Restored Smackdown Xiv ....... "Ode To Joy"

Glad to see you joining in ! Never too late for our 'good' friends to join in !

I also forgot to add ...... we give the voting an extra day as too many may be distracted by the 'Stupor Bowl' ......

Bunch of Barbarians chasing after a deer

And happy anniversary FR!

Gold - Anoob's - Lifetime of Buddha
Silver - Phish's - Owl
Bronze - Dutch's

Gold: VK Gold Anastasius
Silver: Alexander Echizento
Bronze: Pish Owl

Well the ballots are in .......
and lacking any last minute voting the top 3 are rather clear.

My intent in the choice of 'topic' had been to try and be as inclusive as possible.
It is easy to "WoW" judges in any contest with something unusual or stunning ...... But it is often the "Joy" found in the eyes of children which makes an occasion so special. I recently sold an 1809 US Half Cent to an older fellow in the Mid West. He told me how excited he was because he was collecting "together" with his grandson and this was the oldest coin they had bought yet ! His grandson was eagerly awaiting the mailman. We have all "been there done that" and can relate to the emotion.

I told him I was including something extra in the purchase. Last year I had dispensed with some surplus material by passing around a few low end pieces which I had kicking about the place. Better that they should be somewhere that they might be appreciated than simply gathering dust (or end up inside the wife's Vacuum cleaner !). "Chrsmat" rather kindly declined the LRB AE and asked me to give it to someone deserving. Hopefully this tiny little Tetricus Ant. will impress the 'boy' (and grampa too !) much more than it ever could either me or you !
I can remember when as a Child WWII seemed like it was ancient history (the world after all was B&W !). WWI even more so (they didn't even have sound !) And 1809 ? Well that was possitively 'prehistoric'!

A coin of someone from AD271 ?

Hopefully the wow factor will be in full swing.

But that is what the hobby is supposed to be all about ....... Not hoarding bullion in a bank vault somewhere.


So despite the lacklustre turnout we shall now present the laurel wreath to

VK ...... 12 points thanks to a late surge !

Pish ....... respectable second with 9 points !

Noob ....... third place with 6 points !

And now I cede the stage ....... and get back to work ! Coins to package up and post before the big snowstorm blows in tonight. Tomorrow I will be snowed in with the 'kids' .......... JOY !

Nobody (well, except people who would know already, like actual coin dealers) ever seems to believe me that I managed to buy a fourth-century coin for $6. Everyone says "seriously? fourth century? as in Roman Empire fourth century? these coins must be worth thousands!" Except they aren't (but of course if they were I wouldn't be buying them; this is partly the case with ancient silver coins, which is why I don't yet have any).

(On my own side, I just can't believe that I actually have coins from 1517, 1521 and 1597. As in these dates are actually on the coins. I know it's nothing compared to 408 AD - which is, IIRC, roughly when the Honorius coin I posted was minted - but for some reason I can believe having a Honorius coin easier than these three; it probably helps that, unlike all of my ancients, all three are silver.)

Congrats to all the winners.

If no one steps up I will be forced to subject everyone to another lengthy reading of Edward Gibbon !

And this time it will be all those obscure portions the 'abridged' versions so conveniently leave out !

You'll be sooooooory ..............