ambr0zie

I know you clearly specified Ceres holding ears and torch. As checked, I don't have one to fulfill the entire condition 😐 My very first Faustina I coin came in my first purchases. It was a great pleasure to identify the coin, since I was a total noob. Faustina I (100-140) – struck 141 Obverse: DIVA FAVSTINA, Bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved in several loops round head and drawn up and coiled on top. Reverse: AVGVSTA. Ceres, veiled, draped, standing left, stretching out right hand and holding torch, nearly vertical, in left https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/aeternitas_numismatics/2/product/faustina_i_senior_ar_denarius_ef_aeternitas__avgvsta_superb_portrait/447393/Default.aspx RIC III 361a Another coin I have with Ceres (but with the same unfulfilled condition) is this 1173a as. But I have 2 coins where Ceres has both the attributes - first this very beaten Claudius dupondius and another Dupondius from Julia Titi.

Thanks. Having a confirmation sure makes me even more glad that I got that coin for a low price 🙂

I don't have any slabbed coins (moderns included). But I love your sestertius, @KenDorney. Especially the portrait - it has that perfect mixture of very good conservation and wear level that, for me, makes an ancient coin extremely appealing. Although I admire coins in XF condition and better (and when I manage to grab a common one at a low price, I get them), I wants to see genuine signs of thousands of years on an ancient coin.

@Curtisimo- thank you for the detailed explanation about the homereium. I wasn't sure if I read about that denomination in the past but now I remembered. I am still curious if my coin also displays Homer (yours and the OP coin show the reverse character holding a scroll - on mine, he only has a transverse sceptre).

That is absolutely correct (on both) but still there is no clear evidence Jesus was really mentioning a Tiberius denarius with Livia seated. A big chance, yes. But not enough ( for me at least). If I ever get a Tiberius denarius, most likely it would be this type, but only because it's, as you say, the most common. And another type I just remembered - the shekel of Tyre. Also by tradition, it's said the payment of Judas was 30 shekels of Tyre. I did not read the Bible in any other language except my native one, but the translations I read simply stated "30 silver coins". It might be 30 shekels. But still very coincidental evidence to make me overpay on a coin like that. Some dealers and houses mention "The type of the “Thirty Pieces of Silver” paid to Judas for the betrayal of Christ". Some don't. I was very happy when I got some coins from the time ~5 BC - ~35 AD and I consider them coins contemporary to Jesus. But my opinion, and I highlight that anybody can approve it or not, is that these types of coins are possible candidates for the events mentioned in the Bible. Nothing more.

This is another meme I just did and it's highly realistic. In the last months FedEx service is horrible. My biggest problem is not shipping time (even if it starts to become unacceptable). The problem is I have no idea when the coins will arrive. And I need to schedule WFH days in advance, I can't just gamble. When trying to discuss, FedEx staff were useless. And now I just bought some coins from a new auction house (new for me). First communication was OK (I managed to add to my invoice a coin that was unsold so I decided I need to have it). Paid the invoice. Respectfully asked them to inform me when they send it and specified I am only available until NEXT Friday then I leave the town. So either send it to arrive until next Friday (that sounded reasonable for me, the discussion was during the weekend so they had a week to send it...) or send it after I return. They didn't bother to reply. Or send the coins. Or whatever. For both the entities, FedEx and the auction house, I think this was the reaction to my requests

A very good idea. I am aware about the Smyrna coins and the controversy- is it Homer or not. Because I wanted a type of these, I hunted one for a few months. Ended up with this (not same variety as yours) for 14 EUR and one cannot say it's not a deal Ionia. Smyrna. Bronze Æ 21 mm, 6,26 g 75-50 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right; laurel wreath border / ΞMYPNAIΩN, Homer seated left, resting chin on hand and holding transverse sceptre. Milne 359; SNG Copenhagen 1207; BMC 116; Mionnet 921; Weber 6138; SNG Tuebingen 3180. Although uncertainty remains, from textual analysis of both the Iliad and the Odyssey scholars have noted Homer's knowledge of sites in Ionia such as the river Meles, and have thus proposed that it is likely that the poet had roots there. One of many cities claiming to be the birthplace of this most important bard Smyrna, along with cities such as Colophon and Chios, included Homer on the coinage, as can be seen on the present piece. I don't have a tribute penny. In fact, no Tiberius denarii at all. They are not cheap and the story behind the tribute penny makes them popular. I don't intend to buy one. I studied the Bible long before collecting ancient coins and one of the first things I searched for when starting collecting was if there is a chance to identify the coin Jesus was talking about. I know there is a consensus it was the tribute penny, but is there any clear proof? Same for the widow's mite. I would buy one, but not overpay just because it might be the type mentioned in the Bible. When I buy a coin I have some criteria. To be in my collecting areas, to have an interesting design, to be in my price range. That's about it.

Faustina I Diva Faustina I AD 140-141. Rome Denarius AR 17 mm, 2,56 g RIC III Antoninus Pius 384a (denarius); RSC 175; BMC 473 AD 141 Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved in several loops round head and drawn up and coiled on top. / Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock, walking right, head turned back left Faustina II Diva Faustina II after AD 175-176. Rome Denarius AR 18 mm, 2,71 g 176-180 DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, Bust of Diva Faustina II, hair waved and fastened in a bun on back of head, draped, right / CONSECRATIO, Rectangular altar, with horns at left and right, and door on front (sometimes decorated with palms) RIC III Marcus Aurelius 746; RSC 75 Lucius Verus Divus Lucius Verus AD 169. Rome Denarius AR 18 mm., 2,70 g. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 596B; RSC 55, BMC 503 Date: AD 169 Obverse Legend: DIVVS VERVS Type: Head of Lucius Verus, bare, right Reverse Legend: CONSECRATIO Type: Funeral pyre in four tiers (ustrina), adorned with statues and garlands, quadriga on top Pius (not with the Consecration reverse, I only have those 3) Divus Antoninus Pius AD 161. Rome Denarius AR 16 mm, 2,74 g RIC III Marcus Aurelius 441 DIVVS ANTONINVS Head of Antoninus Pius, bare, right DIVO PIO Square altar Vespasian Divus Vespasian after AD 79. Rome Denarius AR 19 mm, 2,71 g RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 357;OLD RIC II Titus 63; RSC Titus 497 Date Range: AD 80 - AD 81 Obv: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Head of Divus Vespasian, laureate, right / Rev: Capricorns, left and right, back to back, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe, below Also a Divus issue for Augustus (but not the best one there) 8.62 g 29. 3 mm RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 81 AD 22-30 DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER Head of Augustus, radiate, left PROVIDENT S C Altar-enclosure with double paneled door right; various ornaments on top, left and right

Lydia. Tralleis circa 133 BC. Cistophoric Tetradrachm AR 26 mm, 11,75 g Magistrate Time. Cista mystica with serpent, within ivy wreath. / TΡAΛ to left of bowcase between two coiled serpents, TIME above, cult image of Artemis Anaitis standing front in right field. BMC 31-32; SNG von Aulock 8287; SNG Cop 661; Paris 2700-2701; SNG Leipzig 1269; Mionnet IV, 1026; Pinder 160; Whittall sale 1325b; GRPC Lydia S470 Next - another cistophoric tetradrachm Edit as Donna was faster - I'll double the stake with 2 foreparts capricorns (so still total of 1 capricorn) Divus Vespasian after AD 79. Rome Denarius AR 19 mm, 2,71 g RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 357;OLD RIC II Titus 63; RSC Titus 497 Date Range: AD 80 - AD 81 Obv: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Head of Divus Vespasian, laureate, right / Rev: Capricorns, left and right, back to back, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe, below Next - let's keep the cistophoric tetradrachm request

14 EUR vs 1800 EUR

Then let's go for a helmet decorated with Pegasus. PONTOS. Amisos AE29 Time of Mithradates VI Eupator, ca 105-90 or 90-85 BC Helmeted head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Pegasos Rev: AMI - ΣOY - Perseus standing left, holding harpa and head of Medusa, whose decapitated body lies at his feet; monogram to left and right. SNG BM Black Sea 1169-72; HGC 7, 238. 18,30 g, 30 mm Next - another coin from the same city, but another design.

I was discussing with an auction house director in regards to this. He was also using unrealistic estimates, so I asked him why. The answer was something we all know and in fact it was a question. "Do you take estimates into consideration"?

If those 3 denarii would sell at estimated value, I am interesting in buying 500 similar lots (for now)

As usually, your RR denarii are top. Congratulations, you are building a fantastic RR collection and in my opinion, concentrating on a RR collection is more difficult than an Imperial one, generally speaking. I try to get RR coins also - my main interest is the design as the RR designs are usually very entertaining and unique. For some reason, I don't like coins with bigas/quadrigas (can't explain why). Here is a fairly recent Mn Fonteius, a coin I tried to get for a while and this example would do, although it is one of the very few candidates in my collection where I might upgrade it Mn. Fonteius C.f. 85 BC. AR Denarius 3.72gr. Rome MN•FONTEI – C•F Laureate head of Apollo Veiovis r.; below, thunderbolt and below chin, RA ligate. Rev. Cupid on goat r.; above, pileii. In exergue, thyrsus. The whole within laurel wreath. FFC 717. B. Fonteia 9. Syd. 724. Cr. 353/1a. The reverse is the main point of interest for me. Interesting that a similar reverse (and the only one that comes in my mind with this theme - somebody riding a goat) was issues much later, in 3rd century BC for Valerian II, but the rider was infant Jupiter, not Cupid on that one.

Excellent @shanxi, I appreciate this. The coin was bought from an auction house that doesn't fully attribute coins so I struggled a bit. In the end the closes match I found was But your attribution is clearly on the right path, thank you. Probably the coin is similar to this as I see no traces of the axe

(unfortunately, I was this meme a few times) This is another meme that accurately represents the discussions between my alter ego hottie me and the alter ego inner cat me.

I have a coin I identified as Thespiai (although not 100% sure). I bought it because I wanted a coin with the Boeotian shield. Hemidrachm AR 11 mm, 2,38 g Federal Coinage. Hemidrachm, Boeotia, Thespiai, circa 395-340, AR 2.63 g. Boeotian shield. Rev. Cantharus; above, club and below, BO – I[Ω]. All within incuse area. Head, Boeotia p. 54. SNG Copenhagen 170. BCD Boiotia 21.

Disgusting. I never understood why would somebody vandalize art. Wasn't there any kind of security cameras? Not in the place with the statue itself, but somebody could have captured a footage of somebody (probably 2 people) carrying a large object?

I had a similar situation on ebay. Actually, it was my first and last ebay "purchase". I bought a modern coin. Paid it with my card. Waited a few days to have a reply from the seller. In the end I wrote him. "I searched for the coin but I can't find it. Either lost it or sold it in a numismatic show" Excellent! I emailed him asking what about a refund. Another few days have passed and in the end he replied that he sent me a refund. No apologies, nothing. And of course not the full sum, because of conversion. I understand that conversion was not his fault, but the attitude made me forget about ebay for good.

This reverse with bull and lion was the trademark of the mint. Coins with this reverse were issued for Gordian III, Philip I, Otacilia Severa, Philip II, Decius, Herennia Etruscilla, Herennius Etruscus, Hostilian, Trebonianus Gallus, Volusian, Aemilian, Valerian, Mariniana and Gallienus. Here is my year IV Gordian III (spelled IIII - before collecting, I was sure Romans were using today's convention IV not IIII, XIX not XVIIII) This reverse design was used (or, actually, copied by) Provincia Dacia coins. My Volusian is worn and difficult to photograph but you can see the similarities. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/9/110 better examples to be seen there. The animals on the reverse are an eagle and a lion for this mint - symbols of legions V and XIII.

The coin is beautiful, but if you don't know what to do with it, I am always willing to help. You can send it to me.

Some other couples, on separate coins Gallienus and Salonina Lucius Verus and Lucilla Commodus and Crispina Elagabal and Julia Paula Caracalla and Plautilla Philip the Arab and Otacilia Severa Trajan Decius and Herennia Etruscilla Hadrian and Sabina Severus Alexander and Orbiana Claudius and Agrippina

I have only 2 - one for Caracalla (I'm surprised nobody posted one) Good details, nice portrait (too bad the actual person wasn't as nice as he looked) RIC IV Caracalla 13A (denarius) C Caracalla as Caesar, AR Denarius, Rome mint, 197 AD Obv: M AVR ANTON CAES PONTIF, bust of Caracalla, bare-headed, draped, right Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS, Caracalla, in military attire, standing left, holding baton in right hand and spear in left hand; to right, trophy 3.01 gr. 18 mm .... a coin I won believing the wrong attribution from the house that sold it as a Geta with obverse legend P SEPT GETA CAES PONT 😐 I have this very modest Philip II sestertius RIC IV Philip I 255

An empress with a bunch of wonderful coins. I highly recommend RIC IV Septimius Severus 536 😝