ambr0zie

A good, honest coin and most collectors (including me) will envy you for it. The centering is decent (especially on the obverse but the reverse is good as well, the design is intact), name is (very) readable, so can't ask for much more. My attempts to get Galba imperial coins failed, for now, as the examples I tried to get were inferior but also too expensive for my tastes. I settled with an Alexandrian tetradrachm.

Aurelian, Fortuna Redux reverse, Siscia mint https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=7215276 Arcadius, Victory crowning emperor reverse, Nicomedia mint https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=12225005

28 mm, 11,42 g. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis. Septimius Severus, with Julia Domna 193-211 AD. Pentassarion Æ. 210-211. Flavius Ulpianus, legatus consularis. AV K Λ CEΠ CEYHΡOC IOYΛIA ΔOMNA CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Septimius Severus and draped bust of Julia Domna facing one another / ΥΦΛ ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΟΥ ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia; Є (mark of value) to left. H&J, Marcianopolis 6.15.35.4; AMNG I 601; Varbanov 868; Moushmov 411. Next - Moesia

My favorite tripod coin is this Pius dupondius. 27 mm, 12,01 g. Antoninus Pius 137-161. Ӕ dupondius. Rome. 158-159. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII, head of Antoninus Pius, radiate, right / VOTA SVSCEPTA DEC III COS IIII S C, Antoninus Pius, standing left, sacrificing with patera over tripod, left arm at side. RIC III Antoninus Pius 1020.

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. Next - Sarapis

Trajan 18 mm, 3,91 g. Lydia, Thyateira. Trajan AD 98-117. Ӕ. ΑΥ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΝ, laureate head of Trajan, r. / ΘΥΑΤΕΙΡΗΝΩΝ, Tyche standing facing, head l., holding rudder in r. hand, cornucopia in l. RPC III, 1826; BMC 75.

Good coin, especially the reverse. I have 2 of this type, both from Heraclea and both from Constantine II - first, from my very first lot 20,1 mm, 2,86 g. Constantine II, Caesar under Constantine I. Ӕ follis. Heraclea. 329-330. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, campgate, eight layers, two turrets, star above, no door. Star in left field.Mintmark SMHA. RIC VII Heraclea 107. Second was a coin I found really beautiful, with a flan crack that did the trick because I think, without it, the price would have been too much for what I wanted to pay. 20 mm, 3,13 g. Constantine II, Caesar under Constantine I. Ӕ follis. Heraclea. 317 AD. D N FL CL CONSTANTINVS NOB C, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, left, holding sceptre in right hand and mappa in left hand / PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, camp gate with three turrets, without doors, with six stone layers. MintMark: -/-//MHT∈ RIC VII Heraclea 20.

Great coin with intriguing reverse. Here is something similar (or at least I find the situation similar). I always wanted a Philippi provincial with statues of Octavian and Julius Caesar reverse. The types are not rare. I am a budget collector and generally I have no issues with worn coins, but I try not to lower the standards too much. So I wasn't 100% sure if I want to buy this one or wait a little for a more presentable specimen, but in the end I decided that 20 euros hammer price is a good deal. The surprise was when I attributed the coin and found it's an unlisted variety - RPC I 1654 var. (reverse legend COL IVL AVG instead of COL AVG IVL). The variety is not dramatically different but I still think it should have a separate RPC entry. I submitted it to RPC and they added under 1654 though. Another example where I did not perform a proper research, simply because time did not allow this as I saw the coin a few minutes before going live in auction. A modest Nero or an Otho? It was indeed Otho. 27,7 mm, 14,97 g. Syria, Seleucia Pieria, Antioch. Otho. 69 AD. Ӕ. IMP M OTHO CAE(S) AVG (clockwise), laureate head of Otho, r. / S C, inscription in a laurel wreath of eight leaves. Countermarked - Howgego 245 - Athena facing right with shield and spear. RPC I 4318; BMC 207; 209–11; McAlee 321c. There is a very big chance this will remain my only Otho as I don't want to pay the price for an Otho denarius, even in low condition and also the prices for presentable provincials with more interesting reverses are high.

Alexandria 24 mm, 11,94 g. Egypt, Alexandria. Galba 68-69 AD. Billon tetradrachm. Dated RY 1 (9th of June – 28th of August 68 AD). [ΛΟΥΚ ΛΙΒ ΣΟΥΛΠ] ΓΑΛΒΑ Κ[ΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΑΥ(Τ)], LΑ, laureate head of Galba, right / [ΕΙΡΗ]ΝΗ, veiled bust of Eirene wearing olive wreath, with caduceus over shoulder, right. Köln 219; Dattari 302; Milne 309; Emmett 171; RPC I 5328.

16 mm, 4g. Islands of Thrace, Thasos. AR drachm. Circa 500-480 BC. Ithyphallic satyr advancing right, carrying off protesting nymph / Quadripartite incuse square. Le Rider, Thasiennes 3; HGC 6, 332. Next - quadripartite incuse square

Not sure what you mean. I am pretty sure that April Fools is recent, historically speaking (some sources mention 1582). Also it was strictly in the Western world. I heard about this "celebration" only after 1990. I live in Eastern Europe. Also, remember that Catholic and Protestant are not the only Christian churches. I am Orthodox, I will celebrate Easter on 5th of May. The dates of Easter are variable every year and the rules are complicated, anyway, there is no such rule as Catholics celebrate Easter on day X and Orthodox Church on day Y.

That is an excellent goal, @Parthicus I will stick to ancients, but I will completely change my tactics. For more than 3 years I buy from auctions and usually get common budget coins, sometimes good deals. Like you, I was interested in history, geography, various events, animals, religion. NO MORE. I will stick to ancients like I said, but from now on I will buy only rarities because I want to build a collection with rare or very rare coins (I already sold my entire collection as there was no rarity there so this doesn't fit my collecting goals anymore). The first coin I bought is Description - Ultra Rare Coin ( Estimated Lydia). Experts don't even know what it is, no one has ever seen anything like this. Found in Turkey in Manisa. Well, if the experts don't know, good enough for me.

This is what I also mentioned, except that my clues were the older appearance + the beard.

I think the portrait is Philip I, not II, as Philip II is depicted younger and beardless from what I checked. Your coin should be similar to https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/29061 Philip II variety with the same bust type: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/47998

A coin showing two wrestlers. When I first saw the type, I thought the reverse also shows an athlete - a javelin thrower. 21 mm, 10,90 g Pamphylia, Aspendos. AR stater. Circa 415/10-400 BC. Two wrestlers grappling within a dotted border / Slinger discharging sling right, triskeles in right field, ethnic EΣTEE to left, all within incuse square. Countermarked. Tekin Series B; SNG Aul. 4525; SNG BN 45ff. Next - triskeles

Pietas: 19 mm, 2,68 g. Trajan 98-117 AD. AR denarius. Rome. 112-114. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder / SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Pietas standing left, sprinkling incense over lighted altar to left and holding sceptre. RIC 262; BMCRE 481; RSC 201.

Today I attended a numismatic show (well, the term is too optimistic - actually, a monthly gathering of sellers of various objects, but not all related to numismatics). Usually I just go to say hello to a a seller I know and I like to discuss with, but today I found something - a little surprising. I suspected it's ancient, I had a rough idea about what it is but it wasn't my area. Since the price was OK, I decided to have a go. Especially since the prize won from @Nerosmyfavorite68's contest demanded a new coin. After some struggles in attributing it, I think I managed to do it. 23 mm, 9,75 g. Indo-Greek Kingdoms. Bactria. Apollodotus I 174-165 BC. Ӕ square hemiobol. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΟΔΟΤΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ, Apollo radiate, standing facing, holding arrow in right hand and bow in left arm / [Transliteration: mahārājasa apaladatasa tratarasa – “of the great king Apollodotus the savior”] - Tripod; dotted border. Monogram: Bopearachchi Monogram 51 symbol, consists of Ε and Α - Original reverse legend (in Kharoṣṭhī): Bactrian and Indo-Greek Coinage Apollodotus I 6.4; Bopearachchi 6.D. I did not have too much info about this history chapter. Apollodotus I (some sources - 180-160 BC, others - 175-164 BC) was an Indo-Greek king who ruled the southern and western parts of the kingdom. He was the first king who ruled in India only - therefore the first "proper" Indo-Greek king. His coinage is abundant and a representative part are the square bilingual coins - many more interesting than mine, depicting animals. Please post anything you feel relevant.

Happy Easter for all who celebrate (I'm orthodox so I will celebrate Easter in more than 1 month - 5th of May). Here are my coins with Christ: 23 mm, 6,54 g. Byzantine Empire. Attributed to John I - 11 December 969 - 10 January 976. Anonymous Æ follis class A1. Constantinople. +ЄMMA-NOVHL, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, two pellets in each cross limb, pallium and colobium, holding ornamented Gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC / +IҺSЧS XRISTЧS ЬASILЄЧ ЬASILЄ (Jesus Christ King of Kings), legend in four lines across field, circle below. Sear 1793. 26,8 mm, 10,35 g. Byzantine Empire. Romanus III or Michael IV, 12 November 1028 - 10 December 1041. Ӕ anonymous follis, class B. Constantinople. +ЄMMA]NOVH[Λ, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, holding gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC / Cross on three steps with pellet at each extremity, in fields IS - XS / BAS-ILE / BAS-ILE (Jesus Christ, King of Kings). SBCV 1823. 20,5 mm, 1,9 g, Venice. Alvise Mocenigo III 1722-1732. Billon soldo – 12 bagattini. DEFENS NOSTER, Jesus Christ standing, nimbate, right hand raised in benediction, book of gospels in left / S M V ALOYS MOC, Doge kneeling left before winged lion of Saint Mark, left paw resting on book of gospels, in exergue value *12* (12 bagattini). KM# 499; CNI VIII# 54; Pap# 39; Paol# 22. 17 mm, 0,87 g. Byzantine Empire. Romanus IV Diogenes 1068-1071. AR 2/3 miliaresion. Constantinople. MHP-ΘV (barred), nimbate facing bust of the Virgin Mary, wearing pallium and maphorium, holding with both hands medallion of nimbate bust of infant Christ; dotted single border / + ΘKЄ / BΘ, PΩMA/NΩ ΔЄCΠO/TH TΩ ΔΙΟ/ΓЄΝЄΙ, legend in five lines; three pellets below, linear single border. Sear 1865. 26,5 mm, 2,7 g. Byzantine Empire. John II Comnenus 1118-1143. Billon aspron trachy. Thessalonica. MHP – ΘV, Virgin Mary seated facing on throne, holding Christ medallion on breast / + Iω ΔΕCΠΟT Tω ΠOPΦVPOΓENHT, John standing facing, holding labarum and akakia. Sear 1952.

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. Next - a coin showing both the emperor and the empress.

My first (and only) Nero denarius. 20 mm, 2,65 g. Nero 54-68. AR denarius. Rome. 64-65 or 65-66. NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / [AVGVST]VS AVGVSTA, Nero, radiate and togate, standing left, holding patera in right hand and long scepter in right; to right, empress (Poppaea?), veiled and draped, standing left, holding patera in right hand and cornucopia in left. RIC I 45 and 57; WCN 55; RSC 43; BMCRE 54-5; BN 201. Next - a reverse with two people.

I confirm that I received the prize from Nerosmyfavorite68. Thank you!

@Nerosmyfavorite68 thank you for the generous prize. I hope I didn't get anybody (or everybody) bored with that story. I started it during work while doing very annoying tasks and escalations, it took a few hours, I was doing a task, then writing a line, then another escalation email, then another line. I am writing you a PM now. I will spend the prize, most likely, in the following weeks in an auction.

19 mm, 3,81 g. P. Clodius M.f. Turrinus. AR denarius. Rome. 42 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right; behind, lyre / P.CLODIVS – ·M·F, Diana standing facing, with bow and quiver over shoulder, holding lit torch in each hand. Crawford 494/23; BMCRR Rome 4290. Next - a musical instrument, but not a lyre.

Julia Maesa. Augusta 218-222. AR denarius. Rome. IVLIA MAESA AVG, draped bust right / SAECVLI FELICITAS, Felicitas standing to left, holding long caduceus and sacrificing over lighted altar; in left field, star. RIC IV 272 (Elagabalus); BMCRE 81-82 (Elagabalus); RSC 45b.

I guess we can count this as a Provincial as it's minted in Commagene 29 mm, 13,70 g. Tiberius 14-37. Æ dupondius. Commagene. 19-21 AD. TI CAESAR DIVI AVGVSTI F AVGVSTVS, laureate head right / PONT MAXIM COS III IMP VII TR POT XXI, winged caduceus between two crossed cornucopiae. RPC 3869; RIC I Tiberius 90. Next - crossed cornucopiae