Qcumbor

Excellent collection @Sebastian

The only Mount Argaeus coin I've ever possessed is this one

Plautilla, drachm - Cappadocia, Caesaraea - Eusebia), AD 205.
ΦΟΥΛΟΥΙ ΠΛΑΥ ΑΥ, draped bust right
ΜΗΤΡΟ ΚΑΙCΑ, Agalma of Mt. Argaeus with star. In ex., CΤΙΓ : regnal year 13 of Sept. Severus, 205 AD
2.69 g, 19mm
Ref : Sydenham -; SNG Copenhagen -; Sear 2775v.
Sydenham-Malloy, p. 152, no. 496b
cf. Lanz auction # 117/956
thanks to Curtis Clay for additionnal information

Q

2 hours ago, Phil Anthos said:

Next: another plate coin

Constantius II, Light miliarense, Ferrando II plate coin - Arles mint (Arelate), 3d officina
DN CONSTAN TIVS PF AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Constantius right
VIRTVS EXERCITVS, Constantius (soldier) facing holding spear and shield. TCON at exergue
4,54 gr ; 22,6 mm
Ref : RIC VII # 252, Ferrando II # 1026 (this coin), Cohen #326, RC #3993v

Next : Arles mint

Q

An exceptional coin, as expected with you @Al Kowsky.

Although I have several Caracalla tetradrachms, none of them has been struck at Emesa. My only one featuring Shamash is for Julia Domna :

Julia Domna, Epouse de Septime Sévère (13/04/193-04/02/211) - Augusta (194-217) - Tetradrachme de billon de l'atelier d'Emese - ca 215-217, officine O

IOYΛIA · · · AYΓOYCTA  Buste drapé et diadémé de Julia à droite, vu par l'avant 
ΔHΜΑPX· · ΕΞ OYCIAC· Aigle de face, les ailes déployées, la tête à gauche, tenant une couronne dans son bec. Entre les pattes, buste radié, drapé et cuirassé de Shamash à gauche. Sous la tête de l'aigle O
26 mm - 13,97 gr - 6h
Ref : Prieur # 995, 
Provenance : Ira & Larry Goldberg auction #128/2361, Ex CNG Sale # 91, Lot 632.

Q

Great views.

Below are not my pics, they were taken yesterday night from his garden by a nephew of mine, near Albi, France

Q

31 minutes ago, expat said:

NEXT: Wife of an Emperor

Sabina, Denarius - Rome mint, 129 CE
SABINA AVGVSTA HADRIANI AVG P P , draped bust right
CONCORDIA AVG, Concordia seated left holding patera, resting on a statuette of Spes, Cornucopia beneath her seat.
3.22 gr
Ref : Cohen # 12, RCV # 3919

Next : husband of an empress 😄 

Q

This is exceptional in every way !

30 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

wow, wowie, wow!

Exactly !! 😄 

Q

3 minutes ago, ewomack said:

I don't have any ancient coins that I'm ashamed of, though I do possess some pretty crude examples. Over the past five years, I've become an excessively picky buyer, so I don't buy a lot and what ends up in my pile now seems to have staying power. Looking at my past purchases, I feel more regret (which others may interpret as shame) at the coins that I bought simply for the purpose of buying something. I would go to a coin show and just buy something, anything, just to not leave empty handed. Many of these are actually pretty decent coins, but I bought them for the wrong reasons. The regret comes from all of that wasted money that I could have spent on something that I truly enjoyed rather than just hoarded. In short, I'm ashamed of the coins that I bought on pure impulse, without thinking or deliberating enough

I'm more or less in the same team, thus there is sometimes more to be ashamed of my behavior than of the coins themselves !

Q

Well done @lordmarcovan

My own Caligula is pretty nice in hand, but because of a pitted glossy patina a nightmare to take pictures of. I never succeeded so far 😞 

Q

Welcome to the boards.

I find the type fascinating. Thanks for sharing

Q

I'm already queuing to get one as soon as it's released 🙂 

Q

Excellent upgrade.

What I like with the syrophenician tetradrachms is the feeling of them in hand, big flan and all, and the space the engraver had to cut nice portraits

Although Trajan Decius is a field of mine, mainly because of the Divi series struck under his rule, I only have one antoninianus featuring each member of the family. Speaking of tetradrachms, I have yet to find my example for Herennia Etruscilla. So here is the family snapshot in antoniniani

Q

7 hours ago, Phil Davis said:

While I have both of your attention, @Qcumborand @Salomons Cat, I hope neither of you think I "disagree" somehow with your approach to collecting. Au contraire, I think it makes all the sense in the world.

No worries @Phil Davis, no offense taken. To each their own. I have no problem staying in my own playground as it's better balanced for me. I couldn't play in 1st league anyway, and as stated above I can always admire truly exceptional coin in catalogs and follow marvelous auctions such as that one on my computer

Q

3 hours ago, Phil Anthos said:

Next: Spain

Castulo, Spain, AE As - 2nd century BC

Virile head right, a hand before
Sphinx walking right. Iberian for KASTILO at exergue
15.9 gr
Ref : Sear GIC #15, Catalogue 38 and 39 CNH (CORPVS NVMMUM HISPANIAE, L. Villaronga)

Next : sphynx

Q

I'm with you @Salomons Cat. I can live with "almost as good" too and also understand people with more wealth have the desire to acquiring the utmost quality whatever the price. I won't complain since I'm happy with what I get, and will never reach that league during my lifetime 🙂 

A few examples of what I can live with, even though I appreciate the differences and the huge gap in price they entail

Dioscuri :

Mine :

Dioscuri :

Mine :

Dioscuri :

Mine :

And some others 

Q

I too am open to discussions of that sort (I already do with some people here).

More specifically, any question you might have about Dombes coinage is welcome 😄 !! (I'm ready to stay alone on that one though !!)

Q

2 hours ago, Edessa said:

Next: Nero

Neron (13/10/54- 09/06/68) - Tétradrachme de l'atelier d'Alexandrie, AD 63-64
ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑΥ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΤΕΡ ΑΥ, Buste radié à droite
ΠΟΠΠΑΙΑ ΣΕΒΑΣTH, Buste drapé de Poppée à droite, LI dans le champ à droite (10° année de règne)
12.3 gr
Ref : Emmett # 128/10 (R1), Kampmann #14.78, RCV # 2002 v,

Next : Provincial Nero

Q

You guys amaze me. I've thrown three bids in and was blasted out on them all. I guess participating was more a testimony on my part (being able to tell my great grand children "I was there" ! 😄 )

The one I really regret is that fabulous portrait of Julia Soemias. Congrats to the winner, I've yet to see another of this Empress that nice :

It would have paired nicely with my own Julia Maesa example (I bet they were from the same engraver)

Q

1 hour ago, JayAg47 said:

Please share your coins of these Imperators.

Welcome to the club @JayAg47. Here's my example of your coin, acquired long ago, while it was still affordable I guess

Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, Denarius - Denarius minted 43 BCE
M ANTO IMP RPC, Head of Marcus Antonius right, lituus behind him
CAESAR DIC, Head of Caesar right, jug behind him
3.76 gr
Ref : HCRI # 123, RCV #1465, Cohen #3

Q

I've had a very recent, and positive experience with CGB in Paris. I've dealt with them many times in the past but that time they have been amazing :

Auction on tuesday,
Invoice early morning on wednesday (I paid promptly before noon by Paypal with no extra expense),
Parcel at my door on thursday afternoon via DHL.

The whole for the whopping amount of 9 (nine) euros !
Sure, that was from France to France, but anyway, that was great

Q

You kill me @Alegandron, those are fantastic

Q

12 hours ago, Alegandron said:

RR 234-231 BCE AR Heavy Denarius - Didrachm Apollo-Horse prancing Crawford 26-1 Sear 28 R

That one drives me crazy @Alegandron, it's so beautiful, and should really stand together with my two own heavy denarii !! 😄 

BTW, one of them reaches the OP requirements : it shows its age and I love it as it is

Roman republic, anonymous didrachm (heavy denarius) - Rome mint c. 240 BCE
No legend, Head of youthful Mars to right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet decorated with a griffin springing right
ROMA Head of a bridled horse to right. To left, sickle
6,33 gr - 19 mm - 6 h
Ref : Crawford # 25/1, RCV # 26, RBW # 38, RSC # 34, Sydenham # 24 Albert # 50

Q

2 hours ago, JayAg47 said:

Finally added an aureus. My pride and joy! 

Now you have me really jealous !

Very nice addition, and the wear is even enough to not distract from the coin. I have yet (after 50 years of collecting) to get my first aureus.

The closest I can contribute with will be electrum :

Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 491 (194-195 CE)
BACIΛΕωC CAVPOMATOV (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Sauromates II right
Laureate head of Septimius Severus right. Star in right field. Retrograd VPA at exergue (year 491)
7,69 gr – 20 mm
Ref : MacDonald # 502/2, Sear # 5476 var, RPC IV.1 # 3818-3820

Q

Nice acquisition.

I too have a "poor man's version" of a Brutus coin

M. Junius Brutus, Denarius - Rome mint, 54 BCE. 
BRVTVS Bearded head of L. Junius Brutus to right
AHALA Bearded head of C. Servilius Ahala to right
Silver, 19 mm - 3.48 g - 6 h
Ref : RCV # 398, RSC, Junia # 30, Babelon (Junia) # 31. Crawford # 433/2. RBW # 1543. Sydenham # 907.

Q

23 hours ago, David Atherton said:

Does anyone remember when Roma was on VCoins?

Sure. I think the only time I bought from them was off of Vcoins, more than a decade ago

Q

On 4/30/2024 at 10:22 PM, Broucheion said:

I once had a dealer say that rarity was a relative term because “there are only 3 known specimens of that coin, but the two people who collect that issue already had one.”

Absolutely. I have several coins from the Dombes principality about which no one on earth would give a shit (apart from me), including two unique to date gold ones, that would make me a millionaire were they 19th century US

And I'm glad no one cares, as I couldn't aford them otherwise

Q