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Drachm of Massalia 125-90 BC Obv Bust of Artemis right with bow and bow case behind, Rv Lion advancing left Maurel 653 2.72 grms 16 mm Photo by W. Hansen The symbology of this coin is quite interesting and may hint at the origins of the city of Massalia. This city was founded by peoples from Asia Minor a region where the worship of the goddess Artemis is quite strong and the lion is one of her familial animals. However the lion could also stand for chaos which would indicate tha Massalia is advertising its status as a outpost of the civilized world.

Vitellius Ar Denarius 69 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Tripod RIC 109 3.33 grms 19 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Actually poor old Geta must have been there. As noted before I used to specialize in this coinage and had purchased a number of coins of the type posted by @Ryro This is an example of the type that features Geta Rather than Julia Domna PLEASE NOTE NIETHER OF THESE ARE MY COINS, The first coin is on of these, Carrhae Ae 20 193-211 AD Obv, Busts of Septimius Severus and Caracalla facing. Rv Bust of geta facing Crescent on globe 5.98 grms 20 mm Photo Obolos E Auction 17 Lot 550 At one time I had two or three of these but only 1 of the Julia Domna version. I should note thar there is a variety of this type that only features Septimius Severus on the obverse. Far more common were these. Carrhae Ae 20 198-217 AD Obv Busts of Caracalla and Geta facing Rv Crescent and star. BMC 45 4.65grms 20 mm Photo V Auctions 230 Lot 50 Despite Geta being bare headed I always assumed that this particular series was minted during the joint reign. I came to this conclusion based on the thinner flans and slightly less weight. Again at one time I owned a contemporary counterfeit of this type, What made that coin particularly interesting is that the counterfeit copied a coin where the image of Geta was effaced because of the Damnatio Memoriae . This has yet to be seen on any of the official coins struck at this mint.

I guess out of the 26 ancient coins I purchased 10 came from CNG. 7 were the result of the New York International. Other Houses that I purchased coins from during the show were Pars (3 coins) The New York Sale (2 coins) Agora Numismatik (1 coin) Herakles (2 coins +I Christmas gift) Warden (1 coin) Harmers of London (1 Coin) Dr Martina Diererle ( ! coin) All of these were featured last month in my Best of the Year. This is just one of many memorable coins that I found t that show. Thasos Ar Stater 412-404 BC Obv Satyr in running kneeling stance carrying off nymph right Rv Quadripartite incuse square. HGC 334 9.61 grms 23mm Photo by W. Hansen I always liked this later somewhat more classical style of the later coins of this type. In fact I could class this type as one of my "grail" coins. I can say this with some irony because I all but missed the coin. I along with @Romancollector were among the first to sit at CNG's table and needless to say the place was a very claustrophobic. The tables were surrounded at least two to three people deep. This was somewhat disconcerting especially as for almost two years I had to maintain my distance especially with strangers. I was obsessing on another coin and it was only a few hours later did I see this coin and snapped it up.

Ae Follis of Romulus Rome 310-311 AD Obv Head right bare Rv Façade of cult temple RIC 256 6.60 grms 24 mm Photo by W. HansenIt is surprising that this structure still survives in the Roman forum

Nero Ar Denarius 65-66 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Facade ot the Temple of Vesta 3.45 grms 17 mm Photo by W. Hansen After the great Fire Nero attempted to win back support with what would be call today an infrastructure program. It did not help and Nero had a bad end. One of the buildings rebuilt was the Temple of Vesta. This temple survived more or less intact until the sixteenth century when the marble was repurposed for other buildings. It was later partially restored during the reign of Benito Mussolini who also had a bad end.

Aemilian Ar Antoninianus 253 AD Obv Bust right radiate draped and cuirassed seen from back Rv Virtus standing left RIC 22 4.06 grms 21 mm Photo by W. Hansen

In regards to the pronunciation of my name @Romancollector is correct. I used to collect the coins of Carrhae in Mesopotamia. When the name of the city is spelled out completely you get KAPPHNWN That collection started off well but died a lingering death as another collector one who specialized in Roman Mesopotamia kind of Hoovered up everything available. I eventually sold him my collection. (We are actually good friends) The collection was interesting. I learned all about the benefits and risks of specialization. One of the last coins I owned from that collection I kept 3 or 4 coins but eventually I let them all go. Macrinus Ar Tetradrachm Carrhae 217-218 AD Obv Bust right radiate draped and cuirassed Rv Eagle standing facing Head right Prieur 838 26 mm 12.93 grms

Link grain ear Metapontion Ar nomos 540-510 BC Obv Grain ear. Rv The same except incuse. Noe 19 8.20 grms 28 mm Photo by W. Hansen This is an example of one of the early attempts at creating a coin with an impressive diameter Out of sequence @shanxiis the one to follow

Gordian III As Caesar Ar Denarius 238 AD Obv Bust right bare and draped Rv Sacrifical implements RIC 1 3.05 grms 20 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Roman and Macedon Ar Denarius of Q Philippus 129 BC Obv Helmeted head of Roma right Mark of value behind. Rv Macedonian horseman charging right with couched lance. Macedonian helmet behind Crawford 259/1 3.90 grams 17 mm Photo by W. Hansen It is interesting how this family uses the image of Rome's old adversary in their numismatic repertoire

Link Pegasus Ar Stater of Corinth 350/345-285 BC Obv Pegasus flying left. Rv Head of Athena left wearing Corinthian style helmet Calciati 439 8.60 grms 20 mm Photo by W. Hansen

As @kirispupis stated above a plate coin is one illustrated in a book or numismatic article. Its primary function is to illustrate a particular type or issue so that individuals looking at a similar coin can more easily identify which issue or type the coin they are attempting to classify. I have a number of Plate Coins Demetrios II Ar Tetradrachm First Reign Sidon 141-140 BC 13,56 grms 26 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin was originally plated in Coins of the Seleucid Empire From the Collection of Arthur Houghton No 718 Then it was plated in Handbook of Greek Coinage Vol 9 Syrian Coin 969 Finally it was plated in Seleucid Coins Vol 2 1954 6b It should be noted that there is a sub type which is usually described as referenced in or referred to. This is a coin which is noted in a book or numismatic article but not plated. However usually a secondary reference is given eg an Auction or a Fixed Price List. As I cannot know what the coin is I would assume that the vendor, unless he was referring to a specific article may be using incorrect terminology. There could be any number of reasons for this. Sometimes language can be the biggest barrier. On more than one occasion I an trying to determine if the vendor means "this coin is from a specific auction or the type is seen in the auction."

This is possibly one of the earlier example. Anonymous Ar Denarius Rome 214-213 BC Obv Helmeted head of Roma right Rv Dioscuri on horseback charging right with couched lances. Crawford 44/5 4.82 grms 21 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin replaced the badly debased and discredited Quadrigatus.

I would have to say it would be this guy. Trajan Ae sestertius 116 AD Obv Bust right draped and laureate. Rv. Trajan seated on a platform left placing diadem upon head of Parthamaspates kneeling before him. To Trojans right and left stand two attendants RIC 667 Woytek 594 v-25 This coin illustrated. 28.78 grms 33 mm Photo by W HansenI was wandering among the tables at the NYINC when my friend @Romancollector told me about this table that to be honest I had over looked. On their table was this coin. This sestertius had many things going for it. It was a sestertius it was a sestertius of Trajan with an interesting reverse. It was an ex Niggler (1967) Ex Platt Hall (1950) and plated in a book (Woytek) I was really surprised to find something like this that checked so many boxes. (Really I shouldn't have been. It is the NYINC after all) So I bought it. Subsequently I discovered that the coin was auctioned off once before in 1919 Glendinings

Link Thebes Boeotian League Thebes Ar Stater 363-338 BC Obv Boeotian shield facing. Rv Kantharos HGC 1334 12.35 grms 22 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Where I live the weather on Tuesday and Wednesday was -34 degrees Celsius (-29.2 Fahrenheit) for a high and - 38 degrees C (-36.4 F) for a low, not counting the wind which would drop the temp about another 5-10 degrees lower. So every coin I own reminds me of a place that is much warmer. Right now it is -19 C which feels almost tropical. However if there is one coin that should fit the bill Rhodes Ar Stater 250-238 BC Obv Head of Helios facing slightly to the right. Rv Rose. Ashton 206 6.68 grms 20 mm Photo by W. Hansen Just looking at this coin makes me all warm and fuzzy. Back in the day I won this coin at auction plus one other but because of a delay in shipping i was worried that it might get caught in one of our many postal strikes. It did make just before. Thankfully. This was long before the days of ebay,, paypal and all that other stuff.

I have always considered the fee on Thursday to be completely worth it. Though I always refer to it as my "stupidity tax" I have always paid it. This started back in 2017 when I first attended the NYINC . Like most i had no thought of attending the Professional prevue. $125 you have got to be kidding. However early Thursday morning CNG published their new coin shop listings and this coin was one of them. Thourioi DiNomos 400-359 BC Obv Helmeted head of Athena Rv Bull butting right. HGC 1255 This coin illustrated 15.96 grms 24 mm Photo by W. HansenI wanted one of these , it looked pretty good and I much prefer to look at the coin in person if I had the opportunity. So I paid the stupidity tax with alacrity went over and bought the coin. Later I discovered that this coin was plated in HGC. The last time I was at the NYINC I bought the Thasos Stater, Knidos Tetradrachm. Syracuse Ae Drachm Nerva Cistophoric tetradrachm Both Trajan sestertii and the Pius Sestertius. All can be seen on my two top 10 lists and all were purchased on Thursday. 13 January Professional Prevue day. This year I cannot make it. However I urge anyone who can to do so. The NYINC is like going to a really good museum except you get to play with and even purchase some of the exhibits.

I like the Victoriatus and the Faustina the best great coins

I want to thank everyone for their kind comments. @Limes asked if I have some more and I do. These are them 1. Nerva Billon Tetradrachm of Alexandria 96-97 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Eagle standing right wings folded RPC 4113 13. 42 grms 26 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin was picked up at NYINC along with the Nerva Cistophoros. I discovered later that the two coins were featured in an auction back in 2001 2, Augustus Ar Tetradrachm Antioch 2 BC Obv, Head right laureate Rv Tyche of Antioch seated left holding palm branch River god swimming before. RPC 4155 15.11 grms 26 mm Photo by W. Hansen 3 Severina Billon Aurelianus Antioch 275 AD Obv Bust right draped placed on crescent Rv Concordia standing facing head left between 2 standards RIC 20 MIR 383a2 This coin illustrated 3.37 grms 24 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin is not only illustrated in MIR but in two other articles a well the earliest in 1964 4. Carausius Ae Aurelianus London 286-293 AD Obv Bust right radiate draped and cuirassed. Rv Pax standing left RIC 101 3.48 grms 23 mm Photo by W. Hansen 5. Vespasian Ar Denarius Antioch 72-73 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Palm tree flanked by soldier to the left and mourning Jewess to the right. RIC 1558 RPC 1930 3.43 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen This is a coin from the Jay Galst collection. Back at the NYINC in January I was bidding stupidly to acquire one of his coins. I cost some people a lot of money. But I did get the very last one that was available. 6. Constantine II As Caesar Ae Follis 324-325 AD Sirmium Obv Bust right laureate draped and cuirassed Rv Victory advancing right holding trophy and spurning captive RIC 50 3.00 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin celebrates the defeat over the Alamanni. This has to be one of the last references to a specific military campaign in the Roman coinage,

Great looking group. Also despite a small number of coins quite a number of coins found with great pedigrees. Well done.

Marcus Aurelius as Caesar Ae Sestertius 140-144 AD Obv Head left bare. Rv Priestly implements RIC 1234c 22.67 grms 31 mm Photo by W. Hansen I saw this coin while on my trip to the UK back in September 2018. I was impressed with the skill of the die engraver. Despite showing Marcus as a youth he does give his subject a dignity and a presence which is outstanding

I am very impressed with @Kaleun96 post seen above I would add that the mint of Amphipolis continued with the uncrossed legs version up to circa 317 . I guess I should discuss the title of Basileos. It would appear that at least in this case Pella chose to follow Price and continued with his chronology. Esentially Price believed that at some point in 325 BC the title of Baseleos was added to the coinage by Alexander III. The theory being that as he was returning from India he demands a change in his nomenclature. This change of title is quite significant as none of the Macedonian kings used this title. However there are some serious issues with that assertation. The first are the actions from the mint of Babylon. Price records some 109 types from this mint which he identifies as lifetime of which 16 (2 staters and 14 tetradrachms) use the title Basileos. This is a rather underwhelming, This would indicate at the very least the vast majority of the coins struck to pay off his army did not have the new title. As Taylor (2018) noted that the first and the second much larger issue from this mint could have been struck in less than a year. So the absence of Basileos is odd. Thus we are left with a number of possibilities 1. Alexander authorized the title to be placed on the coinage but did so after the bulk of the army was paid off. Thus the title could have been authorized only weeks before his death. This has a few problems as both Tyre and Sidon do not show this title on the coinage. Damaskos could have suspended production by this time so the absence of the title on coins from this mint is not as big an issue. 2. The title is posthumous either to A, Honor Alexander III or B. to enhance the status of Alexander IV and Philip III ( and the people behind the throne who are actually in charge). This could explain some of the issues with this coinage but I have not done much work on this subject. Stater of Alexander Babylon mint Standard Types Price 3671 8.57 grms 18 mm CNG E Auction 397 Lot 54 May 17 2017 Tetradrachm of Alexander Babylon mint Standard Types Price 3673 CNG Triton IX Lot 803 January 9 2006 Stater of Alexander Babylon Standard Types Basileos 322-318 BC Price 3691 8.58 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen As can be seen from this coin the same die cutter did both obverse dies However M an LY are known for striking coins of Philip III. There is a very extensive issue of coins of Philip III from the mint of Babylon along with coins in the name of Alexander. Tetradrachm of Alexander III Standard types Basileos 322-320 BC Head of Helios KY Price 3697 17.12 grms 27 mm Photo by W. Hansen Tetradrachm pf Philip III Standard types Basileos 322-320 BC Head of Helios KY Price P205 17.18 grms 26 mm Photo by W. Hansen It gets worse. When one studies the Levantine mints one notes that three mints Tyre Sidon and Damaskos do not employ the Basileos title at any time. Furthermore both the mints of Tarsos appears to adopt the title very late in the "plow" series Price 3011- 3034 (Only 3033 and 3034 have the title). Though it is well represented in the subsequent "Nike" series 3036-3055. Myriandros second series MI has only a few coins as well. Tetradrachm of Alexander III Tarsos Standard types Basileos Price 3034 CNG Auction 84 Lot 262 May 5 2010 The mint of Arados does have an extensive issue of the Basileos coins. However it does not have an extensive series of coins without. This mint I am still trying to unravel as can be seen from my discussion of the coinage seen above. As to the coin formerly thought to be from Side Price 2949. This entire group has the title Basileos. Price 2948-2964. In his book he does question this attribution. I have not seen any literature which would shed any further light on this series. However if it is from Cilicia it would most likely have something to do with the activities of Crateros which I discussed above on August 20. I would more likely attribute this coin to sometime after 322 BC. i

I use flips mostly 2 by 2's with the info in one half and the coin in the other, They then are stored in Whitman blue plastic boxes. This system does not take up a lot of room and it makes it easy for me to take them to my safety deposit boxes at the bank. My system is pretty standard however this cat seems to have an interesting system 😁

This year was a decent year for Roman coins. Again these are in no particular order 1. Vespasian Ar Denarius Tarraco 69-70 AD Obv Head left laureate. Rv Libertas standing left holding pileus RIC 1339 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen Even though I won the coin in December 2021 it was not until late February that i actually got the coin. 2. Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Ar Denarius North Italian Mint 80 BC Obv Head of Pietas right Rv Elephant advancing left Crawford 374/1 RBW 1396 This coin illustrated 3.90 grms 19 mm Photo by W. Hansen 3. Plotina Wife of Trajan Ar denarius 112-114 AD Obv Bust right draped wearing stephane Rv Vesta seated left RIC 730 Woytek 705-1 3.36 grms 20 mm Photo by W. Hansen This woman actually is a key player in the history of the Roman Empire during this period. She was very instrumental in setting up the "adoptive" system by her support of Hadrian. 4. Titus Ar Denarius 80 AD Obv, Head right laureate Rv Wreath above curule chair RIC 108 3.48 grms 19 mm Photo by W. Hansen 5. Nerva Ar Cistophorus 97 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Cult statue of Diana of Perga within a distyle shrine. RIC 116 RPC 1301 10.76 grms 25 mm Photo by W. Hansen Now we come to a mob of sestertii 6. Severus Alexander Ae Sestertius 230 AD eleventh emission Obv Head right laureate Rv Justitia seated left RIC 563 22,42 grms 28 mm Photo by W. Hansen 7. Trajan Ae Sestertius 111 AD Head right laureate. Rv Arabia standing left holding branch and cinnamon sticks (absolutely essential for French Toast) camel standing in front. RIC466 Woytek 363a 24.14 grms 32 mm Photo by W. Hansen 8. Titus Ae Sestertius Unknown Thracian Mint. 79-81 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Pax standing left holding branch RIC 498 RPC 501 26.63 grms 33 mm Photo by W. Hansen 9. Antoninus Pius as Divus Ae Sestertius Struck after 161 AD Head right bare Rv Fuberal pyre of four tiers decorated with hangings and garlands surmounted by a facing quadriga. PIC 1266 26.60 grms 33 mm Photo by W. Hansen 10, Last but not least Trajan Ae Sestertius 116-117 AD Obv Bust right laureate and draped Rv, Trajan seated on a dias offering diadem to Parthamaspates who kneels before him. Behind Trajan stands an officer. Before Trajan a suggestus. RIC 667 Woytek 594 v-25 This coin illustrated 28.78 grms 33 mm Photo by W. Hansen