What Your Budget Buys - $50 Edition

With this next next price category, we get to see what an additional $20 or so allows us to upgrade to from the previous category. Looking through my own collection, I was pleased to see a lot of my favorites come in at around this range.

Let's see some of your favorite $50 coins (anything in the $41 - $65 range).

If a coin is an older purchase (ie., not bought in the past few years), please let us know roughly when bought it. If the coin was part of a bulk or large lot purchase, it would be helpful to mention that too.

At about $55 incl. auction fees and shipping, I thought this Elagabalus provincial with its excellent centering and smooth, jet-black patina was a great catch for the price.
ELAGABALUS
AE19. 3.55g, 18.7mm. THRACE, Philippopolis, circa AD 218-222. Varbanov 1795 var. (obv. legend). O: AVT K M AVP ANTΩNINOC, laureate head right. R: ΦΙΛΙΠΠOΠOΛEITΩN NEΩKOPΩN, Telesphoros standing facing, wearing cucullus.

Another neat Roman provincial, featuring a scene from The Gigantomachy on the reverse, showing Athena smiting a serpent-legged giant.

GALLIENUS
AE27. 8.77g, 27.2mm. CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum, circa AD 253-268. SNG Levante 789 (same obv die). O: AY K Π ΛΚ (sic!) ΓΑΛΛΙΗΝ/ΟC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. R: CEΛΕVKEΩΝ K/AΛVΚA/ΔN, Athena advancing right, holding shield and brandishing spear at snake-legged giant advancing left and raising both arms.

I like coins of the Tetrarchy, but especially if they have something that sets them apart from the garden variety 'Genius standing' type. Constantine I, with FIL AVGG legend.
CONSTANTINE I, as Filius Augustorum
AE Follis. 6.01g, 24.6mm, Thessalonica mint, AD 309-10. RIC VI 32b (Scarce). O: CONSTANTINVS.FIL AVGG, laureate head right. R: GENIO CA-ESARIS, Genius standing left pouring liquid from patera and holding cornucopia; dot SM dot TS dot in exergue, star in left field, delta in right field.

And another Genius standing, but holding a little Victory instead of the usual patera.
LICINIUS I
Rare Type. AE Follis. 5.8g, 20.6mm. Antioch mint, AD 311-312. RIC VI Antioch 162 corr. (no eagle). O: IMP C LIC LICINNIVS P F AVG, laureate head right. R: GENIO AV-GVSTI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked except for chlamys over left shoulder, holding Victoriola and cornucopiae; star in left field, H in right field, ANT in exergue.

 

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Some other assorted favorites in this price bracket.

JULIA DOMNA
AR Denarius. 3.19g, 19.4mm. Rome mint, AD 196-211. RIC 572; RSC 150; BMC 62. O: IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right. R: PIETAS AVGG, Pietas standing left, veiled, sacrificing on altar to left and holding incense box.

TRAJAN DECIUS
AR Antoninianus. 4.91g, 21.4mm. Rome mint, AD 249-250. RIC 12b; Cohen 16. O: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. O: DACIA, Dacia standing left holding staff topped with a wolf's head (Draco).

GALLIENUS
Billon Antoninianus. 3.39g, 23mm. Antioch mint, AD 264-265. RIC 652; MIR 1635a (6 examples). O: GALLIENVS AVG, radiate bust left. R: PAX FVNDATA, Trophy and arms flanked by two captives; palm branch in exergue.

MAXIMIANUS
AE Antoninianus. 4.41g, 23.3mm. Lugdunum mint, circa AD Mar 293 - Nov 293. RIC -; Cohen 427; Bastien XI 503 (15 ex.). O: IMP MAXIMIANVS AVG, radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right. R: PAX AVGG, Minerva standing left, holding olive branch and spear, resting left hand on shield; A in exergue.
Ex Elwood Rafn Collection


TRAJAN
AR Denarius. 2.76g, 18.9mm. Rome mint, AD 103-107. RIC 218; Cohen 529. O: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on shoulder. R: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, mourning Dacian seated right on shield, leaning on right arm and resting head in left hand; curved sword below.
Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection

 

I got this pair of Philip I & II, for $75 plus auction fees and delivery total about a $100 three years ago, that's $50 a coin. Zeugma, Commagene. 28-29mm.

 

One of the best portraits of Trajan Decius I have seen, top buy that one.

 

Constans Lyons( a bit harder to find)


Brignorth Hoard coin

 

That Maximianus is sweet too @zumbly .

 

that 1st one looks as if its gone boldly where no man has gone before on the reverse

 

All purchased individually for about $50 in the past two years:


Denarius of Sabina


Sestertius of Antoninus Pius


Denarius of Faustina Junior


Denarius of Lucilla


Denarius of Commodus


Denarius of Crispina


Antoninianus of Gordian III


Antoninianus of Volusian


Antoninianus of Vabaluthus and Aurelian


Roman provincial AE from Alexandria Troas depicting Tyche and the statue of Marsyas in the Roman Forum.

 

If you want to collect the Roman Republic, this price range has some interesting opportunities when it comes to RR bronzes and occasionally silver as well:

$46 via eBay seller Cichosgladiator, June 2017. An interesting early denarius from Sicily:

Roman Republic AR Denarius(3.36g), anonymous(uninscribed corn-ear series), 211-195 B.C., Sicilian mint. Helmeted head of Roma right with "spike" on rear of helmet; behind, X / The Dioscuri galloping right; below, ROMA in linear frame. Crawford 68/1b; Sydenham 191

$56 via eBay seller Mortown, August 2016. An RR bronze overstruck on a Syracusan issue from the Second Punic War:

Roman Republic Æ sextans(5.48g, 19mm), anonymous(corn-ear KA series), 207-206 B.C., Sicilian(Catania?) mint. Head of Mercury right; above, •• / Prow right with flat deck structure; above, corn-ear/wheat-ear; below, Roma; before, KA or IC ligate(off flan). Crawford 69/6. Overstruck on Syracusan Poseidon/trident Æ.

$49 via eBay seller dsgreen February 2016. An ugly but rare bronze sextans of the moneyer Cluvius Saxula:

Roman Republic Æ Sextans(17.9 mm, 5.80g). C. Cluvius Saxula, moneyer, 169-158 BC. Rome mint. Head of Mercury right wearing winged Petasos, •• above / Prow of galley right; C•SAX above, •• before, ROMA below. Crawford 173/5; Sydenham 360d; Babelon Clovia 10
Ex RBW Collection, ex Wayne Phillips list 194, 280, May 1995

$60 via Vcoins seller London Ancient Coins, November 2015, a triens of "VAL", thought to be a moneyer of the gens Valeria.

Roman Republic Æ Triens(21mm, 7.29g), "VAL" series(Valerius?), 169-158 BC. Helmeted head of Minerva right; above, •••• / Prow right with peaked deck structure; VAL monogram above; •••• before; ROMA below. Crawford 191/3. Sydenham 356b. Babelon Valeria 3

 

$45 bucks, Fully Loaded Cost: Yup, twas a eBay buy a few years ago... I took a chance, and thought it was not a bad price for a Quinarius. But @red_spork identified it a as Rare find...

I will never sell it...my collection is a Black Hole.

RR Quinarius 212-195 BCE 1.8g Luceria mint Anon Craw 98B/1 VERY RARE

 

@Alegandron I love that quinarius...nice buy.

 

I have way too many in this category to show them all, but here are a few:


AEOLIS, KYME
AR Hemiobol
OBVERSE: Eagle's head left, KY to left (M beneath the head, nearly off flan)
REVERSE: Quadrapartite incuse square of mill-sail pattern
Struck at Aeolis, 450BC
.46g, 7mm
SNG Cop 32

SIKYONIA SIKYON
AR Hemidrachm OBVERSE: Chimaera standing left, with heads of snake, lion & goat, raising forepaw, ΣΙ below REVERSE: Dove flying left
Struck at Skyon, Fourth Century BC 2.6g, 17mm
SNGCop 57, BMC 111
Ex Doug Smith

THESSALY, LARISSA
AR Trihemiobol
OBVERSE: Head of nymph Larissa three-quarter facing left in necklace, hair confined by fillet & floating loosely, with ampyx in front
REVERSE: ΛAPI (Laris) above, horse feeding right.
Struck at Larissa 395-344 BC
.75g, 10mm
SNG Cop 135

C RENIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Roma right, X behind
REVERSE: Juno Capriotina in biga of goats right, C RENI below goats, ROMA in ex
Struck at Rome 138 BC
3.6g, 16mm
Cr231/1, Syd 432

I. MINUCIUS C.F. AUGURINUS
AR DENARIUS
OBVERSE: Head of Roma right, star behind
REVERSE: TI MINVCI C F on left, RO-MA above, AVGVRINI on right; 2 togate figures, one holding a simpulum, the other a lituus, standing by statue on column, grain ears on either side of the column
Rome, 134 BC
3.86g, 17mm
Cr243/1, Syd 494, Minucia 9

M CARBOI ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Roma right, laurel branch behind, X below chin
REVERSE: Jupiter driving quadriga right holding thunderbolt & eagle tipped scepter, M CARBO below horses, ROMA in ex.
Struck at Rome 122 BC
3.21g, 18mm
Cr276/1

M SERGIUS SILUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: EX S C ROMA *, head of Roma right
REVERSE: horseman galloping left with sword & severed head held aloft, Q below horses leg, M SERGI below, SILVS in ex.
Struck at Rome 116 BC
3.66g, 18mm
Syd 534, Cr286/1, Sergia 1

 

Domitian, Roman Empire
(later revalued in the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy)
AE as / 42 nummi
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIAN COS II, laureate head left, countermark XLII (42) in left field
Rev: VICTORIA AVGVST, Victory advancing right, standing on prow, holding wreath and palm branch, S-C across fields
Mint: Rome
Date: 73-74 AD (struck); 498-526 AD (revalued)
Ref: RIC 677

 

Thank you. But it was @red_spork that made it a "Nice Buy" ! I felt $45 was a great deal for a Quinarius.

It was: Looks real, cursory bit of research, watching CT comments on fakes etc... Originally attributed as a Cr 44/6 - yeah, ok, probly a variance. $45, no real loss - GET IT!

Later, Sporky takes a SECOND look at my posting and tells me I wrongly attributed it... CRAP, well at LEAST it is not a FAKE! No, it is, um, EXTREMELY RARE according to ACSearch:

These are the only two listed...

I found Zilch at CNG... And I have not found one on Wildwinds...

 

Sellers misattribute so many of these RR types that you can find a lot of interesting coins if you can learn the different styles and train your eyes on them. I have a huge photofile of several thousand coins(heavily weighted toward early circa 211-170 B.C. Roman types) and each type is broken into the different styles and whatnot known to me for the type. It's far from complete but is enough that I can attribute most coins fairly quickly and it certainly pays off when trying to decide whether or not to snatch up some of the interesting rarities that tend to pop up on the 'bay from time to time.

 

VERY nice!

 

@ValiantKnight : That, sir, is a STEAL!

@Bing : Showoff. Just jokes ... but those are very nice for the price.

@red_spork : Thanks for throwing in those cool examples. To my mind, they illustrate very well the RR options available in this price range if you have some patience and a good eye.

 

Amazing posts!!

I'll just add this one I have posted before from FAC: $49.00

CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Gallienus. 253-268 AD. AE34. 16grams
Obv: AV T K POU LIK GALLIHNOC, radiate draped cuirassed bust right
Rev: CELE UKEWNWN PROS KALU KADNW (below, above and around),
Confronted busts of Apollo, laureate, facing right, laurel
branch before, and Artemis-Tyche, facing left, cornucopiae
behind.

 

Of "recent" purchases, I only have one medieval which fits this category. It's not pretty, but it is also not very common


Italy - Rome
Roman Senate, c. 12-13th C.
AR Denier, 17.26 mm x 0.9 grams
Obv.: [RO]M[A CAPVT] MV[N]. Legend beginning at 3hr. Comb center, S above with sun to left and moon to right
Rev.: [SENATVS . P.O.R.]. Cross patee, 1st q. moon, 2nd q. pellet, 3rd q. star, 4th q. V
Ref.: Roberts 4733 Variety
Note: Imitative of Champagne

$100-$150 is my bread and butter - when are we hitting that up??

 

$100 thread this Sunday .