My Top 25 Coins (Maybe)

I am also becoming less and less attracted by my ol' go-to Canadian quarters ... however, I really do wish that there was better record-keeping associated with the "mintages" of the ancient coins (that is the nice part about collecting more modern coins => you can numerically undertsand why one coin is worth more than the others, etc)

... ummmm, or maybe there are ancient "mintage records"? ... if so, then please point me in their direction!!

Thanks

What a great thread!

Thanks for all of the effort to date Doug, and thanks to all for the comments and comparisons.

Interesting, educational, inspirational, thoroughly enjoyable.

This is a "steak and potato" thread. Meaty with lots of numismatic protein!!

Cheers,

-Kurt

#16 Julia Domna AR denarius Venus' reverse reverse

Coin #16 made the list for several reasons. I do not have record of exactly when I bought it or how much I paid. All I know is that it appears in a photo I made in the Fall of 1964 and was my first coin of Julia Domna. I have several other examples of this coin including some that are prettier. I'm not even exactly sure when I got my first ancient. I was in high school (class of 1964) and know it was not in my last year so I have usually said I started this hobby in 1963. It could have been '61 or '62. By 1964 I was up to about 20 coins. You will see another from those days higher up in this list. If you have read all of my page you even know what it is.

In addition to the nostalgia value of this coin I believe this denarius is also an overstrike. I see a nose peering out of her hair. It might be Commodus? The coin might even be barbarous? I have never seen another of these dies. For a coin I have owned at least 49 years you would think I would know more about it but I don't.



I went to the coin show today and bought 21 new ancients. Most would bore you to tears but some may get posted when photographed. None will make the top 25 list. I'm too tired to work on them tonight and almost skipped today's post. Coin shows and handling several hundred coins to select 21 are tiring to me. I'll try to do a better job tomorrow. I know others here have this Julia type so I'll leave details to whoever cares to fill them in.

Interesting coin that does look like it might be overstruck.

Bing => it looks like your coin might have a younger and slightly "looser" version of Julia than dougsmit's coin (I'm kinda glad that dougsmit's older version decided to keep her pants on!!)

#15 Sextus Pompey fourree denarius

Sextus Pompey was a son of Pompey the Great who had been an ally and opponent of Caesar. The son became a naval commander operating in Sicily and fought againts the Second Triumvirate attempts to take over after the death of Caesar. Octavian and Antony put first priority into defeating Brutus and the assassins of Caesar but later turned to putting down Sextus Pompey who was executed in 35 BC. The coin shows a portrait of Pompey the Great (strict Republicans like Sextus would not be likely to put their own portrait on coins - that was for radicals like Caesar). The obverse legend NEPTUNI alludes to the fact that the father and son were naval commanders who honored the god of the sea. This is a rare and popular coin.

Unfortunately it is not genuine. The coin was made in antiquity but it is not solid silver. A fourree or plated coin used a flan made of copper wrapped in silver foil. Students differ on whether any were made 'officially' in the mint and that question is even more serious when dealing with a private issue like this. Sextus (actually his moneyer Q. Nasidius whose name appears on the coin) had the coins made to pay the sailors. Were any of the bad coins mixed in with the good? Did the mint workers make bad coins on the side? Did Sicilian crooks make coins to cheat sailors? We really do not know. There are a lot of plated coins from the late Republic when there was a huge variety of private issue coins made by various strongmen and their supporters. The opportunity to counterfeit coins was irresistible to someone. We just do not know who.

So why do I like a coin that is fake to some degree? I collect fourrees. I have always been fascinated by the technology which reappeared in modern times to make Sheffield plate silverware. I have quite a number but this is the nicest with the least core exposure and the most similarity in appearance to the fully 'real' thing. It may be a product of someone closer to official status than most fourrees but it definitely is the closest I am likely to get to a coin that usually sells for several thousand dollars in this grade.

However the coin made the list because of a more personal connection. I bought it many years ago from a dealer that treated me well when I was a beginner in this hobby. Charles Wolfe was a gentleman who was always willing to share his vast knowledge of coins long before the Internet and CCF made sharing fun. There were many other fine gentlemen who helped me when I was newer but Charles Wolfe is the one I remember best. On that particular day I saw this coin at his table at a show but he refused to sell it to me. I convinced him that I was quite aware of it being fourree and that I collected them. I don't know enough about the market to know if the price I paid was good then or now. I have never seen another fourree of the type and only a dozen solid coins of the type. Obviously it is worth only a fraction of a solid coin but it is still special enough to me to stay in my collection for as long as I last.


Those interested in plated coins may want to visit my several pages on the subject:
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/do...urreer1.html
Perhaps after you see all the ugly ones I have, you will understand why I like this one so much.

Did you notice the dolphin below the bust?

I see the Dolphin now! I originally only saw it as part of the shoulder clothing or something. Even cooler now.