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Message:: [QUOTE="zumbly, post: 2933696, member: 57495"]Okay, 2017 is a wrap for me, too! My Top 10 list comprises 4 Greek, 3 Roman Provincial, 2 Roman Imperial and 1 Roman Republican... which quite appropriately covers my collecting interests at this point.  Some of the coins that appear here have long been on my want list, and others turned out to be completely unexpected additions.  I won't say I've had a better coin-year than I did last year, but I will say that every year in this hobby and with this little community here on CT is a great one.  Thanks for having me aboard! <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> #10. PHOENICIA, Arados. 420-400 BC. AR Stater.  [ATTACH=full]712898[/ATTACH] Thanks to its elongated oval flan, the galley side of this Aradian stater is almost perfectly complete.  The other side with the head of Ba’al-Arwad, however, is honestly quite awful.  When it comes to ancients, the perfect and imperfect often collide to make in a single, unmistakably unique coin.  I love it when this happens, and that's why this coin ended up edging out some prettier purchases to make it onto my Top 10 list this year. #9. PHRYGIA, Hierapolis. 2nd-3rd centuries AD. AE29. The Abduction of Persephone by Hades[ATTACH=full]712899[/ATTACH] I really like Roman provincials that have picturesque reverses, and none more so than those with mythological types.  I find these coins as evocative now as they must have been in the 2nd or 3rd century when they were minted and used by the Greek citizens of the Roman Empire.  This large bronze from Hierapolis is one of those, and it tells the tale of hapless Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demeter, who was pursued and spirited away into the underworld by a relentless Hades.  It's a worn coin, but I think the dusky uncleaned deposits highlight the devices very nicely. #8. ANTONINUS PIUS. EGYPT, Alexandria. AE Drachm. "Helios in Leo" [ATTACH=full]712900[/ATTACH] The "Zodiac series" of coins, struck at Alexandria in Antoninus Pius's 8th regnal year to mark the renewal of the Great Sothic cycle, is one of the most sought-after of all Roman Provincial coins.  This drachm is a decent but modest example of the most common type found in the series, but it's also my first and I was over the moon when I was able to buy it.  The rarer types in the series get obscenely expensive even in poor condition, so I'm not holding out hope that I'll be able to make a complete set of these, but I'll be on the look out to buy what I can afford. #7. ROMAN REPUBLIC. Mn. Cordius Rufus, 46 BC. AR Denarius. Symbols of Minerva[ATTACH=full]712901[/ATTACH] RR coins made up under 5% of the additions to my collection in 2017, but I was really pleased with a few of them, most of all this one, the only RR I have on the list.  It may not look like much, with its bankers' marks, faceless owl and slightly off-center strike, but I'd argue that it's in the top ten percent of this quality-challenged issue.  But apart from that, why do I like this coin?  C'mon, there's a cute little owl perched on top of a helmet on one side, the wonderful toning, and what about those meticulously-engraved scales on the aegis of Minerva! #6. MAXIMIANUS. AR Argenteus.Early Campgate [ATTACH=full]712902[/ATTACH] I really didn't set out to buy it, but this argenteus somehow just drew me in with its invitingly open-doored campgate reverse, high-relief portrait, sharp details, and the finest, mintiest silver the Empire had produced in over 200 years.  I was simply unable to say no! #5. CALABRIA, Tarentum. 400-390 BC. AR Nomos. Ex Michel P. Vlasto Collection[ATTACH=full]712903[/ATTACH] This 'dolphin-rider' of Tarentum is not the highest grade example I own, nor is it even one of the more interesting varieties, but with the 'flipbook animation' doublestriking on the obverse, I think it's an excellent coin with loads of character.  On that alone, it easily made my Top 10, but I have it ranked this high on the list because of its provenance to the Vlasto collection, which is THE pedigree when one speaks of coins of Tarentum.  It's illustrated as plate coin 339 in “The Collection of Tarentine Coins Formed by M.P. Vlasto”, the standard reference work for the coinage of Tarentum.  It’s now proudly also coin 4 in Zumbly's Doug's Dozen* of Tarentum.*Twelve coins that Doug allows to be purchased to adequately cover a series of coins <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> #4. CILICIA, Tarsos. Tarkumuwa, Satrap. Circa 375 BC. AR Stater.  SNG Levante plate coin[ATTACH=full]712904[/ATTACH] My interest in Cilician coinage has been growing over the past year or two, and this Tarkumuwa (Datames) stater is a welcome acquisition.  It's a numismatically important issue, its seated satrap reverse bearing a striking resemblance to the 'seated archer' reverses of Parthian coins beginning some 150 years later.  And as for the coin itself, while the obverse die used shows some wear and damage, the reverse is quite excellent.  I also give it bonus points for the countermark, which was struck with such force that it flattened and deformed the edge of the coin.  I suppose this is one of those coins whose character is a bit of an acquired taste, judging from the fact that its sale records show it's been thrown out of various collections four times in the past 14 years.  Maybe it'll get lucky this time around and find a more permanent home?  I like its chances. #3. MACEDONIA, Roman Protectorate. 167-149 BC. First Meris Tetradrachm[ATTACH=full]712905[/ATTACH] Putting aside the 'coins of character', I go full-out shallow with this beautiful First Meris tetradrachm.  Struck in Macedonia shortly after it was conquered by the Roman Republic, it's an interesting issue in a few ways, but I have to admit that the reason why it's ranked this high on my list is because of its looks.  They're common coins and not especially pricey for big silver, but the style of the bust of Artemis on this example is uncommonly exquisite.  Its condition allowed for it to fall within my sights and I was really happy when I won it for a reasonable price. #2. JULIA DOMNA, with Caracalla and Geta. AR Denarius."AETERNIT IMPERI"[ATTACH=full]712906[/ATTACH] Roman dynastic issues have never been particularly high on my list of must-haves.  That this one is number 2 on my year-end list shows that my previous thoughts about them clearly need some re-evaluation.  Of course, a dynastic issue depicting two brothers who hated each other as much as Caracalla and Geta did is automatically going to be more interesting than any featuring family members who got along.  And then, there's the sense of poignancy evoked by it having a serene portrait of their mother, Julia Domna, on the obverse.  It's a wonderful historical coin, but all the more powerful for the personal story behind the three people who appear on it. #1. CARIA, Stratonicaea. Caracalla [with Geta]. AE36.Damnatio of Geta[ATTACH=full]712907[/ATTACH] After Doug showed the example that he acquired earlier this year, I promptly put this type on my want list, not at all expecting that I'd be picking up one of my own quite so soon.  That it's landed right at the top of my favorites list for 2017 may have something to do with it being one of my last purchases of the year, but more likely, it's because a damnatio issue of Geta is the perfect companion piece for my #2 coin in telling the story of Caracalla and Geta's bloody rivalry.  Both coins were struck with portraits of both brothers, but this one got a recall and some special treatment after Caracalla had Geta murdered.  It's wonderfully ironic that having Geta's face scraped off the coin, the intention being to erase for posterity the evidence of his existence, has in fact done nothing of the sort, but also made both him and the coin all the more interesting. That's it!  And now, I'm just counting down the days before 2018's list opens up for business... <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie8" alt=":D" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]

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