Parthicus Presents: Top 10 of 2022: Yaaass Queen

[Parthicus]

I guess it's time for my annual Best Of list for 2022. Overall it was a pretty good year for my collection. I obtained two types that had been on my "bucket list" (#1 and 3 on the year list) and bought a number of other interesting coins. So, without further ado, let's get into the list.

1. Sasanian Kingdom, AR drachm of Queen Boran (630-632). A rare coin, and one that I've sought for a while. Boran was one of many claimants for the throne following the murder of her father, Khusro II, in 628. One of only two Sasanian queens to appear on coins under her own right (the other was her sister Azarmidokht, whose coins are even rarer.)

2. Parthian Kingdom, Orodes II (57-38 BCE), AR drachm of Traxiane. A rare mint for Orodes (or any other Parthian king) and an interesting portrait style. After purchasing it, I discovered that my coin is a double die-link to a coin formerly owned by group member @Alwin , which adds to its coolness.

3. Roman Republic, AE As (c. 169-158 BCE). I've admired the Janus portrait on Roman Republic bronzes for a long time, and I finally found an example I liked at a reasonably low price.

4. Kushan-Sasanians. AE 20. Peroz Kushanshah (c.245-270). I like the incorporation of Central Asian and Indian imagery into a coin by a Sasanian Persian vassal, and the obverse is better preserved (with clearer inscription) than most examples I found online or in reference books. I also received some good suggestions for further research, which this coin definitely deserves.

5. Japan, AR 1 yen, Meiji 16 (1883). A nice example of early struck Japanese coinage, and with chopmarks that validated the coin for use in China after it had been demonetized in Japan. A mini-lesson in late 19th century Asian economics.

6. Bundi (Indian Princely State), AR rupee, 1901. The "portrait" style is wonderfully anachronistic for a coin that was struck in the 20th century.

7. Celtic, Eastern Europe, AR drachm. c. 2nd century BCE. I just really like the distinctive Celtic artistic style on this coin, which imitates the coinage in the name of Alexander the Great.

8. Kushans, AE didrachm. Kanishka (c.127-147). The deity on the reverse is clearly named (in Greek lettering!) as Helios, showing the persistence of at least some Hellenistic culture in Central Asia over four centuries after the death of Alexander.

9. Indo-Scythians, AE square trichalkon. Azilises (c. 57-35 BCE). Just a pleasant coin, and I had fun attributing it (bought unattributed for $25).

10. Sasanian, AR drachm. Khusro I (531-579), Year 20. Amul mint. I found this shortly after reading an article about the scarce Sasanian mint of Amul, so of course I had to have this coin.

So there's my Top 10 for 2022. Which was your favorite? What are you hoping to acquire in the coming year? Please share your thoughts below.

 

[kirispupis]

Very nice pick ups! I would vote for the Orodes. I've been after a Parthian coin myself as a post-Alexander representative, but I have yet to decide which one...

[ambr0zie]

Solid top 10. I liked the Orodes coin. I think your posts made me discover Parthian coinage so I added a Parthian coin myself.

Attributing it was a major headache - identifying Parthian coins is not as easy as it seems. Note - I initially thought I made an extraordinary numismatic discovery - when checking this coin the beginning of the reverse legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ  looked very much to me like DACIA.

I also liked and found very interesting number 9, the trichalkon and number 6, the Bundi coin. 1901 you say? if you asked me 10 minutes ago about an estimated dating for this coin, 1901 would have been my last guess.

[robinjojo]

Yes, the Orodes drachm is a nice coin, as is the Janus AE As.

[John Conduitt]

Great coins. You always have a very interesting list!

[Qcumbor]

Great selection !

# 1 and # 8 have my votes 

Q

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

That's an easy vote; my favorite is Queen Boran.

It's a cool list. FOr the new year, I guess I'll have to get a Parthian sometime.  I think my only Parthian is one of my first coins, from Allen Berman.  I haven't looked at it in years, but IIRC, it's black and has the tall tiara.

 

[Finn235]

Superb pick-ups; Boran is an incredible rarity!

And a side note on the Japanese yen, the "gin" inside the circle was applied to the coin at the facility in Osaka (Tokyo countermarked on the right) prior to them being sold as bullion in 1897. I've been meaning to pick one of these up but haven't found a "good" price on one yet.

[Spaniard]

@Parthicus...What a lovely mix!

Some super coins but I'll have to stick with that "Queen Boran" , sweet detail and a very tough coin to find....Also love the KI Amul mint!

Congrats on an interesting year.

[Severus Alexander]

An excellent off-the-beaten-path list!  The Boran is hard to beat of course, but I also really like the unusual Traxiane Orodes portrait, the especially lovely Kushano-Sasanian AE, and the rupee.

The style of your As reminds me of the TVRD I picked up this year:

Crawford dates them to the same time frame.

[Al Kowsky]

On 12/7/2022 at 5:02 PM, Parthicus said:

I guess it's time for my annual Best Of list for 2022. Overall it was a pretty good year for my collection. I obtained two types that had been on my "bucket list" (#1 and 3 on the year list) and bought a number of other interesting coins. So, without further ado, let's get into the list.

1. Sasanian Kingdom, AR drachm of Queen Boran (630-632). A rare coin, and one that I've sought for a while. Boran was one of many claimants for the throne following the murder of her father, Khusro II, in 628. One of only two Sasanian queens to appear on coins under her own right (the other was her sister Azarmidokht, whose coins are even rarer.)

2. Parthian Kingdom, Orodes II (57-38 BCE), AR drachm of Traxiane. A rare mint for Orodes (or any other Parthian king) and an interesting portrait style. After purchasing it, I discovered that my coin is a double die-link to a coin formerly owned by group member @Alwin , which adds to its coolness.

3. Roman Republic, AE As (c. 169-158 BCE). I've admired the Janus portrait on Roman Republic bronzes for a long time, and I finally found an example I liked at a reasonably low price.

4. Kushan-Sasanians. AE 20. Peroz Kushanshah (c.245-270). I like the incorporation of Central Asian and Indian imagery into a coin by a Sasanian Persian vassal, and the obverse is better preserved (with clearer inscription) than most examples I found online or in reference books. I also received some good suggestions for further research, which this coin definitely deserves.

5. Japan, AR 1 yen, Meiji 16 (1883). A nice example of early struck Japanese coinage, and with chopmarks that validated the coin for use in China after it had been demonetized in Japan. A mini-lesson in late 19th century Asian economics.

6. Bundi (Indian Princely State), AR rupee, 1901. The "portrait" style is wonderfully anachronistic for a coin that was struck in the 20th century.

7. Celtic, Eastern Europe, AR drachm. c. 2nd century BCE. I just really like the distinctive Celtic artistic style on this coin, which imitates the coinage in the name of Alexander the Great.

8. Kushans, AE didrachm. Kanishka (c.127-147). The deity on the reverse is clearly named (in Greek lettering!) as Helios, showing the persistence of at least some Hellenistic culture in Central Asia over four centuries after the death of Alexander.

9. Indo-Scythians, AE square trichalkon. Azilises (c. 57-35 BCE). Just a pleasant coin, and I had fun attributing it (bought unattributed for $25).

10. Sasanian, AR drachm. Khusro I (531-579), Year 20. Amul mint. I found this shortly after reading an article about the scarce Sasanian mint of Amul, so of course I had to have this coin.

So there's my Top 10 for 2022. Which was your favorite? What are you hoping to acquire in the coming year? Please share your thoughts below.

 

Parthicus, You had an excellent year ☺️! My favorite has to be #7, the Celtic drachm 😍, & #1, the Queen Boran drachm is a great addition 🤩. I've already started this year by adding several Caracalla tetradrachms that I'll post later 😉.