AncientNumis' Top Coins of 2022

[AncientNumis]

Hey everyone!

Here's my top 5 list for 2022. It may be a little bit late, but hopefully that's alright 😄. 

This year has been extremely successful for me, I've managed to get many new acquisitions that I'm extremely happy with. I'd like to share my absolute favourites of 2022 on this list, so I've decided to reduce it to a top 5 rather than 10. 

I've also decided to organise it in a rather odd manner: 

• Group lots (2)
• Top coins (3)

So, let's begin! 

V. 

Lot of 7 Corinthia, Corinth AR Fractions.
Includes types as HGC 4, 1888, 1896, 1897 and 1900.
From the VCV Collection.

In the second half of this year, I decided that I'd like to have the coins of Corinth as my main collecting area. The issue: the staters can get pretty expensive, especially when in very high grade. Therefore, I looked to the fractions. And they were perfect! Fractions of Corinth tend to be much more affordable, and are generally far rarer than the larger staters. So, why not? This lot includes 7 different fractions with a nice variety of types. The 1st and 3rd coins on the top row are the oldest and most rare - They are obols and date to 550-515 BC, making them some of my oldest coins! Perhaps my favourite in this lot, though, is the second coin on the top row - I really love the pegasos on the reverse. Another I find rather interesting is the fourth coin on the first row - it features a trident for Poseidon ('father' of the Pegasos).

IV. 

 

Lot of 10 Persia, Achaemenid Empire AR Sigloi.
GRPC Lydia S28.
From the inventory of a German dealer.

(I technically bought these as 2 lots of 5 sigloi, but I've put them into one big lot)

Sigloi are awesome, and I've been wanting a nice big lot of these for a while. In my opinion, Sigloi have to be the best coin type to assemble a large collection of. They're chunky (so really great to hold), really affordable (at least at the lower end), and have tons of awesome history! But for me, that's not all. What I love so much about these (and the reason why I purchased this lot) is the massive variety of bankers marks! All the coins in the lot share one bankers mark: a Pi symbol. I guess this suggests they were from the same hoard? But they also have plenty of other cool designs - in fact, one of these pieces even appears to have as many as 8!!! Bankers marks fascinate me so much because they help to make all these sigloi more exciting - they might be of the same type but they are differentiated and made much more interesting by these symbols. Also, I really enjoy holding these pieces in my hand and imagining all they've seen - the bankers marks are a part of each coin's 'ancient life'!

III.

Vibius Varus (42 BC) AR Denarius Obv. Ivy (and grape) wreathed bust of Bacchus right Rev. Panther springing left, toward garlanded altar upon which sit thyrsus and mask VARVS to left, C•VIBIVS in exergue

This is my first Roman Republican denarius. And I regret not getting one sooner, because they are AWESOME! This type is one very much linked to Dionysus - a portrait of Bacchus takes up the obverse, and his hair is wreathed with Ivy and grapes (both plants strongly linked to the god). On the reverse is a rather complicated scene: a panther (sacred to Dionysus and apparently one of his favourite mounts) leaping towards a garlanded alter on which a Bacchic mask and a thyrsus lie. The thyrsus (a staff of fennel covered with ivy and topped with a pine cone!) was carried by the followers of Dionysus, and used at various rituals. Little appears to be known about this 'Vibius Varus' though. If I weren't so focused on Greek coins, I would just collect these Republican denarii instead. There are so many awesome types, and I look forward to maybe getting a few more in the future... This coin does have its flaws, of course, like some very prominent surface issues, but I think it deserves the number 3 spot. 

II.

The Hanlon Collection | Akarnania, Leukas, AR Stater, 350-300BC, Head of Athena with Corinthian helmet left, Stylis behind,. rev Pegasus flying left, /\ below. 8.31g (BMC.97 ; Dewing 1821 ; Pegasi 13) attractive toning, double struck on obverse, fairly worn, VF

My main goal this year was to get a large Corinthian stater. Initially, I wanted one from Corinth but ended up settling for Leukas, mainly because they're considerably cheaper. These are really cool coins, and they were issued across 6 regions, with over 20 mints! There are also a massive variety of symbols on these coins, so they might make for a wonderful collection (sadly my budget isn't quite big enough for that , so I'll stick to fractions for now). In fact, I believe there are hundreds of symbols for Corinth alone, from gods to chimeras. This coin has one little symbol, and it's actually rather boring. It's a stylis, or a a ship's mast cross-arm. But you can't even really see it well on this coin 😞. For me, however, that really doesn't matter - I got this for Athena and the Pegasos, which are both rather nice on this example. This is my first large Greek silver coin, and I'm extremely happy with it - it's just so wonderful to hold and experience a piece like this. 

I.

Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm. Circa 454-404 BC. Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette on bowl, round earring with central boss, and pearl necklace / Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Kroll 8; Dewing 1591-8; SNG Copenhagen 31; HGC 4, 1597. 17.14g, 25mm, 4h.

Near Extremely Fine.

And finally... my number 1 coin of 2022. This is an Athenian Tetradrachm, and, being the most famous of all ancient coins, really needs no introduction. I've been looking for one of these for a while, since I started collecting. For me, the reverse was by far the most important. I had to sacrifice some obverse quality to achieve that, like extremely little 'crest' - but I'm not too bothered by that. This is easily my favourite coin in my collection now, and it will likely continue to be for a while! 

And, that's it!

May the coin gods bless you all in 2023!!!  😄 🎉

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by AncientNumis

[ambr0zie]

That double strike stater is psychedelic.