| Author |
 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,443 |
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
I have been thinking for awhile about my next collecting thread. I decided to do a collection of famous people throughout history on coins. This will be my exhibit next year at a coin convention. Since I already have the 12 Caesars, I do have some historical figures. I was thinking about a gold 20 Francs piece of Napoleon, a sliver ruble of Catherine the great, a coin of Genghis Khan, Elizabeth I, Henry VII, and many more. If you have suggestions please let me know on this thread. It might be fun to come up with a list of famous people on coins. Now to today's news. I was watching the Naumann auction and this coin was being auctioned. It seemed to fit my new theme so I bid and won. It is a solidus of Justinian. Not only is it my first gold coin, it is also my first Romaion coin. I can hardly wait for it to arrive. JUSTINIAN I (527-565). GOLD Solidus. (21 mm, 4.49 g) Constantinople. Obv: D N IVSTINIANVS P P AVG. Helmeted, draped and cuirassed bust facing, holding globus cruciger and shield. Rev: VICTORIA AVGGG Theta; / CONOB. Angel standing facing, holding long staff surmounted by cross and globus cruciger; star to right. Sear 139.  |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2624 Posts |
Nice pick up, I always felt these coins offer good bang for buck as despite them being gold they aren't silly money.
Mark Antony and Alexander the Great should also be on your list.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Byzantine is a reasonably 'economical' place to begin into ancient gold.
Well done. Nice coin, congratulations!
|
|
Moderator
 United States
34427 Posts |
sweeet coin!  "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5176 Posts |
I have a silver ruble of Catherine the Great (though it's worn pretty awful, holed, and I think has some other damage as well - my 10 and 15 kopek coins of her are in similar state of wear but at least aren't damaged), and a silver half franc of Napoleon I (and also, unrelatedly, of Napoleon III - if you're looking for a Napoleon coin, be sure to check which one it is).
I don't think I have any coins of anyone else in your current list, however (not even of Justinian).
Coins of Genghis Khan did not have his portrait on them, I believe.
If you're fine with that, I recommend getting a wire kopek (or denga) of Ivan the Terrible as well (they technically do have a portrait, but it's so tiny and so stylized it might as well not be one).
Peter the Great would have been a nice addition too, but unless you want to shell out a lot for a rare coin, your choices for him are tiny wire kopek or portrait-less copper.
Constantine the Great copper coins are fairly common, but I doubt you're planning to stoop down to copper, and his coins are much rarer in gold or silver.
I'd recommend Cleopatra VII, but her coins are rare, ugly, and very expensive. Same goes for William the Conqueror.
As for Charlemagne... good luck (and even if you find one, it probably won't have a portrait).
I do wonder if there are any famous people who only made very obscure coins (Dmitry Donskoy is the closest that comes to mind... I guess Genghis Khan might count too).
And, nice coin! I'm also considering something early Byzantine as my first gold coin (I don't want modern NCLT, and anything else is far too expensive); it's probably going to be a tremissis rather than a solidus, however.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7066 Posts |
Nice addition, Orfew. |
|
Pillar of the Community
 Canada
1269 Posts |
@DavidUK
Thanks for the comments. I have 3 denarii and one quinarius of Marc Antony. Alexander is definitely on my list. I have my eye on a lifetime tet right now.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
@january1may
Thanks for the comments and the suggestions. Thanks also for the warning about coins of Napoleon. I have decided on a 20 Franc piece. The next decision is do I want a republican or imperial issue.
As for the Russians, I will add wire money for Ivan and Peter. As for Constantine, I might go for a nice large bronze in EF or better.
Cleopatra is on the list, but she will be tough in any collectable condition. I might go for a coin of Canute (CNUT) and an Aethelraed II. Charlemagne will be tough and the ones I have seen are not very attractive coins.
Thanks again for the suggestions
|
|
Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Congrats on a very nice addition to your collection.
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
You certainly started your gold with a very nice addition. Congratulations.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
Thanks for the kind comments.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Very nice Byzantine there!
For your project, are you looking for portraits only, or will names suffice? Here are my suggestions:
Roman:
- I would extend your 12 Caesars set to include Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Pius, Aurelius, and Commodus. Their silvers are excellent quality and cost mere pocket change compared to their 12 predecessors.
- Pretty much the whole Severan dynasty; even better if you have the ladies too, since they were running the whole show.
- Maximinus Thrax--Handsome portrait, excellent quality, and the Senate burned through 4 emperors in 12 months trying to get rid of him!
- Diocletian
- Constantine I
- Theodosius
Near East:
- Darius/Xerxes daric or siglos
- Parthia, Mithradates II
- Sassanian, Ardashir I and Shapur I
Biblical:
- Antiochus IV
- Herod the Great
- Pontius Pilate
- Herod Antipas
- Herod Agrippa
- Porcius Festus
Indian:
- Ashoka the Great
- Azes
- Nahapana
- Satakarni
- Chandragupta
- Raja Raja Chola
Edited by Finn235
11/22/2016 2:54 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
@Finn235
Thanks for the suggestions! I would like portraits where possible, but I realize that there are many famous figures with no portrait coins. I like your suggestion of extending the 12 Caesars to Commodus. I also like the coins in the other categories you mentioned.
Thanks again for taking the time to come up with this list.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
I have the following coins which will make a good start on my new collection
Roman
Julius Caesar
Marc Antony
Augustus
Tiberius
Claudius
Caligula (Gaius)
Nero
Vespasian
Trajan
British
Henry V
Byzantine
Justinian
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5029 Posts |
That is a great looking coin and definitely is one heck of a coin for your first gold. I like you idea for your next collecting pursuit. That will be interesting to see how it develops.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
1269 Posts |
Thanks @scopru, your comments are appreciated.
|
| |
Replies: 19 / Views: 2,443 |
Posted 11/22/2016 04:30 am
