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 Replies: 59 / Views: 6,685 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
I suspect we all have said it: "This would be great 'if only' it didn't have this one little problem." Appropriate entries for Smackdown XII will be coins that are really great, really wonderful, really what we all want in our collections EXCEPT for one little thing that makes us feel sorry for the coin. This is not a place to post the worst of our ugly losers but a place to show coins with beauty, interest or rarity that makes them desirable in spite of their ONE little problem. 1) Two (2)coins max. per Member. 2) Anything you feel makes the coin fit the topic is OK. Be creative. Do, however, try to avoid coins whose 'one little problem' is that the coin is a complete piece of junk with nothing to redeem it. We are looking for handicaps not corpses. 3) Voting: vote for 3 coins in order of preference, Gold (3pts) [NEW, not 4, just 3] Silver (2pts), Bronze (1pt). No bonus system on this one. 4) Host computes the totals and announces the winner. Host may enter, but cannot be the winner. Winner chooses next Smackdown Subject and is the next host. 5) You do not have to enter a coin to vote but please do try to enter something. 6) Base your votes on any criteria you like but consider rewarding coins that actually fit the topic closely rather than voting just for the most beautiful. I might be tempted to vote for a coin with a problem that somehow adds to its interest in some way. 7) Final decision if two entries have the same score and the same number of golds will be the hosts choice. 8) Enjoy. Entries Begin Immediatley and Submission Ends @ midnight EST USA, TUESDAY September 4, 2012 Voting will last 2 (two) days. Ending at midnight, Thursday, September 6th. Let the games begin! -- Since I am ineligible my entry here is for demonstration purposes only:  Romulus, son of Maxentius, died early and was memorialized by a rare issue in his honor. My coin has next to no wear, readable legends, a nice reverse but what in the world is going on with that portrait. I do not know. At first glance it looks like someone gouged around it like they were planning to remove it for some other use. Looking closer, the portrait is not as raised from the surface as I might expect making me wonder if the die collapsed in some way when the coin was struck. If that is the case, I have to keep open the possibility that the item is made from copy dies possibly electrotypes which were backed up too weakly to withstand striking. This is a coin I would consider sending to an expert for an opinion but I am not sure just who I would send it to. I do know that whatever the problem the coin would be a lot better 'IF ONLY'.... |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2100 Posts |
Entry #1 Alexander III The Great, Lifetime Issue, Silver tetradrachm Obv:- Head of (Alexander the Great as) Herakles right, wearing lion skin headdress knotted at base of neck Rev:- ALEXANDROU, Zeus seated left, holding eagle in right hand and scepter in left, monogram and M below throne; Price 3599 (same dies), Müller 67, 17.206g, 25.9mm, 255o, Babylon mint, lifetime issue, c. 325 - 323 B.C.; Dies by 'The Alexander Dekadrachm Master'. From the same highly-skilled hand as the famous dekadrachms, including Price 3598, with which this shares all symbols and their arrangement. This would be a great coin if the obverse strike wasn't off-centre but then I would not have been able to afford it.  Martin |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1549 Posts |
Perfect! It was so thoughtful of them to make a few coins that we can afford!
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Valued Member
Canada
472 Posts |
Here's an interesting one (imo). From the collection of a French artist, André Dupuis, wich was the great grandnephew of Diderot. I deeply believe that this coin is genuine and that the "F" is a collector counterstamp... but "F" stands for so many undesirable things in numismatics  On the other hand, I'm not sure that I would like it as much as I do without it  Julius Caesar AR Denarius 49-48 BC. Military mint traveling with Caesar. Obv.: Elephant advancing right, trampling on serpent. CAESAR in ex.. Rev.: Emblems of the pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex. Crawford 443/1; CRI 9; Sydenham 1006; RSC 49.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
My entry: This coin came in an uncleaned lot - a very very well preserved example of Eudoxia, wife of Arcadius. A rare coin, in good condition, or a rare roman. If only it wasnt covered in rockhard, insoluble growths    In the oil bath for up to 2 years...very little progress after a month... Thats the only one which isn't...well, completely destroyed. I could enter my horribly encrusted silver denarius, but I dont think it would fit in. The only other candidate is medieval (12th Century), would that be acceptable? |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2100 Posts |
Entry #2 A whole list of if only statements for this one.... Silver Tetradrachm of Ptolemy I Soter, founder of the Pteolmaic Kingdom Obv:-- Diademed head of Ptolemy I right wearing aegis Rev:-- ΠΤΟΛΕΜÎ'ΙΟΥ Î'Î'ΣΙΛΕΩΣ, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, monogram left Minted in Alexandria, B.C. 294 Reference:-- Svoronos 236, SNG Cop 75 14.379g, 29.9mm, 0o Struck on a briefly used standard of 21-attic obols. Broad flan. Overstruck over an Alexander tetradrachm, which had a banker's mark. Undertype visible at 4:00 on obverse. The coin has the signature of the Delta artist behind the ear (between the ear and the first curl near the neck). This artist was a master craftsman and was responsible for some coins of high artistry at Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I (possibly into the early reign of Ptolemy II) and produced from quite early in the reign, including one of the iconic elephant's skin headdress tetradrachm. If only there wasn't a chip. If only the overstrike didn't make the mouth look so ugly. If only we could tell what the undertype was.  Martin |
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Valued Member
Netherlands
409 Posts |
Numerian a very nice coin is it silver or silvered?  Obv.IMP NVMERIANVS AVG, Radiate & cuirassed bust right Rev.IOVI VICTORI, Jupiter standing, head left, holding Victory, eagle at feet to left. Ex. KAB 22mm, 4.5gr, Die 195 3th emission Aug. 283 A great coin but: If only the nose would not be damaged |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
If it wasn't for the damage caused by BD this would have been a desent coin.   TACITUS IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG SALVS AVG T (TICINUM MINT) ESTIOT 1307 |
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Pillar of the Community
3352 Posts |
Tetradrachm of Alexander III (the Great) of MacedonStruck "year 14" (=205/204 B.C.?) Country = Lycia Mint = Phaselis 32.49 mm 15.52 grams Obverse = head of young Heracles right, clad in lion's skin which is knotted at the neck Reverse = Zeus seated left, holding eagle on extended right hand and resting on sceptre held in left (countermark Seleucid anchor in left field) The poor dude's nose has been flattened by the countermark on the reverse. One interesting point that makes this a unique coin -- the counter mark is on the reverse -- not the obverse.  
Edited by stevex6
08/31/2012 12:56 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
Coin #1: Julius Caesar portrait AR Denarius RSC 34 Struck at Rome, January/February 44 BC OBV: CAESAR IMP, laureate head right, lituus & simpulum behind REV: M METTIVS, Venus standing left with Victory & scepter, shield resting on globe; control letter G to left Ex Andrew McCabe purchased at Nurenburg, Germany 1991 Ex jewelry mount Repaired hole   If only it hadn't been holed If only it had never been mounted in a jewelry setting But, that is how I was able to afford a portrait coin of JC Coin #2: Augustus, AR Denarius RIC I 167a Struck at Lugdunum, 15-13 BC OBV: AVGVSTUS DIVI F, bare head right REV: Bull butting right, IMP X in exergue   If only it wasn't chipped/broken it would be a marvelous example of this coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
I have a few but coins......  Crispus AE3 320- 321 AD. Mint .....Ticinum 20mm x 2.95g... well centered... Very nice coin But.....   Licinius l AE Follis... 312- 313 AD. TSA dot.. 26mm x 8.16g. Well centered, but   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Coin #1 If only the thousands of years of the past had not touched this coin, only if the face the of Apollo was not ravaged by porosity and the reverse of the Ba'al was pristine this coin would be worth thousands. I am sure this coin is quite rare in itself as I have only seen this one for sale in my usual places. The years did do me a favor- they made a coin I could never own, crappy enough to be affordable to the common man. For those of you who may not know the tomb of Maussollos was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The above ground buildings used as tombs since bare the name Mausoleum in honor of this king. Persia, Satrap of Caria,Halicarnassus AR 23.6mm Tetradrachm (13.63g) Maussollos 377-353 BC Obverse: 3/4 facing head of Apollo Reverse: Zeus? / Ba'al? Standing Right with Labrandus (Double Headed Axe) MAYSSOLL? REF: SNG Cop 590  Edited by Ancientnoob
08/31/2012 3:18 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Coin #2 Only if... Only if Doug had never pointed it out - I would never had been able to enter it in the SmackDown! Although the die for this coin was created by the unknown Leonardo Da Vinci of ancient die engravers, the slight porosity behind the head of Antiochus VII, and the off struck reverse motif prevent it from being the perfect coin, thus making it affordable to the common man. The coin is unique in the fact that it is beautiful and struck in high relief and it just happens that all the devices and inscriptions have escaped corrosion. Only if...the coins was perfect. Only if Doug didn't point it out...JK Doug... https://goccf.com/t/126363Seleucid Kingdom Antiochus VII (Sidetes) Euergetes AR 30mm 138-129 BC (16.21g) Diademed head right BASILEWS ANTIOXOY EYEPGETOY, Athena standing left holding Nike, spear & shield decorated with face. Ref: Hoover 1067  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
870 Posts |
Trajan (AD 98 - 117) Orichalcum Dupondius, A.D. 104-111, Rome, 27.7mm, 12.03g, 180°, RIC II 502. Obv: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P. Radiate, draped bust right. Rev: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. Fortuna standing left, rudder in right with prow behind, cornucopia in left; S C in field. This coin would be absolutely superb if not for the worn area at the end of the obverse legend.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
 Julia Maesa (or Jimmy Durante). If only it did not have a die break on the nose. -- Warren |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
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Replies: 59 / Views: 6,685 |
Posted 08/31/2012 08:15 am
