I upped my Domitian game

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I ended the birthday season by ordering myself a self-gift; a nice Domitian denarius.  The top one is the one which I initially purchased, but it turns out the coin was sold. D'oh!

The top one was of the late style which I really like. I don't go much for the realistic Domitians.  I want the idealized ones.

So, I went trawling vcoins and finding nothing super, I went to ma-coins.  After much looking I found a pretty nice coin for about $35 more.  The firm didn't have the catchiest name, Muenzenkontor Kornblum (I'm probably butchering the name), but the coin arrived in a pretty timely fashion; I had ordered it around 9/20-ish, and it was really nicely packed.  The photos made it look  slightly porous, but it's a lovely, old collection toned coin under normal viewing conditions.  Oh, and it came in a flip and it had an id tag.  Woo hoo!  I didn't have to make one!  Most European dealers don't do that.

I'd definitely buy from M-K again!

The sold coin:

I got:

Google translation:

Grade: Nice patina. Tiny scratches, almost extremely fine | Abbreviations
Catalog: RIC 189, 773, BMC 226, Cohen 286, Kampmann 24.71.
Weight: 3.47 g
Denarius 94/95 AD, Rome. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XIIII. Head with laurel wreath facing right// IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P. Minverva standing with spear facing left. Provenance: From a private collection in the Lower Rhine region. RIC 189, 773, BMC 226, Cohen 286, Kampmann 24.71. 3.47 g.

Both have good points.  The sold one has a better portrait but the purchased one has less wear and gives off old collection vibes.  I'd grade it VF+.

Post your favorite Domitian!

I've long ago completed the 12 Caesars but I still have a ways to go to complete a 'respectable' set.  My Caesar portrait coin is execrable, perhaps the worst known.  It would take Simon Cowell to describe it.  I have a relatively respectable elephant denarius, but it's unphotographed.  I only have decrepit examples of Vespasian (I never really cared much about getting a Vespasian), Titus, and Nerva.  I do now have a lovely Otho and my Dad solved my Tiberius problem. My respectable Caligula as is unfortunately in the unphotographed category.

 

 

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

I had originally intended to ask if ma-shops sent out an email (like with vcoins), announcing the coin was shipped.  I guess not.

The original coin has an exceptional portrait and I would have bought a great coin either way.  I'm glad that my German adventure worked out, and M-K will be going on my 'good' list.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Nice coin and glad you had success with M-A shops. I've always been pleased with my orders from dealers they feature.

[CPK]

Nice coin!

[expat]

Nice addition for your collection. Lovely clear legends

Having a few bronzes i decided to acquire a silver. This one was quite cheap.

[David Atherton]

10 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

I ended the birthday season by ordering myself a self-gift; a nice Domitian denarius.  The top one is the one which I initially purchased, but it turns out the coin was sold. D'oh!

The top one was of the late style which I really like. I don't go much for the realistic Domitians.  I want the idealized ones.

So, I went trawling vcoins and finding nothing super, I went to ma-coins.  After much looking I found a pretty nice coin for about $35 more.  The firm didn't have the catchiest name, Muenzenkontor Kornblum (I'm probably butchering the name), but the coin arrived in a pretty timely fashion; I had ordered it around 9/20-ish, and it was really nicely packed.  The photos made it look  slightly porous, but it's a lovely, old collection toned coin under normal viewing conditions.  Oh, and it came in a flip and it had an id tag.  Woo hoo!  I didn't have to make one!  Most European dealers don't do that.

I'd definitely buy from M-K again!

The sold coin:

I got:

Google translation:

Grade: Nice patina. Tiny scratches, almost extremely fine | Abbreviations
Catalog: RIC 189, 773, BMC 226, Cohen 286, Kampmann 24.71.
Weight: 3.47 g
Denarius 94/95 AD, Rome. IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM P M TR P XIIII. Head with laurel wreath facing right// IMP XXII COS XVII CENS P P P. Minverva standing with spear facing left. Provenance: From a private collection in the Lower Rhine region. RIC 189, 773, BMC 226, Cohen 286, Kampmann 24.71. 3.47 g.

Both have good points.  The sold one has a better portrait but the purchased one has less wear and gives off old collection vibes.  I'd grade it VF+.

Post your favorite Domitian!

I've long ago completed the 12 Caesars but I still have a ways to go to complete a 'respectable' set.  My Caesar portrait coin is execrable, perhaps the worst known.  It would take Simon Cowell to describe it.  I have a relatively respectable elephant denarius, but it's unphotographed.  I only have decrepit examples of Vespasian (I never really cared much about getting a Vespasian), Titus, and Nerva.  I do now have a lovely Otho and my Dad solved my Tiberius problem. My respectable Caligula as is unfortunately in the unphotographed category.

 

 

 

Nice example at a decent price! The date should be January-September 95, one of his last denarius issues.

[JAZ Numismatics]

8 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

I had originally intended to ask if ma-shops sent out an email (like with vcoins), announcing the coin was shipped.  I guess not.

The original coin has an exceptional portrait and I would have bought a great coin either way.  I'm glad that my German adventure worked out, and M-K will be going on my 'good' list.

Vcoins doesn't actually inform customers that a coin has shipped. That's up to the seller. If you use PayPal, the seller can upload the tracking number and then PayPal will send the buyer an email. But if a buyer uses a credit card, it's up to the seller to contact the buyer directly with the tracking number.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

 

It's nice that nice coins don't necessarily have to be too expensive.

The celator who did my coin certainly wasn't nearly of the caliber of the one one who did the first coin, but it's still enjoyable.  He did a better than average reverse, however.

Oops, I guess Nerva wasn't one of the 12 Caesars, which makes my 'respectable' 12 Caesars set easier.  It's easy to pick up a nice Vespasian but cost filters of 250 (all kinds of denominations as/dupondius/denarius/drachm/tetradrachm turn up coins which weren't too much better than my 'best' example.

I never really got into Vespasian, Titus, Nerva, etc.  I always collected the bad boy emperors and coins which were issued during troubled times.