An Affordable Hobby: 2022 Favorites under $25

[Ursus]

I am going to post my "real" 2022 favorite list closer to Christmas since I am still waiting for two coins to be shipped. In this post, though, I will continue a small tradition that I started over at CoinTalk three years ago. In 2021, 2020 and 2019, I posted lists of my ten favorite ancient and medieval coin purchases under $25. In 2022, such bargains were especially welcome to my collection since due to a recent home purchase and extensive (and expensive) renovations, my coin funds were much more limited than in previous years.

My reason for doing this list is simple: each year, new collectors looking for advice and inspiration join this and other online forums. Many of our favorite lists could create the impression that ancient and medieval numismatics are a hobby only suitable for people with substantial piles of disposable cash. To prove this wrong, I'll try to show what is possible on a budget, and I’d like to invite everybody else to show their own budget purchases from 2022.

The rules for this list are the same as in the previous years: to illustrate the affordability of the hobby, I have violated the ‘never talk about money’-rule of polite conversation and mentioned prices. If necessary, amounts are converted to US dollars, although I will, since I by now have relocated permanently to Europe, probably switch to giving prices in Euros next year. All prices include buyer’s premium and are rounded up. Shipping is not factored in. I name professional and semi-professional dealers but for reasons of privacy refrain from giving the names of hobbyists who occasionally sell pieces from their collections. Coins are in chronological order.

1. I have a small subcollection focusing on Postumus, whose coins can often be found for little money. The reverse showing Aesculapius with his snake staff in my eyes makes this coin a little more interesting than those showing more common deities or allegorical figures:

Postumus, Gallic Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 266–7 AD, Trier mint. Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG; bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SALVS AVG; Aesculapius stg. r., head l., with r. hand leaning on serpent-staff which rests on the ground; at feet, r., globe.. 21mm, 3.12g. Ref: Mairat 348. Ex small seller on eBay, $21.

2. Late Roman bronze coins make up a substantial part of this list for good reason. They are the ideal ancient collecting field when on a budget. This coin has a relatively scarce reverse type and a nice green and red patina. Iḿ happy with this purchase:

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 317 AD, Siscia mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed r. rev: CLARITAS R–EIPVB; Sol, radiate, chlamys draped across l. shoulder, standing l., raising r. hand and holding globe in l. hand; in exergue ΔSIS. 18mm, 3.36g. Ref: RIC VII Siscia 37. Ex Herm Numismatik, $11.

3. Living in southwestern Germany, I was especially interested in this reverse type, which refers to the Alamanni, a tribe living in this area in late antiquity. I bought this coin at a Savoca auction. Although prices at Savoca's auctions have risen in recent years, bargains are still possible now and then:

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 324–326 AD, Sirmium mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: ALAMANNIA DEVICTA, Victory, winged, draped, advancing r., holding trophy on r. arm and branch in l. hand, spurning a seated captive; mintmark .SIRM. . 19mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC VII Sirmium 50. Ex Savoca, Blue Auction 130, lot 1624, $23.

4. The "campgate"-type, which probably shows a watchtower and not a campgate, is abundantly common. Yet, I couldn't resist the nice patina and portrait on this example:

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 326–327 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, l. Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, “camp gate” with two turrets, star above; dot in gate, in exergue, SMANTH. 20mm, 3.83g. Ref: RIC VII Antioch 73. Ex Herm Numismatik, $14.

5. Who doesn't like a large falling horseman? This one has a bit more wear than I would wish for, but at this price, one must compromise:

Constantius II, Roman Empire, AE2, 351–355 AD, Constantinople mint. Obv: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG; bust of Constantius II, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; helmeted soldier to l., shield on l. arm, spearing falling horseman; shield on ground at r.; horseman wearing pointed cap, slumping forward and clutching horse’s neck; in field l., Γ•; in exergue, CONSθ. 23mm, 4.11g. RIC VIII Constantinople 106. Ex small seller on eBay, $21.

6. Probably my favorite bargain purchase of 2022. Aquileia is not a common mint, and the quality of this example is exceptional:

Valens, Roman Empire, AE3, 367–375 AD, Aquileia mint. Obv: DN VALENS PF AVG; bust of Valens, draped, cuirassed, and pearl-diademed, r. Rev: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE; Victory advancing l., holding wreath and palm; in exergue, SMAQP. 18mm, 2.75g. Ref: RIC IX Aquileia 12B. Ex Herm Numismatic, $10.

7. Medieval Islamic coins are a good field for budget collecting. I like this coin for its square shape and the connection to medieval Iberian history:

Almohad Caliphate in Spain and Northern Africa, anonymous, AR square dirham, c. 1163–1269 AD (558–668 AH). Obv: “No God except Allah / It's all for God / No power except God”. Rev: “God is our Lord / Mohammed is our messenger / The Mahdi is before us”. 14mm, 1.40g. Ref: Album 496. Ex NSW Leipzig, $18.50.

8. Crusader coins are a popular medieval collecting field and often command a premium. This little but nice bronze from Cyprus went under the radar at an eBay auction. It was a lucky purchase:

Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus, under Janus, AE sezin, 1398–1432 AD. Obv: + IA[nU]S . R[OI D]Є . , lion of Cyprus rampant l., pellet to l. of lion.  Rev: [+ IЄR]LM [Є D]Є C[IP]; cross of Jerusalem. 20mm, 1.45g. CCS 124b. Ex Berlinum, $7.

9. Medieval German coins are probably my main collecting focus. This Hanseatic witten from Lübeck is a reasonably attractive example that came at an affordable price:

Lübeck, Imperial City, AR witten after the recesses of 1410. Obv: +MONETA LUBEN; double eagle. Rev: CIVITAS IMPER; long cross. 18mm, 0.90g. Ref: Jesse 446; Behrens 51a. Ex Knopik, $21.

10. When it comes to early modern European coins, most collectors think of large silver talers, golden ducats and écus. Such coins are sold at often extreme prices. But budget collectors interested in the early modern period can still bargain hunt for smaller change. This 1683 Nuremberg pfennig is sharply struck, has full detail, and retains most of its original luster. Not bad for ten bucks, eh?

Nuremberg, Imperial City, AR pfennig, 1683 AD. Obv: arms of Nuremberg between 16-83; in field r., cross; mark of value above. Rev: blank. 13mm, 0.36g. Ref: Kellner 335. EX NSW Leipzig, $10.

Please post your comments, name your favorites, and show your own 2022 budget coins!

Edited December 11, 2022 by Ursus

[Al Kowsky]

22 minutes ago, Ursus said:

I am going to post my "real" 2022 favorite list closer to Christmas since I am still waiting for two coins to be shipped. In this post, though, I will continue a small tradition that I started over at CoinTalk three years ago. In 2021, 2020 and 2019, I posted lists of my ten favorite ancient and medieval coin purchases under $25. In 2022, such bargains were especially welcome to my collection since due to a recent home purchase and extensive (and expensive) renovations, my coin funds were much more limited than in previous years.

My reason for doing this list is simple: each year, new collectors looking for advice and inspiration join this and other online forums. Many of our favorite lists could create the impression that ancient and medieval numismatics are a hobby only suitable for people with substantial piles of disposable cash. To prove this wrong, I'll try to show what is possible on a budget, and I’d like to invite everybody else to show their own budget purchases from 2022.

The rules for this list are the same as in the previous years: to illustrate the affordability of the hobby, I have violated the ‘never talk about money’-rule of polite conversation and mentioned prices. If necessary, amounts are converted to US dollars, although I will, since I by now have relocated permanently to Europe, probably switch to giving prices in Euros next year. All prices include buyer’s premium and are rounded up. Shipping is not factored in. I name professional and semi-professional dealers but for reasons of privacy refrain from giving the names of hobbyists who occasionally sell pieces from their collections. Coins are in chronological order.

1. I have a small subcollection focusing on Postumus, whose coins can often be found for little money. The reverse showing Aesculapius with his snake staff in my eyes makes this coin a little more interesting than those showing more common deities or allegorical figures:

Postumus, Gallic Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 266–7 AD, Trier mint. Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG; bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SALVS AVG; Aesculapius stg. r., head l., with r. hand leaning on serpent-staff which rests on the ground; at feet, r., globe.. 21mm, 3.12g. Ref: Mairat 348. Ex small seller on eBay, $21.

2. Late Roman bronze coins make up a substantial part of this list for good reason. They are the ideal ancient collecting field when on a budget. This coin has a relatively scarce reverse type and a nice green and red patina. Iḿ happy with this purchase:

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 317 AD, Siscia mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed r. rev: CLARITAS R–EIPVB; Sol, radiate, chlamys draped across l. shoulder, standing l., raising r. hand and holding globe in l. hand; in exergue ΔSIS. 18mm, 3.36g. Ref: RIC VII Siscia 37. Ex Herm Numismatik, $11.

3. Living in southwestern Germany, I was especially interested in this reverse type, which refers to the Alamanni, a tribe living in this area in late antiquity. I bought this coin at a Savoca auction. Although prices at Savoca's auctions have risen in recent years, bargains are still possible now and then:

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 324–326 AD, Sirmium mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: ALAMANNIA DEVICTA, Victory, winged, draped, advancing r., holding trophy on r. arm and branch in l. hand, spurning a seated captive; mintmark .SIRM. . 19mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC VII Sirmium 50. Ex Savoca, Blue Auction 130, lot 1624, $23.

4. The "campgate"-type, which probably shows a watchtower and not a campgate, is abundantly common. Yet, I couldn't resist the nice patina and portrait on this example:

Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 326–327 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, l. Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, “camp gate” with two turrets, star above; dot in gate, in exergue, SMANTH. 20mm, 3.83g. Ref: RIC VII Antioch 73. Ex Herm Numismatik, $14.

5. Who doesn't like a large falling horseman? This one has a bit more wear than I would wish for, but at this price, one must compromise:

Constantius II, Roman Empire, AE2, 351–355 AD, Constantinople mint. Obv: D N CONSTANTIVS P F AVG; bust of Constantius II, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: FEL TEMP REPARATIO; helmeted soldier to l., shield on l. arm, spearing falling horseman; shield on ground at r.; horseman wearing pointed cap, slumping forward and clutching horse’s neck; in field l., Γ•; in exergue, CONSθ. 23mm, 4.11g. RIC VIII Constantinople 106. Ex small seller on eBay, $21.

6. Probably my favorite bargain purchase of 2022. Aquileia is not a common mint, and the quality of this example is exceptional:

Valens, Roman Empire, AE3, 367–375 AD, Aquileia mint. Obv: DN VALENS PF AVG; bust of Valens, draped, cuirassed, and pearl-diademed, r. Rev: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE; Victory advancing l., holding wreath and palm; in exergue, SMAQP. 18mm, 2.75g. Ref: RIC IX Aquileia 12B. Ex Herm Numismatic, $10.

7. Medieval Islamic coins are a good field for budget collecting. I like this coin for its square shape and the connection to medieval Iberian history:

Almohad Caliphate in Spain and Northern Africa, anonymous, AR square dirham, c. 1163–1269 AD (558–668 AH). Obv: “No God except Allah / It's all for God / No power except God”. Rev: “God is our Lord / Mohammed is our messenger / The Mahdi is before us”. 14mm, 1.40g. Ref: Album 496. Ex NSW Leipzig, $18.50.

8. Crusader coins are a popular medieval collecting field and often command a premium. This little but nice bronze from Cyprus went under the radar at an eBay auction. It was a lucky purchase:

Lusignan Kingdom of Cyprus, under Janus, AE sezin, 1398–1432 AD. Obv: + IA[nU]S . R[OI D]Є . , lion of Cyprus rampant l., pellet to l. of lion.  Rev: [+ IЄR]LM [Є D]Є C[IP]; cross of Jerusalem. 20mm, 1.45g. CCS 124b. Ex Berlinum, $7.

9. Medieval German coins are probably my main collecting focus. This Hanseatic witten from Lübeck is a reasonably attractive example that came at an affordable price:

Lübeck, Imperial City, AR witten after the recesses of 1410. Obv: +MONETA LUBEN; double eagle. Rev: CIVITAS IMPER; long cross. 18mm, 0.90g. Ref: Jesse 446; Behrens 51a. Ex Knopik, $21.

10. When it comes to early modern European coins, most collectors think of large silver talers, golden ducats and écus. Such coins are sold at often extreme prices. But budget collectors interested in the early modern period can still bargain hunt for smaller change. This 1683 Nuremberg pfennig is sharply struck, has full detail, and retains most of its original luster. Not bad for ten bucks, eh?

Nuremberg, Imperial City, AR pfennig, 1683 AD. Obv: arms of Nuremberg between 16-83; in field r., cross; mark of value above. Rev: blank. 13mm, 0.36g. Ref: Kellner 335. EX NSW Leipzig, $10.

Please post your comments, name your favorites, and show your own 2022 budget coins!

Ursus, Wonderful group of coins at budget prices 😊! Your selections prove a collector can assemble an excellent collection of ancient coins without taking a 2nd mortgage on the home 😉.

[Prieure de Sion]

Fantastic group! Absolute. Gratulation 👍

[Qcumbor]

To put together such a nice group of coins on a budget, one must not be lazy in their hunt !

Excellent selection

Q

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Very well done! I'll vote for the Postumus, closely followed by the Almohad Caliphate.

[ambr0zie]

I think this is my favorite collecting theme - affordable coins. Due to unknown reason, I cannot develop this collection 😐

All the coins in your list deserve a respectable place in any collection, but I liked the Postumus antoninianus (good quality and I don't have an Aesculapius coin) and coins 7-10, these are types I was not aware of, since I concentrate on ancients.

2022 was a good year for cheap coins in my collection. On some I was willing to pay slightly more. Here are a few with prices, including fees

Sestertius of Julia Mamaea - 20 euros

 

Domitia provincial from Magnesia ad Sipylum - I am not sure if I will ever get an imperial Domitia so this was very welcome for 12 euros

A decent Severina for 15 euros (it has 2 holes, not sure what was the purpose, but they are not distracting)

 

 

A swan from Klazomenai, allowing me to tick another animal in my collection - 12 euros

 

This pseudoautonomous from Apameia had the exorbitant price of 6 euros including fees. Bought it for the reverse with Marsyas playing the aulos and I also wanted a Demos obverse. You can't go better than that.

There were many coins I bought in this price range, I will not post them all of course, but looking at them I am happy with all.

Edited December 11, 2022 by ambr0zie

[ewomack]

It is true, @Ursus! Ancient and even medieval coins don't require the budget of a small country to buy and enjoy. My first few ancients, all of them Roman, cost under $20 each. I appreciate you posting the prices above, as many people new to this pursuit may not realize that bargains really do exist. As with every genre of coins, the bulk of attention always goes to the priciest and rarest, but lesser price points provide a nice entry point into the experience of holding something 1,000 to 2,000 years old.

[Limes]

Great list, and I really like that you take these year end lists from another perspective! That Postumus portrait is great, so is the reverse of the camp gate. I remember when I got my first camp gate, I really loved it and still do. 13 EUR from Lanz (still hoping its not a fake...!) in 2016, one of first coins that has been and still is, in my collection. 

By the way, what happened to the reverse of your no. 10? 

[Ursus]

Thanks for the compliments and kind words, everyone!

1 hour ago, Limes said:

By the way, what happened to the reverse of your no. 10? 

It was meant to be blank – this type of Nuremberg pfennig was produced with only a single die.

3 hours ago, ambr0zie said:

There were many coins I bought in this price range, I will not post them all of course, but looking at them I am happy with all.

Nice selection of bargain coins. I really like the club fieldmark on the Ptolemaic AE!

 

[John Conduitt]

Nice, interesting coins. The crusader coin is great for the price. It's worth noting that $25 in 2019 would be worth over $29 so far in 2022. So your 2022 list is nearly 20% cheaper than the 2019 list. Not forgetting that auction houses like CNG and Roma have put up their fees too.

I got quite a few of my budget coins in lots. Usually, I'm after one or two in the lot and end up with half a dozen random others. It's hard to determine how much more one coin might be worth than another, so I've just divided the lot price equally. Even so, after I've properly identified them all and sold the ones I don't want, I might even make a profit, so the true cost is negative.

This is a coin from the Republic with a documented findspot.

Lucius Postumius Albinus Denarius, 131BC ($19 inc shipping)

Rome. Silver, 18mm, 3.57g. Helmeted head of Roma right, apex behind, mark of value below chin. Mars driving galloping quadriga right, holding trophy, shield, and spear; L POST ALB/ROMA (RRC/Crawford 252/1). Found near Lavenham, Suffolk, in 2018. Portable Antiquities Scheme: SF-C5FD5D.

Britain's first coin, with a clear Apollo and bull, and even the MA legend for Massalia (where the original came from).

Thurrock Potin, 120-100BC ($17 inc shipping)

Cantii or Trinovantes tribe, imitating a hemiobolion from the Greek colony Massalia. Cast bronze, 17mm, 3.10g. Head of Apollo left. Bull butting right with central boss, exergual line below, MA above (S 62; ABC 120; VA 1402 'Trinovantian A').

These two are from lots on which I've now made a profit, but I kept Nerva and Julia Domna as they're my only ones.

Nerva Denarius, 96 ($9 inc shipping)

Rome. Silver, 16mm, 2.84g. Head of Nerva, laureate, right; IMP NERVA CAES AVG PM TR P COS II P P. Aequitas, draped, standing left, holding scales in right hand and cornucopiae in left; AEQVITAS AVGVST (RIC II, 1 (denarius)). Found Tyne and Wear.

Julia Domna (under Septimius Severus) Denarius, 196-202 ($15 inc shipping)

Laodicea ad Mare, Syria. Silver, 16mm, 2.15g. Bust of Julia Domna, hair waved and coiled at back, draped, right; IVLIA AVGVSTA. Juno, veiled, draped, standing left, holding patera in extended right hand and sceptre in left hand; at feet, left, peacock; IVNO REGINA (RIC IV, 640). Found Hertfordshire.

This I bought completely unidentified, and it took a while to work out what it was.

Caracalla AE18, 198-217 ($5 inc shipping)

Tralles, Lydia. Bronze, 18-19mm, 4.60g. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; AYT KA ANTΩN. Artemis walking right, looking left, holding bow and reaching for arrow from quiver at her shoulder, hound at foot; TΡAΛΛIANΩN (SNG France 1696). Found in Lincolnshire.

Lots of 3rd Century hoard coins are very cheap...

Tetricus I Antoninianus, 271-274 ($8 inc shipping)

Cologne. Bronze, 19mm, 2.28g. Bust of Tetricus I, radiate, cuirassed, right; IMP TETRICVS AVG. Fides, draped, standing left, holding two ensigns; FIDES MILITVM (RIC V, 71). From the Langley-with-Hardley (Norfolk) Hoard 1997, over two thousand radiates deposited around 277. The coins were scattered by ploughing some time before.

This was another that was completely unidentified.

Helena Follis, 337-340 ($12 inc shipping)

Treveri. Bronze, 16mm, 2.16g. Bust right wearing ornamental mantle, her hair elaborately dressed; FL IVL HE-LENAE AVG. Pax standing left holding branch and transverse sceptre; PA-X PV-BLICA; (mintmark TRP) (RIC VIII, 78). Found Eastbourne, Sussex.

Tokens are very often sold in lots, so I have a lot of this type of thing. Boy Bishop tokens were given out by a boy bishop in a medieval festival derived from Saturnalia.

Boy Bishop Penny Token, 1530-1540 ($3 inc shipping)

Bury St Edmunds. Lead, 19mm, 2.90g. Mitre; rudimentary striate legends. Cross and pellets (Rigold Series IX; Mitchener and Skinner Type P 38).

James I and Charles I farthings are very common and usually cheap, but there are a lot of varieties, some very rare, that make them collectable.

James I Lennox Type 4/3 Mule Farthing, 1622-1623 ($14 inc shipping)

London Token House. Copper, 16mm, 0.44g, die axis 0°. Single-arch crown with 9 jewels; IACO: D: G: MAG: BRIT:, privy mark annulet. Eagle-headed harp with 6 strings and 5 jewel crown; FRA: ET HIB: REX. (Everson 4/3 44a).
 

Charles I Richmond Type 1b Farthing, 1625 ($8 inc shipping)

London Token House. Copper, 0.73g. Single-arch crown with 9 jewels; mascle privy mark; CARO D:G: MAG: BRIT: (Obverse 1) with CARO cut over IACO from a James I Lennox Type 4. Eagle-headed harp with 5 strings; FRA:ET HIB:REX; Die axis 0° (Everson 1b 58a).

$110 for all 10 including shipping.

[Cordoba]

great list, i like the almohad coin the best! i collected islamic dirhams for a while, since they are pretty affordable. a nice umayyad or abbasid dirham is easy to find under 25

[ambr0zie]

A collector can add nice Gallienus coins for less than 25 euros or dollars. They won't be mint state or fully silvered but not junk either. An advantage of Gallienus is the Zoo series.

 

These are all from 2022. And all under 25 dollars including fees- most of them well under this threshold.

Edited December 11, 2022 by ambr0zie

[singig]

I like the Postumus portrait , #4 campgate , #5 and #6 , excelent list  !

This coin had the best price/quality ratio for me ,  was 1$ but uncleaned.

[Furryfrog02]

What a great group of coins!

I absolutely love that Valens with the Victory reverse!

[TheTrachyEnjoyer]

Some that I can recall

Bulgarian trachy (Constantine I if I recall correctly). I bought this because I liked the emperor riding horse motif. $25

 

John Komnenodoukas trachy, sear 2214. $20

 

John Komnenodoukas. $20, $25 (not sure on the last one)

Sear -; DOC -; Penchev, "A hoard of copper (billon) scyphati from the first half of the 13th century found near Petrich," 978-985.

[Ursus]

18 hours ago, John Conduitt said:

 

Boy Bishop Penny Token, 1530-1540 ($3 inc shipping)

Bury St Edmunds. Lead, 19mm, 2.90g. Mitre; rudimentary striate legends. Cross and pellets (Rigold Series IX; Mitchener and Skinner Type P 38).

James I and Charles I farthings are very common and usually cheap, but there are a lot of varieties, some very rare, that make them collectable.

I very much like both the token and the farthing! Also, your post ito me llustrates an important point: When searching for interesting coins on a budget, a solid knowledge of your collecting field is of great use. Not being well versed in British coinage, I, for example, was neither aware of he existence of these two interesting types nor would I know where to find them at a reasonable price.

16 hours ago, ambr0zie said:

A collector can add nice Gallienus coins for less than 25 euros or dollars. They won't be mint state or fully silvered but not junk either. An advantage of Gallienus is the Zoo series.

You^re right. And I want to draw special attention to the Mercury reverse on your fourth coin. Mercury is not shown on Roman imperial coins often, so this type is somewhat special if you, for example, want to assemble a set of different deities.

13 hours ago, TheTrachyEnjoyer said:

Some that I can recall

Yes, Byzantine coins, too, are a budget-friendly area. Everytime I see your posts, I ask myself why I never got into collecting them. Certainly a fascinating field!

[ambr0zie]

9 minutes ago, Ursus said:

You^re right. And I want to draw special attention to the Mercury reverse on your fourth coin. Mercury is not shown on Roman imperial coins often, so this type is somewhat special if you, for example, want to assemble a set of different deities

This is the exact reason I bought the coin for, knowing that a Mercury reverse is quite a challenge.