MrMonkeySwag96

Usually I don’t collect coins that are too heavily worn. But I’ll make an exception for this Julius Caesar denarius because it’s Caesar. The low grade was why I could afford this coin: 3.16g, 17mm Diademed head of Venus right Aeneas advancing left, holding plladium and carrying Anchises on his shoulder. "CAESAR" RSC 12 Ex. Aegean Numismatics I also got a worn Galba denarius that has a decent portrait, though it has a few edge chips or flan flaws: Galba. 68-69 AD. AR Denarius (19mm; 2.84 gm; 6h). Rome mint. Struck August-October 68 AD. Obv: IMP SER GALBA AVG, bare head right. Rev: SPQR/OB/CS in three lines within oak-wreath. RIC I 167; RSC 287. Ex. Akropolis Coins

Partial silvering remaining on my Aurelian: Aurelian, 270 - 275 AD AE Antoninianus, Ticinum Mint, 21mm, 3.80 grams Obverse: IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Aurelian right. Reverse: ORIENS AVG, Sol standing left trampling bound captive seated on left, another bound captive seated on right, TXXT in exergue. RIC 154

That Philip II tet has immaculate surfaces for a Alexandrine Provincial coin

That Philip II tet has immaculate surfaces for a Alexandrine Provincial coin

AUGUSTUS 27 BC - AD 14 AR Denarius. 3.51g, 19.3mm MINTED: Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, 15 BC REF: RIC I 167a; Lyon 19; RSC 137 OBVERSE: AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head right. REVERSE: Bull butting right, left forefoot raised, lashing his tail; IMP • X in exergue. Ex. Minotaur Coins

I don’t really collect medieval coins. I do own a few Byzantine coins however the Byzantine series is more often categorized with “ancient coins.” In terms of the time period, Byzantine coins are technically “medieval” as they’re minted after the fall of Western Rome. I recently purchased a silver Hexagram of emperor Heraclius. Heraclius’s reign marked the end of Late Antiquity and his military/administrative policies transformed the Eastern Roman state into the Byzantine Empire. Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AR Hexagram. Constantinople Obv: Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine seated facing on double throne, each holding globus cruciger. δδ NN ҺЄRACILЧS ЄT ҺЄRA CONST. Rev: Cross potent set upon globus set upon three steps; K to right. δЄЧS AδIЧTA ROMANIS. SB 798. 6.06 g. 610-641 AD.

Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AR Hexagram. Constantinople Obv: Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine seated facing on double throne, each holding globus cruciger. δδ NN ҺЄRACILЧS ЄT ҺЄRA CONST. Rev: Cross potent set upon globus set upon three steps; K to right. δЄЧS AδIЧTA ROMANIS. SB 798. 6.06 g. 610-641 AD.

I prefer the Hexagrams over the Miliaresion. Personally I like thicker, chunky coins such as the Hexagram. The Miliaresion are way too thin for my taste. From what I’ve seen, the thin flans caused the Miliaresion to be damaged easily. So I’m not planning to acquire a Miliaresion anytime soon. My Hexagram was minted during the reign of emperor Heraclius. Heraclius’s Hexagrams tend to weakly struck with crudely engraved dies. The Byzantine Empire was being invaded by the Persians and Avars, as well as experiencing economic depressions and plagues. This explains the poor quality control on the Hexagram coinage. Allegedly, Heraclius confiscated silver plates from churches to produce the Hexagrams. The quality control and artistry of the Hexagram coinage would improve under Heraclius’s successor Constans II. I believe Constans II struck his Hexagrams using Solidus dies. Heraclius & Heraclius Constantine AR Hexagram. Constantinople Obv: Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine seated facing on double throne, each holding globus cruciger. δδ NN ҺЄRACILЧS ЄT ҺЄRA CONST. Rev: Cross potent set upon globus set upon three steps; K to right. δЄЧS AδIЧTA ROMANIS. SB 798. 6.06 g. 610-641 AD.

The Antonine family tree: Marcus Aurelius, husband of Faustina II Faustina II, wife of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius, father in law of Marcus I completed a type set of denarii of the Five Good Emperors. However, I’m missing quite a few emperors and empresses of the Antonine lineage. I still need Lucius Verus, Faustina Senior, Commodus, Lucilla, and Crispina to complete my Antonine family tree.

The Romans portrayed Cybele on their coinage since Republican times. It’s interesting that a foreign goddess was depicted on a Republican coin rather than an Italic deity: C. Fabius C.f. Hadrianus. 102 BC. AR Denarius (21.5mm, 4.00 g, 4h). Rome mint. Veiled and turreted bust of Cybele right; K/• behind / Victory driving galloping biga right, holding reins and goad; below, stork standing right. Crawford 322/1a; Sydenham 589; Fabia 15. Good VF, a couple verdigris spots. From the Fay Beth Wedig Collection.

This is the closest thing I have to Iron Age Britain geographically speaking. It’s from Northwest Gaul, whose coinage possibly influenced those of Britain. 6.58g, 20mm Celticized head right Devolved biga right with victory flying above. SCBC 15 Good silver for the type. Irregular thickness flan resulting in a flat area around the horse's chest.

Unfortunately, I can’t afford a lifetime portrait denarius of Caesar. I do have a generic Venus head denarius in rough condition: 3.16g, 17mm Diademed head of Venus right Aeneas advancing left, holding plladium and carrying Anchises on his shoulder. "CAESAR" RSC 12

The Dioscuri (Gemini twins) AR denarius, 187-175 BC, 21mm, 3.45gm. Winged head of Roma right / Dioscuri on horseback right LUCIUS MEMMIUS AR silver denarius. Struck 109-108 BC. Bust of Apollo Vejovis right, wearing oak-wreath; before, XVI monogram of value before, thunderbolt underneath. Reverse - The Dioscuri standing facing between their horses, each holding spear; L MEMMI in exergue. 19mm, 3.9g. RCV 181 My birthday is on May 16th, so I’m a Taurus: Obv: I S M R, Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin. Rev: L THORIVS / BALBVS, Bull charging right; A above. Crawford 316/1. AUGUSTUS 27 BC - AD 14 AR Denarius. 3.51g, 19.3mm MINTED: Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, 15 BC REF: RIC I 167a; Lyon 19; RSC 137 OBVERSE: AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head right. REVERSE: Bull butting right, left forefoot raised, lashing his tail; IMP • X in exergue. Ancient Greek LUCANIA Thourioi (Thurium). Circa 350-300 BC AR Nomos Head of Athena right, wearing Attic helmet with Skylla thowing stone / Bull butting right; ΣΩ above; in exergue, fish right 7.80 g, 20-21 mm, silver. Toned, struck with worn dies, small graffito on reverse References: HN Italy 1820; SNG ANS 1076; HGC I, 1262 Greece, Thessaly, Larissa, 400-360 BC, AR Drachm, Youth wrestling bull left/Rev. horse prancing right, 5.77g BMC 39 Ancient Greek EUBOIA Euboian League. Circa 304-290 BC AR Drachm Head of the nymph Euboia right / Head of bull right; EY above, lyre to right 3.30 g, 16 mm, silver, toned, rough area on obverse References: SNG Alpha Bank, Greece 6, 984; HGC 4, 1420

AR Denarius (17mm, 3.14g) HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / COS III, star within crescent, globe below. RIC 201.

My humble antoninianus of the Gallic emperor Victorinus: Victorinus, 268 - 271 AD AE Antoninianus, Colonia Agrippinensis Mint, 20mm, 2.97 grams Obverse: IMP C VICTORINVS P F AVG, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Victorinus right. Reverse: VIRTVS AVG, Virtus standing right holding spear and shield. RIC 78 ex. Ken Dorney I also have a “barbarous Radiate” that imitates an antoninianus of Tetricus, another Gallic usurper: Barbarous Radiates, 3rd Century AD AE 'Antoninianus', Mint in Britain or Gaul, 16mm, 1.64 grams Obverse: Radiate head of emperor right, blundered legend around. Reverse: Annona (?) standing left holding grain ears. RCV Vol. III, pg. 413 ex. Ken Dorney Technically, the warring generals during the Year of Four Emperors are usurpers against the Julio-Claudian dynasty: Galba. 68-69 AD. AR Denarius (19mm; 2.84 gm; 6h). Rome mint. Struck August-October 68 AD. Obv: IMP SER GALBA AVG, bare head right. Rev: SPQR/OB/CS in three lines within oak-wreath. RIC I 167; RSC 287. ex. Akropolis Coins Vitellius, AR denarius, Civil War Issue AR 18mm/3.1gm Rome mint c. 69 AD Con/ Slightly off-struck to left, otherwise, Very Fine. Obv/ [A VITELLIVS] GERM IMP AVG TR P; laureate head right Rev/ XV VIR SACR FAC; Tripod-lebes with dolphin laying right above and raven standing right below Ref/ RIC Vol One, 109, RSC111, BCM39 ex. Noble Roman Coins

Bactria, Menander I Soter, 155 - 130 BC Silver Drachm, 17mm, 2.43 grams Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of Menander right. Reverse: MAHARAJASA TRATARASA MENAMDRASE in Karoshti around, Athena advancing left brandishing thunderbolt and holding decorated shield, monogram in right field. Bopearachchi 13N ex. Ken Dorney The artist JFoliveras depicted king Menander with a Buddhist monk in this picture. Clearly, the artist studied Menander’s portrait on coins when painting this picture.

Q Antonius Balbus Denarius Serratus. 83-82 BC. Laureate head of Jupiter right, S C behind / Victory in quadriga right, control letter below, Q ANT BALB P R in ex. Cr364/1; Syd 742.

Moneyer issues of Imperatorial Rome. T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.83 g, 3h). Rome mint. Head of Sibyl Herophile right, hair elaborately decorated with jewels and enclosed in a sling and tied with bands / Sphinx seated right. Crawford 464/1; CRI 69; Sydenham 983; Carisia 10. Good VF, toned, areas of flat strike. From the Demetrios Armounta Collection. Ex Baldwin’s 57 (23 September 2008), lot 59.

I don’t own any anonymous civil war denarii, as they’re too rich for my wallet. Here are some denarii I have that’s relevant to the civil war period: 3.00g Laureate head of Nero right "IMP CAESAR AVGVSTVS" Jupiter seated left holding a scepter and thunderbolt. "IVPPITER CVSTOS" RSC 119, RIC 53 Galba. 68-69 AD. AR Denarius (19mm; 2.84 gm; 6h). Rome mint. Struck August-October 68 AD. Obv: IMP SER GALBA AVG, bare head right. Rev: SPQR/OB/CS in three lines within oak-wreath. RIC I 167; RSC 287. Vitellius, AR denarius, Civil War Issue AR 18mm/3.1gm Rome mint c. 69 AD Con/ Slightly off-struck to left, otherwise, Very Fine. Obv/ [A VITELLIVS] GERM IMP AVG TR P; laureate head right Rev/ XV VIR SACR FAC; Tripod-lebes with dolphin laying right above and raven standing right below Ref/ RIC Vol One, 109, RSC111, BCM39 Vespasian Denarius. 75 AD. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right / PON MAX TR P COS VI, Pax seated left holding branch. RSC 366, RIC 772, BMC 161 Here are my Republican denarii struck at military mints: AR Denarius 20mm. 3.95g. Spanish Mint Diademed bust of Genius of the Roman People draped r., sceptre on shoulder; G.P.R. above. Terrestrial globe between rudder and sceptre; EX-S.C. to either side; In ex.: CN.LEN.Q RSC I Cornelia 54; Craw. 393/1a This type was struck when the moneyer was acting as paymaster to Pompey’s troops in Spain. 3.16g, 17mm Diademed head of Venus right Aeneas advancing left, holding plladium and carrying Anchises on his shoulder. "CAESAR" RSC 12 Mark Antony Legionary Ar denarius, 32-31 BC. Military mint moving with Antony. ANT AVG[III] VI R.R.P.C, praetorian galley to r., rev., Aquila between two signa; LEG XXI across fields (RSC 58). 3.5g, diameter 18mm

A couple of seated goddesses: Septimius Severus, 193-211 A.D. AR Denarius (19 mm, 3.3 g) SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right. RESTITVTOR VRBIS, Roma seated left holding palladium & spear, round shield below. RIC 288, RSC 606. 1876 US trade dollar, San Francisco mint Both of these coins were minted several centuries apart from each other. Yet they have similar reverse motifs (seated goddess). Just shows how coin designs are conservative

I don’t own any Cobs. However, I do have a couple of milled coins from the Spanish Empire: 1798 gold Escudo, Madrid mint 1816 silver 8 Reales, Mexico City mint Yeah, I know most of you guys hate slabs. However, it’s mostly my modern coins that are slabbed. So far, none of my ancient coins are entombed in plastic coffins.