CPK

As many of you know, I enjoy collecting coins with animals on them - particularly African animals. One of the more interesting animal coin types are a small assortment of Roman provincial coins, struck in the 3rd century, featuring an ostrich either standing or running on the reverse. These types are rather scarce to begin with and their popularity means that they are even scarcer on the market. Good specimens rarely stick around long. So when I spotted this coin come up for sale at a reasonable price, I did not hesitate! THRACE, HADRIANOPOLIS Time of Gordian III AE (16.83mm, 3.35g, 7h) Struck AD 238-244 Obverse: ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III right, seen from rear Reverse: ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ, ostrich standing right References: RPC Online, Vol. VII.2, No. 806.12 (this coin) A rare type, with good detail and a beautiful emerald green patina. This coin has its flaws, but overall I am very pleased with the purchase. The ostrich is clearly identifiable, well-centered on the flan and even has some feather details left. The obverse is also in good shape and the coin has a vivid, if somewhat patchy, emerald green patina. Thanks for looking! Please feel free to post your own ostrich coins, animal coins, or anything else you consider relevant.

Indeed!

That's a lovely coin!

High grade and a beautiful patina!

Welcome @Spargrodan!

Great post @Roman Collector! I don't think I have Iustitia but here is a Nerva denarius which I've not posted before: NERVA, AD 96-98 AR Denarius (18.38, 3.36g, 6h) Struck AD 96. Rome mint Obverse: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS II P P, laureate head of Nerva right Reverse: FORTVNA AVGVST, Fortuna, draped, standing left, holding rudder set on ground in right hand and cornucopiae in left References: RIC II 4, RCV 3025 A choice specimen, with attractive toning and a finely styled portrait. Well-centered and struck on a good flan. From the Tony Chibbaro Collection.

@Herodotus and @Jims,Coins, very nice Domna coins! Thanks! Excellent pair you have. 👍 Thanks HD! Great coin - and nice photography job too. I like how you've arranged the coin's information along with the image. 👍

Yep, I have coins waiting too! Just finished photographing and researching one last night, which I plan to post soon. Besides that I have a couple prutot and a Trajan provincial that I need to photograph and research yet. Been so busy this past week I haven't had much time for coins! (The Aegean tag/flip is from a different coin.) My process is pretty straightforward: examine, identify, photograph, and upload!

Thanks @LONGINUS - that is a wonderful set of denarii! I especially like the top left - a very finely done portrait!

That coin is a stunner! 🤩

My guess is Domitian.

What makes it really apt is that the die engravers didn't even cut a new die, they just sneaked that extra 'I' in between the existing reverse legend!

Congrats on the acquisition! It's a nice specimen, too.

Nice coins! The Stobi mint seems to have produced some very nice portraits of Julia Domna.

Man! What a great opening post! Those are beautiful coins - I've often dreamed of buying a daric some day but for now I have to be happy with sigloi. 😉 Welcome to the Forum!

Wow, I'm no expert but even I can see that is tooled.

Thank you! Thanks! That is a spectacular sestertius (from your collection I'd expect nothing less! 😉 ) - great details on both obv. and rev., and a lovely patina! Thanks! There are great portraits to be found among provincial coins too. Thank you! That's a great assortment that really shows how wide the portrait variation can be. I really like that Year 2 Alexandrian tetradrachm. Nice coins! Is that bottom one ex Dieterle / AK Collection, by any chance? Very nice coins, especially the sestertius!👍

That's a really nice specimen! Lots of crisp detail, especially on the reverse. Congratulations!

Thanks! Wow - that is a beautiful set! Those portraits are exceptionally well-done, especially the first coin. 🤩 Thanks! That is interesting, Roman Collector. Lovely coins, too! I got my date from Sear. I should have checked if the date given in RIC IV differed.

I'd been looking for a nice denarius of Julia Domna to add to my collection. They're quite common generally, but I am picky about portrait style and most JD portraits seem a little too harsh (who can blame her, with a son like Caracalla!) Just recently, though, I had the chance to buy this coin, which features one of the most charming portraits of Julia Domna I've seen yet: JULIA DOMNA as Augusta, AD 193-211 AR Denarius (19.61mm, 3.10g, 6h) Struck AD 198. Rome mint Obverse: IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust of Julia Domna right Reverse: MATER DEVM, Cybele seated left on throne flanked by two lions, holding branch in extended right hand and scepter in left hand, resting left arm on drum set on left knee References: RIC IV 564 (S), RCV 6593 A scarce type, lightly toned, with an attractive portrait. The reverse is also an interesting type, depicting Cybele the mother goddess (MATER DEVM), an ancient Phrygian deity. Thanks for looking! Feel free to post your own Julia Domna coins.

Very interesting coins, and post - thanks for sharing!

Great rarity! Congrats!

I could not agree more! And: welcome to the Forum, @Typhon!

A stunning collection! Well done!

I'm also no expert, but I don't see any tooling going on here. Having one side a lot more corroded than the other isn't too unusual.