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16 mm, 3,34 g. Sicily. Syracuse. Second Democracy. Æ hemilitron. 415-405 BC. Head of Arethusa to left, hair bound with ampyx and tied in sphendone; behind head, two leaves / Dolphin swimming to right; below, scallop-shell; between Σ Y P A. Calciati, CNS II, 55, 24; SNG Morcom 687-690; SNG ANS 415-425; SNG Copenhagen 697-699; HGC 2, 1480. Next - a coin showing a beautiful lady.

Thank you very much. For me the double strike was an attractive feature and an extra temptation.

Question for the specialists in gold coins of this period - and I see we have some - is the double strike a normal phenomenon? This was the main feature that made me wonder if this is a Germanic imitation or an official issue. It is very visible on the reverse, with 2 separate dotted borders and the legend over the exergue.

100% accurate. I also have a coin showing Julian II in a realistic manner

Bipennis from Lydia 14 mm, 3,38 g. Lydia. Thyateira. Autonomous issue. Ӕ. Circa 200-100 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right (no magistrate's name) / ΘYATEIΡHNΩN, bipennis (double axe). BMC 6-7; SNG Cop 571; Duesseldorf 8410; Walcher 2714; SNG von Aulock 3199; SNG Leipzig 1267A; Weber 6921-6922; Mionnet Supp. VII, 569; Mionnet IV, 851-852; Hunter 1; SNG Tuebingen 3835-3837; Waddington 5337-5338; SNG Munich 573; GRPC Lydia 8.

Venus on a Roman denarius with an empress portrait 17 mm, 2,69 g. Sabina. Augusta 128-137. AR denarius. 136-138. SABINA AVGVSTA, bust of Sabina, diademed, wearing stephane with hair in queue, draped, right / VENERI GENETRICI, Venus standing right, arranging drapery and holding apple. RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 2576; Old RIC II Hadrian 396.

My favorite scale is A minor harmonic. Ah, scales on coins. 26 mm, 9,57 g. Diocletian 284-305. Æ follis. Ticinum. 300-303. IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, head of Diocletian, laureate, right / SACRA MONET AVGG ET CAESS NOSTER, Moneta, draped, standing left, holding scales in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand Mintmark: -/-//PT•; Officina mark: T RIC VI Ticinum 45a. Next - Diocletian

From my last auction - a coin I paid 5 euros for (opening bid). It seems that other bidders did not like the flan problem at all - I personally think the artistry is more important. 24 mm, 4,62 g. Constantius II 337-361. Ӕ centenionalis. Antioch. 350-355 AD. D N CONSTAN-TIVS P F AVG, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantius II right / FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Γ in left field, helmeted soldier to left, shield on left arm, spearing fallen horseman who is bearded and falls over the neck of the horse (FH4, clutching); ANϵ in exergue. RIC VIII Antioch 135.

I also like this obverse design. Here is one from a city that's pretty far from Balkan region 31,3 mm, 21,27 g. Mesopotamia, Singara. Gordian with Tranquillina 238-244 AD. Ӕ. 243-244 AD. ΑΥΤΟΚ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟΝ ϹΑΒ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛΛΙΝΑ ϹΕΒ, confronted busts of Gordian III, laureate and cuirassed, r., seen from rear, and Tranquillina, diademed and draped bust, l. / ΑΥΡ ϹΕΠ ΚΟΛ ϹΙΝΓΑΡΑ, draped, veiled and turreted Tyche, seated l., on rock, holding ears of corn, with centaur (Sagittarius) l. leaping l., shooting bow, above her; below, lower l., half-length figure of river-god Mygdonius swimming l. RPC VII.2, 3468. My Marcianopolis example - one of my favorite provincials thanks to the artistry and the nice patina This coin does not show confronted busts - quite the opposite in fact - but I still find it relevant (and beautiful) as it breaks the pattern of bust left/bust right 26 mm, 12,62 g. Gaul, Nemausus. Augustus 27 BC-14 AD. Ӕ as. Struck 9/8 BC-3 AD. IMP DIVI F, heads of Agrippa (left) and Augustus (right) back to back, Agrippa wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath and Augustus wearing oak-wreath / COL NEM, crocodile chained to palm-shoot with tip right; above on left a wreath with long ties. RIC 158; RPC 524; AMC 425.

Link - Philip I antoninianus, issued at the 1000th aniversary of Rome 22 mm, 3,19 g. Philip I Arab 244-249. AR antoninianus. Rome. 248 AD. IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / SAECVLARES AVGG / I, lion standing right. RIC 12; RSC 173.

As an ancient coin collector for almost 4 years and a modern coins collector for 10-12, I always had the idea of owning a gold coin. For moderns this was never an option as the gold coins that would fit my collection are too expensive for my wallet and the ones I could afford are not interesting for me. Of course, when swithching to ancients the same goal was there. Not a major goal, but still something I wanted. I knew I had some options but each of them had their disadvantages: 1. (bending the rules) - an electrum fraction. I had a few attempts but failed. The ones that were in my reach (but still expensive) were too simple in design, and on some occasions - extremely simple and worn. I did not feel that the financial effort is justified 2. Greek gold - not an option because of price. 3. Roman Imperial gold - same as 2. Last option was a Byzantine gold as I am only interested in these cultures. But since I am not a Byzantine collector, the goal was an early Byzantine coin, with the design close to the Roman coinage. And I managed to acquire this coin: 15 mm, 1,48 g. Byzantine Empire. Anastasius I 491-518. AV tremissis. Constantinople. D N ANASTA-SIVS P P AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Anastasius I right / VICTORIA AVGVSTORVM / CONOB, Victory advancing to right, her head turned to left, holding wreath in her right hand and cross set on globe in her left; in field to right, star. DOC 10a; Sear 8. Quite happy (and a little overwhelmed) with it. The details are pretty much there, even if the decay of the artistry is very visible. The coin is a little bent, but this is expected for a thin gold coin. The only thing that confuses me a little is if the coin is an official issue or a Germanic tribe? I am simply not skilled enough with these and the style looks pretty official to me (from an amateur point of view), but the double strike (which I consider a plus) makes me wonder. Looking forward to opinions and newly acquired gold coins, that would probably put mine to shame.

Maxentius 25 mm, 6,74 g. Maxentius 309-312. Ӕ follis. Ostia. IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, head of Maxentius, laureate, right / VICTOR-IA A-E-TERNA AVG, Victory, winged, draped, advancing left, holding wreath in right hand and palm in left hand. Exergue: MOSTS. RIC VI Ostia 54.

2 captives 19,4 mm, 2,96 g. Gallienus 253-268 AD. Billon antoninianus. Lugdunum. 257-258. GALLIENVS PF AVG, radiated and armored bust of Gallienus on the left, seen from three quarters in front with shield and holding a haste on the left shoulder / GERMANICVS MAX V, arms trophy with a captive on each side. Reverse translation: “Germanicus Maximus quintum” (Winner of the Germans for the fifth time). RIC V Gallienus (joint reign) 18.

I never considered the radiate bust vs bust on crescent give a hint on this - I always thought that these just mark the value to distinguish from the denarii. Here is a popular couple illustrating this

That was the exact situation I raised the thread for.

Some serious stretching exercises, probably with the purpose of developing great physical condition ... but in the end the training provided good results But apparently Marsyas did not reach the same results, hence the frustration and despair Unfortunately the same situation is with Hercules, but even if he is disappointed, he manages to keep a calm appearance.

24 mm, 2,86 g. Tacitus 275-276. Æ silvered antoninianus. Ticinum. IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, bust of Tacitus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, right / MARTI PACIF, Mars, walking left, holding olive-branch in right hand and spear and shield in left hand. RIC V Tacitus 145.

22 mm, 4,86 g. Moesia, Viminacium. Gordian III 238-244 AD. AN IIII = year 4. 242-243. IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III, r., seen from rear / P M S COL VIM, AN IIII, Moesia standing l.; at l., bull standing r.; at r., lion standing l. RPC VII.2, — (unassigned; ID 2330); AMNG 84. Next - Viminacium

21 mm, 3,33 g. Postumus. Usurper in Gaul 260-269. AR antoninianus. Cologne. IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, right, or bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, right / SERAPI COMITI AVG, Serapis, draped, standing left, raising right hand and holding sceptre in left hand. RIC V Postumus 329; RSC 360a.

17,8 mm, 2,5 g. Septimius Severus 193-211 AD. Fourree denarius. Rome. 202-210. SEVERVS PIVS AVG, head of Septimius Severus, laureate, right / PROVID AVGG, Providentia, draped, standing left, holding sceptre in right hand and in left hand wand over globe set on ground. Cf RIC IV Septimius Severus 284. Next - another PIUS

It seems that EX indicates a special decree, not the "simple" SC on bronze coinage. It is found on other rulers coinage too.

Distyle 24 mm, 13,86 g. Volusian 251-253. Æ sestertius. Rome. IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, bust of Volusian, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right / IVNONI MARTIALI SC, round distyle temple, in which is seated Juno, front. RIC IV Volusian 253a.

Latin abbreviation: Ex senatus consulto, by special decree of the Senate. On coins of the Roman Republic EX S C indicates a special mint issue authorized by the senate. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=ex s c @kirispupis that is a stunning coin even for a Roman coins collector Here are 2 silver provincial coins showing Nero still fit: 14 mm, 1,56 g. Cappadocia, Caesarea. Nero 54-68. AR hemidrachm. 59-60. [NERO CLAVD DIVI] CLAVD F CAESAR AVG [GERMANI], laureate head of Nero to right / Victory seated right on globe, holding wreath in both hands. BMC 409; RIC I Nero 617; RPC 3645. In fact this coin is a propaganda for fitness, as the reverse clearly shows Victory using a medicinal ball for exercises (this makes me wonder if in fact your EX SC coin is not a propaganda for exercise, too!) Another recent addition, even if not in the best shape, is a good milestone for me - an early reign Antioch tetradrachm showing Agrippina on reverse 25 mm, 13,22 g. Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch. Nero 54-68 AD. AR Tetradrachm. Struck 56-57 AD. ΝΕΡΩ[ΝΟΣ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΥΙ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΣΕΒ], head of Nero with oak wreath, right / ΑΓΡΙΠΠΕΙΝΗΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗΣ, Γ (regnal date) above ΕΡ (civic date), draped bust of Agrippina II, right. McAlee 253; RPC I 4175; Prieur 74.

18 mm, 2,63 g. Marcus Aurelius, as Caesar 139-161. AR denarius. Rome. 148-149 AD. AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F, head of Marcus Aurelius, bare, right / TR POT III COS II, Minerva, helmeted, draped, standing right, holding vertical spear in right hand and resting left hand on round shield set on ground. RIC III Antoninus Pius 444; BMC 683; RSC 618. Next - Marcus Aurelius as Caesar

Phoenicia, Tyre. Ӕ. Pseudo-autonomous issue. 121-122 AD. Turreted, veiled and draped bust of Tyche to right; to left, palm frond / Astarte, holding wreath in her right hand and stylis in her left, standing left on galley; to left, ZMC; to right, monograms of MH and TYP; below, Phoenician letters. BMC 311; RPC III 3901; SNG Copenhagen 358; Rouvier 2260.