Big Haul Of Late Roman Bronzes - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 9 / Views: 1,701
january1may Pillar of the Community Russian Federation 5178 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 04:56 am Well, a big haul by my standards, anyway (it roughly doubles my entire ancients collection). Bought all of these coins this Saturday (Jan 4). All coins are from a single bargain bin at $7 each, all appear to be AE4 (about 12-14 mm), all have patina in various shades between yellow and orange (though slightly less dark than in the photos - I miscalculated my lighting), and all mintmarks I can read are Antioch (I suspect so are a few I can't). Gloria Romanorum (seems I now have a full set of the three-emperor issues): Arcadius: [DN] ARCADI-VS PF AVG, star left of head/three emperors, mintmark faint but probably ANT something Honorius: [DN H]ONORI-[VS PF AVG], star left of head/three emperors, mintmark either off flan or ANT something (I'm not sure) Theodosius [II]: DN THEODO-[SIVS PF AVG], star left of head/three emperors, mintmark ANT delta Everything else: Theodosius [I]: DN THEODO-SIVS PF AVG/SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, mintmark ANT alpha (probably - could be delta) Anastasius: [some Anastasius-related legend]/big epsilon (I've been told this is Anastasius by the dealer, check of plausible types at Wildwinds affirmed that; can't read the legend) [probably Justin I]: [some nigh-unreadable legend]/someone sitting, inverted epsilon above left; weird dimples in the middle of both sides (again, identified by the dealer and affirmed by Wildwinds check - the legend, so much as it is visible, doesn't seem to be Justinian) [almost certainly Theodosius II]: [barely visible bust]/cross in wreath, illegible letters below (no idea why I bought this one, but after a check on various sites I at least know who the emperor is) and the misspelled Arcadius from the other thread. Photos (all together - might do individual photos some time; US coins for scale): Do you think I did well? Are any of these coins uncommon/valuable? I really wanted to get a monogram coin example too, but couldn't find any (I suppose I'll try next time I see this dealer). Bonus question/puzzle: the two US coins used for scale were also bought on Jan 4 (from another $7 bargain bin - of a different dealer at the same "show"). What are the dates on them, and in case it's possible to tell, did I do well with these? Report this Post to the Staff

echizento Moderator United States 23731 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 09:45 am Nice group of ancients. Two good looking V nickels also. Report this Post to the Staff
Ancientnoob Pillar of the Community United States 5155 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 09:46 am Did you get a bargain a $7 each? I would say you did ok. These are very late rulers from the 4th and 5th century. These coins are cruddy to begin with and yours are nice and have relatively clear devices and mint marks, this is a plus as most of these types of coins are almost unidentifiable. If you can ID the coin exactly to each ruler and the place of manufacture than the historical value and "hole filling" value is more than satisfying in my eyes. You could have paid more or less for the same coins in the usual online places. You were able to get several different rulers in acceptable condition at the same time, so yea I think you did alright. On a separate note you will come to find out that the 5th century is a really interesting century to collect. There are many cultures old and new contending for power at this time. Report this Post to the Staff
january1may Pillar of the Community Russian Federation 5178 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 11:15 am Quote: On a separate note you will come to find out that the 5th century is a really interesting century to collect. There are many cultures old and new contending for power at this time. IIRC it was sel_69l or somesuch who tried to get at least one coin from every century "since the invention of coinage" (from his dates and numbers, it was probably 5th century BC to 20th century AD inclusive). With the Jan 4 purchases, I think I now have 11 (12 including the 21st) different centuries[1] definitely represented in my collection (there are a few coins that I can't currently attribute to a specific century). I suspect that huge gap in the medieval period would stay for a while though (medieval Arabic stuff is all gibberish to me, medieval Chinese isn't much better, and medieval European is too expensive). That said, what particular issues/types/cultures you had in mind for the 5th century? Can't see why would any coins of that period be affordable (as in cost less than $30-50 each - even ignoring the sheer rarity and unfindability) other than those I have already and maybe the monogram issues, but I could just be looking at the wrong places [1] 3rd BC, 3rd-6th, 14th, 16th-present AD Report this Post to the Staff
Ancientnoob Pillar of the Community United States 5155 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 11:45 am I inadvertently assembled a collection of one from each century... ...The invention of coinage is an interesting subject worthy of its own thread. Many believe that coinage was invented in the 7th century BC give or take 50 years in three places at the same time. India, China, and Lydia(Turkey). There are things that acted as coins before there was coins...does that count because if it does I might still have it covered. China Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC) Deer Bone Primitive Cowrie Shell Imitation 19.0mm (1.69g) Ref: Hartill Type #1.2 Edited by Ancientnoob 01/06/2014 11:46 am Report this Post to the Staff
jcmworld Pillar of the Community United States 567 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 12:53 pm The bottom coin is a Tyche seated (retrograrde epsilon to left) pentanummium, Antioch, Justin I, SBCV 211. Report this Post to the Staff
chrsmat71 Pillar of the Community United States 4973 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 1:01 pm i like that "black and red sand' patina...whatever you call it...it looks nice. Report this Post to the Staff
Ben Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 4208 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 1:08 pm Top 3 are good for the price. Its the SALVS coins which people get sick of, butyou fgot nice examples,s o Id say you did nicely for the group. Report this Post to the Staff
january1may Pillar of the Community Russian Federation 5178 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 1:38 pm Quote: The bottom coin is a Tyche seated (retrograrde epsilon to left) pentanummium, Antioch, Justin I, SBCV 211. I've seen versions claiming this is Antioch and/or Orontes seated. Don't remember one about Tyche. That said, everything other than "Tyche" and the "SBCV" number in your post was things I was aware of already. Coincidentally, any ideas about these weird dimples? Quote: i like that "black and red sand' patina...whatever you call it...it looks nice. It's not as red in hand (basically light orange). It's still definitely very nice though Quote: Top 3 are good for the price. Its the SALVS coins which people get sick of, butyou fgot nice examples,s o Id say you did nicely for the group. I thought so (on the former). The dealer said these "star left of bust" examples are uncommon (and I, on my part, didn't expect to find any coins of Honorius). As for the Salus examples, I only bought the left one because it had so much easily readable legend, and the right one because of the misspelling (I wasn't aware that such misspellings are apparently not uncommon). The only one I mentally kicked myself for buying was the cross (lower right). I thought I saw four little circles in the angles (I still see them on that photo, actually), but I couldn't find any mention of such circles in any descriptions of that type! I almost thought it was actually a monogram - but it didn't fit any. Report this Post to the Staff
Ben Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 4208 Posts	Posted 01/06/2014 3:47 pm Oh yeah, that Arcadius is very nice. You got a great deal for such a clear error. The cross coin is a popular issue, you'd be easily able to get $7 for one. I once spent £14 on one... And the red colour is Syrian Red - you dont see them so much at the moment, for obvious reasons. I once had a nice one, but I sold it. They can get a really red colour. Report this Post to the Staff
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