So very happy!

[kirispupis]

Just a random post on how happy I am that I chose ancient coins as a hobby. While I may be less happy when my wife sees the statements, in the last couple of weeks I've picked up a great batch of very interesting coins. The following are some highlights that have me so excited (most are still on the way).

Feel free to post your own "happy" coins!

• I finally bagged a Hyspaosines tet after losing out on a bunch of them
• In the same auction, I grabbed a Bagadates drachm, which I'd lost out on about as often as Hyspaosines
• It took a lot of fun research, but I believe I've procured an obol from Manbog, which is a city I didn't think I'd achieve. I wrote about that a lot already.
• Some more research turned up a fascinating coin from a relatively common city in Asia Minor. I believe it to have been minted by a little-known but fascinating tyrant around the time of Alexander the Great. I'll dedicate a post to that coin when I receive it.
• I decided (for long-ish reasons I'll detail in a post) to pick up a bronze from Agathokles of Syracuse. I pored through the copies for sale and found a very nice one and bought it. Then today I found one for a steal with the left half of the name rubbed off. I believe it may have been done by someone who bore a grudge against Agathokles and perhaps may have lost a loved one to him. I couldn't resist buying that one too due to the story.
• Another coin I thought I'd have no chance at - an Alexander tet from Memphis. I was able to afford it due to a chip, but I'm fine with that.
• I went four for four at a recent auction, picking up three very rare 4th century bronzes. I also won a rare obol from Mallos that I had a lowball bid on because I was already happy with my haul.
• After adding only one person to my People of Philip II, Alexander III, and the Diadochi collection this entire year, I added five. 
  • The tyrant mentioned above
  • Agathokles of Syracuse
  • Alexander of Pherai (I'd been debating this one for two years and gave in)
  • Kleomenes of Naukratis (yeah, I know the attribution is debated)
  • Someone else who I didn't realize had coins, only to learn that they're just very rare. Will require a separate post when I receive it.

All in all, very happy times! What I'm especially thrilled about was that several of these coins weren't expensive and just required some research to uncover.

Including two of the coins, even though I've already discussed them.

Cyrrhestica, Bambyke-Manbog
Circa 330 BCE
AR Obol .51g, 9mm
Obv: Unknown portrait facing left. U monogram of Manbog right.
Rev: Artagatis enthroned left, wearing long dress tied by a belt; scepter in left hand, wreath in outstretched right
unpublished

Egypt, Ptolemy I as satrap
with name and types of Alexander III
Memphis, c. 323/2 BCE
AR Tetradrachm, 16.09g
bv: Head of young Herakles r. wearing lionskin headdress.
Rx: AΛEΞANΔPoY Zeus seated l. holding eagle and scepter, in l. field, head of Amun-Ra (as ram) r., wearing double-plume crown, monogram under throne
CPE-4, Price-3964
Ex NFA

 

Also adding two wildlife photos I took in the last week. More happy times.

[Sulla80]

FEL TEMPS @kirispupis - congrats on the coins and great action shots of the eagle and heron.  Here's a little coin that is worth a smile.

Thrace, Black Sea Coast, Istros, Trihemiobol or 1/4 Drachm (1.20g, 9mm), circa 313-280 BCE Obv: Facing male heads, the right inverted. Rev: ΙΣΤΡΙΗ, sea eagle right, grasping dolphin with talons; monogram (AΓ or AΠ? magistrate or control mark?) below dolphin.

Notes here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/small-packages

Edited June 7, 2023 by Sulla80

[CPK]

Great to hear that a fellow-collector is doing well! Congrats on your new scores! And wow, lovely bird photos too.

Recently I've got a couple nice ones in - I've been avidly pursuing a more specific sub-collection which has been lots of fun - Roman Asses with interesting or unusual reverse types. There are so many out there I've never even heard of, and it's been fun hunting them down! Since the more "interesting" reverse types tend to be more popular and/or rare, I generally can't afford the nicest examples, but I'm happy with what I've got. This is one of the latest:

Which appears to be a reverse-die match to this one: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1937477

The first time I saw this type was in Wayne G. Sayles' book Ancient Coin Collecting III: The Roman World - Politics and Propaganda. I was instantly smitten and immediately put it on my wishlist, but they are not terribly common and nice ones fetch a pretty penny. This coin struck just the right balance: poor enough to keep the price reasonable, while still holding a decent amount of eye appeal.

I have another inexpensive but interesting as soaking in sodium sesquicarbonate right now to help clear up a few suspicious green spots, and a third hopefully arriving tomorrow in the mail. Happy times indeed! 😄🤓

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Those are beautiful pictures, both of the coins and especially the wildlife ones.

Yes, coin collecting can be very happy.  A visit to the coin shop was my turnaround point during the worst of my eye trouble.

[thenickelguy]

Nice coins for sure! One super picture of the eagle. It looks like the Blue Heron had banged into something on it's wing elbows. I would like t copy that eagle picture for my own use if you don't mind. I'd like to share it in an email if that's OK? Beautiful moment captured. I guess he missed the fish tho?

[Steppenfool]

That is a great shot of the bald eagle. I've never seen one in person, we get the golden eagles here in the UK.