Coin gift idea as a thank you for advice/counsel?

[Steppenfool]

Hello everyone. A friend of mine has recently been a real lifeline to me in terms of offering advice/counsel and lending a listening ear. What affordable Roman coin would be a good gift to give as a thank you?

My initial thoughts were COMES or COMITI or CONSERVATORI types, but nothing came to mind immediately! Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[expat]

Minerva  is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Perhaps a coin with one of those reverses might be appropriate.

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by expat

[Curtisimo]

Many people that are new to ancients are surprised that many of the coins are quite small (particularly silver). I think that the best bang for buck on a larger silver coin that is sure to impress in-hand would be an Antoninianus of Gordian III or Philip I.

If you’re looking for something with symbolic significance related to advice then the goddess of wisdom is always a good call. You can sometimes find nice examples with some honest circulation wear relatively cheap.

Edited October 18, 2023 by Curtisimo

[DonnaML]

I like the idea of a Domitian denarius with Minerva on the reverse to symbolize wisdom and counsel. Plus they're very common, with all sorts of types. If you look on VCoins and MA-Shops, you should be able to find nice examples for a wide range of prices.  

[NathanB]

That is a wonderful idea, and I think it's worth pursuing. I also think asking here is a good idea, too.

That said, I think it's important to specify a price, and also a time range.  How much money are you willing to spend?  Also, do you have time to wait for a special coin at auction, or do you need to buy it quickly?  The answers to these two questions will directly affect your options and the ability of others to give you good advice.

As far as my proverbial two cents' worth, I always think a good gift for a good friend would be a coin from Augustus' or Tiberius's reign celebrating Agrippa.  The only reason our second summer month is named after Augustus is because in Agrippa he had the support of a highly intelligent, incredibly loyal ally and champion.  

Here's an image of a coin-type that--if it were available--would be *waaay* too much for me.  But it may not be too much for you.  The picture below is courtesy of the Former Place from which we all came:

The motif of hands clasped in a handshake is also a nice one.  Here's one from Vcoins:

Another consideration is this: what kinds of interests does your friend have?  That could also come into play.

I think my only hard and fast rule here would be this: give a coin with good eye appeal.  It might be VF and have very good eye appeal.  On the other hand, it might be heavily worn, with many problems, but because it is so scarce and in such high demand, it could be relatively expensive.  Unless there is a very particular piece that your friend is after, I would say to take that money and spend it instead on a less rare coin with eye appeal.

Finally, because you are putting thought and feelings into this, I think that the coin that you decide on will be a suitable gift for your friend, who will look at it as a symbol of your friendship.  I hope you will show it to us once you've purchased it.

Edited October 18, 2023 by NathanB

[Qcumbor]

Is your friend originated from a place where roman coins were made ?
In such case you might want to find something struck around the said place, there were so many mints all over the empire.

Just my two quadrantes
Q

Edited October 18, 2023 by Qcumbor