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AJ's Top Five of 2023


AncientJoe

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This year has been atypically busy for me, leaving disappointingly little time for coins. However, I did want to drop in and say that I have greatly enjoyed reading everyone's Top 5-10-25 lists and am hoping to respond to many more!

Here are my top coins received this year. I've limited the list just to five as these are my main additions although I did manage to "improve" some other coins through pedigree sleuthing done by myself or friends (most notably, an eagle-eyed friend found that my Colosseum sestertius belonged to a Tommaso Saulini (1793-1864) and also located a 1961 pedigree for my Nektanebo stater).


1) Julius Caesar aureus. I've long wanted a JC aureus but have been sorely outbid on every example I've attempted. However, this year finally saw one come home to my collection. The centering is a bit less than ideal but this coin has all of the important parts visible.

I also coincidentally ran into an early pedigree prior to the auction while browsing catalogs looking for a different coin which makes the coin even more desirable to me: Ex. CNG Auction 45, March 18, 1998 lot 1813; Ex Münzen und Medaillen Auktion XXVIII (19-20 June 1964), lot 251; Helbing Auktion (April 1931), lot 290; Helbing Auktion (March 1928), lot 460

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2) Pyrrhus tetradrachm (ex. Montagu, Weber, Locker Lampson). This is the second time I've tried to buy this coin and finally succeeded! I had what I thought was an excessive bid in 2019 and didn't even come close... but managed to buy it this time around for 1/3rd of my prior bid. It's a type which has been on my wantlist for 10+ years and I was losing hope of ever being able to cross it off.

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3) Terina stater. This is the second Terina stater I've owned - they are rare enough and I'm picky enough to have waited for 10+ years for this coin and I think it's finally a "keeper" for me. Both obverse and reverse are some of my favorite dies of the series.

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4) Gela tetradrachm. This is my first Man Faced Bull and I couldn't be happier: the engravers really captured the scene well on both sides.

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5) Thurium distater. The obverse is one of the more attractive heads and the overall coin is a noticeable upgrade over an example I owned a while ago. I have not yet tracked down a published pedigree but it was sold alongside other coins as "Ex Ratto 1940" so I'm not giving up hope.

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I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season filled with family, food, and fun.

Here's to 2024 being a great coin year for all!

(And, as always, please post anything related!)
 

Edited by AncientJoe
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Wow. Each coin would be a highlight of a high-end collection and beyond scoring (certainly from me).

I am stunned by their photography. If a studio took the photos, it is a great choice of studio. If personally, the results are outstanding and match the quality of the collection itself.

The first coin opens the door to ’12 Ceasers in gold’, the holy grail of Roman numismatics.

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I could list any number of reasons to love each one, but my favourite is the Pyrrhus tetradrachm. The portrait of Zeus and the oak wreath in his hair is amazing. Plus Pyrrhus is a famous and interesting individual.

I also like the heron? on the tetradrachm from Gela, as well as the man-headed bull of course.

And not to try and ride on AJ's coattails, I do have something relevant to show. The Terina stater AJ owned before he upgraded to his current piece. 

The centering, strike, condition & style of his current coin are outstanding, but his previous piece wasn't too shabby either. Credit to Joe for the photo also.TerinaNomos.png.65bd4bf964595c8cf64b3cc15826b69b.png

 

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Oh, boy, OH BOY!  The @AncientJoe list!

My reaction is exactly what I expected it to be, upon clicking in.

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I'd cheerfully trade my Top Ten for your Top Five, any day! 😉

We definitely have the "quality versus quantity" thing, here.

'Tis good to see you around.  Don't be a stranger.

I hope to see one of the @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix interviews with you, someday.

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A stunning and spectacular showing of coins! Really beautiful examples. I shouldn't be able to pick a favorite but I will: #3) Terina stater. I am just in love with with design. In fact, being outbid by a wide margin on one in 2020 marked the exact moment I threw in the towel on Greek coins of this quality and switched to Roman Imperial where my taste and budget are better aligned. I still have hope to own one someday, but yours is amazing.

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On 12/25/2023 at 2:58 AM, Rand said:

Wow. Each coin would be a highlight of a high-end collection and beyond scoring (certainly from me).

I am stunned by their photography. If a studio took the photos, it is a great choice of studio. If personally, the results are outstanding and match the quality of the collection itself.

The first coin opens the door to ’12 Ceasers in gold’, the holy grail of Roman numismatics.

Thank you! The photography is my own, a love/hate relationship as I'm far from a professional photographer but have managed to cobble together a fairly reproducible approach through brute force effort. My other coins are listed on my website: https://www.colosseocollection.com/p444364358

I don't think I'll build the Twelve Caesars in gold but Julius' portrait is indeed one of the "keys".

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On 12/25/2023 at 3:20 AM, Di Nomos said:

I could list any number of reasons to love each one, but my favourite is the Pyrrhus tetradrachm. The portrait of Zeus and the oak wreath in his hair is amazing. Plus Pyrrhus is a famous and interesting individual.

I also like the heron? on the tetradrachm from Gela, as well as the man-headed bull of course.

And not to try and ride on AJ's coattails, I do have something relevant to show. The Terina stater AJ owned before he upgraded to his current piece. 

The centering, strike, condition & style of his current coin are outstanding, but his previous piece wasn't too shabby either. Credit to Joe for the photo also.TerinaNomos.png.65bd4bf964595c8cf64b3cc15826b69b.png

 

I was hoping you'd post your/our example here too! It's an excellent coin and took me this long to find a slight upgrade.

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