What is your collection focus?

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

Do you just buy whatever catches your eye? Do you have a super niche focus? Do you go after all the main gods, or architectural coins, or the animals, or something else? Here is the place to share your collection focus and tell us why you chose it! Post one or more coins as well to give us a taste!
  
As many of you know, my collection focus is “Coins with a cool backstory”.  
  
Basically I’m looking for coins where I can go off for a tangent and talk about something connected to the coin itself.  
  
For example (videos on Reddit linked in blue):  

Alexander The Great Tetradrachm: minted in Babylon or by a moving mint travelling with him while he was there and about to die. Very real chance this coin has been in the immediate vicinity of Alexander himself. This can also count towards the 7 Wonders of the World set, given that no coins connected to the Hanging gardens of Babylon exist, so a coin from Babylon seems fitting. 

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Julius Caesar Elephant Denarius: it was coined by a moving mint as he crossed the Rubicon. Truly one of the most important moments of Roman history and this coin was there to witness it!

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Titus Elephant Denarius: it was minted for the inauguration of the Colosseum one year after the Vesuvius Eruption. Imagine this: a survivor from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum could have fled to Rome and held this coin as he was sitting in the Colosseum for its inauguration while telling his friends the amazing story of the eruption.

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T. Carisius Denarius: it has the goddess Juno Moneta — where the word for ‘money’ comes from — on the obverse and the minting tools used to make coins on the reverse.

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Rhodos Drachm: it has the profile of Helios on the obverse, most likely the Colossus of Rhodes, and it was minted while it was still visible — albeit shortly after it was destroyed. The man who engraved my coin probably saw the Colossus while it was still standing and he might have witnessed the earthquake that destroyed it! This is another from the 7 Wonders set.

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Philip I Antoninianus: it was minted for the 1.000th anniversary of Rome. This type was featured in the book “100 Greatest Ancient Coins” by Harlan Berk.

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The ‘Longinus’ Denarii: Lucius Cassius Longinus and Quintus Cassius Longinus, minted to commemorate the Trial of the Vestal Virgins.

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Titus ‘Anchor and Dolphin’ Denarius: it was the coin that inspired Aldus Manutius and his ‘logo’. Erasmus of Rotterdam wrote about this coin in his ‘Adagia’ and it was probably minted to ‘calm the gods’ after the Vesuvius eruption. I’m working on an infographic for this coin as well!

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Lighthouse of Alexandria Drachm: it shows how the Pharos looked like when it was still standing. Another Wonder of the ancient world. Bonus ‘cool points’: it comes from the collection of Giovanni Dattari (1853–1923) and it’s illustrated in the volume RPC IV.4 (My coin, 74/13).  

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On my ‘doable’ wishlist there are a few rather expensive coins: a nice Athenian Tetradrachm with the owl (possibly a Starr), a Lydian electrum trite with the lion, and a Lysimachos Tetradrachm with the portrait of Alexander The Great. On my ‘dream wishlist’ there are, like, 30 coins I’ll never be able to afford! (Basically all of AncientJoe’s collection, he has amazing taste!)
  
INFOGRAPHICS I MADE:

1 - The T. Carisius Denarius and the minting tools

2 - The Julius Caesar Elephant Denarius

3 - The Alexander The Great Tetradrachm

4 - The Rhodos Drachm and the Colossus

5 - The Longinus Denarii: the Trial of the Vestal Virgins
  
What is your collection focus? (If you have any!) Why did you choose that focus? Give us a taste and post one or more coins that best represent your collection!

A.C.

[JAZ Numismatics]

Like many collectors, for years I simply bought whatever caught my eye. I'm not disparaging that style of collecting at all, but eventually I became dissatisfied with it because it posed no "challenge of the hunt." I had always been drawn to pre-Islamic Arabian coinage for a variety of reasons - the highly idiosyncratic imitations of Athenian and Hellenic models, the mystique of partly-nomadic, partly-sedentary cultures like the Nabataeans, the histories of great Levantine cities like Damascus, Bostra, Philadelphia, and Petra, etc. My primary collection now consists of coins that came from civilizations on the Arabian Peninsula and cities in the region of modern-day Jordan. (I only sporadically collect Islamic and modern coins from this area, only because if you specialize, you have to draw the line somewhere.) Martin Huth assembled one of the largest collections of pre-Islamic coinage, and I'm aiming for something similar, although my collection also includes Roman provincial and city issues.

The coins within this compass are plentiful, but are often poorly struck and heavily circulated. Also, one finds many tooled and re-patinated coins. In fact, altered coins are a much bigger issue than forgeries. Like most large collecting fields, there are certain great rarities and a few downright impossibilities. But archaeology in the region is only in its infancy, and many hoard finds are still expected.

Here is a page from my catalog illustrating a few examples. The first blank is reserved for a legend variant of the coin of Aretas III (which I've already isolated and hope to acquire shortly). The second blank is for a specific coin of of Tigranes minted at Damascus. Since the Damascene issues of Aretas III were not dated, the first issues of his successor, which were dated, give us the terminus ante quem for Aretas III's issues. I include a number of such supplemental coins in the collection - coins that have some important numismatic bearing on the coins in the main collection...

 

[Helvius Pertinax]

I also started out buying what I found neat without much of a theme. Then I got into Persian coins and I've been able to pursue that interest quite a bit this year.

 

Mainly, I collect Persian royal coins, although I've got some Satrapal coins too. Today, I won my 24th Siglos, but also got "distracted" and bought a lot of 7 Denarii that... caught my eye 😅

 

I very much respect the cool backstory theme, quite the collection you've put together and it's awesome what you do with it as far as editing and researching goes!

[Cordoba]

primarily baktrian/indo greek, I've consigned most of the non baktrian stuff I have

 

Euthydemos II Tetradrachm

31 mm, 16.94 g. Bopearachchi 1A

Edited November 12, 2024 by Cordoba

[kirispupis]

My collection was briefly broad, then expanded, and now is contracting again (due to budget).

It started around collecting coins attributed to people around Philip II, Alexander III, and the Era of the Diadochi. That collection is nearly complete, with only three coins within my budget remaining - and all three are extremely rare.

I then expanded it to cities around the same area, and then expanded that collection to include cities that issued coins later and from Italian mints, though I've never fully pushed there.

My next expansion came to collecting the Kingdoms after Alexander. That collection is also nearly complete, with only one pricy target left (though I've been tempted to just go for a far cheaper target and call it done)

I then veered off towards a small collection involving Xenophon's 10,000. For the most part, this collection is complete since the only remaining coins are beyond my budget.

During all of these, I added a Roman emperor whenever I came across a budget example, but I don't actively add here. This is what I have so far.

My latest collection is around the Koinon of Macedon coins, which I find fascinating.

However, with my budget now seriously curtailed, I've restricted my search to mainly the cities and a hope that one of my three people targets will come up in an affordable example someday.

[Hrefn]

7 hours ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

Do you just buy whatever catches your eye? Do you have a super niche focus?

I have great admiration for those whose collections have a narrow focus, because naturally they become quite expert in their chosen coin series.   Ultimately, all collectors benefit from this, as the knowledge diffuses into the rest of the collecting community.  There are many experts on this forum, and their contributions here are invaluable.  No one can be an expert on everything, so some degree of concentration makes you a better and more informed collector.  

On the other hand, there are those of us who are easily distracted by shiny things.  

As I survey my collection, it really does resemble something like an academic collection, but super niche it is definitely not.  Late Roman and Byzantine solidi through hypera were struck over 9 centuries.  I am still working on an example of every affordable emperor, but I haven’t been very disciplined about it.  For example, I have several coins of Theodosius II but lack a single example of other emperors who are commonly available.  

  If you are collecting Late Roman solidi, how can you pass up coins of the breakup of the Western portion?  And the successor kingdoms?

Top row:  three Western solidi of Zeno, and an Ostrogothic solidus of Theodoric.  

Bottom row:  Lombard coins of Romuald, Grimald and Sicardus.  

And there are the other successor kingdoms, the Visigoths, Vandals, Merovingians (too expensive).  One simply cannot chase them all.  The Carolingians and Anglo Saxons don’t have much if any affordable gold, but very rare and lovely silver coins can be found.  Many of these exist in numbers less than 100 known.  Anglo-Saxon sceats, the later pennies, or Carolingian coins would all be satisfying and challenging “niche” collections.  Certainly there is room in my collection for at least a few examples of these.  

 

Class 2 Denier of Emperor Louis the Pious, city of Tours.  50 examples known to Depeyrot.  

Then there are the Byzantines’ rivals and sometime foes, the Normans, Venetians, and Crusaders.

And a few of their religious and political rivals, the various Islamic powers.  

 

Dinar (left) of al-Amir circa AD 1158,  with Crusader copy (right).  In the outer ring of the inscription on the Crusader piece, the cluster of three dots at about 1 o’clock has been suggested as a subtle reference to the Trinity, which would be very interesting if true.   

And to round things out, a portrait gallery of bronzes of the Tetrarchy, since the gold of Diocletian and Constantius I is pretty expensive.  

In my own mind, all of the coins above are tied to the late Roman and Byzantine empire, its successors, rivals, and foes.   This makes for a very broad niche indeed.  Even so, on occasion I stray outside even this generous-sized field to buy something which catches my eye.

[Qcumbor]

I need to discipline myself since I'm easily all over the place.

My main "non-focused" collecting theme is "Roman", i.e. republic, empire and provincial, with two very strict rules of thumb : 1-I like it, and 2-I can afford it ! 😄 
That said, I try to build some more adult-ish series, such as Plautilla denarii, Trajan Decius' family and Divi series, Lupa Romana, Gallienus zoo series, Syro-phenician tetradrachms, Alexandria provincials, Diana Lucifera, Gordian III, gaulish provincials (Nemausus dupondii and such). That means I have almost everyday to tell myself : stay focused, stay focused, really !!

On the other hand I have a collecting niche which is the coinage of the Dombes principality. There, I have absolutely no problem to stay focused, I can wait for years for the right coin to pop up at auction and snag it. My goal is to built as comprehensive as possible a collection. Why that ? Because 40 years ago we moved to a village at the border betwenn Dombes and Savoie and I felt in need of further investigating what had been produced in the area. It would have to be either Savoie or Dombes, but back then Savoie was very popular among collectors, especially from the north of Italy and prices were almost ten times what they were for the Dombes coinage. Then you know what it is : the more you know, the more you want to know more !!

The nice thing is I can navigate from one to the other, depending on what is available and the funds I have

A few examples :

 

Dombes :

Q

Edited November 12, 2024 by Qcumbor

[sand]

I'm a generalist, more or less. But, many times I've become somewhat focused on 1 particular area. Sort of a "serial specialist". In the past, I've been somewhat focused on early US coins, English pennies (silver and bronze), Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Alexander III The Great, Nonclassical, Spanish coins minted in the New World (cobs), The Middle East, Judaean, ancient China, medieval China, Vietnam, Celtic, early Greek electrum coins, Indo Greek and Bactria, ancient India, island nations, medieval coins, and early Islamic.

Often, I'll see a coin for sale, about which I know nothing. Then, I'll buy the coin. Then, I'll do a lot of research about the history of the coin and the culture that created the coin. Then, I'll buy more coins in that area. "Buy the coin, then buy the book, then buy more coins in that area" has been my process. And, I have bought many coin books. I value the broad knowledge of history, which I've learned, by collecting coins. It seems that, collecting coins, has motivated me, to learn history.

Lately, I've been buying a lot of medieval coins, and a few Byzantine coins. I haven't bought many books lately. It's been a while, since I last found a new collecting area. But, I keep finding interesting coins, and buying them. Here are a few coins from my collection.

Byzantine Empire. Justinian I The Great. AE 40 Nummi Follis. Regnal Year 12. 538 AD To 539 AD. Nicomedia Mint. Sear 201. DO 116b.1. Maximum Diameter 44.0 mm. Weight 21.73 grams. Obverse : Justinian I Bust Facing Front. Reverse : Large M Mint "NIK" Officina B Under Large M.

Greek. Ionia EL 1/24 Stater. Minted 650 BC To 600 BC. Uncertain Mint. SNG Kayhan 678. Hogarth 6. Maximum Diameter 6.0 mm. Weight 0.59 grams. Obverse : Plain. Reverse : Square Incuse Punch.

Spain. Philip II. Silver 8 Reales "Piece Of Eight". Minted 1589 AD To 1591 AD. Potosi Mint (In What Is Now Bolivia). Assayer RL. Maximum Diameter 37.7 mm. Weight 27.20 grams. Paoletti 97. Sedwick P13. KM 5.1.

Edited November 12, 2024 by sand

[Phil Anthos]

I guess like most when I started collecting ancients I bought whatever I liked, and mostly what I could afford. In those pre-internet days I often bought from unillustrated bargain catalogs, but I knew I would specialize someday, and after I got my first Velia didrachm I knew it would be Magna Graecia...

Probably not the best choice for a budget collector, but the coins of the Greek colonies in Southern Italy really spoke to me then. Still do. However I never had the money to be able to prioritize grade unfortunately (only once have I spent over $500), so historical significance, artistic merit, and scarcity (careful searching) had to take the lead. 

I bought my first Taras coin, a silver litra from one of those cheapy catalogs...

.. but when my wife and I went to our first San Francisco bourse I just couldn't leave without buying a didrachm, Vlasto 836, the most common didrachm in the entire series...

That was all it took, and I was off and running. Coins came slower in those days, so the Taras subcollection kind of evolved over a long time, but at some point I realized that this was my specialty area. I have around 115 specimens now, but since my entire ancient collection is less than 300 coins Taras represents a significant percentage. I'd like to get at least one example from each period. The main focus now is on the prolific series of diobols which were struck as a federal coinage to circulate throughout Southern Italy...

These were also struck at various mints around the area, so I'm trying to get at least one example from each, like this one from Arpi...

And I keep my eyes open for scarce varieties or hidden (ie; underpriced) rarities, but then who doesn't?...

I also have all the major texts related to the series, the cost of which sucked up many potential coins, but if you specialize that comes with the territory. Sear or HGC just can't cut it...  https://www.librarything.com/catalog/Enodia?tag=Taras

But the study itself is also a large part of my enjoyment so they're purchased with nearly the same enthusiasm as the coins themselves. 

Retired now and on a pretty stifling budget, I recently moved some retirement funds around and found I was doing a bit better than I thought, so of course I'm doing the responsible thing... buying more coins! 

Soon the dream will die and I'll be faced with having to sell off, but that thought makes me sad, so I just put it out of my mind on carry on regardless.  😎 

~ Peter 

[rasiel]

I think that it's nearly always the case that whatever level you find yourself in, from casual to intense, one nearly always starts with a wide scope that continually narrows.

Me, I'm a Roman bigot.

Roman imperial: YESSS.

Byzantine: Nice!

British monarchs: ok, cool.

Greek: well, my wife likes them

Roman Republican: are those ancient Morgan dollars?

Roman provincials: 🥱

Rasiel

[CPK]

I don't really have a single collecting focus. I am one of those collectors who usually just buys whatever appeals to me. That said, there are some broad categories I tend to go for more often than others:

1. Roman Imperial coins

CLAUDIUS, AD 41-54
AE As (29.19mm, 10.34g, 6h)
Struck AD 50-54. Rome mint
Obverse: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, bare head of Claudius left
Reverse: LIBERTAS AVGVSTA S C, Libertas standing facing, head right, holding pileus in right hand and extending left
References: RIC I 113 (C), RCV 1860
Smooth dark brown patina. Well-centered and struck, with an excellent portrait in fine style. Detailed reverse.

 

I have coins from all different time periods and cultures, but the bulk of my collection is Roman imperial. I am fascinated with the history of Rome and its vast empire. Well-executed portraits, a plethora of interesting reverse types, easily readable Latin legends, relatively simple and complete reference catalogs, and more all cause me to gravitate towards Roman imperial coinage in my collecting.

 

2. Rare coins

TRAJAN, AD 98-117
AE As (27.59mm, 10.04g, 6h)
Struck AD 103-111. Rome mint
Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate head of Trajan right, with paludament on left shoulder
Reverse: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Trajan, togate, standing left, holding a long eagle scepter in left hand and giving his right hand to the personification of Italia (wearing turreted crown) kneeling in front of him, holding a globe in her left hand; between them, two children standing right with arms outstretched; S C across fields, ITALIA REST in exergue
References: RIC -, BMCRE -, RCV -, C -, Woytek 367b (same dies), Strack 412.
Trajan’s ‘ITALIA REST’ or ‘REST ITAL’ (Italy Restored) series of coinage was struck in aurei as well as the three main AE denominations. All of the types are very rare today and must have been struck in very limited numbers, but the as is perhaps the rarest of them all. It is unlisted in most of the major references, and the two who do mention it - Paul L. Strack's Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Trajan (1931), and Bernhard Woytek's more recent Die Reichsprägung des kaisers Traianus (2010) both cite the same two specimens: one in Vienna (which is the illustrated plate coin in Woytek's catalog) and one in Munich.
There is a third very worn example on wildwinds.com. This coin is apparently the fourth specimen known, struck with the same dies as the Woytek (Vienna) plate coin.

 

Yes, I know that there is nothing more common than a rare ancient coin - but it still gives me pleasure as a collector when I am able to score a major rarity. I love doing the research into a rare type, hunting for other specimens, comparing dies, etc. A rare Greek or Roman provincial coin is fun - a rare Imperial coin is even better. Legend variants, bust variants, unusual reverse types - I keep an eye out for them all.

 

3. Coins with special historical significance/unusual reverse types

 

TITUS as Caesar, AD 69-79
AE As (29.56mm, 9.42g, 6h)
Struck AD 77/8. Lugdunum mint
Obverse: T CAES IMP AVG F TR P COS VI CENSOR, laureate head of Titus right
Reverse: IVDAEA CAPTA, Judaea seated right mourning under palm tree; shields and vexillum behind, S C in exergue
References: RIC II 1268, RCV 2475
Warm brown patina with smoothly worn surfaces. This is one of many types commemorating the defeat of the Jewish rebels by Vespasian and his son Titus during the First Jewish War (AD 66-73)

 

This is similar to @AncientCoinnoisseur's focus on coins that make a good story. Judaea Capta types, coins associated with famous figures like Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great, architectural types, etc.

 

4. Coins with animals

 

SICILY, AKRAGAS
AR Hemidrachm (14.76mm, 1.86g, 2h)
Struck 420-406 BC
Obverse: Eagle facing left, standing on and tearing at hare
Reverse: Crab; below, fish swimming right
References: SNG ANS 1003-9
Well-centered strike with attractive toning.
The ancient city of Akragas came into being around 582 BC, as a colony founded by Greeks from Gela, a city about 40 miles to the east. The site was well-chosen, strategically located on a high plateau near the Hypsas and Acragas rivers and controlling a vast and rich agricultural area.
By the 5th century BC, Akragas had become the second-largest city on the island (behind Syracuse), with a population of perhaps 200,000 people, and had become a leader in the art and culture of the Classical period. Part of that artistic brilliance was manifested in the city’s coinage, which includes some of the most beautiful and recognized coins of the ancient world. This coin, though small, showcases that artistic talent with finely rendered naturalistic images of various creatures, notably the crab, which was the symbol of the ancient city.

 

It's one thing I love about ancient coins - there is so much variety here. Elephants, rhinos, lions, crocodiles, hippos, deer, crabs, fish - the list goes on and on.

 

5. Lastly, (and this is really an over-arching category): coins that have a high degree of eye appeal

 

SEVERUS ALEXANDER, AD 222-235
AR Denarius (20.28mm, 3.95g, 6h)
Struck AD 233. Rome mint
Obverse: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust of Severus Alexander right
Reverse: P M TR P XII COS III P P, Sol, radiate with cloak over left shoulder, advancing left, holding whip in left hand and raising right hand
References: RIC IV 120, RCV 7915
A superb specimen, with lovely old cabinet toning, sharply struck on a broad and heavy flan.

 

Not to be confused with mere grade, it is a combination of factors including flan quality, quality of strike, die artistry, surfaces, patina/toning, among other things. Difficult to define but intuitively recognized. Even a coin I otherwise wouldn't be much interested in will get my attention if it has a lot of eye appeal. (I guess that's kind of the definition, but you know what I mean. 😉 )

 

I do have a few sub-collections:

 

- Coins associated with the travels of the apostle Paul (and the New Testament more broadly.) I've been pursuing this for a little while, adding when I can. Many of the types are rare and don't appear on the market very often, so it's a long-term project.

 

MACEDONIA, THESSALONICA
Time of Claudius
AE (22.12mm, 7.73g, 6h)
Struck AD 41-54
Obverse: ΤΙ ΚΛΑΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ ΓΕΡΜ, laureate head of Claudius right
Reverse: ΘΕΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΕΙΚΕΩΝ, laureate or radiate head of Divus Augustus right
References: RPC Online, Vol. I, No. 1580 (5th specimen this coin)
A rare type, lightly toned with brassy highlights. An issue of the Roman provincial mint in Thessalonica, struck around the time of the Apostle Paul's visit to that city as recorded in Acts 17.

 

- Portrait coins of the family of Constantine I. I've read more about Constantine than any other ancient figure, and I place him along with Alexander the Great and Augustus as having been the three most influential (non-religious) persons of all ancient history. Thankfully, Constantine's coins are cheap enough that I can afford to be very picky in what I buy. I prioritize artistry and overall quality above everything else in this sub-collection. So far, I have Constantius I, Helena, Constantine I, Fausta, Crispus, and Constantine II. On the lookout for Constantius II and Constans (as Caesars), and maybe Delmatius and Hannibalianus as well as Licinius I and II.

 

CONSTANTINE I, AD 306-337
AE3 (20.86mm, 2.66g, 6h)
Struck AD 329-330. Rome mint
Obverse: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Constantine I right
Reverse: D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG around edge, VOT • XXX in two lines within laurel wreath; RFP below
References: RIC VII 322, RCV 16226
Well-centered and struck. A magnificent portrait with toned silvering.

[El Cazador]

12 minutes ago, CPK said:

I don't really have a single collecting focus. I am one of those collectors who usually just buys whatever appeals to me. That said, there are some broad categories I tend to go for more often than others:

1. Roman Imperial coins

CLAUDIUS, AD 41-54
AE As (29.19mm, 10.34g, 6h)
Struck AD 50-54. Rome mint
Obverse: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, bare head of Claudius left
Reverse: LIBERTAS AVGVSTA S C, Libertas standing facing, head right, holding pileus in right hand and extending left
References: RIC I 113 (C), RCV 1860
Smooth dark brown patina. Well-centered and struck, with an excellent portrait in fine style. Detailed reverse.

 

I have coins from all different time periods and cultures, but the bulk of my collection is Roman imperial. I am fascinated with the history of Rome and its vast empire. Well-executed portraits, a plethora of interesting reverse types, easily readable Latin legends, relatively simple and complete reference catalogs, and more all cause me to gravitate towards Roman imperial coinage in my collecting.

 

2. Rare coins

TRAJAN, AD 98-117
AE As (27.59mm, 10.04g, 6h)
Struck AD 103-111. Rome mint
Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate head of Trajan right, with paludament on left shoulder
Reverse: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Trajan, togate, standing left, holding a long eagle scepter in left hand and giving his right hand to the personification of Italia (wearing turreted crown) kneeling in front of him, holding a globe in her left hand; between them, two children standing right with arms outstretched; S C across fields, ITALIA REST in exergue
References: RIC -, BMCRE -, RCV -, C -, Woytek 367b (same dies), Strack 412.
Trajan’s ‘ITALIA REST’ or ‘REST ITAL’ (Italy Restored) series of coinage was struck in aurei as well as the three main AE denominations. All of the types are very rare today and must have been struck in very limited numbers, but the as is perhaps the rarest of them all. It is unlisted in most of the major references, and the two who do mention it - Paul L. Strack's Die Reichsprägung zur Zeit des Trajan (1931), and Bernhard Woytek's more recent Die Reichsprägung des kaisers Traianus (2010) both cite the same two specimens: one in Vienna (which is the illustrated plate coin in Woytek's catalog) and one in Munich.
There is a third very worn example on wildwinds.com. This coin is apparently the fourth specimen known, struck with the same dies as the Woytek (Vienna) plate coin.

 

Yes, I know that there is nothing more common than a rare ancient coin - but it still gives me pleasure as a collector when I am able to score a major rarity. I love doing the research into a rare type, hunting for other specimens, comparing dies, etc. A rare Greek or Roman provincial coin is fun - a rare Imperial coin is even better. Legend variants, bust variants, unusual reverse types - I keep an eye out for them all.

 

3. Coins with special historical significance/unusual reverse types

 

TITUS as Caesar, AD 69-79
AE As (29.56mm, 9.42g, 6h)
Struck AD 77/8. Lugdunum mint
Obverse: T CAES IMP AVG F TR P COS VI CENSOR, laureate head of Titus right
Reverse: IVDAEA CAPTA, Judaea seated right mourning under palm tree; shields and vexillum behind, S C in exergue
References: RIC II 1268, RCV 2475
Warm brown patina with smoothly worn surfaces. This is one of many types commemorating the defeat of the Jewish rebels by Vespasian and his son Titus during the First Jewish War (AD 66-73)

 

This is similar to @AncientCoinnoisseur's focus on coins that make a good story. Judaea Capta types, coins associated with famous figures like Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great, architectural types, etc.

 

4. Coins with animals

 

SICILY, AKRAGAS
AR Hemidrachm (14.76mm, 1.86g, 2h)
Struck 420-406 BC
Obverse: Eagle facing left, standing on and tearing at hare
Reverse: Crab; below, fish swimming right
References: SNG ANS 1003-9
Well-centered strike with attractive toning.
The ancient city of Akragas came into being around 582 BC, as a colony founded by Greeks from Gela, a city about 40 miles to the east. The site was well-chosen, strategically located on a high plateau near the Hypsas and Acragas rivers and controlling a vast and rich agricultural area.
By the 5th century BC, Akragas had become the second-largest city on the island (behind Syracuse), with a population of perhaps 200,000 people, and had become a leader in the art and culture of the Classical period. Part of that artistic brilliance was manifested in the city’s coinage, which includes some of the most beautiful and recognized coins of the ancient world. This coin, though small, showcases that artistic talent with finely rendered naturalistic images of various creatures, notably the crab, which was the symbol of the ancient city.

 

It's one thing I love about ancient coins - there is so much variety here. Elephants, rhinos, lions, crocodiles, hippos, deer, crabs, fish - the list goes on and on.

 

5. Lastly, (and this is really an over-arching category): coins that have a high degree of eye appeal

 

SEVERUS ALEXANDER, AD 222-235
AR Denarius (20.28mm, 3.95g, 6h)
Struck AD 233. Rome mint
Obverse: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust of Severus Alexander right
Reverse: P M TR P XII COS III P P, Sol, radiate with cloak over left shoulder, advancing left, holding whip in left hand and raising right hand
References: RIC IV 120, RCV 7915
A superb specimen, with lovely old cabinet toning, sharply struck on a broad and heavy flan.

 

Not to be confused with mere grade, it is a combination of factors including flan quality, quality of strike, die artistry, surfaces, patina/toning, among other things. Difficult to define but intuitively recognized. Even a coin I otherwise wouldn't be much interested in will get my attention if it has a lot of eye appeal. (I guess that's kind of the definition, but you know what I mean. 😉 )

 

I do have a few sub-collections:

 

- Coins associated with the travels of the apostle Paul (and the New Testament more broadly.) I've been pursuing this for a little while, adding when I can. Many of the types are rare and don't appear on the market very often, so it's a long-term project.

 

MACEDONIA, THESSALONICA
Time of Claudius
AE (22.12mm, 7.73g, 6h)
Struck AD 41-54
Obverse: ΤΙ ΚΛΑΥ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ ΓΕΡΜ, laureate head of Claudius right
Reverse: ΘΕΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΕΙΚΕΩΝ, laureate or radiate head of Divus Augustus right
References: RPC Online, Vol. I, No. 1580 (5th specimen this coin)
A rare type, lightly toned with brassy highlights. An issue of the Roman provincial mint in Thessalonica, struck around the time of the Apostle Paul's visit to that city as recorded in Acts 17.

 

- Portrait coins of the family of Constantine I. I've read more about Constantine than any other ancient figure, and I place him along with Alexander the Great and Augustus as having been the three most influential (non-religious) persons of all ancient history. Thankfully, Constantine's coins are cheap enough that I can afford to be very picky in what I buy. I prioritize artistry and overall quality above everything else in this sub-collection. So far, I have Constantius I, Helena, Constantine I, Fausta, Crispus, and Constantine II. On the lookout for Constantius II and Constans (as Caesars), and maybe Delmatius and Hannibalianus as well as Licinius I and II.

 

CONSTANTINE I, AD 306-337
AE3 (20.86mm, 2.66g, 6h)
Struck AD 329-330. Rome mint
Obverse: CONSTANTI-NVS MAX AVG, rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust of Constantine I right
Reverse: D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG around edge, VOT • XXX in two lines within laurel wreath; RFP below
References: RIC VII 322, RCV 16226
Well-centered and struck. A magnificent portrait with toned silvering.

#5 that’s my focus 

[DonnaML]

A very interesting thread.

What began for me in the 1980s as a general collection of British coins, expanded in the 1990s to British historical & commemorative medals, and further broadened about a decade ago to include ancient coins (primarily Roman, starting out as a "one per readily obtainable emperor" kind of collection), has narrowed considerably as time has passed. Although it has also broadened in some respects, e.g., by adding Roman Republican coins. 

I would say that the following are my main numismatic sub-collections as things currently stand, although I have very much reduced my new acquisitions in the last year or so because of budgetary constraints:

Roman Republican denarii with named moneyers

Interesting reverses in general, i.e., not simply depicting Dioscuri galloping right, Victory in biga, etc.

Roman Imperial coins, primarily silver/billon rather than bronze

Trajan denarii (especially relating to Dacian Wars and other historical events)
Hadrian (especially the Travel Series)
Faustina II coins depicting her children w/M. Aurelius, plus coins of other empresses and royal women
Philip I & family 1000th anniversary coins
Gallienus Zoo & Legionary Series
AR reduced siliquae, Constantius II - Honorius (goal: one per emperor)

Gold solidi from Valentinian I - Theodosius II (goal: one per emperor)

Also coins from any emperor depicting interesting animals and mythical creatures

Roman Provincial Coins

Antioch AR Tetradrachms
Roman Alexandrian coins, especially Nero, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, etc. & especially w/animal reverses
Coins w/confronted busts from Marcianopolis, etc.
Coins from any province with interesting animals, obscure provincial deities, etc.

British coins, and British & French commemorative/historical medals

British silver coins (minor) beginning with Henry VII, silver crowns beginning with Charles II, & gold coins beginning with George I, under the "at least one per monarch" principle

British coronation medals & other royal commemorative medals, beginning with James I 

British and French commemorative medals from Revolutionary & Napoleonic period, including Mudie Series, French Napoleonic medals, French uniface medals by Andrieu and others

French 19th & 20th century art medals, including Art Nouveau, Art Deco, etc.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2024 by DonnaML

[DonnaML]

4 hours ago, rasiel said:

Roman Republican: are those ancient Morgan dollars?

 

I'm not easily offended, and am not without a sense of humor. But, really now! I think perhaps you have them confused with tetradrachms from Antioch with eagle reverses. I have close to 100 Roman Republican denarii, and not one resembles a Morgan dollar! In fact, much of their appeal lies in their individuality after about 140 BCE, and the fact that there's so much to learn and write about most of them. How much can you write about a Morgan dollar? Anyway, more left for me!

Edited November 13, 2024 by DonnaML

[Phil Anthos]

If I didn't primarily collect Greek I would collect Republican. They can be as artistically intricate as any Greek coin, as shown by the Muse series by Q. Pomponius Whats-his-name. And if we include imperitorial then as historically interesting as any imperial.

Imo.

~ Peter 

[JayAg47]

Does it look like I have a focus? 

Here's a group shot of my favorite ancient coins from my collection. I took this photo before I added the hippo antoninianus, and I’ve been too lazy to retake it. I tend to buy whatever catches my interest. I do have a small focus on South Indian coins, but when it comes to Roman coins, I’m mainly drawn to the period between the Imperatorial era and just before the 3rd century crisis. Those two solidi were just one-off buys. As for Greek coins, I prioritise eye appeal, but the issue is that even common Greek coins with nice aesthetics can be quite expensive, and I'm not really interested in their smaller silver or bronze pieces.

That's only my ancient section, 

As you can see from the condition of most of the coins below, my modern coin collection was put together with a tight budget while I was at uni. 

My dabbling into the US coinage. The American 20th century type set, excluding gold. 

My dream coin from the US, an incuse Indian head I acquired this year! 

Here's my Australian pre-decimal type set, including gold.

My French sub-collection, every form of government since the Bourbon dynasty, and some of their colonies. 

Bourbon dynasty (1589–1792), French-India, Puducherry, 1700s (1664–1954), French First Republic (1792–1804), House of Bonaparte, First Empire (1804–1814), Bourbon Restoration (1815–1830) House of Orléans, July Monarchy (1830–1848), French-India, Puducherry, 1836 (1664-1954), French Second Republic (1848–1852) House of Bonaparte, Second Empire (1852–1870), French Third Republic (1870–1940), Vichy France (1940–1944), Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–1947), French Indochina (1887-1954), French Madagascar (1897-1958), French Fourth Republic (1947–1958), Fifth French Republic (1958–present), French Polynesia, 1965, New Caledonia, 1971. 

Edited November 13, 2024 by JayAg47

[Roman Collector]

As you all probably know, my current focus is on the coins of Faustina I and II. But I've had many focuses over the course of time collecting. @JAZ Numismatics recently asked me how I came to zero on in this particular specialty collection, and instead of reinventing the wheel, I'm going to cut and paste my answer, below. 

I had reached a point where I was bored with my general, "one of each emperor" collection and it was becoming progressively difficult to obtain some of the shorter-lived emperors and empresses, such as Didius Julianus, Gordian I and II, Aemilian, etc. I decided to take a deeper dive into certain areas and have collected at various times the City Commemoratives of Constantine, Prutot of the Roman Procurators of Judea, Coins from the seven cities in Asia of Revelation, coins with Venus reverses, coins with Fecunditas reverses, Julia Mamaea, Gordian III and Tranquillina facing-bust provincials, and the Gallienus zoo series. I made a lot of progress on coins of Trebonianus Gallus and Volusian and started a collection of the denarii of Nerva, but I was looking for an area that would take me longer to complete and about which there was incomplete scholarship. I thought about Claudius II, but Finn Johannessen was actively pursuing that and publishing his findings, and I didn't think I'd have much to contribute to the scholarship in that area. And I think he's boring. I also thought about doing more with Gallienus -- because his coins are plentiful and generally inexpensive -- but they're generally ugly. Most of them looked awful the day they left the mint.

I already had a fair amount of Faustina I and II coins from my Fecunditas and Venus collections and thought they might make for a fruitful collection because there were far more reverse types and varieties than the Trebonianus and other collections, but not so many that it would be impossible to aim for completeness. Moreover, their coins aren't in particular demand by other collectors and are generally affordable except for a few popular reverse types. It seemed an interesting, affordable, challenging, but doable specialty.

Then there was the issue of scholarship. There was scholarly disagreement about the dating of the coins and the purpose behind each issue. There was enough knowledge to where I didn't have to reinvent the wheel, but there were a lot of gaps in our knowledge of Faustina's coins. Around the time I decided to take a deep dive into their coinage, several works of scholarship were published that provided a framework for me to build upon. Barbara Levick published her biography of Faustina I and II. Klaus Fittschen published his article on the hairstyles of Faustina II and a proposed chronology. Wolfgang Szaivert published his volume for MIR on the coins of Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, and Commodus, in which he proposed a chronology for the coins thought to have been issued under Marcus Aurelius for Faustina II. Shortly thereafter, Paul Dinsdale began his work on the Antonine coinage as a whole, and Martin Beckmann published his die-linkage study of the coins of Faustina I. Curtis Clay had published articles and posts over at Forum Ancient Coins and he was kind enough to provide me with his hand-written notes taken for these, with a chronology of Faustina's obverse inscriptions and hairstyles based upon an analysis of the Reka Devnia hoard. Roxane Gauthier-Dussart published meaningful work in her doctoral dissertation of the coinage of Antoninus Pius and her photographs of the Antonine coinage in the Bibliotheque nationale de France are invaluable. 

I found it fascinating to do die-studies of my own and construct a chronology of the various reverse types, trying to reconcile the existing scholarship and refine the dates. I was making a lot of progress when Beckmann finally published his die-studies of the aurei of Faustina II, which confirmed much of what I and Curtis Clay had deduced independently, and, in many cases, allowed me to reconstruct an absolute chronology primarily based upon obverse inscriptions, but supplemented by hairstyle, which is a bit more loosy-goosy because the mint sometimes issued coins with two hairstyles at the same time. Beckmann's scholarship is limited to the aurei; I feel that I have made very meaningful discoveries about the silver and bronze issues to supplement his work. Most recently, Jean LaCourt published his work on the sestertii of Antoninus Pius, which is helpful but often his conclusions about dating are at odds with mine.

It has been a fun specialty -- I imagine it will take another five years or so to complete -- and I feel I have been able to make meaningful contributions to scholarship along the way. I have had very meaningful discussions with Paul Dinsdale, Richard Abdy, and Curtis Clay about the coinage of the Faustinas. I have also reached out to Roxane Gauthier-Dussart and Martin Beckmann but have had no responses from either. I don't think they are aloof; I think I simply don't have up-to-date contact information for them.

And here's a coin I think is special.

[-monolith-]

Like most ancient numismatist I have many collections beyond just coins. Unlike most I was never really interested in coins when I started collecting. I became interested after seeing some ancient Greek and Roman coins displayed at my local museum. I soon discovered these "little treasures" were not only available but also affordable. So began my collection. I view my collection in epochs; from the time I first started collecting and sold most of my collection (the first epoch) to the time when I started rebuilding my collection to present day (the second epoch). I learned a lot during this time. First, never overpay for any coin. Second, only collect silver, electrum and gold (no common bronzes). Third, only purchase the highest quality specimens. Fourth, only purchase one of each type (no duplicates). Yea, these rules lasted about 5 seconds. Through the years I've made a lot of purchases so I've become adept at estimating the "value" of a coin and therefore I rarely pay more than what I think the coin is worth. There are some exceptions. I soon realized it was unrealistic, and rather limiting, to not purchase any bronzes so I modified this rule as well. Defining the "quality" of ancient coins can be difficult as there may only be 2 or 3 in existence so a worn, ragged specimen may be the best that is available. Who needs more than one coin type, that should be an easy rule to follow. Except that each ancient coin is unique and has it's own characteristics, therefore I begin to realize this rule wouldn't stand either. So why do I collect the coins that I do, simple, I purchase what I can when I can and it just happens. Before I know it I have collections, sub-collections, specialties, rarities, and oddities. The only coins I specifically search for are mint errors and oddities. 

 

These are some of my "collections" and "sub-collections":

 

 

[thejewk]

I started out collecting coins of the Nerva-Antonines, at first because I wanted a denarius of Marcus Aurelius due to my interest in Stoicism and ancient philosophy generally, and that naturally expanded out to the 'five good' set.  I still have that small collection, and love it, but I haven't added anything to it in a long time.  I would very much like to return to a small area for further collection, possibly denarii of Antoninus Pius with a Cos IIII reverse legend.

Then after about a year of collecting I became aware of the existence of the Roman mints in Britannia, and that led me to start reading more closely about the history of the Tetrarchy and the period leading to the sole reign of Constantine.  I started grabbing any coins from the London mint that I could get my hands on, and made some good and not so good choices.

  

LMCC 3.01.031 / RIC 34 - Galerius as Caesar at London

10.73g, 27mm, 303-305 AD

Ex Dr. J. S. Vogelaar collection

It soon became clear to me that I particularly loved the large unreduced post reform nummi that Diocletian introduced.  However, by focusing in on London, I was missing the interest of many variations minted across the entire empire.  As a result I have spent the last few years assembling a set of one unreduced nummi from each mint at which they were produced for a member of the First Tetrarchy, with a sideline pursuit of any other unreduced nummi for the later 'Tetrarchies'.  I am now missing Siscia, Ticinum and Serdica for a full set which will inevitably happen within the next year or so.  

Here are a couple of recent additions:

RIC 214A - Constantius as Caesar, H under bust, Trier

9.32g, 26mm, 303-305 AD

Ex Rauceby Hoard, plate coin for BM catalogue

 

RIC 27A - Diocletian, Nicomedia

9.95g, 27mm, 294-295 AD

Ex Naville Numismatics

 

I now find myself a little bit in the waiting room for the right coins to turn up, and for my budget to fill enough to purchase the right coins.

That said I have just yesterday made a purchase in what I intend to be two new collecting focuses; the coins of Gallienus, and coins from any era that qualifies as 'ancient' depicting animals, both real and mythological.  For Gallienus, it seems like a rather enjoyable set of types that I can work on slowly over time, if I specify a 'type' as being, for example, one coin showing a personification of Fortuna, without pursuing legend varieties, with many of them being very affordable.  For the animals category, I see it as a way to explore a lot of different historical periods about which I know nothing, and cultures about which I know even less.  Plus, who doesn't want a pig, stork, boar, gazelle and crab in their trays?

 

[DonnaML]

6 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

It has been a fun specialty -- I imagine it will take another five years or so to complete -- and I feel I have been able to make meaningful contributions to scholarship along the way. I have had very meaningful discussions with Paul Dinsdale, Richard Abdy, and Curtis Clay about the coinage of the Faustinas. I have also reached out to Roxane Gauthier-Dussart and Martin Beckmann but have had no responses from either. I don't think they are aloof; I think I simply don't have up-to-date contact information for them.

And here's a coin I think is special.

Do you have any plans to publish your conclusions when you're done? You really should consider it!

[ambr0zie]

I have a variety of areas of interest.

As I mentioned a few times, before starting to study ancient coins, I was under the impression that Trajan coins are extremely rare and expensive. Finding the truth made me a big Trajan fan. And if the coins are related to the Dacian wars - even better. 

 

 

I am also collecting small Greek fractions. I am still amazed when seeing a coin, MUCH SMALLER than 10 mm in diameter, having great artistry. Another plus for me is that it seems these are not popular. I do not complain. 

 

I also enjoy collecting coins with animals (real or fantastic). Of course, if the coins are small, that's a double win. 

 

Like most of us, imperial coins are the easiest to study/acquire (of course, I am not talking about rarities). But I enjoy the most coins with the imperial ladies (I do not refuse provincial coins either)

I also like collecting coins with interesting reverses - mythological themes, historical events, "unique reverses" for emperors, that had a true symbolic meaning and not a "generic reverse". Not only imperial, but also Greek and Provincial. 

What I do not collect - well, long story. But I do not see myself trying to complete a "one coin per emperor" set. Because some emperors are very rare, and even for some that are not extremely rare, the prices are not encouraging. I have a decrepit Marius and I do not consider it a great deal. Buying a modest EXPENSIVE coin just to tick a box is not worth it. However, when I find coins that are very appealing and for a good price, I do not think twice, such as this Macrianus from Nicaea. 

Edited November 13, 2024 by ambr0zie

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

All amazing collections, so nice to see so much variety!

@ambr0zie hey, your first coin was my very first ‘ancient coin’, along with another one. Got it as a kid from my sisters, they said they weren’t real but I always had some hope. Many years ago I found out they were fake and got bummed, until exactly 2 years ago I got my very first coin (a very worn and overpriced LRB of Constantius II with the Fallen Horseman) and the rest is history!

One day I’d like to get a real one of Trajan, just to display the real and the fake side by side for educational purposes 🙂

[Bannerknight]

Being a Norwegian, I started out with Norwegian numismatics from the time of the union with Denmark (1397-1814), focusing on the time Norway had its own mint (from 1628 onwards). I have still kept that interest, but having always being interested in history, I have a deep fascination with Roman and Byzantine history. Just imagine an empire that in different forms lived on for over 2000 years! And in recent years I fell in love with the solidus and the follis. One of my ambitious goals is to have one coin from each of the Byzantine emperors. Byzantine silver hexagrams and miliaresions. Bronze folles. Only time will show where my journey takes me, but new acquisitions will be posted here...🙂

 

[Qcumbor]

1 hour ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

One day I’d like to get a real one of Trajan, just to display the real and the fake side by side for educational purposes 🙂

Why not the Pompey instead 😄 ?

 

1 hour ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

😉 Q

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

@Qcumbor Oh wow! Amazing, I’ll give it a go when I break bank haha! Or I’ll settle for a cheaper one!

@Bannerknight Nice, and good luck!