robinjojo

Nice necessity coin, and I really like the Amsterdam arms on the 700 florins coin!

That's a stunning ducaton of Utrecht, Chris. The quality of the coins improved considerably once the mints started using screw presses and edging machines and later collar dies. Here's a West Friesland 3 gulden, 1794, Davenport 1853, ex Money Company 1980. 31.54 grams

Nice coin! I really like the strike and centering. Lion daalder production was enormous. At an average fineness of .750, this hammer struck coin was a mainstay in world trade, especially in the Middle East and Asia, notably the East Indies. I have found, collecting these historic coins, that the mid-1600s must have been the peak period for the production of these coins. Late dates, especially from the late 1680s to the end of production, in 1702, are particularly difficult to locate. Here's a lion daalder of 1699, Overijssel,, Davenport 4861 27.27 grams As is typical of these coins, the metal quality is not very good, and quite often flaws, some quite large, and porosity are present. These coins were produced with speed and with relatively little care for quality.

That's a really nice dupondius of Augustus and Agrippa! I wasn't aware that a legionary camp was established a Nijmegen. Thanks for sharing. Also, I found this link to Wikipedia's discussion on the Roman presence in The Netherlands: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_in_the_Roman_era

While pawing through a box today I pulled out a ducatoon of Utrecht, 1748, that I've owned since March 1991. It was purchased at an auction in Chicago that year, but I failed to note which one, of course. So I thought I would post it to start a thread on all manner of Dutch coins, from Roman times to the present, which takes in a decent chunk of history. I have lots of lion daalders and other large crown size coins of The Netherlands, mostly 17th century, but other periods as well. Here's the ducatoon that I photographed today. For those of you who are tracking price trends for these coins, this one cost me $330 back then, and I think that includes the buyer's fee of 10% back then. Utrecht, ducatoon ("silver rider"), 1748, tulip edge, Davenport 1832. 32.6 grams So, in celebration of a small country with an out-sized role in European and world history, please post you coins of The Netherlands and its predecessors.

Nice coins! My very first Spanish colonial 8 reales was a Mexico 8 reales dated 1819, purchased at Hudson's Department Store coin department, Detroit, in 1978.

Nice coins! The owl reverse is especially nice. Those coins are nice additions to your "aviary".

Interesting coins and information on this museum in Almeria. Thank you for sharing. PBS aired a series on Moorish Spain, The Ornament of the World, a few years ago. I think now it is available only by subscription or purchase of the DVD from PBS. I highly recommend the series, especially for those not familiar with this little known period in Spanish and European history. Here's a link: https://www.pbs.org/show/ornament-world/

My local coin dealer had boxes of these medals, so he just gave me one. I imagine that he has more, but I haven't checked on that for many years.

I have quite a few of these medals, which I will explain below. Copper medal, Fiesta De Las Rosas, San Jose California, Santa Clara County, 1969. 31mm; 14.16 grams In 1969 an attempt by the Fiesta de las Rosas Committee was made to revive the earlier Fiesta De Las Rosas, which used to be an annual event, first as the Rose Carnival in 1896, changed in 1920 to Fiesta De La Rosas, in San Jose, California. The festival highlighted San Jose as a garden city, with the city's flowers, notably roses a prime feature. The festival included a parade, much like Pasadena's Rose Parade but on a more modest scale, and other events. In 1927, the Fiesta celebrated the 150th anniversary of the founding of Pueblo San Jose de Guadalupe with a parade featuring 91 floats, 19 bands and 587 riders. This medal or "coin" was issued as part of the 200th anniversary of the Portola Expedition of 1769. This expedition helped to establish the network of missions that were connected by the El Camino Real, or Royal Road. This medal and the festival in San Jose, were not well received by the Hispanic community, which viewed it as a celebration of colonial times and Spanish rule. Remember, this medal was issued in 1969, and a lot of things were happening in California and across the nation. The Chicano movement was well established by then, and with it a view that Spanish rule was oppressive, which it was. So, the festival was a flop, basically, and lots of these medals went unsold. I still have about half a box of these medals, still in their wax paper holders. Still, they are interesting in a historical context, and they reflect the evolving perspective of history in our society.

I used to have more Swedish coins, but some were sold over the years. I'm basically down to three. Sweden, 1.5 marks, Erik XIV, 1562. Ex Henry Christensen. Very rare. 14.6 grams Sweden, Queen Christina, riksdaler, 1645, D-4525, SM-17. 28.7 grams Sweden, Charles XII, half dalder copper plate money, 1716. 371.51 grams

"But darling, you forgot the buyer's fee and VAT!" The denarius of Faustina Junior with a left-facing bust arrives in the morning's mail.

Yes, I think that the UK Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a model for a reasonable approach to the discovery and dissemination of finds, while also addressing archeological interests. But, as noted, so many archeological finds come from conflict zones or countries/regions that are experiencing upheavals for various reasons; war in all of its permutations, climate catastrophe and other natural disasters, economic collapse, social/religious upheaval, population displacements, pandemics, famine, or all or a combination of these factors. These conditions are not conducive to the establishment of a PAS-like system. This is, as noted a complicated issue. There is a need to document finds, especially finds of major antiquarian and artistic import, if not just for the sake of the historical record. As for coins, which have travel hither and beyond in ancient times, I find that it is virtually impossible to enforce a PAS model law in the countries/regions that experiencing virtually existential struggles. The governmental infrastructures just don't exist. While it would be very helpful to have documentation of hoards discovered, this is a pipe dream under the current conditions and for the foreseeable future. As noted, people need to survive, first and foremost. The groups of coins discovered by them, and the meager amount of money they generally receive, relative to the actual value of many coins, are simply a means to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. I wonder now long long it will be before looted objects from Ukraine appear on the market, black or otherwise. Dark times, indeed....

Here's my "Rocky Marciano" Justin I solidus: 4.22 grams

Thanks, That's a really nice tetradrachm! This is a tough issue to find without some production-related issue. The dies are first class, but they were used to beyond their life expectancy, and they rusted seriously, no doubt due to the extremely humid Mediterranean climate. Also, the flan preparation was poor, generally speaking. Then, there are often issues with the strike, especially regarding centering. I can easily see how really high grade, attractive examples command the prices that they do. I know that I inverted the obverse with the reverse. I did the same with my photos of my Agathocles tetradrachm and other Syracusan tetradrachm.

The Syracusan tetradrachm, Second Democracy, arrived today. This is a nice example for a beautiful yet problematic issue. I posted an earlier photo of this coin, the CNG image. Here is what I think is a somewhat better one, taken the other day. Syracuse, AR tetradrachm, Second Democracy, 466-405 BC. 16.92 grams CNG e-Auction 518, lot 31. VF, with some edge flaws, typical for this type. This photo has the reverse and obverse switched.

Nice coins posted! Here's a recent arrival, a scarcer left facing portrait: Roman Empire Nero – Roman Emperor: 54-68 AD AR Tetradrachm Antioch in Seleukis and Pieria Dated Year 114 of the Caesarian era; 65/66 AD. Obverse: Laureate head left, wearing aegis. Reverse: IP, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, wings spread; balm-branch before. Fine Very scarce with left facing portrait. Reference: McAlee 266; RPC 4191; Prieur 91 Purchased from an Israeli seller in 2022. 14.18 grams And one that I've had for a year or so, also Nero: Roman Empire, circa 63-68 AD Nero AR Tetradrachm Antioch, Seleucis and Pieria NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GER, laureate head of Nero to right; behind head, above the wreath ties, ivy leaf / DIVOS CLAVD AVG GERMANIC PATER AVG, laureate head of the deified Claudius. RPC 4122 var.; McAlee 269; Prieur 47 VF with fairly complete legends on both sides. Slightly soft wreath detail, both sides. Scarce Purchased from an Israeli seller in 2021. 14.49 grams

I heard this mentioned today on the radio. I wonder if there was a "most likely to become a tyrant" category? https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-yearbook-like-tablet-celebrates-group-ancient-greek-grads-180980201/ https://www.npr.org/2022/06/06/1103372606/ancient-greece-yearbook-discovered

Antoninus Pius, sestertius, Rome, Annona Standing, 156-57 AD RIC 980 Rome 25.4 grams Next: An Antoninus Pius that includes Marcus Aurelius, any denomination.

Nice coin, Cordoba!! I've noticed a small group of these coins appearing on Roma's recent auctions. That presents a good opportunity to acquire one at a reasonable price, if one bids smartly. This is a coin that I've owned for over twenty years, from Harlan Berk, and my go-to for Eukratides: Bactria, Eukratides I, AR tetradrachm, 171-135 BC. 17.0 grams Here's one more coin, on the lower end of the spectrum of preservation. This coin was an unsold one in a past Roma auction, no doubt due to the rough surfaces due to horn silver, corrosion, and some over-eager cleaning. That said, it is a rare coin, one that commands thousands of dollars in high grade. Overall, the strike is good, and the cleaning should tone down over the years. Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Antimachos I Theos AR Tetradrachm. Circa 180-170 BC. Diademed and draped bust to right, wearing kausia / Poseidon, laureate, standing facing, holding trident and filleted palm; BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΘEOY and monogram to inner right, ANTIMAXOY to left. Bopearachchi 1D; Mitchiner 124b; SNG ANS 276-7; HGC 12, 345. 16.06g, 35mm, 12h. From the Professor Shir Mohammad Collection.

I'm not sure I'd call it rot. I view it more as a stylistic feature typical of 4th century AD roman coinage. I feel the same way about Byzantine coins, especially the folles, with their crude portraits. The coins, as I have said, reflect the times they are produced. To be sure, the coinage of Syracuse and other Greek mints produced some absolutely beautiful portraits. But, I take a contextual view when assessing coins from other periods.

Not necessarily. There's a premium for 8 escudos from the 1715 Plate Fleet, even though they often show the effects of salvage. Gold won't corrode in salt water, but a coin could acquire a "sand blasted" look, a grainy texture brought about by the erosion of the copper alloy. The desirability of these and other salvaged coins, such as those from the salvages of the Atocha is driven by their association with a wreck, as well as the certificates that accompany these coins. Personally I don't care for certificates or the association of a coin with a wreck. For me, the coin must "sell" itself. It must have desirable aspects to make it a candidate for purchase. That's always been my guiding principle for all coins - ancient and world.

Customs, regardless of country, are very bureaucratic, opaque (for an outsider) entities. If a shipment is tied up in Customs for whatever reason, be it forms not completed correctly, import restrictions, determination of value (import duty), or any other reason, means that the shipment in question can be there for a very long time. Once something like that occurs, the labyrinth is open and there is no way to find out a shipment's status. It is almost a hermetically sealed process. Still, that said, with time the coins might still arrive. There's hope, but get the refunds! If, by some happy chance they arrive, send the amount due to the seller.

That's a good question. I really haven't been following the price trends for these coins more over a decade. I couldn't afford them over the years. The Lima 1715 M 8 escudos cost me $4,100 in 2001, and that purchase required additional fund raising (selling other coins). NGC shows the coin at $7,500 in XF, which I assume is the grade this coin. The obverse is somewhat off center, but the surfaces are nice. so perhaps it is a $12,000 in today's market? The Spanish gold cobs don't have the attraction of the colonial coins, One coin, with a bold three digit date (the last three digits) sold at a French auction in June 2017 for €11, 500. My coin lacks a clear date, so perhaps €9,775 or $10,263.75 at today's exchange rate?

Thanks! These 8 escudo cobs were acquired over many years, going back to the late 1980s. I have nine gold cobs, eight 8 escudos and one 2 escudos, which I hope to photograph and put them in a thread. They are: 8 escudos Seville, Philip IV, (16)44 R Madrid, Charles II, (1687 - date not visible) Mexico, Philip V, 1713J Lima, Philip V, 1715 M Lima, Luis I, 1725 M Lima, Philip V, 1738 N Lima, Philip V, 1747 V Lima, Ferdinand VI, 1750 2 escudos Bogota, Philip IV, (date not visible), probably 1630