JayAg47

These coins from the Gonzaga/Este Collection are technically tooled coins with a relatively modern counterstamp. But, that’s what makes them more expensive having one of the oldest and a famous provenance. It’s all a about perspectives, if a rich/famous collector stamps their initials onto their ancient coin collection, it’s worth a lot in the next few centuries, but is it the same if I were to carve my name on to the field next to the portrait? Or at least stamp an aesthetically pleasing imagery like the one on the Gonzaga coins? Classy if you’re rich, trashy if you’re poor!

Usually medieval drawings run rampant with imaginations, but this is one of the instances where it's based on reality!

This coin marks the 1000th anniversary of Rome's founding, but to be honest, I mostly bought it for the hippopotamus. Ever since I missed out on the unique hippo tetradrachm I've mentioned in this thread, I've been searching for a hippo, not just any but the most realistic-looking one I could find. I finally came across this coin recently, listed by an Australian auction house. It didn't hammer, likely due to poor photos and the absence of provenance which I discovered after some digging. The coin next to my Schleich mini hippo figurine. And below is a 100% genuine photo of the spectacle I took from my recent visit to Rome using my trusty time machine. Obv: Diademed and draped bust to right of Otacilia Severa, on crescent, around OTACIL SEVERA AVG. Rev: Hippopotamus standing to right, around SAECVLARES AVGG, in exergue IIII, (RIC 116b, C.63, S.2633). Celebrating the 1000th anniversary of the founding of Rome. 248 AD, 4.47g. Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 49 (lot 2257), Nov 1995. Ex D.J.Foster Collection Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 109 (lot 3877), Jul 2015. Ex Status International - Auction 389, Lot 11305, Jun 2024. I even found a couple of double-die matches: 1. Numismatik Naumann, Auction 138, lot 723. 2. cgb.fr Internet Auction July 2022, lot 175. Please share your Hippos or other celebratory coins.

Commodus, man just wanted to do some cos-play and chill out, lol he always looks stoned on his coins, intentional or not. I think he'd really love videos games. Too bad he was born to the most powerful/stoic man at that time, subsequently inheriting the most powerful empire.

Love those tinies. I heard people used to keep them in their mouth while shopping at the Agora, although I wonder about the logistics of making a change. Here are mine perched up on a chunky tuppence. I took this photo a long time ago, and yet I only have added a couple more ancient tinies to date.

Sri Lankan imitation of the fallen horseman type, circa 5th to 7th century AD, 0.89g. Next- one of your ‘high priority’ coin.

I think this coin fits your description, although the 'how' part of your request is a bit lengthy, which I've described previously here: A short summary of this particular coin, These are usually attributed to Uttama Chola (alias Madurantaka Chola), the great uncle of Rajendra Chola. This coin commemorates the Chola conquest of the neighbouring kingdoms of Chera, and Pandya, depicted as the royal emblems- Cholan tiger in the center, flanked by the Pandyan twin fish to its right, and the Cheran bow behind the tiger, all under the single rule symbolised by the prasaol. On the reverse, the legends states Uttama Chola, now this is where the confusion arises, even though it explicitly states the name, it is highly unlikely that Madurantaka (who was more of an administrative rather than a military guy) managed to bring down his neighbours, since his niece Raja Raja Chola who came after Madurantaka was the king who for the first time held the title Raja Raja, meaning king of kings, after the subjugation of other kingdoms. His son Rajendra also holds the title of Uttama Chola, now he was the Trajan of Chola empire, bringing it to the maximum extent, and to me it makes more sense that these coins were minted under his rule for paying the military as well as the naval complex. Uttama Chola (or) Rajendra Chola Silver Drachm 4.15g, 20mm. 970-985 AD (or) 1014-1044 AD. Next- an iconic coin from an empire or kingdom (Excluding Roman/Athens/Macedonian)

Damages don't deter me from buying coins, except the coin needs to be either extremely interesting or historically significant. At least the below coin has a certain eye-appeal with all the main elements present, but I would've passed up on it if it were to be totally worn slick or had bronze disease like the coins above. Valerian I, Seleucia ad Calycadnum Obv. laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Valerian, ΑVΚ ΠΟ ΛΙΚ ΟΥΑΛƐΡΙΑΝΟϹ Rev. Athena Promachos l. spearing at anguiped Enceladus who raises hands in resistance- ϹƐΛΕΥΚƐΩΝ ΤΩΝ Π[ ]ΚΛΥ(?) 253-260 AD 6.3 g SNG 1059.

My portrait denarius of Casear+Antony cost me pretty much the same as what it was sold for on Savoca, not counting inflation. I am happy with this coin and see no reason to spend so much for an upgrade yet. Obv: M. ANTON. IMP. R. P. C., (Marcus Antonius Imperator Rei Publicae Constituandae) [Imperator for] the Restoration of the Government), bare head of Mark Antony right; lituus behind. Rev: CAESAR DIC, (Caesar Dictator), bare head of Julius Caesar right; capis behind. 43 BC. (18 mm, 3.55 g, 10h). Military mint traveling with Antony in Cisalpine Gaul. Crawford 488/2; CRI 123; Sydenham 1166; RSC 3. Ex Savoca 98th Blue Auction, Lot 1092, (March 2021). About three years ago, I came across a Julius Caesar denarius on Zumbly's shop. I have seen that particular coin on Cointalk posted by Orfew. If I had the budget for it at the time, I definitely would have bought it, and it would have been the most expensive coin in my collection back then. I really like the young looking Caesar on this one.

A bunch of grapes on a bunch of grapes. Although mine are table variety and not the wine variety!

Hmmm… perhaps it’s not a good idea to bring my Trajan’s column denarius to my hypothetical visit to Rome. I was fantasising about taking a selfie of myself in front of the column with the coin in my hand. Does this law only apply to coins found and purchased in Italy? Or can you bring one from outside and then take it out? I bought my column denarius at a coin show in Australia for a whopping sum of $45, no receipts no provenances what so ever. I’d certainly prefer to bring back the coin to my country after the visit, and I’d rather throw it into the Trevi Fountain than hand it over to the authorities!

One of my long time want list coin was a Raja Raja Chola gold stater. While his copper issues are dime a dozen, his gold coins that specifically mention his name, are hard to come by. In the past 5 years I have exactly seen two coins on retail, one is mine on Ma-shops and an other coin on eBay, which was more expensive and more worn than mine and also had test slashes. While there are exceedingly rare Chola coins, at least this type is feasible to acquire if you look hard enough. However if you’re in India it’s not a problem since most Indian auction houses have these for sale but don’t ship overseas.

The estimate is very low for the type (if it’s indeed what it is), but wonder how much it will fetch.

Just sold for the opening bid, I still think it's a genuine coin and a great deal going by the gold weight alone. However, I decided to pass on it due to the lamination issue bothering me. If it were to be on the surface I'd have bought it, but not on the face.

Creepy looking kid in a cloak, Scarface Athena and her mutilated owl, An omnius looking coin minted in the middle of black plague, Not an ancient, but a coin that really gives me the creeps. A 1793 Louis XVI 12 Deniers. He got guillotined on Jan 21st 1793, so either this coin must have been minted before 1793 or coins with his head still being minted long after it was removed from his body! Or it might have been minted during that 21-day window before his execution in 1793. I think this would be a more anatomically correct representation,