Finn235

Rare & Expensive - Classical Greek AR, AV, EL other than Lydia, Athens, and Alexander Rare Roman emperors Common & Expensive Lydia, Athens, Alexander Roman emperors like Augustus, Tiberius, and Diadumenian whose denarii are super common but routinely go for 2-10x what they "should" (none to share because I haven't bothered buying any) Rare & cheap Rare but decidedly ugly Greek Lots of Roman coins are technically rare but don't have the collector base to drive demand, especially for provincials. Basically all of Central Asia falls into this category As does most of India, especially the post-Mauryan and post-Gupta material Common & Cheap Greek AE Basically all Roman coins that aren't of a rare emperor Most "Persian" and Islamic coin types Lots of Indian types Basically everything from China

Found it - remembered I had downloaded it off of CCF to post on CT a few years ago. Not even sure which emperor this one is, but this was the actual in-hand appearance of the blue Song Cash

I'll need to hunt down the picture, but probably about 6 years ago I bought 200ish Song dynasty cash from Lanz's ebay shop with the intent of making a collection of it. Sat on it for a year, realized that Chinese didn't "click" for me outside of Wang Mang's coinage, and I sold most of them to an interested local collector on FB marketplace. One of the coins was completely encrusted in this absolutely stunning electric blue azurite like that Ban Liang, but brighter. I regret that I sold that one.

Sometimes when buying large lots, you will get coins like this This AE20 was probably a Greek coin at some point judging by the thickness (and weighing in at probably 8g before losing so much of the patina) and coins like this tend to just get passed around and around, used only to bump up the coin count in lots and entice bidders to bid just a little higher. As I was prepared to carry on the tradition, I noticed the tiniest little sparkle on the coin and decided to give it a closer look and then research what I saw. On one side, there are two crystals, one whitish and one more clear (difficult to see in the photo) which I believe are cerussite (PbC03) - a natural lead ore, probably originatinf from impurities in the coin, or something lead touching it in the ground. On the other side is a reddish black crystal which I believe is cuprite (Cu2O), a natural ore of copper Neither of course will restore any numismatic value to the coin, but I still think it's interesting enough to hold on to. I tend to forget while collecting XF denarii just how long 2,000 years really is. To overly-romanticize the whole thing, it made me stop and think about all the work that went into mining and refining and minting this coin, only for nature to return those metals back to their natural state. Anywho, anyone else have coins with cool mineral/crystal growths on them? Post 'em up!

Wonderful coin with a powerful portrait! My favorite is this AE As of the same type, struck on a medallic flan... not too much of a stretch to imagine that these were distributed as some sort of Liberalitas or door prize at the games themselves.

I became interested in these coins a few years ago and as luck would have it, I managed to acquire some very cheaply, thanks to a hoard that is apparently flooding the market as I've seen these offered in quite large group lots where they used to be quite scarce. Since there isn't any legend at all on these coins except the large SC, attribution has been somewhat contentious, with some arguing that they are imperial issues of the Uncia, a denomination worth 1/12 of an as or 1/3 of a quadrans, which had otherwise not been minted in 300 years. Others argue variously that they are either coins minted in Rome but then shipped to Syria to circulate in Antioch (based on style) or that they are a native product of the Antioch mint. They are fascinating little coins that deserve more study! The first two are very clearly of Trajan and of exceptional style on flans of about 10-12mm and weighing 1.4g But! Then there is this one that also comes on a 12mm flan but weighs 0.71g - exactly half! I have seen no mention of there being multiple denominations within this series, but I can't help but wonder if that must have been the intent here? Coins of Hadrian are markedly more crude, to the point that they can be a bit difficult to attribute to him. They usually have Greek letters which I assume to be some sort of control mark. It is more difficult to argue for multiple denominations here, as the weights varied from 0.9 - 1.2g and diameters from about 8mm - 11mm. This was the finest in the lot These coins are generally attributed to only Trajan or Hadrian, but I'm having a hard time accepting this one as a Hadrian bust Could it perhaps be Antoninus Pius? Or even Aelius? Much more to learn from this series! As always I welcome thoughts or any additional coins you have to share!

I remember that one - I tried to win it but I didn't have the funds to go any higher after winning the other lots! What really caught my eye with that one was the Vabalathus of course, and the Tacitus quinarius. I've never understood lots like this one - if you wanted to save money on the flat listing fee, you'd probably do much better just selling the coins yourself, either on ebay or a direct channel like this forum.

I do indeed remember it - it feels like a lifetime ago but I'm glad to see your collection is still growing and growing!

CNG and Roma have some pretty incredible large lots and a pretty substantial number of my collection has come from them. This was one of my favorites from Roma a couple years ago Yes, that is a Didius Julianus sestertius - that coin alone I sold for almost as much as the whole lot cost me

Nice catch! I picked up one a couple years back - these seem to often go under the radar unlike the Caesar portrait provincials which alway attract the deep pocket bidders. Here's mine, I'd have to go back and figure out where I bought it from and for how much. As Mike said, I've seen these attributed as being anything from lifetime issues to as late as Flavian.

So I stumbled into these two as part of a group lot and to be honest I am way out of my element here. All I've worked out is that these are blue faience but date and whether they are even authentic is a mystery to me. Anyone care to lend a helping hand? #1 #2 Both are holed all the way through, I assume to be used as a necklace Any help appreciated! I'm leaning toward these being modern creations based on some awfully similar pieces being listed on Etsy, but want to confirm first!

If it requires hand assembly, can we please stop calling it a coin?

You were right! I think this one from Kunker is a match

Admittedly, the legend isn't really visible on my coin. You can sort of see a little bit of it in front of the lion's nose. These are attributable based on style and weight as well as having two punches. Here is one in more crude style that has the legend visible Examples that are legible are very rare, and the hammer prices reflect that https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=2451&lot=246

From a group lot that arrived last week and currently going through This one absolutely threw me for a loop until I worked out that the reverse was a sword and shield. Here's what I've arrived at: Celtic tribes(?) Imitating silver obol of Leukon II, king of Bosporus, ca 250-220 BC, Pantikapaion mint Obv: Celticized diademend head right Rev: Sword/dagger and shield, retrograde ΔIOC to right 10mm, 0.75g Prototype: This is very much out of my usual wheelhouse - anyone have any insights on this one?

Very nice hemihekte! I haven't looked top hard for a die match to mine - is there a study published on the net?

Ever since I was a child and read a book about the history of coinage, I've always dreamed of owning one of "the first coins ever struck" even though I now know that to not be exactly true. I've put out bid after bid after bid but always came up empty-handed - until now! This one is not one of the anonymous Lydian tribes, but rather somewhat earlier, and is probably the first coin ever struck in the name of a king, assuming Phanes was probably not a king forgotten by history. The coin is quite circulated for the type, which I prefer on Greek coins, as IMO it brings a character that isn't present on those that went into the ground before they were used. Kings of Lydia, Alyattes (Walwet), ca 600-561 BC EL Hekte, 11mm, 2.33g Obv: Confronted lion heads (only left on flan), 𐤥𐤠𐤩𐤥𐤤 (Lydian "WALWEL") between them Rev: Two incuse punches I've personally found this issue to be a lot more interesting than the anonymous trites - there is absolutely no doubt about who issued these, and they are one of only a handful of coins that can certainly be dated to before 550 BC. Alyattes was quite an interesting king who I need to read up on a lot more. He ascended to the throne during a time of war as he struggled with his neighboring cities for supremacy, ultimately attaining it through both force and diplomacy, expanding the Lydian kingdom to encompass roughly half of Asia Minor. His 57 year rule made him contemporaneous not with the Achaemenid empire, but rather with the Neo-Assyrian and later the Neo-Babylonian empires- he even had a close political alliance with the great king Nebuchadnezzar II. Alyattes is traditionally considered to have died in 560 BC, but it may have been as early as 585, as his final battle against Medes is recorded as having been interrupted by a total solar eclipse, taken as a bad omen by both sides, prompting them to seek diplomatic solutions so as not to anger the gods. This would have taken place on May 28 585 BC. Alyattes was succeeded by his son Croesus, the final Lydian king before the rise of the Achaemenid empire.

There are a ton of posthumous provincials. My focus is primarily on people who are only deified on provincials, or at least the provincials are the only way to afford them. Some of mine: Posthumous Germanicus and Agrippina from Aezanis, issued by Caligula (the overwhelmingly vast majority of Germanicus' coinage was issued posthumously, and all of Agrippina I's was) This curious coin of Octavia contains the curious epithet ΘΕΑΝ, meaning divine and almost always used on posthumous coinage. Given that she was extremely beloved by just about everyone except her husband, it is possible that this was made illegally upon her death (it wasn't public knowledge immediately that Nero had her killed). It is also possible that it means something more akin to "the Divinely Beautiful Octavia" as the epithet was also used on a few other unambiguously lifetime issues of empresses. This issue from Judaea is the only one to depict the deified Poppaea, and the only one to depict their infant daughter Claudia at all (ugly budget version I need to take my own pictures of because it actually looks a little better than this in hand) Nero also issued at Alexandria the only posthumous coins for Tiberius except for Flavian restitution issues And although there are imperial Divus Claudius issues, the provincial tetradrachms from Antioch are much more affordable Moving forward a bit, for whatever reason, Trajan only honored Divus Nerva on aureii, but provincials also exist and don't run well into 5 figure hammer prices Likewise, Hadrian didn't see fit to honor the divine Trajan except for aureii, but provincials exist. This one from Pergamon has the temples of Divus Trajan and Divus Augustus And I finally acquired a portrait from the last Leu sale The last one I have is the only issue for Galerius Antoninus, the biological son of Antoninus Pius and Faustina I. He died probably before Pius was even elevated to Caesar, and the only coin issue came after Faustina's death, from a mint possibly in Cyprus

Three smaller ones are a Miletos diobol, maybe a Parion hemidrachm, and possibly a really beat up Achaemenid siglos. I'm pretty sure it's not a Nero denarius but a really beat up Domitian. The coin to the left of the Etruscus is a fourree Celtic copy of an Alexander drachm.

You got it! Herennius Etruscus' issue as Augustus is easily one of the rarest of all non-usurpers, reigning for only a few weeks to a month before his untimely death in battle with the Goths. As luck would have it, I did finally spring for the coin on the right earlier this year, figuring that I'd probably never get the opportunity to get one for "cheap". And these coins certainly never go cheap! https://www.cngcoins.com/Lot.aspx?LOT_ID=81169 https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=247009

And I'm very very excited for the opportunity to do so! Probably obvious - who can spot it?

Wonderful post! One of my favorite Roman coins is one I had to hunt a few years for - a lifetime issue of Germanicus as Caesar alongside Drusus from Sardes, Lydia: Perhaps the most honest portrait of Germanicus to survive, we can see a young man with curly, tousled hair, sideburns, and a sharply aquiline nose and an intense, determined stare. This can be observed in watered down format in some of his imperial busts Sadly, coins of Germanicus from his own lifetime are quite rare, restricted to provincial coins only, and usually of poor style.

Anyway, don't forget that all your LRBs need to be turned over to museums so that they can receive the proper care that only a public institution can provide 😉

The original The imitations

I'll have to see if I can match up all my "barbs" with a genuine example of the same type, but for now, my co-equal collecting obsession is with the imitations of Peroz drachms. Official Likely official, probably used in the ransom with central Asian countermarks applied decades later Some very overlooked "regular" imitations, Likely unrelated to the Hephthalites Wonky style, but reverse is a good copy Little to no silver, mint replaced with pellets Quirky style with unusual "loopy" attendants and mint name is X's Hephthalite imitations of Peroz always have 4 large pellets outside of the obverse border Earliest, Bactrian script in early style replaces mint Intermediate style with pseudo-pahlavi mint? Later style, bactrian mint Alchon Tamgha added to obverse die at 3:00 "Kobadien" fabric with numerous countermarks And then of course, his coins were also imitated in India, the so-called Indo Sassanian coinage "Series 0" - Imitations made in India that are closer to the original than anything Track 1 was the first to derive from these, characterized by good silver, broad flans, no legends (initially) and the attendants wearing a distinct "herringbone" dress (I'll spare you the 2,000+ and just post an early one) Track 2 was probably derived from the initial prototypes as well, and replaced the korymbos (orb) above the head with the Brahmi letter Sa Track 3 was derived from some early iterations of Track 2, and replaced Sa with Sri, and added Ma before the bust, thus Sri Ma coinage.