ValiantKnight

Im guessing you guys saw that grouping of those coins listed recently too? To me, they have that 6th-7th century Constantinople siliqua fabric and style to them, so I’d guess that’s where they are from. And I’m not just saying that because I’ve exhausted my coin budget for the moment and can’t buy one 😁

Hadrian, Roman EmpireAE drachmObv: [AVT KAIC TΡAIAN AΔΡIANOC CEB], laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulderRev: Isis Pharia sailing right, holding sistrum, the Pharos Lighthouse to right with three figures on its summit. L-I-[H] across fieldsMint: AlexandriaDate: 133-134 ADRef: Milne 1414; RPC 5895; Dattari 1767(coin information from Wildwinds)

Same reverse but head left. Domitian, Roman Empire (later revalued in the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy) AE As / 42 nummi Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIAN COS II, laureate head left, countermark XLII (42) in left field Rev: VICTORIA AVGVST, Victory advancing right, standing on prow, holding wreath and palm branch, S-C across fields Mint: Rome Date: 73-74 AD (struck); 498-526 AD (revalued) Ref: RIC 677

Bilingual Islamic fals; Arabic and Greek. Marwan II and Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, Umayyad Caliphate AE fals Obv: مِصر ("Misr": Egypt) over AλE (ALE) in center, finance director's name in margin Rev: Abbreviated Arabic name of al-Iskandariya "al-Is/rîya" in circle. caliph's name in margin Mint: al-Iskandariya (Alexandria) Date: 749 AD Ref: A-151, W-Kh.9 Late 7th cent AD Umayyad fals overstruck on a late 4th cent AD Roman follis. Umayyad Caliphate AE fals (overstruck on a Roman follis of Honorius, Virtvs Exerciti type, RIC X 61) Obv: The Kalima, in Arabic (D N HONORI [VS P F AVG], pearl-diademed, draped bust right) Rev: Transformed cross(?) (VIRTVS-EXERCITI, emperor standing left, head right, holding spear and resting left hand on shield. Victory, standing beside him crowning him with a wreath) Mint: (Constantinople for undertype) Mintmark: (CON in ex.) Date: 697-750 AD (post-coin reform; undertype struck 395-401 AD)

In the years I’ve participated, most people (including me) wait until the official start of Saturnalia on Dec. 17 to open their gifts. I only ever once opened mine early, by mistake when I thought the package was something else that I purchased.

It’s funny. The day (today) I send off my recipient’s gift is the same day I receive mine. Or at least I think it’s my SS gift, since I haven’t made a purchase lately.

Crispus, Roman EmpireAE follisObv: FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust rightRev: PROVIDEN-TIAE CAESS, campgate, 6 layers, 2 turrets, star above, no doorsMint: London Mintmark PLON (in ex.)Ref: RIC VII 295

I always like the note about as much as the coin itself, and why I prefer to get something from my Saturn themselves rather than them just having the seller send it to me directly (although I would still be appreciative of the gift regardless if this was the case, and I would understand if they couldn’t send it themselves due to life circumstances or something).

Toledo, Ohio https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo,_Ohio And Toledo, Spain: Sisebut, Visigothic Kingdom AV tremissis Obv: + SISEBVTVS REX, bust facing Rev: + TOLETO PIVS, bust facing Mint: Toledo Date: 612-621 AD Ref: Miles 183a

The name of Carthage lives on in the name of Cartagena, a city in Spain which in turn inspired the naming of Cartagena (de Indias) in Colombia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Spain https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Colombia Hilderic, Vandal Kingdom AE nummus Obv: HILD [REX], pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right Rev: Cross potent within wreath, ring above Mint: Carthage Date: 523-530 AD Ref: BMC Vandals 9 Gelimer, Vandal Kingdom AE Nummus Obv: GEIL-AMIR, pearl-diademed, draped bust right Rev: Monogram of Gelimer within wreath Mint: Carthage Date: 530-533 AD Ref: MEC 1, 28-30; BMC Vandals 4-6

There’s also a Paris in Texas: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris,_Texas Charles II (the Bald), West Francia, Carolingian Empire AR denier Obv: CARLVS REX FR, cross above, cross within dotted circle in center Rev: PARISII CIVITAS, temple facade, cross within Mint: Paris Date: 840-864 AD Ref: Coupland, Early 19; Depeyrot 762; M&G 827; MEC 1, 843

(credit goes to the original creators; last two are mine)

If you’re in the US just schedule a pick up online on the USPS website and they’ll have no problem picking up the package you’ll be sending. Although if you don’t feel comfortable leaving it in your mailbox until the mail truck arrives then that’s understandable. I’m in by the way @Curtisimo. Thanks for hosting again.

I never had any interest in acquiring any reproductions (being sold as such, as opposed to fakes designed to fool, although obviously I'm not interested in those either). But I saw this really nice and well-made reproduction of the portrait coin type of Charlemagne (which was struck 812-814 AD). The weight is about right (it’s .999 silver) and so is the diameter, and the style is close IMO. Since I won't be getting a real one anytime soon, this will have to do. But I very much like it. The seller had a toned option for it, but I wanted it shiny white, to see how a genuine one might have looked when brand new. Photo of a genuine one (photo from Library of Congress website): Has anyone else bought reproductions of any ancient or medieval coin type whether because they looked nice and/or just to use as a placeholder? Please feel free to share!

”Canned air” contains chemicals. Don’t want to expose my artifact to them. Plus they’re pretty bad for the environment. https://www.ifixit.com/News/29870/cut-your-dirty-canned-air-habit-with-these-three-alternatives From the above link, I like their idea of a dust blower.

I’d certainly go for the Licinius and Maximianus follis if I had coin cash right now… 😔

Cool acquisition @Magnus Maximus. I really like siliquae as well and hope one day I can try to dedicate myself more to collecting them. I've always found Magnus Maximus's role in late Roman history and connection to Welsh legend fascinating. Here's my only siliqua of him. It has an unusual obverse legend break, MA-XIMVS instead of the more common MAX-IMVS.

I have it inside a bookshelf with a glass door in front. Rarely I will open it. Its weird though, I only checked one area of the rim at first (because I had to leave on an errand right after), and my finger had a light but noticeable layer of dust from that particular spot. Then when I went to actually remove the dust gently with a q tip, the rest of the rim almost didn't have any dust to speak of. I was even questioning if I was applying too little pressure. No glaze came off/flaked off or any of the terracotta. I did the rest of the rim and then lightly dabbed the inside. Got a very, very light spot of brown/light brown dust a couple of times (but apart from that there was practically nothing there either). I doubt it was glaze because I'm thinking it would probably flake off like old paint but that wasn't the case here. I'm thinking it might either have been dust or even just some bits of sand/dirt from where it was originally found. Otherwise, there was no noticeable damage done fortunately. Inside after I took the q-tip to it. It's basically exactly how it looked before (how I bought it, pretty much). By the way, anyone know what this small cup would have mainly been used for? Drinking cup? To hold oil? Perhaps just decorative?

As far as artifacts go, I have a small, modest collection of various items. I’d say this one is my favorite. It’s gathered a layer of dust on the rim and on the inside, and I was wondering if there was any particular way/approach to removing the dust carefully so as not to risk removing any of the black glaze or otherwise damaging it. I was thinking something like gently wiping it with a cotton ball or q-tip. Thanks for any help!

Anyone else being affected or is going to be affected? I’m in SE Florida and while we’re not going to get a direct hit, we’re still feeling a lot of the rain. Hadn’t been expecting any real effects until tomorrow at the earliest. Just had my side of the street lose power for almost 3 hours, and the street flooded (not so bad considering other places like Puerto Rico, though). For anyone in the path, stay safe and I hope all goes well for you and loved ones.

Glad to know that it was you won that coin! I had it saved in my watch list but I knew I wasn't going to bid on it since IIRC that was around the time I bought my Umayyad Alexandria fals and I needed to give my wallet a bit of a break! Very cool!

It was this very coin that made me aware of the existence of this type, actually. Thanks for posting it! I'm been wondering, though. On my coin, do you guys think there is an E after Aλ? Or it looks more like just a section of the circular border? I still haven't been able to tell even in hand. My guess that its an E but when it was struck the E got distorted and this is why it looks strange.

I’ll never forgive FedEx for losing my Justinian I Carthage follis… 😠

John VIII Palaiologos, Byzantine EmpireAR stavratonObv: IC-XC, Facing bust of Christ, surrounded by eight dotsRev: IWANHC DECPOTIC O PALEOLOGOC QV XAPITI AVTOKPATOP in two lines around nimbate facing bust of the emperor, dot to left and rightMint: ConstantinopleDate: 1425-1448Ref: SB 2563Size: 6.66 gr.John VIII Palaiologos, Byzantine EmpireAR half-stavratonObv: IC-XC, Facing bust of ChristRev: IWANHC DECPOTIC Q PALEOLOGOC, nimbate facing bust of the emperorMint: ConstantinopleDate: 1425-1448Ref: SB 2565Size: 3.3 gr.

Here’s Charles the Bald’s successor as emperor, Charles the Fat. Charles the Fat, Carolingian EmpireAR denierObv: CARLVS IMP AVG, cross above, cross within dotted circle in centerRev: BITVRICES CIVI, cross to left, KRLS (Karolus) monogram within dotted circle in centerMint: BourgesDate: 881-887 ADRef: Depeyrot 198