My Top Coins of 2022

[Kazuma78]

I have been super blessed this year with my ancient coin purchases and barring some unforeseen luck in December (I have nothing left this year I am bidding on), I feel comfortable wrapping up my top coins list for the year. This has been a banner year for ancient coin additions and my best yet, mostly with a LOT of luck and so I wasn't able to narrow to a top 10, so I picked a top 20. Please feel free to vote or comment on your favorite(s) if you like and thanks for taking a look!!! I also apologize that not all of the photos are stellar. I need to get some better photos of a few of the coins. 

#1) Phoenicia, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR shekel (29mm, 14.27 gm, 12h). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Dated Civic Year 24 (103/2 BC). Laureate head of Melqart right, lion skin around neck / TYPOY IEPAΣ-KAI AΣYΛOY, eagle standing left on prow, palm frond over left wing; to left, ΔK (date) above club; to right, M, Phoenician alef between legs. DCA Tyre 77. DCA 919. Amazing toning with blue and purple hues.

Ex. Coin Galleries (Stacks) September 10, 2008, lot 138

Ex. Spink, April 1939

#2) Sikyonia, Sikyon. Circa 335-330 BC. AR Stater (25 mm, 12.23 g, 3h). Chimaera standing left; wreath above, ΣE below / Dove flying left; N to left; all within wreath. BCD Peloponnesos 218; HGC 5, 201. Superb EF with brilliant lustrous surfaces. NGC CH AU Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5 Fine Style

 

#3) Kings of Pontos. Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 120-63 BC. AR Tetradrachm, Pergamom mint, dated month 9, year 222 BE (June 75 BC) (32mm, 16.82 g). Diademed head right / Stag grazing left; to left, star-in-crescent above monogram, BKΣ (year) above monogram; Θ (month) below; all within Dionysiac wreath of ivy and fruit. NGC AU Star Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5 Fine Style.

Ex. Gorny and Mosch Auction 138, lot 296 (March 2005)

 

#4) Ptolemaic Egypt. Ptolemy I, as Satrap (323-305/4 BC). AR tetradrachm (26mm, 15.65 gm). Circa 311-305/4 BC. Diademed head of Alexander right, wearing elephant skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟY, Athena Promachus advancing right, brandishing spear with right hand, shield on left arm; HA monogram within circle in left field, eagle and ΔI monogram in right field. Svoronos 142. SNG Copenhagen 21. NGC AU Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

 

#5) Ionia, Magnesia ad Maeandrum, circa 155-145 BC, Magistrate Herognetos, son of Zopryionos. AR Tetradrachm: 16.89 gm, 31 mm, 12 h (reduced Attic standard). Obverse: Draped bust of Artemis wearing a diadem, with bow and quiver over left shoulder. Reverse: Apollo Delphios leaning on tripod censer and holding a branch tied with fillet, meander pattern under feet. The inscription in the left field identifies the issuing authority, and the inscription in the right field translates "of the Magnesians", all within a laurel wreath. SNG von Aulock 7921, BMC Ionia pg. 162.

Roma Numismatics Ltd. Auction XX, lot 178, Oct. 2020

Heritage Auction 3081, lot 30081, NGC 2490574-004, Ch AU*, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, Jan. 2020

CNG Triton VI, lot 357, Jan. 2003

 

#6) Mysia, Kyzikos, Hemihekte circa 480-460, EL 1.35 g. Naked male figure kneeling l., holding tunny fish by tail. Rev. Quadripartite incuse punch with irregular surfaces. von Fritze 112. Boston, MFA 1489. von Aulock 1202. In an exceptional state of preservation and perfectly struck and centered.

Ex Triton VI, 2003, 306.

Graded Ch AU* Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5, NGC certification number 6159317-006.

 

#7) Celtic, Trinovantes & Catuvellauni. Addedomaros. Circa 40-30 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 5.43 g). Spiral type (Trinovantian J). Six-armed spiral of wreaths / Horse right; pellets-in-annulets around, 'cornucopia' below. Van Arsdell 1620-1; ABC 2517; SCBC 201. NGC AU Star, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

Ex. Chris Rudd List 69, Lot 55 (Sold in 2003)

Found in Kings Langley, UK September 17, 2002

 

#8) LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 290-280 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.82 g, 1h). Head of Demeter right, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and necklace; Π behind neck / Barley ear with leaf to left; to left, head of ram right and |-A above leaf; META downward to right. Johnston Class D, 3.1 (this coin referenced and illustrated); HN Italy 1617; SNG Gale 663 (same dies). Good VF, deep gray tone with iridescent hues, small spot of weak strike on reverse.

Ex CNG Triton XXII (January 2019), lot 51 from the Gasvoda Collection, Ex Waddell inventory 51792 (April 2015); Numismatica Ars Classica P (12 May 2005), lot 1068; A. D. Moretti Collection.

 

#9) Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Eukratides I Megas AR Tetradrachm. Circa 170-145 BC. Diademed and draped bust to right, wearing crested helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear / The Dioskouroi on horses prancing to right, each holding spear and palm; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ above, ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ below, monogram in lower right field. Bopearachchi 6T; Mitchiner 177i; SNG ANS 468; HGC 12, 131. 16.95g, 33mm, 12h. Good Extremely Fine; magnificent old cabinet tone.

From the Oxus Collection

 

#10) KINGS of MACEDON. Kassander. As regent, 317-305 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 14.41 g). In the name and types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 316-311 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth, holding palm frond and rein, on horseback right; aphlaston below, • in Π below raised foreleg. Le Rider pl. 46, 17–8; Troxell, Studies, Group 9, 323-5; SNG ANS 738–46. Pretty iridescent toning with a razor sharp strike and excellent centering. Essentially mint state, NGC CH AU 5/5, 4/5

 

#11) SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysius I (406/5-367 BC). AV 20-litrai or tetradrachm (10mm, 0.99 gm, 8h). Attic standard, ca. 406/5 BC. ΣYPA, head of Heracles left, wearing lion skin headdress / Σ-Y/P-A, quadripartite incuse square; small head of Arethusa in central incuse circle, all within incuse circle with double border. SNG ANS 351-4. HGC 2, 1289. NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 5/5.

Ex Gustav Philipsen Collection (Hirsch XV, 1906), lot 1175

 

#12) Roman Republican, The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 4.12 g, 10h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Fairly well centered with a good strike and iridescent toning. EF.

Ex. Duke’s Auctioneers (10 March 2016), Lot 18

 

#13) Roman Republic, Anonymous AR Didrachm (Quadrigatus). Rome, circa 225-214 BC. Laureate head of Janus / Jupiter, holding sceptre and brandishing thunderbolt, in quadriga driven to right by Victory; ROMA in relief in linear frame below. Crawford 28/3 & Pl. IV 1-5; Sydenham 64c; RSC 23; RBW 68. 6.88 grams. Extremely Fine; nice cabinet toning with iridescent highlights. NGC CH AU star 5/5, 5/5.

Ex. Jonathan K. Kern Collection

 

#14) Northeast Gaul, the Ambiani AV Stater. Gallic War uniface type. Circa 56-55 BC. Plain / Devolved horse to right; pellet triad and 'charioteer's arms' above, crescent and pellet below, exergual line with crescents and pellets below. D&T 241; cf. LT 8704, 8707, 8710 (reverse detail variants); ABC 16; Van Arsdell 56-1. 6.33g, 18mm, Mint State.

 

#15) SKYTHIA, Geto-Dacians. Koson. Mid 1st century BC. AV Stater (8.40 g). Roman consul accompanied by two lictors advancing left; monogram to left; KOΣΩN in exergue / Eagle standing left on scepter, holding wreath. Hourmouziadis dies B/f; Iliescu 1; RPC I 1701A; HGC 3, 2049. NGC MS Star 5/5, 5/5

 

#16) Sicily, Kamarina Æ Tetras. (4.11 grams, 18mm, 10h) Circa 420-405 BC. Facing Gorgoneion with tongue protruding / Owl standing right head facing, grasping lizard in its talons; three pellets below ground line. CNS III, 8; SNG ANS 1121-1124, Westermark & Jenkins 185. Mint State and exceptional for the type. NGC MS Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, Fine Style.

Ex. Roma Numismatics Auction 8, Lot 69 (September 2014)

 

#17) SELEUCID KINGDOM. Seleucus I Nicator (312-281 BC). AR tetradrachm (25mm, 17.09 gm). Seleucia II (2nd Workshop), from ca. 296/5 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border / BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣEΛEYKOY, Athena, brandishing spear overhead in right hand, shield on left arm, in car of quadriga pulled by horned elephants right; flanking anchor right above, KPA monogram in inner left field, HIXP monogram to lower right, dotted border. SC 130.17. SNG Fitzwilliam 5511. HGC 9, 18a. Excellent Metal for the issue, NGC CH XF Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

 

#18) CELTIC BRITAIN, Atrebates & Regni. Verica, 10-40. Quarter Stater, 1.34 g, 'Stars' type. VERIC / COM•F with a crescent above and a six-rayed star below. Rev. REX Horse galloping to right; above, seven-rayed star. ABC 1208. BMC 1223-1236. S 127. Van Arsdell 501. Well-struck for the issue, Extremely Fine. NGC AU 5/5, 4/5

 

#19) Pergamon, Attalos I (241-197 BC) AR Tetradrachm, in the name of Philetairos, 17.06g. Diademed head of Philetairos right. Rev. Athena seated left on throne, holding wreath and sceptre, and resting arm on shield, bow behind. (Westermark 62). Good Very Fine. NGC CH VF 5/5, 4/5 Fine Style

 

#20) Thessaly, Larissa AR Drachm. Circa 356-342 BC. Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly to left, with hair in ampyx / Horse standing to right, preparing to lie down; ΛAPIΣ-AIΩN above and below. Lorber, Hoard, Phase L-II, 40 (same dies); BCD Thessaly II 316; HGC 4, 454. Extremely Fine.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Kazuma78

[El Cazador]

@Kazuma78great list, I voted for 2, 4, 5, 9

[CPK]

Good grief where to even start??! Incredible!

It's a hard choice but I think my votes go to:

#4 - Ptolemaic tetradrachm of Alexander the Great;

#1 - Absolutely stunning Shekel of Tyre;

#12 - Who can say no to a Caesar elephant denarius?

#13 - Beautiful example of an early Republican silver coin

But really, they are all fantastic! Congratulations!

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Wow!!

[Roman Collector]

My goodness! What a lovely assortment of acquisitions to your collection, @Kazuma78!! It was quite a year for you!

[Di Nomos]

I like them all.

If I had to pick, I'd go 2, 3, 6, 9 and 11.

But that's leaving a lot of coins I like out. As I said, all great coins.

Well done!

[FrizzyAntoine]

Great selection! The standouts for me are 3, 6, and 8, but not by much. Congrats on a great year!

[ambr0zie]

What a fantastic year. For me it's impossible to deselect a coin, not to select one. I chose the Koson stater, the Kyzikos hemihekte and the Syracuse but each and every coin in this list would deserve a place in a yearly top.

I agree that after a year like this it's impossible to reduce the number of coins to 10. I will do the same (although the coins I got in 2022 are no match).

[Al Kowsky]

6 hours ago, Kazuma78 said:

I have been super blessed this year with my ancient coin purchases and barring some unforeseen luck in December (I have nothing left this year I am bidding on), I feel comfortable wrapping up my top coins list for the year. This has been a banner year for ancient coin additions and my best yet, mostly with a LOT of luck and so I wasn't able to narrow to a top 10, so I picked a top 20. Please feel free to vote or comment on your favorite(s) if you like and thanks for taking a look!!! I also apologize that not all of the photos are stellar. I need to get some better photos of a few of the coins. 

#1) Phoenicia, Tyre. 126/5 BC-AD 65/6. AR shekel (29mm, 14.27 gm, 12h). NGC Choice AU★ 5/5 - 5/5. Dated Civic Year 24 (103/2 BC). Laureate head of Melqart right, lion skin around neck / TYPOY IEPAΣ-KAI AΣYΛOY, eagle standing left on prow, palm frond over left wing; to left, ΔK (date) above club; to right, M, Phoenician alef between legs. DCA Tyre 77. DCA 919. Amazing toning with blue and purple hues.

Ex. Coin Galleries (Stacks) September 10, 2008, lot 138

Ex. Spink, April 1939

#2) Sikyonia, Sikyon. Circa 335-330 BC. AR Stater (25 mm, 12.23 g, 3h). Chimaera standing left; wreath above, ΣE below / Dove flying left; N to left; all within wreath. BCD Peloponnesos 218; HGC 5, 201. Superb EF with brilliant lustrous surfaces. NGC CH AU Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5 Fine Style

 

#3) Kings of Pontos. Mithradates VI Eupator. Circa 120-63 BC. AR Tetradrachm, Pergamom mint, dated month 9, year 222 BE (June 75 BC) (32mm, 16.82 g). Diademed head right / Stag grazing left; to left, star-in-crescent above monogram, BKΣ (year) above monogram; Θ (month) below; all within Dionysiac wreath of ivy and fruit. NGC AU Star Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5 Fine Style.

Ex. Gorny and Mosch Auction 138, lot 296 (March 2005)

 

#4) Ptolemaic Egypt. Ptolemy I, as Satrap (323-305/4 BC). AR tetradrachm (26mm, 15.65 gm). Circa 311-305/4 BC. Diademed head of Alexander right, wearing elephant skin headdress / ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟY, Athena Promachus advancing right, brandishing spear with right hand, shield on left arm; HA monogram within circle in left field, eagle and ΔI monogram in right field. Svoronos 142. SNG Copenhagen 21. NGC AU Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

 

#5) Ionia, Magnesia ad Maeandrum, circa 155-145 BC, Magistrate Herognetos, son of Zopryionos. AR Tetradrachm: 16.89 gm, 31 mm, 12 h (reduced Attic standard). Obverse: Draped bust of Artemis wearing a diadem, with bow and quiver over left shoulder. Reverse: Apollo Delphios leaning on tripod censer and holding a branch tied with fillet, meander pattern under feet. The inscription in the left field identifies the issuing authority, and the inscription in the right field translates "of the Magnesians", all within a laurel wreath. SNG von Aulock 7921, BMC Ionia pg. 162.

Roma Numismatics Ltd. Auction XX, lot 178, Oct. 2020

Heritage Auction 3081, lot 30081, NGC 2490574-004, Ch AU*, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, Jan. 2020

CNG Triton VI, lot 357, Jan. 2003

 

#6) Mysia, Kyzikos, Hemihekte circa 480-460, EL 1.35 g. Naked male figure kneeling l., holding tunny fish by tail. Rev. Quadripartite incuse punch with irregular surfaces. von Fritze 112. Boston, MFA 1489. von Aulock 1202. In an exceptional state of preservation and perfectly struck and centered.

Ex Triton VI, 2003, 306.

Graded Ch AU* Strike 5/5 Surface 4/5, NGC certification number 6159317-006.

 

#7) Celtic, Trinovantes & Catuvellauni. Addedomaros. Circa 40-30 BC. AV Stater (18mm, 5.43 g). Spiral type (Trinovantian J). Six-armed spiral of wreaths / Horse right; pellets-in-annulets around, 'cornucopia' below. Van Arsdell 1620-1; ABC 2517; SCBC 201. NGC AU Star, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

Ex. Chris Rudd List 69, Lot 55 (Sold in 2003)

Found in Kings Langley, UK September 17, 2002

 

#8) LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 290-280 BC. AR Nomos (21mm, 7.82 g, 1h). Head of Demeter right, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring, and necklace; Π behind neck / Barley ear with leaf to left; to left, head of ram right and |-A above leaf; META downward to right. Johnston Class D, 3.1 (this coin referenced and illustrated); HN Italy 1617; SNG Gale 663 (same dies). Good VF, deep gray tone with iridescent hues, small spot of weak strike on reverse.

Ex CNG Triton XXII (January 2019), lot 51 from the Gasvoda Collection, Ex Waddell inventory 51792 (April 2015); Numismatica Ars Classica P (12 May 2005), lot 1068; A. D. Moretti Collection.

 

#9) Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Eukratides I Megas AR Tetradrachm. Circa 170-145 BC. Diademed and draped bust to right, wearing crested helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear / The Dioskouroi on horses prancing to right, each holding spear and palm; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ above, ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ below, monogram in lower right field. Bopearachchi 6T; Mitchiner 177i; SNG ANS 468; HGC 12, 131. 16.95g, 33mm, 12h. Good Extremely Fine; magnificent old cabinet tone.

From the Oxus Collection

 

#10) KINGS of MACEDON. Kassander. As regent, 317-305 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm, 14.41 g). In the name and types of Philip II. Amphipolis mint. Struck circa 316-311 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth, holding palm frond and rein, on horseback right; aphlaston below, • in Π below raised foreleg. Le Rider pl. 46, 17–8; Troxell, Studies, Group 9, 323-5; SNG ANS 738–46. Pretty iridescent toning with a razor sharp strike and excellent centering. Essentially mint state, NGC CH AU 5/5, 4/5

 

#11) SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysius I (406/5-367 BC). AV 20-litrai or tetradrachm (10mm, 0.99 gm, 8h). Attic standard, ca. 406/5 BC. ΣYPA, head of Heracles left, wearing lion skin headdress / Σ-Y/P-A, quadripartite incuse square; small head of Arethusa in central incuse circle, all within incuse circle with double border. SNG ANS 351-4. HGC 2, 1289. NGC Choice AU 4/5 - 5/5.

Ex Gustav Philipsen Collection (Hirsch XV, 1906), lot 1175

 

#12) Roman Republican, The Caesarians. Julius Caesar. April-August 49 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 4.12 g, 10h). Military mint traveling with Caesar. Elephant advancing right, trampling on horned serpent / Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49; RBW 1557. Fairly well centered with a good strike and iridescent toning. EF.

Ex. Duke’s Auctioneers (10 March 2016), Lot 18

 

#13) Roman Republic, Anonymous AR Didrachm (Quadrigatus). Rome, circa 225-214 BC. Laureate head of Janus / Jupiter, holding sceptre and brandishing thunderbolt, in quadriga driven to right by Victory; ROMA in relief in linear frame below. Crawford 28/3 & Pl. IV 1-5; Sydenham 64c; RSC 23; RBW 68. 6.88 grams. Extremely Fine; nice cabinet toning with iridescent highlights. NGC CH AU star 5/5, 5/5.

Ex. Jonathan K. Kern Collection

 

#14) Northeast Gaul, the Ambiani AV Stater. Gallic War uniface type. Circa 56-55 BC. Plain / Devolved horse to right; pellet triad and 'charioteer's arms' above, crescent and pellet below, exergual line with crescents and pellets below. D&T 241; cf. LT 8704, 8707, 8710 (reverse detail variants); ABC 16; Van Arsdell 56-1. 6.33g, 18mm, Mint State.

 

#15) SKYTHIA, Geto-Dacians. Koson. Mid 1st century BC. AV Stater (8.40 g). Roman consul accompanied by two lictors advancing left; monogram to left; KOΣΩN in exergue / Eagle standing left on scepter, holding wreath. Hourmouziadis dies B/f; Iliescu 1; RPC I 1701A; HGC 3, 2049. NGC MS Star 5/5, 5/5

 

#16) Sicily, Kamarina Æ Tetras. (4.11 grams, 18mm, 10h) Circa 420-405 BC. Facing Gorgoneion with tongue protruding / Owl standing right head facing, grasping lizard in its talons; three pellets below ground line. CNS III, 8; SNG ANS 1121-1124, Westermark & Jenkins 185. Mint State and exceptional for the type. NGC MS Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, Fine Style.

Ex. Roma Numismatics Auction 8, Lot 69 (September 2014)

 

#17) SELEUCID KINGDOM. Seleucus I Nicator (312-281 BC). AR tetradrachm (25mm, 17.09 gm). Seleucia II (2nd Workshop), from ca. 296/5 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border / BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣEΛEYKOY, Athena, brandishing spear overhead in right hand, shield on left arm, in car of quadriga pulled by horned elephants right; flanking anchor right above, KPA monogram in inner left field, HIXP monogram to lower right, dotted border. SC 130.17. SNG Fitzwilliam 5511. HGC 9, 18a. Excellent Metal for the issue, NGC CH XF Star Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5.

 

#18) CELTIC BRITAIN, Atrebates & Regni. Verica, 10-40. Quarter Stater, 1.34 g, 'Stars' type. VERIC / COM•F with a crescent above and a six-rayed star below. Rev. REX Horse galloping to right; above, seven-rayed star. ABC 1208. BMC 1223-1236. S 127. Van Arsdell 501. Well-struck for the issue, Extremely Fine. NGC AU 5/5, 4/5

 

#19) Pergamon, Attalos I (241-197 BC) AR Tetradrachm, in the name of Philetairos, 17.06g. Diademed head of Philetairos right. Rev. Athena seated left on throne, holding wreath and sceptre, and resting arm on shield, bow behind. (Westermark 62). Good Very Fine. NGC CH VF 5/5, 4/5 Fine Style

 

#20) Thessaly, Larissa AR Drachm. Circa 356-342 BC. Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly to left, with hair in ampyx / Horse standing to right, preparing to lie down; ΛAPIΣ-AIΩN above and below. Lorber, Hoard, Phase L-II, 40 (same dies); BCD Thessaly II 316; HGC 4, 454. Extremely Fine.

Josh, You had a sensational year 🤩! I voted for the stunning Tyre shekel with gorgeous toning, the Artemis/Apollo Tet (for obvious reasons ☺️), & the Ptolemy I Tet with the masterful die engraving on both sides 😉.

[NewStyleKing]

What exactly makes the gorgeous Mithradates Vl tetradrachm from Pergamum mint?  Since , Fimbria took it it was back in Roman hands since 85 BC  and they didn't lose it to him again( as far as I can remember).  Where Eupator was in Bityhnian-Pontic era 222, 75 BC I'm not sure !  Eupator and his generals need a timeline.  Maybe Des histories Guerres Mithradatiques vue la pa Monnaise by de Callatay  might be forthcoming  but I cannot read French at all or any other language!  

 

All great coins!

 

My now SOLD Mithradates Vl  tetradrachm 88/7 BC  just at the time he was getting ready for his big push...asian vespers, defeat at Rhodes  , possibly defeat at the macedonian borders...  READ, Another Fimbria Cistophorus  Richard B. Witschonke* and Michel Amandry  AJN 2005  on academia.edu!

 

Obs: Diademed head of Mithradates Eupator right
Pontus Mint 16.31 gm 30mm
Rev: Drinking Pegasos left
Mint mark RF , above,date ΘΣ
6 rayed star in crescent LF
de Callatay Obs: D55 Rev: not in plates
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΙΘΡΑΔΑΤΟΥ ΕΥΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ
All surrounded by a Dionysic wreath of ivy & fruit

Edited November 27, 2022 by NewStyleKing

[Kazuma78]

9 hours ago, El Cazador said:

@Kazuma78great list, I voted for 2, 4, 5, 9

Thanks!! Good picks!

9 hours ago, CPK said:

Good grief where to even start??! Incredible!

It's a hard choice but I think my votes go to:

#4 - Ptolemaic tetradrachm of Alexander the Great;

#1 - Absolutely stunning Shekel of Tyre;

#12 - Who can say no to a Caesar elephant denarius?

#13 - Beautiful example of an early Republican silver coin

But really, they are all fantastic! Congratulations!

Thanks! All good choices-I think the shekel is my favorite. The Roman pieces were additions of unexpected opportunity that I was thrilled to run across. 

9 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

Wow!!

Thanks! 

7 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

My goodness! What a lovely assortment of acquisitions to your collection, @Kazuma78!! It was quite a year for you!

Thank you! I never would have anticipated such a great year on January 1st! It's been crazy! 

7 hours ago, Di Nomos said:

I like them all.

If I had to pick, I'd go 2, 3, 6, 9 and 11.

But that's leaving a lot of coins I like out. As I said, all great coins.

Well done!

Thank you! That's why I had a hard time narrowing to only 10. There were some great coins in 11-20. 

4 hours ago, FrizzyAntoine said:

Great selection! The standouts for me are 3, 6, and 8, but not by much. Congrats on a great year!

Thanks! 

4 hours ago, ambr0zie said:

What a fantastic year. For me it's impossible to deselect a coin, not to select one. I chose the Koson stater, the Kyzikos hemihekte and the Syracuse but each and every coin in this list would deserve a place in a yearly top.

I agree that after a year like this it's impossible to reduce the number of coins to 10. I will do the same (although the coins I got in 2022 are no match).

Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing your list for the year! 

3 hours ago, Al Kowsky said:

Josh, You had a sensational year 🤩! I voted for the stunning Tyre shekel with gorgeous toning, the Artemis/Apollo Tet (for obvious reasons ☺️), & the Ptolemy I Tet with the masterful die engraving on both sides 😉.

Thanks! You helped with that Al! I will cherish your contribution in my collection for many years! 

[Broucheion]

Hi @Kazuma78,

Wow for all the coins!

Your GORGEOUS Ptolemaic stater is Lorber CPE-79, which she dates to ca 306-303 BCE and attributes to Uncertain Mint 02 in Egypt, perhaps Naucratis.

- Broucheion

[Oldhoopster]

Wow!!  Amazing coins.  Usually it's easy for me to pull out 1 or 2 that I really like,  but i m stuck voting on all of the above for your stuff. 😁  Outstanding. Thanks for sharing. It's always nice to see cool coins from other members.

[happy_collector]

All amazing selections, @Kazuma78. You have a very fruitful year!  🙂

I like the cool obverse portraits of coins # 4, 5, 10, 16, 17 and 19. Wow! I understand why you cannot shrink your list to just 10. Thanks for sharing. 

Edited November 27, 2022 by happy_collector

[Romancollector]

Wow...you had a terrific year of collecting!

My favourites are the Tyrian shekel, Mithradates VI, Ptolemy I, Magnesia ad Meandrum, Kamarina ae, Lucania nomos, Kassander, and Eukratides, but I couldn't possibly narrow it further......

[Kazuma78]

59 minutes ago, Broucheion said:

Hi @Kazuma78,

Wow for all the coins!

Your GORGEOUS Ptolemaic stater is Lorber CPE-79, which she dates to ca 306-303 BCE and attributes to Uncertain Mint 02 in Egypt, perhaps Naucratis.

- Broucheion

Thank you! I really appreciate the extra attribution! 

33 minutes ago, Oldhoopster said:

Wow!!  Amazing coins.  Usually it's easy for me to pull out 1 or 2 that I really like,  but i m stuck voting on all of the above for your stuff. 😁  Outstanding. Thanks for sharing. It's always nice to see cool coins from other members.

Thank you! Looking at everyone's top lists for the year are almost always my favorite threads to read. I always look forward to posting mine also, especially when the year has been exceptional for new additions like this one was. You guys get more excited about the additions than my wife, though she does try to humor me lol

22 minutes ago, happy_collector said:

All amazing selections, @Kazuma78. You have a very fruitful year!  🙂

I like the cool obverse portraits of coins # 4, 5, 10, 16, 17 and 19. Wow! I understand why you cannot shrink your list to just 10. Thanks for sharing. 

Thank you! Some of the portraits this year were fantastic- I was very thrilled to add those. 

4 minutes ago, Romancollector said:

Wow...you had a terrific year of collecting!

My favourites are the Tyrian shekel, Mithradates VI, Ptolemy I, Magnesia ad Meandrum, Kamarina ae, Lucania nomos, Kassander, and Eukratides, but I couldn't possibly narrow it further......

Thanks! All good picks! So hard to just a few! 

[AncientJoe]

Congratulations on an absolutely tremendous year! I chose your Tyre Shekel, Mithradates, and Ptolemy Soter but could have easily selected others. It's an excellent group and a major set of additions to your collection!

[El Cazador]

@Kazuma78i believe about 30% of these came from Mark B. 🙂 he is dispersing his collection 

Edited November 27, 2022 by El Cazador

[Qcumbor]

Well, I've been browsing them all three times yet and couldn't decide which ones I prefer. I will have to think about it further or I would vote for 15 of them....

Q

[Cordoba]

I love the eukratides tetradrachm! the portrait is amazing

[Kazuma78]

5 hours ago, AncientJoe said:

Congratulations on an absolutely tremendous year! I chose your Tyre Shekel, Mithradates, and Ptolemy Soter but could have easily selected others. It's an excellent group and a major set of additions to your collection!

Thanks Joe! I sincerely appreciate your help throughout the year!

4 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

Well, I've been browsing them all three times yet and couldn't decide which ones I prefer. I will have to think about it further or I would vote for 15 of them....

Q

Thanks! This is exactly why I had such a tough time narrowing my picks down this year. 

3 hours ago, Cordoba said:

I love the eukratides tetradrachm! the portrait is amazing

Thanks! I actually kept this one over another with a technically higher grade because I liked this style of portrait and toning better. There are a lot of them floating around these days so it's nice to have choices! 

[Jeremy]

They're all exceptional - congrats on a successful year of collecting!

[NewStyleKing]

Mithridates "the younger" served his father loyally in the first war with the Roman Republic and suffered defeat at the hands of the Roman commander Gaius Flavius Fimbria at the Rhyndacus in Asia Minor in 85 BC. The younger Mithridates fled to join his father at Pergamon, but both were then chased by Fimbria to Pitane, from where the two Mithridates managed to escape by sea.

So, it cannot possibly be the Pergamon mint, NO MATTER WHAT CNG SAY!  75BC, it seems that Eupator was getting ready for another war with Rome and doing large minting, sometimes with large metrological differences in June 75BC! He was somewhere in Pontus at this time, but precisely deCallatay does not say where. The Pergamene era for Mithradatic coins  D = 4th year = 85 B.C. (?) and that's that! 

[robinjojo]

Boy, that's a tough lineup of coins to rate!  Each example is a fine representative of its type.  I have to select "all".

[Curtisimo]

Absolutely wonderful group @Kazuma78. That Shekel of Tyre is far and away my favorite which is saying something because they are all great.