Hrefn’ s 2022 Top Ten

[Hrefn]

When one has purchased only about 20 coins during the year, it is somewhat easier to chose one’s top 10.   As I have shown several of these coins previously, I thought it might be fun to take some group shots.  I lack the photography skills of other forum posters, but I do appreciate the beautiful images some of you create.  

1.  Solidus of Justin I with the earlier style reverse.  From Dix Noonan Webb

2.  Solidus of Justinian I from Carthage.  From Leu, won in December 21 but did not arrive till this year.  

3.  Solidus of Nicephoros and his son Stauracius, 803-811 AD, from Roma e-sale.

4.  Tremissis of Justinian I, Ostrogothic, purchased from Allen Berman at the Bay State coin show.  

5.  Solidus, 22 siliquae, of Justin II, of Antioch.  Purchased from Nick Economopoulos.  

6.  Solidus of Theophilus with Michael II and Constantine 831-842 AD, from Bertolami at auction.  

7.  Denier of Louis the Pious 819-822 AD of Tours, from CGB.  

8.  Multiple tari of Frederic II Hohenstaufen, from CGB.  

9.  Denier of Charles the Bald, 843-77 AD, from Quentovic, purchased from Olivier Goujon

10. Miliaresion of Basil I and Constantine 867-886 AD, purchased from Olivier Goujon.  

 

[DonnaML]

Wow. Amazing coins!

[TheTrachyEnjoyer]

Lovely additions! Mid empire solidii are some of my favorite coins

[JeandAcre]

Brilliant stuff, @Hrefn (right, also literally)!  

Segueing to what I can get any real traction with, Carolingians with linear mint signatures always make me sit up.  (One could only wish that CGB did as much with French feudal as they used to.  It looks as if the expert they had for those retired a few years ago.)  Your example of Quentovic is the best I remember seeing.  It would be fun to see a side view of the multiple tari of Frederc II.

...To wallow in the obvious, the Byzantines are all stunning.  If all you did for the year was 20 coins, and they were on this level, it's  like, just never mind!   

[Valentinian]

On 12/10/2022 at 7:36 PM, Hrefn said:

it is somewhat easier to chose one’s top 10

That's a very impressive selection. You can be proud of every one. 

I'm sure it is not the most valuable, but I really like the strike and flan of the Justinian, Ostrogothic, tremissis. 

[Tejas]

This is quite a selection. If this is the top 10, I would also like to see the top 20. 

The two Carolingian coins are superbe and, as far as I know, from rare mints. I love the Louis the Pious from Quentovic.

[shanxi]

The gold coins are realy nice but these wonderful toned silver coins are the best.

[Di Nomos]

Like them all, but I especially like the coins in the second photo, even though I know nothing about them. Very interesting and attractive coins you collect.

Like others have said, would like to see the other ten coins you've purchased.

[Hrefn]

Thank you all very much for all the kind comments.  I am very flattered, and the least I can do is assemble my next 10 coins.   But first, for @JeandAcre here is a side view of the multiple tari of Frederic II Hohenstaufen.  Its mass is 3.14 grams.  For comparison there is a British (full) sovereign.                

Here are my other acquisitions for 2022.   First, the remaining Byzantines.  By the way, every coin which is encapsulated was already thus when I bought it.  

1.  A solidus of Heraclius and Heraclius Constantine,  AD 613-41, Constantinople.   Not especially rare but depicts a very young H. Const., plus it is an excellent strike, overstruck on something else.  The ghost of some letters can be seen above the cross on the reverse.  From the Historical Scholar collection.  

 

2.  A solidus of Maurice Tiberius, with a star in the obverse field on the right marking it as a light weight solidus.  Poor strike but I loved the portrait.  From Roma

3.  An anonymous follis, Class A3.  Only have a good picture of the obverse.  Not my usual area of collecting but I liked this coin the moment I saw it.   

On to the Carolingian and later French.

4.  Louis the Pious Class 2 denier of Lyon, from Ira and Larry Goldberg.  PCGS AU58

 

5.  Louis the Pious XRISTIANA RELIGIO, from Allen Berman.  

6.  Langue d’Oc  Tolosa, Count Bertrand 1106-1112 AD.  Was also Count of Tripoli 1109-1112 AD.  Did he strike any coins in his name in Tripoli?  From Olivier Goujon.  

7.  Next is a coin of Lyon I bought to pair with a similar type purchased in a prior year, the new coin is on the left.  Deniers of Lyon boasting of city’s status as the first bishopric of the Gauls.   Not sure I am happy with it as compared with the other.  I may be looking for an upgrade.  Or not, this photo makes it look much better than I supposed.  The coin on the left is from Olivier Goujon, on the right from Almanumis.  

Now the English.

8, 9.  These are two sceats or pennies, both varieties I have long desired.  From Joe Linzalone.   

10.  Lastly, a penny of Aethelred II, second hand type, Canterbury mint.  Duda, moneyer.  Also from Joe Linzalone at Wolfshead Coins.

 

[Qcumbor]

Wow and Wow !

The four coins in the second picture are all amazing. Then you think you're done and the second series comes up and I don't know where to look !!

Well, sort of, as I would take the Lugdunum denier any day

Congrats on a great coin year

Q

[JeandAcre]

Just, Stunning.  All of 'em.

[Al Kowsky]

Hrefn, You had a sensational year 😊! I love the Byzantine gold & the Ostrogothic tremisses 😍. I assume the tremisses was issued by Athalaric 🤔? The penny issued by Aethelred II is a gem with a great portrait for the period 😉.

[Hrefn]

9 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

Hrefn, You had a sensational year 😊! I love the Byzantine gold & the Ostrogothic tremisses 😍. I assume the tremisses was issued by Athalaric 🤔? The penny issued by Aethelred II is a gem with a great portrait for the period 😉.

@Al Kowsky you are exactly right.  My notes on this coin:  

 Ostrogoths.  Athalaric 526-34AD in imitation of a coin of Justinian.  Italian mint, probably Rome, Ravenna, or Milan.  Grierson, in Medieval European Coins I,  says it is from Rome.  

MEC I 123.  A certain celator of Athalaric would leave off the second crossbar of the F in PFAVC on the OBV, so it looks like a gamma.  In adddition, the A and V are conjoint in “AVC”  (by which he meant AVG).  REV has a six pointed star and COMOB. 

Purchased from Allen Berman at the BSCS 7/2022