Limes

Enjoy the trip! Paris and Vienna are lovely. Do eat some Sachtertorte in Vienna, and visit the Spanish school with the lipizzaners 🙂

Oh well, my pre bid was outbid easily. Too bad, but I took a gamble. @DonnaML, the estimates are, just as the photo's, rubbish. I think Kuenker live auctions is a venue where a representative really pays off. I'm looking forward to the next doofus (?) coins on the Berk podcast. There were some eligable candidates today... Well, a bit of a guess here, but I think Kuenker generally attracts a crowd on which inflation will have little effect. The coins are amazing and attract high end bidders. (And folks like me that will enter a low pre bid and hope for the best.)

Another great addition @David Atherton, congratulations. That is a mighty fine portrait indeed, as are the many other portraits shown here. I'll toss in a few too. And indeed, big bronzes have enough space for the artist to create a beautiful portrait, altough on the smaller denarius of Commodus, the artist did a great job as well. Augustus: Nero: I've always had a soft spot for this portrait of Commodus. The strike is on the weak side, but that does not affect the portrait in any negative way. The beauty of this portrait is enhanced because of the flow lines that seem to emanate from the head.

Congratulations on the win! I have one low pre bid in for tomorrow, but hey, you never know right? The 25% fee annoys me a bite though....

Great accomplishment, and as always a lovely presentation! You've been acquiring and sharing with us many coins this year. What are your next targets? I've so far collected about 35 emperors/empresses. I tend to focus on interesting reverses more, including imperatorial/republican coins. From there, I'll see where my collection interest will take me. Perhaps more Greek coins, or later imperial coins (soldier emperors)? You also asked about milestones. I have many, so to say. The completion of my 12 C's set for example. Or the 'good emperors' in silver. Individual coins have also been milestones, so to say, because they were difficult to acquire. Below you may find two examples of such coins, which I truly cherish. Cheers, keep on collecting!

Nice score! You did not go for this one in the same sale? 😉 https://www.biddr.com/auctions/mdcmonaco/browse?a=2865&l=3215640

Nice score! RIC rates it common? Maybe its me, but I dont see this type often...?

Unfortunately, my coin above turns out to be a match with a fake coin posted on forum. I've contacted the seller about this and will be reimbursed. I would like to give my thanks to @maridvnvm for seeing the match and contacting me. I wonder if that's why nobody else was interested...?

Nice concert going on here! I feel like playing some Vivaldi now. No new instrument, but this coin has not been posted yet here:

Nice catch @David Atherton! The bust is lovely. I really like cuirassed busts. EDIT: coin below is a match with this fake posted on Forum: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/fakes/displayimage.php?pid=5691 If it's ok, I'll leave the photo here for educational purposes.

Your last sentence makes me wonder; how many banks, companies etc other than museums have collections. I know the Dutch Central Bank has a collection, and it is huge. Does a complete overview exist of these collections?

Hmm, question, so the idea of this commercial is that its better to use that investment thing than post photos of ancient Roman coins? Interesting, because coins are not the most popular part of a museum for many people, so why use coins in the commercial? Does it imply that collecting ancients is very popular in USA but one has better ways to spend money? If so, I agree, and hope many will follow (so prices may drop 😁) (and no, im not good in English, so find it difficult to get the message behind the commercial.)

Great addition @LONGINUS, and lovely tray of the Severans (and great layout as always)! I have yet to acquire a coin of the unfortunate and young Diadumenian. I do have dad, however. I personally would not put Maximianus Thrax in the digital tray, as he's generally seen as the first of the 'soldier emperors' and the end of the Severan dynasty. But perhaps I'm missing something here. When it comes to events and coinage, I find the Severan dynasty very interesting. I dont have that many coins, especially compared to e.g. Dougsmit, or Maridvnvm. I specifically like the issues of the family together, in the various compositions. I have one of those, a worn one, and I would like to add a better one to the collection one day, preferably with Caracalla and Geta together. For now, it's just mom and son no. 2. Another interesting issue, is this one of Caracalla, showing the circus maximus. I know at least one member has a better issue, that is Tiff. It's always difficult to pick favorites amongst your coins, but this one would be in the top 10 for sure. Another interesting, and rare issue, is this sestertius of Caracalla, showing his 'oppression' of Alexandria. Its - again - a worn issue, but quite difficult to get. Caracalla standing on a crocodile says it all I guess. And lastly, this issue of the derailed (is this a good saying in English too?) emperor Elagabal is interesting as well. It shows a procession that took place in Rome, where the sacred stone of Emesa was brought from from Syria.

Neat coin, could be worth it. Depending how much you mean, when saying it can cost.

that's an interesting and lovely subcollection @Severus Alexander! Whats going on, on the reverse of the left coin at row 6; emperor on platform receiving a citizen, or giving out cash? I have no middle bronzes of SA, but I do have this peculiar sesterius, which is about the weight and diameter of a big AE AS. Makes me think, perhaps it is a AS? Man, I wish I had a beard like that at age 13 between 26.... (and I was slow when it comes to facial hair)

Ah yes, who doesnt have a case of the auction frusties? Funny thing is, every time I make the same mistakes again. Its a never ending case of self inflicted torment. And I think over the years i have learned to enjoy the pain. Anyway, it goes something like this. A few weeks before the auction starts, the catalogue is posted. I drewl over all the amazing coins, select a big list of targets, start the research process and decide my tactic. Which is then basically the idea i can get a few main targets cheap because supposedly im the only person on the planet who follows this auction and is interested in the coins. (Haha) Then, the first pre bids come in. No problem, I expected those, and they are manageable. (I tend to forget again and again that a pre bid does not show) someone s max bid. A week before auction date, more pre bids follow. Ok, that is trouble, some high bids already, I have to cancel some targets from my main list. But luckily theres always a second, not main target list and I just go for those. A day before the auction starts the last pre bids come in. By then I cancel almost all my main targets and secondary targets. I can always focus all my funds on one or two coins, right? Auction day arrives: pre bids are just the beginning of the misery. My primary and even secundary targets are getting away on such high prices, i start wheeping a bit. This is not what realized prices told me!! But then comes that one main target left on my list.... I get all my hopes up, go full in.... aaaaaand its gone. Enter: the pain. I start contemplating my lifes choices, open a beer or two and start eating a lot of chips, sometimes followed by frustated shopping on ma shops (and still find nothing). Luckily theres always another auction around the corner. Eat, sleep (rave) repeat, and sometimes you get lucky.

Neat addition to your collection! It reminds me of a dupondius of Trajan I no longer have, with a similar reverse. Do you think this reverse was based on the reverse of Vespasian? Or was it some sort of general image of propogandic nature, whenever an emperor needed to be shown as a strong military man? I mostly have static reverses showing buildings or referring to certain conquests, or events, rather than action scenes. One coin with a bit of emperor - on - horse action, is the worn denarius below of Galba, but it lacks the spearing of someone. More as if he is rallying the troops.

Nice coins! That DJ sestertius has a mighty fine portrait! Are you planning on getting a Pescennius Niger as well? I'm still looking for a good and affordable Didius Julianus denarius. But in these complex times with high auction prices, I prefer to wait. To share a 'trophy'; this denarius of Tiberius was my first 'big' spendure on ancients, beaten by Otho two years later. I had told myself at that time, I would never spend that much, and after having bought the Tiberius one, tried to never spend that much again. I failed.

Thanks, will watch it. CNG's upcoming e-sale 525 has some very interesting, rare and appealing coins as well.

Thank you! And that's an amazing coin, you scored. The portrait is great, I like the cuirrassed bust. And the reverse is very iconic.

thanks for sharing your beauties in all their glory. That Solidus of yours is particulary appealing dougsmit. I have not seen such a fourree before, where the copper is seen mainly at high points of the coin. As if it were on purpose, to make the coin more expressive. The yellow and green also form a perfect mix. (But I have to say fourree's or Byzantine coins are not my main interest.) Regarding your shown pocket piece; I dont know much about the history of the coin below, but its interesting to note that the higher points of the coin below are smooth, and of a lighter colour brown, than the fields around it. In hand, the lighter brown areas look polished as well. I doubt this was a pocket piece though, it's not all that worn. In terms of the look of the coin in hand, the effect of the colouring is similar to the Septimius Severus' sesterius: the portrait just jumps out.

What attracts you to a coin is completely relative and dependent on someones personal preferences and desires. Despite it's issues, this green sestertius of Septimius Severus that I acquired earlier this year is a coin that appealed to me the moment I saw it. I had the advantage of holding this coin in hand before the auction, and I'm glad I did. Based merely on the photo's, I would have skipped it. But in hand, the coin absolutely comes alive. The brighter green in the fields and the darker green of high points of the coin give it a mesmerizing 3D effect in hand, and make the portrait of Septimius Severus jump out. On the other hand, the coin has some serious issues. The obverse is overall worn, and the reverse shows a serious case of corrosion at the edges, some pitting in the fields, and none of the lettering remains. I bet these are (also) the reasons many other collectors did not jump on the betting wagon. Which brings me back to my point: what makes a coin attractive is different for everyone. A short note on the coin itself. It's an early issue of the - at that time - new emperor, Septimius Severus (193 - 211), and could be the first issue of the Rome mint. The coin was struck in 193 AD, at a time when Pertinax was murdered, Didius Julianus bought his way to the purple, and the legions of Syria proclaimed Pescennius Niger as emperor. Septimius Severus would defeat Pescennius Niger at the Battle of Issus in 194 AD. The reverse of the coin (not on my issue though) states 'FIDEI LEG. T-R P COS/ S|C', and appeals to the loyalty of the legions. On the reverse Fides holds a vexillum, a legionary standard with a flag at the top. It's a different standard than the aquila (with the eagle on the top of the standard) or the signum (which shows discs on the top). Some descriptions of this coin however describe the standard shown on the reverse as a signum, in stead of a vexillum. Please show me your coins that you found attractive, despite the issues!

Great catch @panzerman! And welcome to this board!

Nice coins @LONGINUS. Everybody take care, indeed. (The ship on this one is hardly visible.)

oh my, Ancient Joe! I guess I was too focussed on the Roman coins, I completely missed the fact that you possess the mentioned Nektanebo stater! Thanks to Qcumber for noticing it. And that portrait of Zeus is magnificent.