GAVIN'S TOP 5 COINS OF 2023

[Gavin Richardson]

I didn't really buy enough coins to justify a proper Top 10 list this year, but here are 5 coins that have brought me a lot of pleasure.

5. CONSTANTINE / SOL FACING

So I'm cheating a little bit with this one. This spring I bought a small lot of six coins. They feature a research interest of mine--the SOLI INVICTO COMITI reverse type for Constantine. Several factors attracted me to this lot, but I’ll mention only one here: Sol is facing forward, not to the left, on one of the coins from Ticinum (second row right). That's a scarce variant for people who care about these sorts of things. I now have a “Sol facing” example from all three Ticinum officinae that struck them. That alone was worth the price of the lot.

312-313 A.D. Æ nummus / follis 20.70 x 22.97 mm. 4.37 g. 180°

CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; laureate and cuirassed bust right.

SOLI INVI-C-TO COMITI; [[Dedicated] to [the emperor’s] companion, the unconquered Sun]. Sol radiate standing, head facing, chlamys draped over his left shoulder and hanging behind, raising his right hand and holding up globe with his left.

TT; third officina of the Ticinum mint

RIC VI Ticinum 133

4. DOMITIAN AS CAESAR

I may be tempting fate since this coin has not arrived yet, but I thought I would go ahead and include it. To tell the truth, I really have no idea why I bought this coin. But anytime I see a large bronze Twelve Caesars coin at a budget price, it piques my interest. I think I liked the obverse legend engraving. And the portrait is distinctive enough for a younger Domitian just on the cusp of becoming Emperor.

77-78 A.D. Æ As 27 mm. 10.00 g.

CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS COS V; laureate head right.

Spes standing left holding flower & hem of skirt, SC in fields.

RIC II PART 1 Second Edition Domitian 1290

3. CONSTANTINE VIRT EXERCIT GALL (MILVIAN BRIDGE)

One of the most momentous events in history was Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D., making Constantine the sole ruler in the West. Though Constantine’s sons would strike commemorative coinage, there is only one contemporary coin that celebrates that victory directly. After the battle, Constantine wished to honor the Gallic Army, whose military prowess was key to his victory, so he struck this half-follis ca. 312-313. The reverse legend of this coin, VIRT EXERCIT GALL, praises the “virtus,” or manly power, of the Gallic exercitus, or army, with a personification of Virtus leaning on a spear. The coin is unusual for depicting Constantine wearing a radiate crown, which might simply signify a distinctive value or denomination. This coin is scarce.

312-313 A.D.; Æ half follis; 19 mm.; 2.63 g.; 0°

FL VAL CONSTANTINVS AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right seen from the rear.

VIRT EXERCIT GALL; Virtus standing left, looking right, right leaning on spear, left holding parazonium; in left field X, in right field VI.

RT; third officina of the Rome mint.

RIC VI Rome 360

2. PTOLEMY III HOCKEY PUCK

How large does a Ptolemaic bronze have to be before it qualifies as a “hockey puck”? I've always wanted one of these just for the sheer pleasure of showing one off. This was advertised at 42mm. Unfortunately, it actually comes in at about 40.5mm. Still, at 60 grams, a hefty coin. So I'm going to count it. I wanted to photograph this coin quite literally in hand so folks can have a better sense of scale. I have placed it next to the two largest coins I own--a large Byzantine follis (that green is stable verdigris) and a worn sestertius of Titus. That might give you a sense of how big this 40.5mm drachm is. And some of these big boys circulated at 46 to 48mm! The portrait of Zeus is powerful, and the reverse eagle looks pretty fierce. Interestingly, there's a Chi-Rho monogram between the eagle's feet. After the advent of Christianity, this symbol would be associated with Christ. But in pre-Christian times, it was already a common monogram standing for “chrestos,” or “excellent, pleasing, good.” The pre-Christian life of the symbol might explain how it could be readily transferred to Christ, with the same fortuitous opening letters as chrestos.

PTOLEMAIC KINGDOM OF EGYPT, PTOLEMY III EUERGETES; “PTOLEMY THE BENEFACTOR”

246-232 BC; AE 41 drachm; 40.57 x 40.72 mm; 60.26 g.; 0°

Head of Zeus Ammon, facing right.

ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ; “Ptolemy King”; Eagle facing left, standing on thunderbolt; cornucopiae to left. XP monogram between eagle’s legs.

1. ATHENS OWL

 

 

So as a man of modest means, I can't really have many “bucket list” coins. This coin was perhaps the last must-have on that list. It's an Athenian tetradrachm struck ca. 440-404 BC. Athenian owls pretty much became the de facto unit of exchange in the ancient Mediterranean. As such, they were often counterfeited, which accounts for the deep gash in between the eyes of the owl. The gash is a test cut. Some merchant, banker, or currency official in antiquity hacked into the coin to make sure that it was silver all the way through and not simply a bronze coin with a silver wash. Historically, this coin is a bit pricey due to high demand, but in about 2018, it was believed that a hoard containing some 25,000 staters and tetradrachms was found, resulting in thousands of new Athenian owls flooding the market. This fact, coupled with the test cut on the reverse, allowed me to acquire my specimen. Most collectors would prefer an uncut owl, but I actually would rather have the cut. Not only does it bring the price down, but it also enables the coin to tell a more complete story about the material economy of the ancient world. 

440-404 B.C.; AR Tetradrachm; 24.64 x 24.10 mm irregular flan; 17.02 g.; 90°

Helmeted head of Athena right, wearing earring.

AΘE, owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind.

SNG Copenhagen 31-40

 

HAPPY 2024 EVERYONE!

Edited December 20, 2023 by Gavin Richardson

[CPK]

Great top 5! 👍

[DonnaML]

My favorites: the owl and the hockey puck. Sounds like the beginning of a poem!

[JayAg47]

I really like the heavy Ptolemy drachm.

[David Atherton]

2 hours ago, DonnaML said:

My favorites: the owl and the hockey puck. Sounds like the beginning of a poem!

I agree with Donna. Great coins Gavin!

[Valentinian]

3 hours ago, DonnaML said:

the owl and the hockey puck. Sounds like the beginning of a poem!

No, it sounds like a British pub in Oxford.
 

[singig]

I like the lot of six coins you hold in hand  , nice details on all ,... and of course the large Ptolemy coin. Congatulations !

[panzerman]

I pick the Ptolemy III and coins on hand!

 

John

[happy_collector]

Nice additions! The Ptolemy drachm is my favorite.  🙂

[ambr0zie]

All interesting coins and all deserve their place. But what I liked the most is the Athens tetradrachm. I totally agree with the elements in the write up and I am also looking for a similar example. 

[lordmarcovan]

I like the patina on the Constantine lot.  The Ptolemaic hockey puck is cool- I have yet to own one of those.

[Valentinian]

On 12/20/2023 at 11:49 AM, Gavin Richardson said:

Sol is facing forward, not to the left,

Good eye!  That is a special type, quite rare, for those who care about such details. I have a SOLI INVICTO COMITI with a captive:

Also nice, for those who care about such details.
19-18 mm. 3.28 grams.
RIC Rome 52 "316-317"

For those of us who like coins a bit out of the ordinary, late Roman AE offers many variants to enjoy. 

 

[Gavin Richardson]

10 hours ago, Valentinian said:

Good eye!  That is a special type, quite rare, for those who care about such details. I have a SOLI INVICTO COMITI with a captive:

Also nice, for those who care about such details.
19-18 mm. 3.28 grams.
RIC Rome 52 "316-317"

For those of us who like coins a bit out of the ordinary, late Roman AE offers many variants to enjoy. 

 

Yes! And if you look in that lot toward the bottom, there's a variant of Sol being crowned by Victory, which is also a bit scarce. Another reason I bought the lot. And I didn't have any Licinius SOL coins, so that boxed was checked off as well.

[seth77]

The Sol facing is by far my favorite from this selection.

[Valentinian]

5 hours ago, Gavin Richardson said:

Yes! And if you look in that lot toward the bottom, there's a variant of Sol being crowned by Victory, which is also a bit scarce.

Two rarities in one lot! 

Here is mine:

20-19 mm. 3.39 grams.
Constantine, 307-337
Victory crowning Sol
RIC Rome 49 struck "316"

While we're on the topic of varieties, here is one with an impressive cape:



22-20 mm. holed.
Sometimes Sol holds only a globe in his left hand. On this one he not only holds a globe, but also a whip.
RIC VI Rome 332 "312-3"

Show us other variants of this otherwise common type!

 

[Gavin Richardson]

20 hours ago, Valentinian said:

Two rarities in one lot! 

Here is mine:

20-19 mm. 3.39 grams.
Constantine, 307-337
Victory crowning Sol
RIC Rome 49 struck "316"

While we're on the topic of varieties, here is one with an impressive cape:



22-20 mm. holed.
Sometimes Sol holds only a globe in his left hand. On this one he not only holds a globe, but also a whip.
RIC VI Rome 332 "312-3"

Show us other variants of this otherwise common type!

 

GAME ON!

I really like that cape and whip variant. I thought I had seen them all!

Here's a SOL ADVANCING with globe variant. Not in RIC.

 

And another one from Lyon--SOL ADVANCING with whip.

And a Ticinum variant with whip:

If you see a thousand of these with Sol facing left holding a globe, and then you see an unusual  variant, it's a little bit of a thrill.

 

 

[Qcumbor]

We are several people here who like the hockey puck the most : you will have hard time choosing who you will send it to 😄 

Q

[Prieure de Sion]

On 12/20/2023 at 8:49 PM, Gavin Richardson said:

2. PTOLEMY III HOCKEY PUCK

Love this "hockey pucks" - fantastic coins. Unfortunately, I haven't managed to own one of these coins to date.

[Curtisimo]

Great Top 5 @Gavin Richardson! My favorite is the hockey puck.

[Al Kowsky]

The hockey puck wins the race 🏃‍♂️.

[robinjojo]

The Athenian owl is a nice example of this iconic coin, and the Ptolemy bronze puck is an impressive example!

[Limes]

Great coins! Im going against popular opinion here, but I like your no. 3 the most. I got a coin this year, with the Milvian Bridge on the reverse. I like the history behind it, its a big turning point in Roman history perhaps. But I did not know your coin even exists, and is a direct reference to the battle, and even more specifically, the soldiers fighting in it. A good find, and it shows your knowledge about issues of Constantine. Well done! And an absolutely fantastic piece of history! 

[JeandAcre]

Wow.  I've Never, Once, seen a Constantine I with a radiate crown, never mind as a rare, immediate commemoration of Milvian Bridge.  Between the occasion, and the already somewhat anachronistic topicality of the reverse, I really want to think that, in light of his victory, Constantine may have been intentionally hearkening back to issues of the later 'Anarchy.'  But that's just me.

Back to when LRBs and later antoniniani were the nuts and bolts of my collecting, as a kid, I never evolved beyond collecting by type.  It's amazing to see the diversity of the SOLI INVICTO issues.  ...Once, a collector I met through ebay (already years later) told me that there was a variant with a Latin cross in the left field, almost as if Constantine was hedging his bets.  ...Unacquainted as I am with the devices in the fields, for this whole period, the 'X' on the reverse of the radiate one isn't persuading me as having any religious significance.  If anyone wanted to bounce off of that, it would be keenly appreciated.

During the one family trip to Europe, when I was 11, my German uncle made sure we saw a local relief of Mithras.  It was literally still by the side of the road, showing its age, but it was vaguely along these lines.

But, Nope, the radiate Constantine is the one that really made me sit up in my chair.  Terrific assemblage, across the board!

Edited December 24, 2023 by JeandAcre

[Gavin Richardson]

4 hours ago, JeandAcre said:

Once, a collector I met through ebay (already years later) told me that there was a variant with a Latin cross in the left field, almost as if Constantine was hedging his bets. 

I suspect that collector was referring to this type, struck only at Ticinum. A control mark or a Christian cross? Scholars are divided. I’d like to think the latter.

 

[savitale]

Nice coins! I can appreciate the thrill of victory when finally bringing home that "Sol facing" or whatever your particular white whale is. Congratulations! Personally, I'm  partial to the #3. CONSTANTINE VIRT EXERCIT GALL (MILVIAN BRIDGE), because you tied it so well to a particular historical event. Thanks for sharing!