thenickelguy

I think yours is the real one. But I like ya Donna, so I am rooting for you more than from any knowledge I might have.

There are several dimples on the reverse that are exactly like yours too but the scratch is missing. I just think it was the exact same coin photo, maybe a little photoshopping to take that horizontal scratch off. but I think it is the exact same photo and coin. Maybe the specimen sold by Harlan J. Berk Ltd. as Lot 62 in its Buy or Bid Sale 199 on 29 Sep 2016 was never actually a completed sale. Dis you acquire your coin after Sept 2016? Maybe the high bidder never paid up or resold it and it found it's way to you?

I never did figure this one out.

I see Finn just "liked" with a "clap" I acquired my first small batches of ancient coins from him. Still very happy to have those coins in my collection. It's all your fault LOL, seriously though, I have enjoyed the introduction to this area of collecting and the history I have learned has been awesome. You all have been awesome! Thank you! Remember this one Finn235 ? Gallienus 253-268 AD Rome Antoninianus Mars God of War

I wouldn't know where to start with these two for a condensed story telling. So much history about the good mother and not so good daughter. I have been reading everyone's Faustina Friday threads and watching videos and and there's not much I can really add but these two coins are among my ancient favorite Roman coins. Faustina I 100 - 140 AD Ref Faustina Sr AR Denarius, RIC 378, RSC 136, BMC 461 Also known as Faustina The Elder, Annia Galeria Faustina I, Diva Faustina, Faustina Major or Faustina Senior Roman empress from 138 to 140 AD and wife of the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius. Listing Desc: Diva Favstina Sr., Issue by Antoninus Pius, 146 - 161 AD Silver Denarius, Rome Mint, 18mm, 3.18 grams Obverse: DIVA FAVSTINA, Draped bust of Faustina right. Reverse: CERES, Ceres standing left holding grain ears and long torch. RIC 378 ____________________________________ Faustina II 130 - 175 AD Ref Faustina II AR Denarius, RIC 500b, RSC 44, BMC 1078 Faustina II Denarius. FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, draped bust right / CONCORDIA, Concordia standing front, head right, raising skirt and holding cornucopiae. RSC 42. ( I do believe Faustina the Younger raised her skirt a time or three ) Faustina was the youngest child of emperor Antoninus Pius and empress Faustina the Elder. Roman empress from 161 to her death as the wife of emperor Marcus Aurelius. The continuous obverse legend is OK as attributed. Listing Desc: Faustina Jr., Issue by Antoninus Pius, 147 - 150 AD Silver Denarius, Rome Mint, 19mm, 3.52 grams Obverse: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI P II FIL, Draped bust of Faustina right. Reverse: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing right holding hem of skirt and cornucopia. RIC 500b

I think my coin looks better than the images when in hand. Here is Ken Dorney's video of the same that I now own. Thanks Ken Dorney for the coin and for the use of your pictures with permission and for uploading this video. Now doesn't that look better?

Having recently acquired my Geta denarius, I had to find Mom and Dad. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS 145–211 AD Roman emperor from 193 to 211 AD Septimius Severus Denarius. 197-198 AD. L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP X, laureate head right / VICT AVGG COS II P P, Victory walking left holding wreath and palm. RIC 120c, RSC 694. The assassination of Commodus on New Years Eve 192 AD brought about quite the struggle for 5 men to become the Roman Emperor. It began "The year of Five Emperors" Pertinax, Didius Julianus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus, and Septimius Severus First to lose by being murdered after only three months was Pertinax who was assasinated by the Praetorian Guard when he refused to pay their bonus and took away privileges given to them by Commodus. Second was Didius Julianus, a wealthy senator who bid for the throne by promising to better pay the soldiers but did not. His reign lasted 66 days. He was killed by a soldier. This left three, Septimius Severus allied with Clodius Albinus and made a deal that they would be co-rulers and left him to take care of business in the west. Septimius Severus raced with his army into Italy and when he was near Rome he was declared Emperor by the Senate. Pescennius Niger and Septimius Severus men fought a civil war and Pescennius Niger lost. He was beheaded and Septimius Severus brutally ordered many of his supporters to be killed. Septimius Severus also defeated his ex-partner Clodius Albinus in Western Europe in Gaul. Clodius Albinus either committed suicide after being defeated in a huge battle or was executed on orders by Septimius Severus after capture. in his 40's Septimius Severus met Julia Domna whom he had heard that she believed she would one day marry a king. They traveled together while Septimius Severus and his men fought battles. Listing Desc: Septimius Severus, 193 - 211 AD, Silver Denarius with Victory Septimius Severus, 193 - 211 AD Silver Denarius, Rome Mint, 18mm, 3.48 grams Obverse: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP X, Laureate head of Septimius right. Reverse: VICT AVGG COS II P P, Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm. RIC 120 Julia Domna 160-217 AD Her horoscope predicted she would marry a king. Syrian-born Roman empress married Roman emperor Septimius Severus. She traveled with him on campaigns and was called “Mother of the Camps” and she was well educated. She herself came from a family of kings. She was also the mother of the emperors Geta and Caracalla. Julia was in Eboracum (York) with Severus when the emperor died of an illness in 211 AD, and according to his will, Caracalla and Geta, took over as joint emperors. Julia favored Geta. The shared rule did not last. Caracalla and Geta plotted against the other and both feared for their safety. They lived at different ends of the city. Julia attempted to mediate between her sons, and when Caracalla expressed a desire for reconciliation with Geta, Julia granted his request for a meeting with his brother in Julia's private apartments. There without the protection of guards in the meeting, Caracalla stabbed Geta and he died in his mothers arms. She herself was stabbed in the hand during the attack. She showed no grief for fear of Caracalla having her killed as well. Still, Caracalla entrusted Julia with much of the empire's administration while he oversaw a brutal crackdown against Geta's followers and anyone he deemed a threat. Julia carried out these duties largely from Antioch, a major Syrian city near her hometown of Emesa. While away for 6 years, Caracalla's own men murdered him. It is believed that Julia have had breast cancer but dealing with that and the death of Caracalla, she chose to commit suicide by starving herself to death at age 57. She was one of the most powerful and active empresses in Roman history. Julia Domna, AR denarius. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / FORTVNAE FELICI, Fortuna seated left, holding cornucopiae and rudder on globe, child standing before her. RIC 554; Sear 6584 var. Listing desc. Julia Domna 193 - 211 AD Silver Denarius Rome Mint 19mm 2.97 grams Obverse: IVLIA AVGVSTA Draped bust of Julia right. Reverse: FORTVNAE FELICI Fortuna seated left holding cornucopia and rudder child standing on left reaching up towards her. RIC 554 ______________________________________________ My nice Geta and not so nice Caracalla coins

Thanks for the help and to all who have posted your Vespasian coins.. I should certainly leave everything as is. It has become educational for others as well as myself. Editing would only take away from the flow. I learn something new everyday here. Much appreciated.

Vespasian debased the denarius during his reign, reducing the silver purity from 93.5% to 90%. The silver weight dropped from 2.97 grams to 2.87 grams. That is a statement, but not necessarily a statement about my coin. I would appreciate David Atherton. following up in this thread to clarify exactly what the silver content would be for this particular issue I have. Could it be worn or shaved a little bit that results in it being only 2.76 grams?

I questioned that myself but I figured it was the amount of silver contained in the coin and not the total weight. I found it here under the LEGACY topic. Second paragraph from the bottom in that section (LEGACY) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vespasian#cite_note-60 I took that line that I copied for my own notes. If i am wrong it's because I got that info from Wikipedia. It didn't mean too much to me except I, being a beginner, was impressed that the coin had even that much fineness. To me it's no big deal. I will take that line out if you think I should. I apologize if it is inaccurate information.

I like "imitation"

I only have and it has been my avatar here since I bought it. One of my favorites even though there are many nicer. I am fascinated with the story of the gorgon ever since I was a kid. and that was a loooooooooooong time ago. Athena is even looking away. PISIDIA Selge 350-300 BC obol gorgoneion-Athena astragalus

Titus Flavius Vespasianus 9 - 79 AD Vespasian was a Roman emperor who ruled from 69 to 79 AD. Just a little bit of his story I found here and there. Vespasian debased the denarius during his reign, reducing the silver purity from 93.5% to 90%. The silver weight dropped from 2.97 grams to 2.87 grams. <-(SEE comments further down in this thread about this statement} He built the Colosseum which was the scene of thousands of combats between gladiators, of contests between men and animals, and of many larger combats, including mock naval engagements. Vespasian had prevented the dissolution of the empire by putting an end to civil war, and it was fitting that pax (“civil peace”) should be a principle motif on his coinage. Pax appears on the reverse of my coin here. In his last illness with an extreme case of diarrhea he stated to those around him that an Emperor should be standing when he died, as they were lifting him From his bed he said “Vae, puto deus fio” (“Oh dear, I think I’m becoming a god”) After his death he was immediately accorded deification. He was succeeded by his sons Titus and then Domitian. Listing Desc: Vespasian 69 - 79 AD Silver Denarius Rome Mint 19mm 2.76 grams Obverse: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Laureate head of Vespasian right. Reverse: PON MAX TR P COS VI Pax seated left holding branch. RIC 772

Flavia Julia Helena 246/248 to 330 AD Recently I have bought some coins from Ken Dorney and am listing them in the next couple days. Ken done me right and I have dealt with him in the past. He let me use the pictures too. Thanks Ken, you're one of the good ones! Helena of Constantinople and Saint Helena, was an Augusta of the Roman Empire and mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. She came from a humble background, perhaps a stable-maid or inn-keeper. She caught the eye of Emperor Constantius I because they were both wearing identical bracelets. Constantius I interpreted this as a sign from God. They may have met in Asia Minor. He divorced Helena and married Theodora, daughter of Maximian to strengthen his political position, Helena traveled to Jerusalem where tradition claims she found Christ's true cross and built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. It is considered to be the holiest site for Christians in the world, as it has been the most important pilgrimage site for Christianity since the 4th century. It contains two sites considered holy in Christianity: the site where Jesus was crucified, at a place known as Calvary or Golgotha, and Jesus's empty tomb, which is where he was buried and resurrected. She is venerated as a saint and considered the patron of archaeologists, converts, difficult marriages, divorced people, empresses, Saint Helena Island, and new discoveries. Listing Desc: Helena Posthumous Issue 337 - 341 AD AE Follis 17mm 1.77 gram Obverse: FL IVL HELENAE AVG Diademed and draped bust of Helena right wearing necklace. Reverse: PAX PVBLICA. Pax standing left holding branch and scetper CONSE in exergue. RIC 34

Claudius I, 10 BC - 54 AD Roman Emperor 41 - 54 AD Here is a British imitation from an unofficial mint in the West, in this case a copy from the Rome mint. It feature a portrait of Claudius and the striding figure of the goddess Minerva. I get a kick out of the portraits on coins where Claudius I has that long neck. He's a bit rough, but ya know, I like it. Claudius's maternal grandparents were Mark Antony and Octavia Minor, Augustus's sister, and he was therefore the great-great-grandnephew of Gaius Julius Caesar. This gave him the right to become emperor when Caligula was assassinated. As a youth he was awkward and weak. Suetonius, a Roman historian describes the physical manifestations of Claudius's condition in relatively good detail. "His knees were weak and gave way under him and his head shook. He stammered and his speech was confused. He slobbered and his nose ran when he was excited." (sounds like me when I look at some of the members beautiful ancient coins on this forum) He was made fun of as a child. As he got older, he relied on his mental abilities, his physical problems faded. Claudius, was a good administrator and builder. He liked the public games. He was married four times but chose his women poorly. One was divorced for mental cruelty, one for infidelity and another for being a nymphomaniac. Claudius is believed to have been murdered by his final and powerful wife Agrippina by poisoning – possibly poison contained in mushrooms. He died on October 13th 54 AD. Listing Desc: Claudius I, 41 - 54 AD, Barbarous British As with Minerva Claudius I, 41 - 54 AD Contemporary British Imitation AE As, 27mm, 9.54 grams Obverse: TI CLAVDIVS CARSAR AVG P M TR P IMP, Bare head of Claudius left. Reverse: Minerva advancing right holding spear and shield, S C across fields. Cf. RIC 100

When it comes to ancients, this is THE place for me. I got a lot of help here and you people are great! I have been on CT here and there lately but the handful of people I pretend don't exist are ignored in my settings so I don't mind. I don't post in CCF. I might post in the Buy Sell Trade section but not much happens there for me anymore, Mods with huge EGOS that became members years and even a decade after I had joined quickly started getting pushy and rude. There's only a couple of the staff there that I like but it gets kind of old with stupid non errors and minor die issues on Lincoln zinc cents.

I actually find them interesting but can understand the frustration of our thread starter. You could buy a few dozen uniforms that need buttons I suppose.

I only search the sellers from the United States when I go on vcoins. I find a list of sellers by country and scroll down by country. I can choose a handful of sellers in there that I am becoming more familiar with and have also bought from. It's nothing personal, I just don't use payment methods international sellers require. I don't have PP or Zelle or wire money. I won't wait forever for shipment to cross oceans and go through the customs and don't want to pay high shipping either. I'm sure I am missing a lot of opportunities but I'm OK with that. There's plenty of fish in the sea. I don't think I'll run across the button seller this way. So if you search by seller, maybe that is a simple solution. Bookmark your favorite sellers. If you really need a certain coin, put in those keywords and it should narrow it down. Some searches on some sites work if you put a minus sign directly in front of a search word. Like this Napoleonic War -button Result https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/numismatica_prados-241/search/all/0/Default.aspx?store_search=Napoleonic+War+-button&store_between=0&store_between_and=99999&searchMaxRecords=100&searchDisplayAsList=False&searchDate=&searchDateType=0&store_order_by=&solditems=False Take the -button away and just enter Napoleonic War Result https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/numismatica_prados-241/search/all/0/Default.aspx?store_search=Napoleonic+War&store_between=0&store_between_and=99999&searchMaxRecords=100&searchDisplayAsList=False&searchDate=&searchDateType=0&store_order_by=&solditems=False Looks like that worked here!

I have a Faustina with the continuous obverse legend on the way. That legend was driving me crazy. Faustina II AR Denarius, RIC 500b, RSC 44, BMC 1078 I am glad to learn that it can be continuous and still be attributed as such, that I have it right. The one on Wildwind' was quite separated. As for her hair? Only her hairdresser knows for sure (Miss Clairol) but I will post soon to see what hairstyle you think she has on my coin.

Can you believe this. I looked at the original listing and it was actually listed with Fortuna on the reverse anyway. That's it. I should have stopped earlier tonight when I was getting tired. I apologize for posting that in error. Anyway, we got it attributed.

I very much appreciate that. Was listed as Minerva so it drove me alittle quazee/ Good night!

It's PAX !!! Tetricus I AE Antoninianus. IMP C TETRICVS P F AVG, radiate, draped bust right / PAX AVG, Pax standing left holding wreath and sceptre. RIC 100, Cohen 95. The top one might be Tetricus I. AE Antoninianus. 270-273 AD. IMP C TETRICVS PF AVG, Radiate, cuirassed bust right / PAX AVG, Pax, standing left, holding olive branch and vertical sceptre. RIC V-2, 100 var (no star in left field). I think I got it

After furthur review, I believe it is this one. Julia Domna, AR denarius. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / FORTVNAE FELICI, Fortuna seated left, holding cornucopiae and rudder on globe, child standing before her. RIC 554; Sear 6584 var. https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/julia_domna/RIC_0554.jpg

I'm going a bit nuts. This top one was listed as Minerva seated but I don't think that is right. I borrowed this bottom image from Wildwinds as it looks closest to the top coin. I do believe the top one has Fortuna on the reverse as well as the Wildwinds example. Would I be correct attributing the top coin as ??? Julia Domna Denarius, RIC 553, RSC 58, BMC 27 Julia Domna Denarius. IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / FORTVNAE FELICI, Fortuna enthroned left holding cornucopiae & leaning on rudder set on globe. RSC 58.

Oh ... you are all heart. LOL. I'll get to it (Laffin) Right now I'm trying to identify a Julia Domna on wildwinds. My eyes are buggin out.