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[seth77]

This order just landed and I have decided to show it here in full. I think it fits well with the latest discussions about prices and what money can buy these days.

So here is what 105EUR can buy from 2 biddr auctions and an ebay pick:

 

It includes:

- a tetradrachm of Antioch for Gordian in 242 at the beginning of the Roman campaign against Shapur I (its in bad condition but the price was so good that I decided to just buy it as it fits neatly into the 'war money' category)

- a tetradrachm of Antioch for Philip II as Augustus in 248, which looks better than the auctioneer's picture

- a nice large copper of Nisibis for Philip II as Augustus (247-9)

- a very nice full centered flan for the apotheosis of Constantine the Great from Nicomedia

- a scarce to rare trachy of Ioannes III Vatatzes from Thessalonica S. 2127 ca. 1250, with St. Demetrios holding his sword over his shoulder in a very knightly pose

- a tetarteron of the late Nicaean Empire, possibly Theodore II Lascaris, possibly later, very interesting because it is likely not a Magnesian product but likely some provincial mint in Asia.

 

And here is a couple that I was particularly impressed with:

I decided that after this order I'll slow down with my purchases, as I find that I have less and less time for numismatics and researching. This type of order has been my usual style of coining for the last year, trying to check as many areas of interest as possible, mostly with bargains.

This order also brought a first-time: the tetradrachms of Antioch. They are a large niche that I wasn't really into but I find two minuses here: they are rather formulaic and the surfaces remind me of the pseudo-argenteii of Constantine I, likely because the billon is at about the same title of ca. 200/1000.

Edited April 25, 2023 by seth77

[JeandAcre]

Really liking that Thessalonican trachy, @seth77.  I like commoner, Comnenus-Dukas trachys with martial saints, but have never seen one as cool as that!  More generally, your collecting rationale is as resonant as the coins are.

[seth77]

18 hours ago, JeandAcre said:

Really liking that Thessalonican trachy, @seth77.  I like commoner, Comnenus-Dukas trachys with martial saints, but have never seen one as cool as that!  More generally, your collecting rationale is as resonant as the coins are.

Thing is, as you know, I have tried focusing on one domain, the denier tournois in it's many incarnations. Unfortunately, passed a certain stage, coins that I would like to add are extremely difficult to locate. I am actively after local variations and unofficial tournois of the Frankokratia in Greece and consequently from the Balkans and the Danube, but at least the Greek ones have their fandom and a nice Isabella de Villehardouin imitation, especially if it's of good style will likely cost many times over an official Isabella issue. So following these many other niches -- late Roman, late Byzantine, provincial Roman, etc has given me ways to keep connected to numismatics and always learn and research. Since nowadays my time is mostly claimed by family and work, I find less and less time to learn and become a better numismatist, even if I do buy coins from my favorite dealers. They are interesting but many remain under-researched. I am not complaining tho, my kids are more important and this just the way it is. I have decided before we had our first born that I will be a constant presence in their lives and not a looming absent theoretical figure and I'm sticking to it.

Edited April 27, 2023 by seth77

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Like the tets. Not great condition but representative of the Antioch mint at the time. They do come in good silver (or at least shiny) some of the time from the time of Caracalla through Trebonianus Gallus and Volusian. Gallienus and Valerian stopped striking these coins but they were the guys who lost a significant amount of territory in the east.

Edited April 27, 2023 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[seth77]

Antioch struck 3 separate coinages at this time, starting with Elagabal and Severus Alexander: the regular copper coinage (SC and DE) which was likely a regional copper denomination (possibly based on the obol according to Butcher), the billon tetradrachmai which were likely aimed at the military units stationed in the East (together with the Cappadocian drachma and didrachmai) and from time to time Imperial denarii, meant to supply the expeditionary legions in their Eastern campaigns against the Persians/Sasanians. 

The Gordian tetradrachm is interesting with its military bust and Gorgon shield and was minted in 242 likely with the beginning of Gordian's campaign, but before he started issuing his Antioch denarii. It's very corroded and looks a lot like any regular pseudo-argenteus of Constantine with its brittle appearance. The tetradrachm of Philip II is a lot better, without any consistent wear, just a weaker obverse strike, which leaves the effigy and the legend in lower relief than the reverse. The one by Gordian was 19EUR and the one by Philip II was 23EUR (taxes and FedEx quota included).

[Al Kowsky]

seth, I like your bargain priced (23 euros) Tet of Philip II 😊. The coin looks very much like Prieur 400, & McAlee 1040b, & would be very rare. The Tet of Gordian III is no doubt very rare also, but would be difficult to attribute with certainty because of the heavy corrosion; it does resemble McAlee 885. Left facing portraits of these two boys are scarce to extremely rare. I have two left facing portraits of Philip II, & the last one I acquired at a CNG auction about 4 years ago is pictured below.

SELEUCIS & PIERIA, Antioch. Philip II, AD 247-249 (struck AD 247). Billon Tetradrachm: 12.23 gm, 25 mm, 6 h. Prieur 402A (this coin), McAlee 1032b. Extremely rare, 1 known to Prieur, none in Coin Archives.

 

[seth77]

Wow, I did not expect them to be rare, in fact quite the contrary, I was under the impression that they are the regular well known issues of the period. I have done a quick scan on RPC and seen that there are several issues of both these type but did not consider their rarity, thank you for your insight, it seems like this was a case of beginners luck considering that they are the first Antioch tetradrachms I ever purchased.