One side is pretty nice

[Valentinian]

Here is a 3d C. antoninianus of Trebonianus Gallus (251-253) that has a nice portrait struck from a fresh obverse die. If all you want from a coin is a nice portrait, this one has that.



Too bad the obverse strike is uneven so that the lettering on the right side is not bold. Also, it is very common in the third century for reverse dies to be used well beyond their "best by" date. The obverse of this coin shows the coin was not worn. The reverse is in lower condition because the die was worn, but not retired, and continued to strike coins with details that are slurred.  At least the portrait side is nice. 
IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG
PIETAS AVGG, Pietas standing with both hands raised.
RIC 41, "Common".

Show us coins that are a lot better on one side than the other. 

 

[El Cazador]

8 minutes ago, Valentinian said:

Here is a 3d C. antoninianus of Trebonianus Gallus (251-253) that has a nice portrait struck from a fresh obverse die. If all you want from a coin is a nice portrait, this one has that.



Too bad the obverse strike is uneven so that the lettering on the right side is not bold. Also, it is very common in the third century for reverse dies to be used well beyond their "best by" date. The obverse of this coin shows the coin was not worn. The reverse is in lower condition because the die was worn, but not retired, and continued to strike coins with details that are slurred.  At least the portrait side is nice. 
IMP CAE C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG
PIETAS AVGG, Pietas standing with both hands raised.
RIC 41, "Common".

Show us coins that are a lot better on one side than the other. 

 

I agree, portrait is fantastic!

[Ryro]

Nice portrait!

I love the artistry of this horse... would've loved to have seen the obverse. I believe it's from Carthage:

 

[ela126]

I have a favorite coin here. Cleaned this one myself, thought I discovered a gem until I got to the reverse. Quite a nice obverse, must have had very little circulation seeing how good it is. I keep this is my tray.

[Phil Anthos]

I always wanted a coin with the Nemean lion battle scene, mainly because it's a perfect image for a round canvas. So I bought this one for the reverse, never thinking I'd end up with about 30 of them...

Taras, Calabria

325-280 BC AR Diobol (12mm, 1.02g) O: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Skylla. R: Herakles kneeling right, strangling the Nemean lion; club behind. cf Vlasto 1308-9; HN Italy 976; Sear 351v ex Jencek Historical Enterprise ~ Peter

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I like the Treb. portrait!  It's usually better to have the obverse as the best side, anyway.

Here are a few relatively recent examples, ranging from ancient damage to oversmoothed.

 

 

Q. Cassius Longinus, Rome, 55 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.60g). Head of Bonus Eventus (or Genius Populi Romani?) r.; sceptre behind. R/ Eagle standing r. on thunderbolt; lituus to l., capis to r. Crawford 428/3; RBW 1535; RSC Cassia 7.

Postumus. 259-268 AD. AR Antoninianus (3.67g, 23mm). Colonia Agrippinensis mint. Struck 262 AD. Obv.: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: VIRTVS AVG, Mars standing right, with spear and shield. RIC 93; Cunetio 2400. Elmer 190. Worn reverse die

Domitian - 81-96 - AE Sestertius - 35mm., 21.16g - RIC 702 - IOVI VICTORI

[Roman Collector]

Here's a similar phenomenon involving his son. This reverse die should have been retired. It is not only worn, but full of cracks and die damage. 

[expat]

Here is a good portrait of Postumus and a very weak reverse strike

[ambr0zie]

Same phenomenon on my Trebonianus Gallus. Obverse - very nice, reverse - not bad but "no face no name no number"

 

One of the most drastic contrasts in my collection - a Crispina denarius. 

[JeandAcre]

Crispina looks offended at the rotten Juno die.

Starting from @Valentinian's Trebonius Gallus, I can cut a worn reverse some slack, as long as it's still easy enough to make out the basic elements.  But when it goes off the rails, the rules change.

...Can't think of any examples from here, even among medievals.  In the case of those, if one side is cruddy, the other one generally is, too.

[akeady]

These two Augustus denarii are my best examples of this.   No prizes for guessing which sides stay up in the tray 😃

ATB,
Aidan.

[robinjojo]

I think the OP coin is very nice overall.  The obverse is excellent, and the reverse is pretty nice as well.

Here's a recent arrival that's a tale of two sides:

Constantine I, AE follis, Rome, RF, RS 315 AD.

RIC VII 33

2.99 grams 

[Postvmvs]

This uniface mint error Postumus antoninianus is extreme as gets:

[Phil Anthos]

I don't know if "one side is nice" or not, but the other side sure sucks...

Nerva / Concordia

97 AD AE As (25mm, 11.25g) O: Laureate head right; IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P II COS III P P. R: Clasped hands; CONCORDIA EXERCITVVS, S-C. RIC 95 / Cohen 23 / Sear 965v ex Empire Coins

[JeandAcre]

2 hours ago, Postvmvs said:

This uniface mint error Postumus antoninianus is extreme as gets:

...In this case, given the remarkable obverses of Postumus, and this one in particular, you could almost see this as anticipating a modern uniface medal, for instance all the ones @DonnaML has posted about, frequently from the same part of the world.  ...How did the engraving for the Gallic emperors end up running circles around that many of the 'official' issues?  No, Not a rhetorical question!

[Ursus]

Heavily worn reverse dies appear to be quite a common problem in 3rd century antoniniani. I certainly didn't buy the two coins below for the reverses – the portraits appealed to me, though.

Otacilia Severa, Roman Empire, antoninian, 246–248 AD, Rome mint. Obv: M OTACIL SEVERA AVG; bust of Otacilia Severa on crescent, diademed, r. Rev: IVNO CONSERVAT; Juno standing l., holding patera nd sceptre. 22mm, 3.45g. RIV IV Philip I 127.

 

Herennia Etruscilla, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 249–251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: HER ETRVSCILLA AVG; bust of Herennia Etruscilla, diademed, draped, on crescent, r. Rev: PVDICITIA AVG; Pudicitia, draped, veiled, standing l., drawing veil with r. hand, holding sceptre in l. hand. 22mm, 4.13g. Ref: RIC IV Trajan Decius 58.

[Deinomenid]

I do quite like  how they insist on a full description of the Cypriot syllabic inscription etc here, even though  it's basically a slug.

CYPRUS. Paphos. Onasioikos, circa 450-440 BC. Stater (Silver, 22 mm, 11.15 g, 6 h). Cypriot syllabic inscription effaced Bull standing to left with a solar disc above and an ankh to left, almost entirely effaced. Rev. Ba - O ( in Cypriot syllabics ) Eagle flying to left with spread wings; in the lower left field, astragalus; all within an incuse square.

 

[El Cazador]

1 hour ago, Deinomenid said:

I do quite like  how they insist on a full description of the Cypriot syllabic inscription etc here, even though  it's basically a slug.

CYPRUS. Paphos. Onasioikos, circa 450-440 BC. Stater (Silver, 22 mm, 11.15 g, 6 h). Cypriot syllabic inscription effaced Bull standing to left with a solar disc above and an ankh to left, almost entirely effaced. Rev. Ba - O ( in Cypriot syllabics ) Eagle flying to left with spread wings; in the lower left field, astragalus; all within an incuse square.

 

Truly fantastic detail, well done!

Edited May 21 by El Cazador

[Qcumbor]

I think this Marius could apply for the position :

Q