FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board

Resources => The Members' Gallery => Topic started by: Enodia on July 25, 2022, 03:55:04 pm

Title: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on July 25, 2022, 03:55:04 pm
Well, as of May 1st I am retired. A nice turn of events to be sure, but it has put the mockers on some of my activities, and unfortunately coin collecting is one of them.
I have pretty much quit collecting now (although I did just add another diobol to my Taras collection), and I'm now trying to shift my mind into 'selling mode'. NOT an easy task!
How do you decide which of your children you sacrifice first?
All this definitely has me reminiscing over the past 34+ years of collecting ancients, all the dealers and shows, all the interactions with wonderful people who suffered from a similar mania, the excitement of waiting for your newest treasure to arrive in the mail.
So, with dispersal in mind I have been thinking a lot about which coins I could probably never get rid of, and I'm going to review them right here.
Stay tuned...

~ Peter

Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Virgil H on July 25, 2022, 04:33:03 pm
Congrats on your retirement. Why do you have to stop collecting? I really didn't start collecting until near and after retiring because I have the time to devote to it more even if my budget is not large. If it is part of your retirement fund, then I completely get it. I am at a point where I may start selling a few, but only because they are duplicates AND/OR my collecting interests have shifted and become a little more specific in some areas (but I remain the ultimate generalist and I just can't see that ending completely). But, for any I sell, the money will more than likely go right back into coins, although most of my coins are not particularly valuable, if I ever need money, I have some value in my collection.

All the best to you as you make those difficult choices.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Mat on July 25, 2022, 05:14:11 pm
Congrats on the retirement.

I too have pretty much stopped collecting for now. I just come on to view other peoples new additions.

Covid issues really put a damper on my enjoyment of buying and various other reasons.
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Jay GT4 on July 25, 2022, 06:00:11 pm
Congrats on retiring Peter and hopefully I can get an ex-Enodia coin in my collection!
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Virgil H on July 25, 2022, 07:09:42 pm
Ha ha Jay, I had the same thoughts. It would be honor to get coins from his collection. Got any from Pontus or Phaplogonia? Just kidding, kind of.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Enodia on July 26, 2022, 02:15:14 am
When I  was young I worked a lot of under-the-table jobs, "sticking it to the man" and working for cash. And so now my SS isn't as substantial as one might hope, but it's not dire. I may still be able to buy the odd cheapy just to feed my Jones, but I dont forsee any more coins like this one...

I bought this coin from a dealer on the mall in 1988. I used to go in there with my dog every payday to buy a mercury dime or walking liberty half dollar, sticking hard to my budget. If I had to go higher I would drop a grade.
This got boring, especially when I got to the key dates, so I started browsing the other shelves, and I saw this one, which was from some place called Velia, and I was in love! Athena's cheek is almost warm, and the lion reeks of hunger and despair. I'd never seen a coin like this, and all in such high relief!
I immediately put it on layaway and I haven't stopped paying since.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=97831

A signed masterpiece, but unfortunately I've never been able to get a decent image.
Maybe that's why it has never garnered much attention.
~ Peter

Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: *Alex on July 26, 2022, 06:02:26 am
Congratulations on joining the club. I retired fifteen years ago and thought I might have to sell off some of my coins but that never happened and I am still collecting, last month I even started in a new area for me, Byzantine coins. I think that once you settle in you will enjoy being retired. I do.

Alex
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Enodia on July 26, 2022, 03:32:10 pm
Congrats on retiring Peter and hopefully I can get an ex-Enodia coin in my collection!

And I'd be proud to know that some of my treasures were in such a collection as yours!  🙂

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Carausius on July 26, 2022, 09:02:16 pm
Congratulations on retirement, Peter!  When it comes to selling, my advice is to first sell those areas that no longer interest you or to which you have not added material in several years.  For me that was my small collection of English Hammered coins (sold through Forum Ancient Coins several years ago), and I've gradually auctioned most of my Greek and Roman Imperial.  The proceeds from those sales funded acquisitions toward my focus areas of Roman Republican and Romano-British coins.  I still have a core collection of Greek and some Roman-Egypt - not sure how much longer I'll hold onto those.  Take your time and see how it goes.  Good luck!
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Enodia on July 27, 2022, 02:23:25 pm
Thank you all for the kind wishes.  🙂

Congratulations on retirement, Peter!  When it comes to selling, my advice is to first sell those areas that no longer interest you or to which you have not added material in several years.

Thank you Michael, this is pretty much my plan going forward. I'll probably hold on to my Magna Graecias, at least the Taras collection, and maybe add a piece when I can.

The Velia didrachm was the coin that got me going with ancients, and it wasn't long before I was thoroughly hooked. A few lower priced Romans followed, but it was the Greek coins which really grabbed me.
I bought the 2 volume Sear set and would lie in the bath or on the couch dreaming about all the Syracusan tetradrachms I was going to buy (they say catalogs are for dreamers. 😉 )
I eventually bought this next coin, my first facing head, at that time listed as "pseudo-Rhodian". I think the good folks at my local coin shop were suddenly much happier to see me coming through the door!...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=80986

Another one which I can't imagine ever parting with.

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Molinari on July 27, 2022, 09:45:02 pm
Congratulations on the retirement, Peter!
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Enodia on July 28, 2022, 11:48:45 am
Thanks Nick.

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Enodia on July 30, 2022, 03:00:15 pm
This next coin was a gift from a special friend, and not only is it stunningly  beautiful (imo), but the symbolism is deeply personal. There is no doubt that this is one of my three favorite coins from my collection...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=87593

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era
Post by: Virgil H on July 30, 2022, 06:02:36 pm
That is a lovely coin and I love how you put in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. All the Homeric Hymns are wonderful. Probably my favorite amongst Greek literature outside of The Odyssey and The Iliad. I note I commented on it last year.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 04, 2022, 03:18:47 pm
Thank you Virgil, I also collect various editions of Homer (and whoever may have written the Hymns). At one time I considered collecting a coin from each kingdom mentioned in The Iliad until I realized what a daunting task that would be!

The coin I'm highlighting today is another early acquisition I bought back in the 80's, and by this point I  believe my wife was convinced I had lost my mind! It is a tetradrachm of Alexander III minted at Amphipolis...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=94008

(Again I apologize for the picture. Please judge the coin and not the image)

~ Peter


Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 13, 2022, 02:44:18 pm
Ah, memories!
I never had the deep pockets that an avid ancients collector really needs, so I always bought carefully, waiting for good deals and interesting material. As a result I am deeply connected to most of the coins in my collection. Having to pass up truly beautiful works of numismatic art makes one really appreciate the pieces that are attainable.
This coin was a gift from my wife in the late 90s, who by this time was resigned to my obsession and wanted to buy me what she thought of as a 'centerpiece' of my collection. I think she chose well, but she was an artist so I'm not at all surprised...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=99058

The strike is sharp and well-centered on a full flan (not always the case with these), and there is no sign of the odd scalloping on the center of the grain stalk which plague so many of these beautiful didrachms.

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: ChefStu22 on August 13, 2022, 04:20:48 pm
Thats a beauty Peter. When it comes to collecting and having a lack of funds to purchase some of the higher value coins I to have become intrinsically attached to the coins I do have, I think its a very personal relationship you get to have with them as you learn to understand the story they are telling its a beautiful hobby regardless of expenditure:)
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 13, 2022, 08:21:32 pm
Very true. My friend asked if I wouldn't buy lots and lots of coins if my resources could support it. My reply, of course, was "of course". 
But I know I wouldn't have the same connection to each piece. Being forced to be picky means I do more research and study into the history, symbolism, etc, which is pretty much why I started collecting in the first place. That helps me extract all the pleasure and satisfaction that more coins couldn't provide.
(although I'd love the opportunity to be proven wrong! 😉 ).

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Joe Sermarini on August 13, 2022, 09:38:47 pm
Congrats on your retirement. I retired from the Navy in 2007, but still going with FORVM. I am actually interested in at least a partial second retirement. I would need to find someone to take over some of my work but that seems unlikely.
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Virgil H on August 13, 2022, 10:37:28 pm
Very true. My friend asked if I wouldn't buy lots and lots of coins if my resources could support it. My reply, of course, was "of course". 
But I know I wouldn't have the same connection to each piece. Being forced to be picky means I do more research and study into the history, symbolism, etc, which is pretty much why I started collecting in the first place. That helps me extract all the pleasure and satisfaction that more coins couldn't provide.
(although I'd love the opportunity to be proven wrong! 😉 ).

~ Peter

I just love this attitude. As I go along, I realize this feeling more and more on the higher-priced coins I buy. You have said it so much better than I can. But, there are so many ways to connect to a coin(s). I also have found that the ones I have trouble affording are usually much better quality, but not always. It is funny how this can work. Anyway, I appreciate your insights. In the end, I think part of it is refining my objectives and learning more so some coins are more desirable to me than others. Plus, expanding my willingness to pay more opens up more coins for my consideration. I certainly have some coins that ae my favorites, but it isn't always based on price. I am rambling, thanks for your thoughts.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 15, 2022, 04:33:28 pm
thanks Joe. I started working in 1970, which the guy working my SS paperwork found amusing. "In violation of child labor laws, I see!".
Yeah, well...  😎

And Virgil, nice ramble.  😉

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 16, 2022, 04:15:10 am
I know 80% of the board have lost interest in all these Greek coins, so here's a change of pace.
Before specializing in Magna Graecia and particularly Taras, I would peruse the internet just looking for things I liked. One night while browsing my eife saw this one while passing my desk and said "that's pretty, you should buy it". I was torn between regret for the distorted path I had led this poor woman down but not wanting to miss an opportunity.
I hit the buy button,  obviously.

I like this coin a lot. The lifelike portrait is bold and sharp, and the diaphanous effect of Ceres' veil is superb, imo.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=36077

~ Peter

Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Virgil H on August 16, 2022, 07:55:44 pm
I will never get tired of the Greeks, LOL. This is a nice one, too.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 19, 2022, 03:27:54 pm
I will never get tired of the Greeks, LOL.

 +++

This next coin is one I just HAD to have when I first saw but I've cooled on it a bit since, partly because the dealer I bought it from was later implicated in an antiquities trading scam. Perhaps too because I've decided it looks more Roman than classic Greek. Still, it is an outstanding coin in its own right, I think...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=81103

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: cicerokid on August 23, 2022, 04:21:55 am
Many of the hellenistic coins such as he Thasos  can actually be viewed as a ROMAN PROXY COINAGE. This includes the Myrhina and the Kyme  where financial support for the Roman favoured candidate seemingly was paid for by these tiny cities!  The coins wasn't produced for long  and abruptly discontinued.  I believe even the Athens NewStyle coinage was at the behest of the Romans. Think of the Roman Macedonian wars and the largish NewStyle issues and the "over represented" NewStyles in Thracian hoards as noted by deCallatay  and Meadows...why unless Rome didn't order them to produce coinage for them.  see "more than it would seem" by F deCallatay on academia.edu.  The Great Transformation by Meadows too, although it doesn't speculate on why the coinages became large flan  and "individualist",  maybe "the freedom of the Greeks" ? ( freedom to mint coinage when and where Rome demanded!)  But what of the Kyberei Syros coinage and the Dionysiac artists  coinage?  Where does that fit in?  Does it need to fit in?  The Hellenistic coinages are FAB!
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 23, 2022, 04:48:53 am
Thunderbirds are Go!  😄

What attracted me to ancient coins was the beautiful artistic  renditions on Hellenic coins, those from what's known as "The Period of Finest Art'. That is why it consider myself a collector rather than a numismatist. It is still that way after 34 years. I believe this high artistic expression deteriorated after Alexander, and political motivations took the place of art. In general the portraiture became almost cokkie-cutter and the reverses are busy and cluttered, in my opinion.
This coin is a fine example of that, although the portrait is wonderful.

~ Peter

Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Virgil H on August 23, 2022, 09:36:50 pm
I tend to agree with you on the artistry of coins, it is one reason I don't have as many Roman coins. However, there are some Roman Republican coins I absolutely love for their artistry (virtually no Imperial coins fall into this category for me). I appreciate the historic aspects of all coins and I have many, but for sheer artistry, it is hard to get past the Greeks pre-Alexander, as you say. I love Alexander, but I don't want a bunch of coins that all look very similar and aren't overly beautiful in the first place. That said, not all the Greeks are particularly beautiful, but those that are are the height of art in coins.

Cheers,
Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 24, 2022, 11:51:47 am
Roman coins are historically interesting, with so much information packed into a tiny space, and some of the larger bronzes can be quite beautiful. But if I were to collect Romans it would Republican. Some of those are truly stunning (I'm thinking particularly about the series of Muse reverses by Quintus Pomponius Musa). Early on my wife bought me this coin thinking it was Greek...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=50936

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Virgil H on August 24, 2022, 05:52:14 pm
Your wife made a good choice. One thing that blows me away with many Republican coins is the unbelievable detail and fineness of both obverses and reverses, particularly some of the Mercury portraits. Plus, so many of the reverses are amazing, both the themes and the quadriga variations. These are a case of coins where I almost always prefer the silver ones (the majority of my collection is bronze). I will never be a huge Republican collector mainly because of budget constraints, but there are a couple I am actively pursuing and am willing to go over my budget on. Those Rome mint folks had it so dialed in.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 24, 2022, 06:31:53 pm
Republican coins have more variety of style than Imperials, it seems. One of the reasons I got out of collecting US coins was that I got tired of just filling holes in an album. So how did I end up with all these bloody 'Boy on a Dolphin' coins?  lol

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Enodia on August 30, 2022, 03:49:12 pm
Speaking of dolphin riders, it seems about time I posted some coins from Taras.

This is one I got about 12 years ago, and while it isn't the prettiest offering from that polis it did (and still does) intrigue me with its symbolism, and the fact that it was right at the edge of a major shift in Tarentine coinage.
Rather than describe all of the relevant details here you can read them in my write-up (which must be pretty good, since it's been 'borrower's least 3 times that I am aware of,, once commercially!) here...

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=82071

~ Peter
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Virgil H on August 30, 2022, 07:53:57 pm
These are beautiful coins, the historical context makes them even more special. I was not aware of this before reading your write-up.

Virgil
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: emcee on November 24, 2022, 05:29:56 pm
Except for retiring you don't mention why you are disposing of parts of your collection.  Without intending to be cold, if you plan on leaving some of your collection to your heirs, as a tax consultant (who incidentally collects coins) I suggest you check out the accounting concept of "stepped up basis" which will provide a tax break on the sale of inherited items. 
Title: Re: The End of an Era - Highlights from 34 years of collecting
Post by: Ron C2 on November 26, 2022, 09:43:30 pm
I must have missed this thread on the first go-around! :( 

Congrats on your retirement Enodia!  I'm with the others in suggesting you not quit entirely, and merely moderate your acquisition instincts :)