Dafydd

Gallienus, 253-268 Antoninianus circa 261, billon 20mm., 3.37g. Radiate head r. Rev. Fides standing, with two ensigns. C 238. RIC 480 (Mediolanum).

Next : more Hirsutism   

Commonwealth Shilling 1653 VF (Clipped), Tower mint, Sun mm, KM390.1, ESC-125 (R). All Ns over inverted Ns variety. 5.90gm.

Ex Heritage August 2022

Next  Tacitus

A really nice coin congratulations. Here is mine not quite the quality of yours.

AELIUS (Caesar, 136-138). Denarius. Rome.

Obv: L AELIVS CAESAR.
Bare head right.
Rev: TR POT COS II / PIE - TAS.
Pietas standing right, holding acerrum and dropping incense onto lighted and garlanded altar to right.

RIC 439 (Hadrian).

Ex Numismatic Neumann Auction 73 2019.

Io Saturnalia everyone!

My package arrived several weeks ago all the way from Australia and has been staring at me goading me to open it.

I didn't succumb to temptation and was thrilled to open it this morning. An exquisite sealed envelope which I suspect the seal was made from a Roman intaglio.

Inside were three coins covering three periods and three different cultures, none of which I own.

In no order was a Nero Tetradrachm, Egypt 65-66 AD, a  beautiful second Century Mauryan Empire , my first rectangular coin and a empire I know little about so another rabbit hole to pursue, and finally a Justinian the Great 40 Nummai so another new Roman Emperor to add to my list. Thank you @JayAg47 for your amazing and kind gifts.The Mauryan Empire coin boosts my Pan-Indian collection to two now. One of my gifts last year was an Indian coin but somewhat later.

I have taken some images with my Iphone to share and will take better images soon.

I have yet to photograph my Allectus but here are some others.

I purchase around 7 coins out of 10 from overseas and have no problem in doing so on the basis that I do not worry about that which I cannot change. I have to admit frustration last year when coins were sitting in a UPS depot for 8  months only 40 miles from me because the Polish auction house put Polish Zlotys on the customs declaration which UPS and Customs interpreted as British Pounds so the duty was several times greater than the value of the coins. The auction house washed their hands of the affair so I will never buy from them again, a little sympathy and assistance would have retained my patronage.

I have had some great deliveries from the USA in the past proving distance has no issue it is simply the internal post officials and customs officials that can make or break a consignment. The only stipulation I ever make with auction houses and dealers is not to mention gold or silver as UK customs can regard it as bullion and charge 20% value added tax on top of import duties based on both coins and the carriage charge.

I tend not to consider any issues with purchasing from overseas, the majority of society is honest and try to do a good job but human nature tends to remember the problems not the majority of times there are no issues, hence my comments above. 

It may sound trite but a little thrill from buying overseas is that unless I particularly track a DHL shipment, the postal packages can arrive at anytime and can cheer up an otherwise mundane day. 

I just learn that my Secret Saturnalia gift gift to my giftee cleared Spanish Customs. Not bad after a couple of weeks on a 2 day service!!

There is "many a slip between cup and lip" but hopefully I am on the home run now.

These are all superb coins and I would rather purchase toned denarii than clearly recently cleaned ones although more than often a "must have" type coin overrules this preference. A well know contributor on this site once advised me to keep coins in old manilla invoices for a year and I would see wonders! I did and it works but if toning is a result of time and atmosphere is this artificial toning? Possibly ?

I have been very grateful over the years on this forum ,and another, to have a  couple of PM messages about a fake that I had not found on other sites despite my research. Having made a major mistake several years ago I know that my enthusiasm sometimes overtakes common sense. Ancient coins are a recent interest of mine in the past eight years having a 40 year interlude from collecting ancients  to pursue other collecting interest so I bow to the fantastic and generously shared experience of others. The PM saves embarrassment although I never considered education as being embarrassing and I would normally share my news. 

Until I retire, my time for studying is split between Ancients and a plethora of other interests including work so I have always been grateful and humbled by the advice I have received. 

The one time I did raise public awareness about a serious legitimate concern about unscrupulous dealings that was brought to my attention, and confirming my own experience, I was severally "rapped across the knuckles" so will  not do that again as this is my hobby not a profession. Normally my philosophy is that "still waters don't make great sailors" but as I want to enjoy this site my appetite for confrontation is now quite low. It is true that "evil prevails when good men do nothing" so I am firmly of the opinion that if a fake is spotted, call it out, just be oblique about naming the source as you will end up having your comments redacted.

I have a packet on my desk that possibly has travelled the farthest. All the way from Australia roughly 9500 miles.

My Secret Saturnalia will know who they are and this is an acknowledgment that the packet arrived safely.

I have resisted the temptation to open it and will wait for the day.

I was wondering about a role reversal on the day and asking my wife to do the cooking for a change.

Maybe not......

Valerian.

256-260 AD. Uncertain Syrian mint. Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG legend with radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: PIETAS AVGG legend with Valerian and Gallienus standing, facing each other, sacrificing over altar, one holding eagle-tipped sceptre, the other a parazonium. RIC 285; Sear 9955 (obverse variant").3.64 grams. ("). From the private collection of a retired Suffolk gentleman; with old faded handwritten collection ticket. Valerian was born to a distinguished Roman family and had experience as a general and an administrator. Once emperor, he arguably faced a more critical situation than any previous regime. He attempted to negotiate peace with Shapur and the Sasanids at a conference in 260 AD, but he was attacked and taken into captivity in Persia, the first Roman emperor ever to fall into the hands of a foreign power. At this point, Rome was on the brink of collapse.

Link Janus

ANONYMOUS. As (169-158 BC). Rome.

Obv: Laureate head of bearded Janus; I (mark of value) above.
Rev: ROMA.
Prow of galley right; I (mark of value) above.

Crawford 56/2.

Condition: Very fine.

Weight: 29.35 g.
Diameter: 35 mm.

22 hours ago, expat said:

A very nice acquisition. It is also interesting in that I was born in the RAF hospital, Ely.

What a coincidence. Divide square miles or kilometres with the population of the world and you probably have more chance of winning a Lottery 100 times! Strange to think when you were in the hospital this was waiting in the ground probably within walking distance of you!

Happy birthday Nerva!

Crawford 544/8, Sydengam 1213;  

O: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, laureate head right.  AS.

R: CONCORDIA EXERCITVVM S-C, clasped hands. 9.23 g

Nerva Æ Dupondius. Rome, AD 96-98. IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, radiate head to right / [CONCORDIA EXER]CITVVM, clasped hands; in background, legionary eagle set on prow; S-C across fields. RIC II 81; C. 32; BMCRE 122, pl. 6, 4 (same dies). 13.69g, 28mm, 6h.

Here is one I received today that has been on my wants list for some time.

Q. Servilius Caepio (M. Junius) Brutus Silver Denarius
Rome mint,  (54 BC). 
Obverse: Bust of Libertas facing right; LIBERTAS downward behind.
Reverse: Consul L. Junius Brutus, between two lictors, each carrying axe over shoulder, preceded by accensus, all walking to left, BRVTVS in exergue. 
Crawford 433/1; BMCRR Rome 3862; RSC Junia 31.   Weight 3.71 g 21 mm

It has some old collector labels including one from Michael Trenerry that I always appreciate.

A bonus is that one of the labels state it was found in Ely Mildenhall on 15/6/82

I picked this up yesterday. I would have preferred more legend extant but loved the portrait.

Marius, 268 Antoninianus Cologne 268, billon 17.00 mm., 3.25 g.

To go through so  much trouble to break into the building and "target" such artefacts displays a modicum of intelligence beyond that of casual thieves.

I  agree with @John Conduitt and strongly suspect that the intention would be to "ransom" them against an insurance claim. Scrap silver is hardly worth the effort they have undertaken and they would probably know this. 

I'm pretty sure @DonnaML that there are such inscrutable and dishonest people who would arrange  such a theft simply for the sake of depriving others from access to them because they would never be for sale. Many of these pieces of regimental silver are truly magnificent and only decorated the mess tables on high days and holidays. The late Naval Historian Roger Perkins published a book Military and Naval Silver: Treasures of the Mess and Wardroom. 

One of the best pieces of silver I have seen is a large silver table decoration that depicts a Polar exploration sledging team. It is only aired once a year at the Captain Scott Society memorial dinner held in Cardiff which was Scott's port of embarkation on his final journey to Antarctica. 

4 hours ago, DonnaML said:

I already had an example of this medal in bronze, but had been looking for one in silver for a while.

Great Britain, William IV, Official AR Coronation Medal, 1830, by William Wyon.* Obv. Bare head of King William IV right; WILLIAM THE FOURTH CROWNED SEP: 8 1831.; under head, W. WYON, S. / Rev. Head of Queen Adelaide right, wearing diadem embroidered with a Tudor rose, thistle, and shamrock, her hair coiled in bun high on back of her head, with a string of pearls wound through it, one lock curling down towards nape of her neck and another curling over the top of her head; ADELAIDE. QUEEN CONSORT. CROWNED SEP: 8 1831.; under head, W. WYON, S. 33 mm., 18.25 g. BHM I 1475 (ill. p. 358) [Brown, Laurence, British Historical Medals Vol. I, 1760-1837 (Seaby 1980)]; Eimer 1251 (ill. Pl. 137) [Eimer, C., British Commemorative Medals and their Values (2^nd ed. 2010)]; Wollaston p. 12, no. xvi & ill. no. 25 [Henry Wollaston, British Official Medals for Coronations and Jubilees (1978)]; Till pp. 75-76 [William Till, Descriptive Particulars of English Coronation Medals (London 1837)]**. Mintage in AR: 1,900 (see BHM p. 358). Purchased from Noonans Mayfair Ltd., London, UK, Auction No. 282, Historical Medals, 17 Oct. 2023, Lot 28 (“The Property of a Gentleman”), ex Spink Numismatic Circular Vol. 107 No. 4, May 1999, Lot 2226 p. 129.***

*Wyon was paid a fee of only £105 as compared with the £500 paid to Benedetto Pistrucci for the George IV official coronation medal (see Wollaston p. 79), and “the Privy Council grudged even this”: “The enormous cost of George IV’s coronation had staggered everybody and led to public complaint. William IV at first was reluctant to have a coronation service at all. On being convinced that a coronation was necessary, he insisted that the cost should be one-tenth of that of George IV. One medal, instead of two for the Queen and himself, and a simplified design instead of an elaborate work of art, were means to that end.” Id.

**The opinion of a contemporary critic in 1837: Till opined that William the Fourth and Queen Adelaide “had only one coronation medal for both; but Wyon certainly made the most of the subject, and produced a faultless medal, so far as regards execution and fidelity of likeness, and in the extraordinary short space of fifteen days (this eminent and talented artist, suffering at the same time from indisposition), exciting a doubt [as to] which is the most worthy of our admiration, the beauty of the medal, or the promptness of its production. The head of the King is pourtrayed [sic] true to nature; no wig, no laurel, or poetically fictionalized ornament; while on the head of the Queen is a splendid tiara, with the rose, thistle, and shamrock, very judiciously introduced. The legend on the obverse, in plain English, records WILLIAM THE FOURTH, CROWNED SEPT. 8^TH, 1831 – while the legend on the reverse mentions the same ceremony taking place with the Queen. Time, it appears, was not allowed for two medals, a circumstance to be regretted, as a reverse to each might have been with much propriety found; one illustrative of the king’s services and attachment to the navy; and on the other, his royal consort’s acknowledged virtues.”

***Although the Noonans auction description did not mention any previous pedigree, a handwritten coin ticket that came with the medal, inside an envelope within the Noonans plastic packaging, includes a notation at the bottom stating "SNC 107/4, 2226." I interpreted this notation to mean "Spink Numismatic Circular, Vol. 107 No. 4, lot 2226," and to indicate that the specific specimen I purchased was previously offered and sold as that lot number in that issue.  Although the old Spink Numismatic Circulars are not available online so far as I know (except for some “snippet” views in Google Books), it happens by pure coincidence that I subscribed to the publication for a few years beginning in the late 1990s, and still have that particular issue, namely Vol. 107 No. 4, dated May 1999. Lot 2226, described at p. 129 of the issue, was indeed an example of the William IV 1831 official AR coronation medal. See these copies of the cover of the issue and p. 129, with Lot 2226 marked with a red dot. Although Lot 2226 was not illustrated, this would certainly appear to confirm my interpretation that the notation on the ticket accompanying the medal I purchased from Noonans refers to the medal's pedigree. I have emailed Noonans to ask if they have any further documentation regarding the pedigree.

Finally, a table placing this new medal together with my other small British coronation & jubilee medals, etc., in silver and bronze. (Where "small" is specified, a large version was also struck.)

 

I have long admired Wyon’s engraving of William IV’s hair. You have a lovely example @DonnaML complimented with your usual excellent post.

A good grading point too. Similarly the line across George III and IV coinage’s laurel leaves instantly allows grade indication. 
You have an outstanding collection.

Link Henry VIII

Henry VIII Groat,  looking stern!

An Elephant.

Here is another Vitellius.

OBVERSE VITELLIUS RIGHT
As Sear 2196 but provincial ?
GERM IMP AVG TR P
CONCORDIA PR
Concordia seated left Ex-Lodge Antiquities.

Here is one my mine.

Carausius, 287-293 Antoninianus Londinium circa 290-292, billon 22mm., 3.08g. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. Pax, draped standing l., holding olive-branch in r. hand and vertical sceptre in l. hand. C 215. RIC 99.

Ex-Navilles.

5 minutes ago, JeandAcre said:

...No, this Really defies comment.

(...Well, okay:) To @Dafydd's point, bottom line is, are you collecting coins, or slabs?

I was displaying some Welsh irony 😂 

Some crazy person has spent more than the coins are worth to slab them.

Maybe some philanthropist or idealist will buy them to crack them out….

Yes, the slabs will be the antiques of the future and can be collected by date.

22 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

I may be wrong and am curious here as I thought Naville itself was supposed to be that, as a conduit for NAC’s clients’ lower grade coins etc?

 

I didn't know this @Deinomenid so that throws a new theory on the subject. The truth will out eventually.

Of course the simple matter to resolve this interest is to call them and ask them. I may do this tomorrow as it probably doesn't do them any good to be the subject of conjecture and our curiosity has been piqued by the curiosity.

22 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

It's very hard for most types of British company to stay anonymous. You have to register within 3 months at Companies House as a ltd company. Which this is. However it hasn't so is either brand  new, or illegal.

Less alarmingly biddr shows the address as 

M.J. Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd.
111a High Street
Wealdstone, Harrow HA3 5DL
United Kingdom

When you look up THAT company  its directors are an Italian called Mattia Torre and someone called  Abbas Gulamali. That's only 1 year old.

Mattia Torre is or was  Naville Numimsmatics, so he is either flying by night or is now a competitor.

Gulamalli appears to be "just"  a local accountant.

 

Possibly, this auction house was set up to promote less expensive lower grade coins as this inaugural auction isn't exactly a "flag ship" auction.

If it has a formal connection to Naville's one wonders why they simply don't have tiered auctions like Savoca. 

I have actually bid on a coin in this auction.