Rand

Thank you @Hrefn. I appreciate and keep your coins in my records - I particularly like the Merovingian one. A beautiful coin - I only have the reverse die link for it (not as nice as yours). Solidus Numismatik. Auction 13. 25/03/2017

I collect Anastasian gold coins, as I might have mentioned before. Many collectors would find the period boring and coins monotonous… I do not complain. Focusing on gold coins is not because of snobbishness - bronze and silver often bring higher prices than average Anastasian gold. Gold coins of the period are far more suitable for die studies, though. I like the historical mysteries of the period with few historical records, vast gaps of knowledge, and many people who produced gold coins with the Anastasian name. In fact, there were hardly any other gold coins in the world produced during the Anastasian period. Parisian and Axumite Emprires were not producing gold coins at scale; those few we know could be outside the Anastasia reign. I came across some coins from an Indian state that may be called electrum but appear more like silver. Anastasius solidus may be seen as a truly global currency found all over Eurasia, including India and China plus Africa. So if I wanted to see myself as more of a generalist, I could say I collect all gold coins produced from 491 to 518 (and some later coins that used the Anastasian name). I would still collect the same coins. It may be hard to prepare an accurate write-up about an Anastasian coin because of the scarcity of reference literature. The history books and numismatic publications on the topic are few, and academics disagree on important matters. So what I cannot find in publications and I try to puzzle out myself… the best I can. Following the coins, it is sometimes tempting to disagree with what the literature says. I do like these coins themselves, beyond the collector’s hunt. I do not intend to produce a book of my own collection. I can do this within minutes with the software I used for the database, but it would be a miserable story with many ‘blank pages’ of coins I do not have. I hope to prepare a book of Anastasian coins if I can in the future, featuring my coins but not necessarily identifying them as such. To make such a book, I need to master photography, travel museums, commissioning photography when needed, get permissions to publish other coins… I am on the way to applying some analytical methods to my coins. Scores of coins can be considered unique or only in private hands, but I am more excited about finding duplicates and die links. Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Triton XX. 10/01/2017

Third party grading for higher value (e.g., $5K+) ancient coins is likely to become as essential as PMG grading is for banknotes. The current NGC slabs have a long way to go towards what a good 'ancients' slab should be for people who may prefer to keep their coins in slabs after purchase. Reducing the slab's size for the numerous denarii, aurei, and solidi is long overdue. The grading scales need to be refined as well. I hope PCGS moves to the ancient coin segment.

Unless the aureus was found in the slab, this valuable slab should have remained in the US.

If the trend of restricting private ownership of ancient objects, including coins continues one day we will have to bid for ‘Highly important collection of early NGC/PCGS labels, featuring provenances from A, B, C’

Kolner Munzkabinett is a reputable German auction house - always a good experience for me.

Thank you, @Ursus I changed 'scratches' to 'graffiti' in my earlier post. Many were probably test scratches to assess the metal, such as on this Justinian's solidus. However, the 'scratches' often look like graffiti that may have some meaning. Some 'graffiti' are Latin, such as an apparent 'K' on another tremissis from the above PERP series (not mine). I understand that 'K' did not make it into Elder Futhark. Some 'graffiti' match Elder Futhark. For example, on the Anastasian solidus below, the top symbol matches the runic symbol for ï and the bottom one for s (apologies, I can not find how to type runic letters). Roma Numismatics Limited. E-SALE 24. 30/01/2016 Of note, this coin is most likely not imperial, possibly Ostrogothic. Its die match was found in Karsibór, an island on the Baltic Sea near Szczecin. Karsibór was a significant seaport of the route to Scandinavia (Karsibór Hoard, now in the National Museum in Szczecin, http://www.mpov.uw.edu.pl/en/thesaurus/artefacts/solidus). However, some 'graffiti', like in the two tremisses I showed earlier, include symbols that do not fit into Elder Futhark, Latin, or Greek. They could be personal 'avatars', but I hoped they could be less recognised variations of Germanic alphabets. I am not too hopeful about this, though.

@Ursus I understand runic alphabets varied between Germanic people. Many early Byzantine coins have graffiti resembling runes, possibly indicating ownership by a person, etc. Could it be possible to link the graffiti to specific runic alphabets attributing them to particular Germanic groups? Admittedly, although many late Roman and early Byzantine solidi were found in Scandinavia, not many have such graffiti to support they are runes. Two examples, but I have more. Bolaffi. Auction 40. 02/12/2021 Vcoins. The Ibarra Collection. 2022

Amazing collection, @kirispupis. I would love to see it - it is close to my pattern of collecting. What are your considerations about the overall desired size of the collection? This is about balancing the urge to hunt (buy) and enjoying what is already in the collection. While I enjoy having more and more coins, I probably do not like having the collection become too bulky, as it makes it harder to handle. Individual coins are lost among many other coins (not to mention the costs of a bigger deposit box). Would you consider upgrading the existing topics - higher grades, higher denominations when they exist?

I do not see any restaurants on the list. They are essentials to prevent the visit from becoming a tick-box activity! Romans (people who live in Rome) tend to be away on holidays in August, with many businesses and some restaurants closed - it may be useful to book dinners in advance.

Earlier on the thread, by @John Conduitt

It is always sad when long-time collectors willingly decide to part with their life passions. Often this means reaching the stage of their life when the sparkle of desire and hunt is gone - a grim sign that it is time to spend more time with them. NB! This observation has nothing to do with the collection we discuss. Being a collector is a personality trait - passing it to children is random, and most people do not have it. Family collections are not that common, I think. It would be interesting to know how many people on the forum have inherited their hobby.

Thank you, and it would be nice to visit it! It would be good to know if the museum has an online collection of their coins - I could not find it on their website.

We have debated provenances extensively on this forum and agreed that provenances are important, but different collectors value them differently. I value find provenances and would pay just for them for some coins, even without being able to buy coins themselves. I value pre-60th photographic provenances for authenticity's sake, but I would not pay extra for a personality collecting them. There may be some personalities I am fond of, which might make me pay a premium, but this is uncommon. There may be exceptions, these are not hard rules. I am fond of the Curtis Clay's collection. Sorry, I do not follow John Adams's collection.

While it is the choice of coins that makes collections important, the fact that a passionate academic collector has selected coins over decades speaks for itself. I enjoyed checking the selection, even though they are outside my prime interest.

I have to admit the approach mildly upsets me. It feels like selling a ‘random pet’, which could be of any species, big or small. Enjoy the fun. Being old-fashioned, I respect ancient coins as historical artefacts and would not buy those I do not want and am prepared to look after. But this may work well for collectors with broad interest or dealers for whom this could be a useful resell opportunity with a newly created flashy provenance. It is not for me to judge how people enjoy their hobbies and spend their money.

No reason to doubt honest bidding now! Keep fingers crossed and look forward to seeing the win on the NF if the N&N keeps it a surprise to the buyer alone. If I am correct to assume the coin is to be delivered to Germany, there should be no legal challenges for it to be shipped within the EU. This may put off some US buyers, who may be more reluctant to make a binding bid without knowing the content. With wishes of best provenance!

Can hardly be more intrigued - I do not know who they are, where they are, where their coins are coming from and now what coin I am offered to bid on. 🙂

I guess the bidders could be related to the N&N LONDON LTD team itself. It would make sense for their advert campaign to show it sells to the bidder's advantage.

Another major loss from the French Royal collection was the heaviest known Byzantine gold medallion of Justinian I, weighing 1/2 pound. The original was found near Caesarea in Cappadocia in 1751. Fortunately, the British Museum has an electrotype copy https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_B-11501 More coins were stolen from Musée de Douai in 2021, including a very rare and important Anastasius solidus from Houdain-lès-Bavai Hoard. https://coinsweekly.com/complete-celtic-hoard-stolen-from-museum/

Cannot see the date on the coins - should have 43 BC - look suspicious 🙂

Today I felt the bidding was reasonable. A few nice/rare lots expected heavy bidding, but there were a few unsolds as well. I wanted one coin, and I got it for only slightly above the expected average. Not a terribly exciting lot, but it is still a single-die variety, a die-match of the Bibliothèque nationale piece and the better one of the three known from trade. So, I do not complain. During their recent big auction, the location of the remote bidders could be seen by the flags of their countries. The bidding was heavy at the session I was interested in, driven by American bidder(s).

1. Classic hunter - certainly, however hopelessly I may keep narrowing my collecting focus. I like the idea of hunting down that one final most precious piece, whatever adventures this may bring (I have a candidate piece in mind). 7. Researcher - certainly, to justify to myself the purpose of the hobby. 9. Historian - very much so, with a reflection that centuries apart, we are still very same people. I feel 4. Perfectionist conflicts with 1. I found the balance to this by being 1. for a focused collection area and 4. for coins outside it. I am on a watch for my first perfect RR denarius. 6. Self-exposer - I hope not, but being a human, it would be hard to be completely free of this, I suppose.

Just realised that I showed the above coin before, so a couple of other similar coins. From Mike R Vosper Coins (UK), 2017 Roma Numismatics Limited. 2022.

I find Visigothic solidi from the early Anastasian period more charming and better made than many imperial coins. These solidi have been found across Western Europe, but the highest number of documented finds comes from Sweden, or more precisely from one island - Gotland. All Gotland solidi are from different finds: Bjärs hoard, Botes hoard, Bander hoard, Harkvie hoard, and Bäcks find. It is possible they were used for payments related to Theodoric's Italian war with Odovacer, where Visighots actively supported their eastern keen. The finds, along with the abundance of other Anastasian coins found on Gotland, raise speculation of relatively close links between inhabitants of Gotland and the Goths. Another interesting fact is that England has the second highest number of documented finds: Colchester 1 Find, Colchester 2 Find, Little Burstead Find in Essex, and Shorwell Find. The condition of the Shorwell coin is not great, and it can be a bit later issue. Does it suggest active trade or participation of the Brits in the war? In all probability, the coins were minted in South France, and drawing of old hoards (Chinon) suggest their presence. French finds may dominate when access to local French museums improves. Numismatik Lanz München, 2016. Ex Roma Numismatics, Auction 8. 28/09/2014; Ex Heritage Auctions, 2012 September Signature World & Ancient Coin Auction. 06/09/2012.