When collection focus races towards obsession

I have several focus areas in my collection. One of them is Probus from Lugdunum. I fill gaps whenever I can find them in my budget. I only manage to buy a few new coins a year as the number of gaps narrows and the more desirable coins stay outside my budget. A such the majority of my additions are small variations.

My latest coin is a reverse "SPES AVG, Spes standing left, holding flower and raising robe" from the 9th and final Emission, which Bastien dates to January to August A.D. 282.

It sits alongside several others of this type and I am going to show them allto illustrate how my focus has edged beyond a collecting focus to an obosession.

This type comes with two obverse legends "IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG" and "IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG". The coins are all marked with an Officina mark of "C" or "Retrograde C" which appears in either the left or right reverse field.

The "IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG" coins only appear with the bust "Radiate draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the rear".

"C" left

"Retrograde C" left
Still searching for and example
"C" right

"Retrograde C" right


The "IMP C PROBVS • P • F • AVG" coins appear with the busts "Radiate cuirassed bust right" and "Radiate draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from the front".

"C" left

"Retrograde C" left

"C" right
Still searching for and example
"Retrograde C" right

"C" left

"Retrograde C" left (MY NEWEST ADDITION)

"C" right

"Retrograde C" right
Still searching for and example

Perhaps I will resurrect this thread at some time over the coming years as and if I ever manage to fill one of these gaps.

Who else is equally focussed/obsessed.

Martin

 

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Martin, are there "A" and "B" marks that correspond in size, position, and acrobatics to the "C" on these?

 

@maridvnvm —thank you for your courageous confession of ancient coin obsession!
I thought that I was the only one and I was afraid to admit it. I can easily become obsessed with any of the areas of ancient coin collecting that I'm currently focusing on. Judaeans were my obsession for a time, but since I've become interested in other ancient kingdoms, my focus drifts around a bit. I'm into Indo-Scythians now and I have several on their way in the mail at this time. I count ancient coins while I'm drifting off to sleep

I guess the Alexander Jannaeus Judaean Prutah really holds first place for me.

 

Great set of coins, Martin. I totally get this, the obsession thing. You have my sympathy and understanding. Like you I have several focus areas, including the following which I've posted about previously at CT, Parthian tiara-type tetradrachms (the sans-earflap types - although I have another subset, a mini-obsession, not shown here, with the earflap tets too).

I can quit anytime I want. Really I can. Really...

 

I have several areas of focus/obsession within my speciality:

1. Early Vitellian portraits of Vespasian
2. The eagle on base denarii of Vespasian and Titus
3. Flavian coins with dots.
4. 'PONT' denarii of Domitian
5. Pulvinar denarii of Titus
6. Mules
7. Ephesian denarii
8. And a multitude of lesser obsessions!

 

Who else? I have a couple of interests that I can not call finished until I have a complete set of dies used for that type. I have posted one of them before here but there are others.

 

Tell me about it. Ever since I talked to you about Rome Soli Invicto coins... well...



Also my avatar.

 

Well, first I read @dougsmit webpages on Probus AEQVITI Coins and became interested, then Gert Boersma’s page on FORVM about the secret meaning and became intrigued, then Chip Scoppa’s detailed info and it’s obsession. Now I’m looking all over the web for decent examples. It’s fun but I need to take a break.

Ok, that’s enough where can I get a fix?

 

Very interesting topic, Martin! I started my collection perhaps as many: general numismatics, including any currency or banknote from immemorial times to the present day. Then I went on to past centuries, until I focused on medieval and ancient numismatics. My focuses now are the roman coins. I have had phases of obsession with republican denarii, Greek tetradrachmas, and emperors. I have had phases of medieval Italian stater and medieval Portuguese (I have had more than 30 variations of a type called Ceitil). I go as far as my budget allows. I change the focus from time to time. But I still count pennies like the friend @Deacon Ray at bedtime.
Yes, I’m a coinholic...

 

Great collection. I don't see how someone could focus or obsess on a small specific area of ancients with so many types and periods out there.


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In my Sev Alex middle bronze pursuit I only aim at a type set (not even legend variations), and I am feeling strangely inadequate...

You guys are crazy!! In a good way... keep 'em coming.

 

The mint was producing from four officina in this issue - A, B, C and D.

The A officina has least variety. The vast majority of the output is "COMES AVG, Minerva standing left, holding olive-branch and spear, left hand on shield". There are a variety of obverse legends and bust types. This officina mark has only appeared in the left field for this type.

There is another type known for this officina from a currently unique example "VIRTVS AVG, Emperor riding right, holding a spears; at foot, captive, both hand bound behind back" with a more elaborate obverse ""VIRTVS PROBI AVG, Radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield". This example has A in the centre field.

Retrograde is of course meaningless for A.



Officina B comes with more variety. There are four reverse types "FELICIT TEMP, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and sceptre" , "PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive-branch and sceptre", "SALVS AVG, Salus standing left, feeding serpent rising from altar, holding patera and sceptre" and "TEMPOR FELICIT, Felicitas standing right, holding caduceus and cornucopiae". The busts are primarily basic types with a few exceptions.

Officina marks are normal and exceptionally retrograde and appear in left and right fields and exceptionally from one die in exe.




I have touched on Officina C but there are other types other than SPES AVG above. Ther is "PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive-branch and sceptre", "PIAETAS AVG" and "PIETAS AVG", Pietas standing left by altar, holding patera and box of perfumes".

Officina marks are normal and retrograde and appear in left and right fields.





Officina D is dominated by "PAX AVG, Pax standing left, holding olive-branch and sceptre" but there are examples of "SALVS AVG" and "SPES AVG".

Officina marks are normal and retrograde and appear in left and right fields.




I have lots more examples and this is just a small part of the obsessions. There are another 8 emissions after all.

 

Great group but most, not all, are Rome mint. Did I misread the intent?

This is my favorite. I would love to see others from this reverse die but without the doublestrike.

 

I don't know about obsessing, but this is what it takes to get the job done. More power to you.

Ah, so these are all in the same emission? or do they do the retro thing in separate emissions? The use of Latin letters for the officina counters seems odd to me, but it is just one more style. (he said from within the depths of his own obsession).

 

I do not collect ancients this way, but it is how I collect my Air Force trade tokens so I completely understand. Nice new pick up @maridvnvm !

 

I kind of veer around in my collecting but so far my main obsession is getting one example (if not more) of each emperor. But lately I've started to focus on Alexandrian tets of the Imperial period, and I expect I will also started collecting drachmae of Alexandria with equal focus. Let's see - Hadrian with Nilos reverse, Hadrian with a quadriga of elephants reverse, Hadrian with Canopic jars reverse, and so on and so on. Can't wait to get my hands on these as time/budget allows.

 

I just fell in love with Soli Invicto coins in general, but mainly Rome mint. I prefer Rome mint and I hope to complete a set of all types from Rome mint.

That is a beautiful coin!

 

Same type, but not the same reverse die:

 

SOLI INVICTO

This is one of the reasons I hate autocorrect. Few will take the time to proof their texts, and so it goes - untintended, but final.


The other is that it is robbing people of vocabulary skills, albeit in the most friendly way.

 

Unintended .

Good catch, I just fixed it. That's what happens when you decide to post from your phone.

Here's my current favourite Soli Invicto coin, with Licinius I on it. The silvering is gold-toned and gorgeous. It is also Ex. C. Dattari Collection.