 6 with a slightly older portrait. Mine is an R1 (most common) in Emmett while the other is R4. I should have bought them both (and given one to a friend?). These are not rare but not seen as often as the ones with old Nero.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1408605[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Do feel free to disagree with my order and show your similar coins. Wish me better coining in2022.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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