robinjojo

I'm one of those folks who just can decide on a favorite of just about anything.  That said, in terms of postings of a Byzantine coin from the collection, this one is near or at the top:

Isaac I, AV histamenon nomisma,  1057-1059.

Of all the folles in the collection, this one has been around for many years, going back to the early 1990s.

Justinian I, follis, Antioch gradient, RY 13 539-40 AD.

22.7 grams

While it does have some scratches and light corrosion, the large reform flan size and die engraving make it quite attractive overall.

Latin American has produced some beautiful coins, among them the sunface 8 soles of Argentina, 1815 FL.  This is the very scarce variety with the "S" of the revolutionary soles punched over the "R" of the colonial reales.  Purchased from Karl Stephens in 1999.

Struck at the Potosi, Bolivia Mint (PTS monogram on reverse).

KM 15

26.91 grams

I chose this owl's obverse as my avatar for this forum because it gives me a feeling of peace during a difficult period.  The obverse conveys a feeling of assurance as well as beauty, qualities that I think we can all appreciate in these challenging times.

Starting in the early 1980s I started the very slow process of acquiring 2 rupees of Tipu Sultan, Mysore.  I have always been attracted to their beautiful calligraphy, history and size.  I was able to purchase five, the last being in the early 1990s.  

Here's one of them, dated AH 1200, 1786.

KM 127; Davenport 249

22.6 grams

This coin was actually sold to my local coin dealer back in 1997 as part of a large group of coins. I was raising funds to pay for the 1635 50 reales, recently won at a Superior auction, and having just been terminated from my position, along with my wife, who worked for the same organization (pure politics), this was a touch and go situation for me, to say the least.  I was able to raise the funds and eventually bought this coin back about a year later, reuniting it with its sister coins.

The koban came out of an auction several years ago, for $1,500. 

The 1877 trade dollar cost me $1,650 in March 1992.

3 hours ago, Finn235 said:

Before getting into ancients seriously, my passion project was a type set of Japanese coins. I'm not a big fan of the recent (since the mid-90s) commemoratives, but I find Japanese coins to be very beautiful and usually tastefully done. A few of my favorites:

Tempo Tsuho 100 mon (1830s-1860s)

Ryukyu Tsuho, 1/2 Shu (125 mon)

1 bu gin (1,000 mon)

50 sen 1870 (Meiji 3)

2 sen 1874 (Meiji 7)

1 yen 1884 (Meiji 17)

50 sen 1923 (Taisho 12)

5 sen 1937 (Showa 12)

1 sen 1941 (Showa 16)

100 yen 1958 (Showa 33)

100 yen 1975 (Showa 50) - Okinawa Expo circulating commemorative

500 yen 1992 (Heisei 4) - 20th Anniversary of Retrocession of Okinawa non-circulating commemorative 

Beautiful coins, Finn235!  

I don't really concentrate on Chinese, Japanese and other East Asia coins on a systematic basis, but over the years I've acquired a few because of their simplicity and elegant design, such as this gold Bunsei era Koban,  Edo mint.

13.1 grams 

I was also fortunate to pick up this Japanese trade dollar at a Heritage auction back in the early 1990s.  Not only is it a good type coin, the die work is outstanding.

Japan trade dollar, 1877, Meiji year 10, rarest date.

Davenport 275

27.19 grams

If the green areas are hard, then they don't harbor bronze disease.  They're just typical hard green patches that are almost impossible to remove.

If the green is light to almost white in color, and powdery, those are indications of active bronze disease.

Looking at the photos I think your coin is okay, but you might want to leave it out for a couple of months, at least, to keep an eye on it.  If there are no changes or development of powdery residue, you might want to consider using Verdicare to seal the coin.

Was there any powder in the coin's holder when you received it?

If there is BD, then a distilled water bath, as Ryro suggests, is the first step.  Leave the coin in the bath for a day and check on it regularly.  Use a wooden toothpick to loosen the BD.  If the water turns green, change it with fresh distilled water.  Use distilled water, not tap water.

There is a more aggressive measure to take if the BD is persistent, but it is also more destructive since it will remove virtually all of the coin's patina, usually leaving rough raw surfaces.  If this step is necessary, come back to discuss. 

Yes, that's a beautify Art Nouveau design!

Here's a very interesting recent arrival (today).  It is a silver ("argent" on edge) medal issued by the University of France (1808-1896) in the 19th century.  

The obverse has Athena facing right, Skylla perched in the helmet also facing right, arm raised her forehead, Alphée Dubois below .

The reverse has the following inscription: "University of France Advisory Committee for Higher Education".

38.3mm, 29.7 grams

Here's the Lucania Thourioi, stater  Circa 400-350 BC  with a similar obverse design, albeit crude with some corrosion.

7.55 grams

Alphée Dubois was a sculptor and medallist. Born in Paris. Son of J E Dubois. Studied under Barre and Duret. Won the Prix de Rome in 1855.

German engraved dies, along with its massive size puts this 50 reales of Segovia, 1635, right up there as one of the most beautiful coins of the 17th century.

Among the first roller die produced crowns of the 16th century, this 8 reales, also from Segovia, 1590, marked a significant improvement over the hammered coinage of the period in terms of quality and overall beauty.

Yes, that is a Lihyan owl, similar to this one:

Lihyan Kingdom, BI 'tetradrachm' owl, 2nd-1st centuries BC, 12.89g 

Generally speak the coinage grew progressively smaller, abstract and crude over time, to this point:

 Lihyan Kingdom, AE tetradrachm owl imitation 2nd-1st centuries BC,  7.4 grams.

Wonderful coins posted!

Yes, the Iceland 1930 10 Kronour is a fine example of the Art Deco movement of the 1920s-1930s.

Yes, detailed engraving enhances a coin no doubt, but sometimes simplicity also works, as with this 1 Quetzal, Guatemala, 1925.

In the area of world gold coins, I think the design of the Mexican 50 pesos is quite beautiful.

As is the caballito peso of 1910 to 1914.

Both coins show definite classical influences on their obverses.

Beauty, as the truism goes, is in the eye of the beholder.  The way an object conveys the feelings in the mind of what we call beauty is , of course, a purely subjective process that results in opinions as wide and varied as humanity itself.  Here, there really aren't any absolutes, only the way our minds process the image or object that it beholds.  

Have you ever encountered a coin that, on first sight, clicks all the synapses and endorphins that evoke feelings that send one into almost another realm, that realm of meaning, and an appreciation that is reserved for very few occasions in one's life.   

To be sure, there are coins, ancient and modern, that are often rated as the most beautiful coins produced by human civilizations.  The decadrachms of Syracuse are a good example. But, as collectors, and students of history and art, we know that beauty has many intangible aspects, with, as I said, no real absolutes.

I made world coins the subject of this thread, since it is being posted in the World Coins Forum, but it is not necessarily limited to this field of numismatics.  Of course parallel threads could be created in the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Non-Western forums as well.

Well, to get ball rolling, here is my German New Guinea 5 marks, 1894, a coin admired for its depiction of a bird of paradise on the obverse. Purchased from Hal Blackburn around 1982.

KM 7

27.8 grams

So, please post your coins, along with why they have qualities of beauty.

Thanks!

1 hour ago, DANTE said:

WOW!😍 Very cool coin!

First time I see this variety. Great vulture and ram! I only knew the lion/bull variety of this coin.

Thanks!

It is a very interesting coin, since it incorporates Greek mythology (hippocampus) and Egyptian iconography: the vulture (the goddess  Nekhbet, who the was the protector of Upper Egypt and especially its rulers) and the ram (the god Amun-Re, god of sun and air).

During my forays into the world of cyberspace auctions, I occasionally come across an interesting non-coin item, such as this Byzantine medallion.

Byzantine bronze medallion, 7-12 centuries AD, possibly St Basil of Caesarea.

37.07 grams

Lovely coins, Donna., especially Crawford 374/1, a most unusual beast!

Qcumbor, that is a beautiful denarius of Julius Caesar!  

Some beautiful examples posted!

My Seleucid tetradrachms, at least the ones photographed so far, are from Tyre, purchased fairly recently from what appears to a hoard or hoards that have hit the market over the past few years.

Seleucid Empire, Antiochus VII Euergetes-Sidetes (138-129 BC), tetradrachm, Tyre.

14.0 grams

I came across this article in the Guardian today, regarding a Roman road in western Wales.  Apparently the Romans ventured further west in Britain than thought, possibly, as the article suggests, because of silver deposits, which may or may not exist.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jun/05/romans-ventured-deeper-into-wales-than-thought-road-discovery-shows

Here's an ancient with a threesome of animals, one of which is mythic. 

On the obverse, under the trireme is a hippocampus facing left.  On the reverse is a vulture facing left, below, an incuse ram, head turned right.

Phoenicia, Bybos, Shekel,  435-425 BC.

I've lately focused on the last year of Maurice Tiberius' reign, year 20 and year 21 (part of).  His regnal year 21 was literally cut short by the rebellion led by Phocas and others.

Here's what I have so far.

Constantinople

Maurice Tiberius follis, RY 20 601/2 officina gamma.  I thought it might be 21, but it's not.

12.42 grams

Maurice Tiberius follis, RY 20 601/2,  Sear 495.

12.13g

Antioch

Maurice Tiberius follis Antioch RY 20 AD 601/2.AD Sear 533.

10.61 grams

Maurice Tiberius follis RY 21 AD 602/3.AD Sear 533.

9.86g

Cyzicus

Maurice Tiberius follis Cyzicus RY 20 AD 601/2.AD  Sear 519.

9.96 grams

I still need to add a RY 21 from Constantinople, which might be a bit of a challenge.

I don't want to replicate the excellent advice posted, except to say follow your passion!  What interests you? 

Take your time, read, study what appeals to you, be that historical, artistic or a combination of the two.

Being informed is the first step in beginning your journey into ancient numismatics.

Since this thread is in the General Forum, here's a 2 bahts of Thailand (Siam), 1860. 

KM-Y12

30.67 grams

I forgot - One more:

Lucania Thurium tetradrachm double nomos 443-400 BC.

15.47 grams

Here are a few:

Julius Caesar, denarius, circa 49 BC.

4.01 grams

Otacilla Severa, sesteritus, 248 AD, RIC 200.

13.6 grams

Athens, archaic tetradrachm, circe 485-480 BC (I just had to add this one because of the reverse).

Apulia, Luceria, Æ Uncia. C. 225-217 BC. Frog, Corn-ear; • in field, 30 mm

45.7 grams

Carthage, BI serrate dishekel, 160-149 BC, Roma E-Sale 69.

12.80 grams