I_v_a_n's Top 5 of 2024

[I_v_a_n]

It was an interesting 2024 year with some long wanted coins. It's still difficult for me to choose a favorite, so, this is a reason for me to attach a poll to know the opinion of community. I put the coins in order they come to me during the year.

1. Rhinegold ducat.

Very charming theme for collection is a coins with identified source of metal origin. I believe the most prestigious are the so-called "river gold" ducats struck in Germany 16-19 cc. Unfortunately, they are rare and very popular, it means expencive. I've hunted my example for reasonable price due to the long string (9 examples) of the same type coins in spring Kunker.

I do love this scene of alluvial gold mining by the same manual method as was in the times of Argo and  legendary Golden Fleece.

 

2. Celtic stater.

GAULE - CELTIC
Sénons. Statère globulaire à la croix ND (100-50 av. J.-C.).
DT.2537 v. - LT.- - GB.128 v. ; Or - 7,21 g - 13 mm - 12 h
Superbe.

It was at the hands of the Senones that Rome suffered one of its most humiliating defeats, leading to the capture and near total destruction of the city in 390 BC. In about 400 BC the Senones had crossed the Alps, and having driven out the Umbrians, settled on the East coast of Italy, in the so-called ager Gallicus, and founded the town of Sena Gallica, which became their capital. In 391 BC they invaded Etruria and besieged Clusium. The Clusines appealed to Rome, whose intervention, accompanied by a violation of the law of nations, led to war, the defeat of a Roman army at the Allia on 18 July 390 BC and the capture of Rome.

For more than 100 years the Senones were engaged in hostilities with the Romans, until they were finally subdued in 283 BC by P. Cornelius Dolabella and driven out of their territory. A branch of the Senones then settled in central Gaul and from 53-51 BC were engaged in hostilities with Julius Caesar.

 

3. Seleucos's tetradrachm.

I was impressed much by this coin (extremely rare, perfect style, high relief...), but first of all by Nike's face details.

Seleukid Kingdom. Seleukos I Nikator. AR Tetradrachm, 17.06 g 27.44 mm. Seleukeia on Tigris. 312-281 BC. In the types of Alexander III of Macedon. Struck circa 300-281 BC.
Obv: Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied beneath chin
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ, Zeus seated left on high-backed throne, right leg drawn back, holding long scepter in his left hand and, in his right, Nike with wreath, monogram in left field, M below throne.

 

4. Mytilene hekte.

Simply beautiful hekte.

 

5. Subalpine 20 francs.

Beautiful obverse in neoclassical style and historically important type.

 

Please, share your opinions, votes and everything related.

[El Cazador]

Vania

14 minutes ago, I_v_a_n said:

It was an interesting 2024 year with some long wanted coins. It's still difficult for me to choose a favorite, so, this is a reason for me to attach a poll to know the opinion of community. I put the coins in order they come to me during the year.

1. Rhinegold ducat.

Very charming theme for collection is a coins with identified source of metal origin. I believe the most prestigious are the so-called "river gold" ducats struck in Germany 16-19 cc. Unfortunately, they are rare and very popular, it means expencive. I've hunted my example for reasonable price due to the long string (9 examples) of the same type coins in spring Kunker.

I do love this scene of alluvial gold mining by the same manual method as was in the times of Argo and  legendary Golden Fleece.

 

2. Celtic stater.

GAULE - CELTIC
Sénons. Statère globulaire à la croix ND (100-50 av. J.-C.).
DT.2537 v. - LT.- - GB.128 v. ; Or - 7,21 g - 13 mm - 12 h
Superbe.

It was at the hands of the Senones that Rome suffered one of its most humiliating defeats, leading to the capture and near total destruction of the city in 390 BC. In about 400 BC the Senones had crossed the Alps, and having driven out the Umbrians, settled on the East coast of Italy, in the so-called ager Gallicus, and founded the town of Sena Gallica, which became their capital. In 391 BC they invaded Etruria and besieged Clusium. The Clusines appealed to Rome, whose intervention, accompanied by a violation of the law of nations, led to war, the defeat of a Roman army at the Allia on 18 July 390 BC and the capture of Rome.

For more than 100 years the Senones were engaged in hostilities with the Romans, until they were finally subdued in 283 BC by P. Cornelius Dolabella and driven out of their territory. A branch of the Senones then settled in central Gaul and from 53-51 BC were engaged in hostilities with Julius Caesar.

 

3. Seleucos's tetradrachm.

I was impressed much by this coin (extremely rare, perfect style, high relief...), but first of all by Nike's face details.

Seleukid Kingdom. Seleukos I Nikator. AR Tetradrachm, 17.06 g 27.44 mm. Seleukeia on Tigris. 312-281 BC. In the types of Alexander III of Macedon. Struck circa 300-281 BC.
Obv: Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress, paws tied beneath chin
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΕΛΕΥΚΟΥ, Zeus seated left on high-backed throne, right leg drawn back, holding long scepter in his left hand and, in his right, Nike with wreath, monogram in left field, M below throne.

 

4. Mytilene hekte.

Simply beautiful hekte.

 

5. Subalpine 20 francs.

Beautiful obverse in neoclassical style and historically important type.

 

Please, share your opinions, votes and everything related.

Vania, I voted for #5, which year is it?

[CPK]

They are all lovely coins, but that Seleukos I Nikator tetradrachm takes the breath away! 🤩

[I_v_a_n]

15 minutes ago, El Cazador said:

which year is it?

From 22 of September 1801 to 21 of September 1802.

[Qcumbor]

I think the Hekte takes the cake. Wonderful !

Q

[shibbity]

The Seleukos and the Hekte are both beautiful! : ) Cool city view as well.

[panzerman]

I like the Karl Theodor Rheingold Dukat best/ then the Mytilene EL Hekte/ then the Subalpine AV 20 Lire.

 

Beautifull!

Thanks for sharing!

[I_v_a_n]

Thanks to All for your comments and votes!

So, the hekte is an absolute winner and the tetradrachm is a second!

To be honestly, I can not choose the best between these two. Seleucos's tetradrachm is an absolutely incredible coin and very hard to judge from the photo - only intuition helps. I've bought it driven by intuition and guessed. When I put it together with this Babylonian tet, the second one escaped from the fight at the moment before the bell rings (relief and shape matters, deep eye, 3-level of lion's scalp curls one from under the other...). Nothing to compare, Seleucos's tet in another category as super heavy weight vs middle.

 

 

[Di Nomos]

All very nice coins. I wanted to vote for the Celtic stater, as I find the globular shape and cross design attractive, but had to vote for your beautiful hekte.