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Author Topic: What is your dream coin?  (Read 59218 times)

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Offline David Atherton

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What is your dream coin?
« on: March 12, 2004, 08:26:30 am »
Hi everyone,
 
I was wondering what coin you would give anything for that you don't have in your collection but would dearly love to add. It could be a type or a specific coin.

Everyone has one...that one beauty that you just can't seem to ever have enough money for or is so rare that you may never come across it.

Mine is a tie between a Vespasian "Judaea Capta" sestertius (RIC 427) in VF+ or better condition or a Titus sestertius with the Flavian Amphitheater on the rev. The first choice is obtainable, the second just a dream.

What's yours?

Offline Gert

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2004, 08:51:57 am »
With Chip Scoppa's article about the 'Siscia-mule' in mind, I would love to own a hybrid coded antoninianus with Diocletianus on the observe but with a reverse of Maximianus! Even though I don't mind which one of the three reverses, I guess this will be a dream coin in the most literal sense.

Also, I would love to add the Roman republican denarius with the Diana Nemorensis type (or 'the three nymphs') - Accoleia - to my collection. I think it's one of the most appealing reverses there are.

best regards,
Gert

Offline LordBest

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2004, 08:53:44 am »
I want an EF Syracusan dekadrachm. :(
                                LordBest. 8)

Offline Ecgþeow

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2004, 09:06:18 am »
I Would LOVE to have either an VF Judea Capta denarius, or ANY Augustus denarius (VF or better).  I havea never gone over $100 at a time, so the reality is that I will probably never get either.

Offline Robert_Brenchley

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2004, 09:37:08 am »
I think I'll have an EF Domitianus in an uncleaned lot.
Robert Brenchley

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Online maridvnvm

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2004, 09:52:11 am »
An Aureus of Probus from Lugdunum with the MARS VICTOR reverse type. EF would be nice too.
Martin

Offline decius

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2004, 11:41:15 am »
I would love to add an Athenian Dekadrachm to my humble collection, but I would settle for a Nice Athenian Tetradrachm. Much more reasonable.

Decius    :)

Ghengis_Jon

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2004, 11:43:11 am »
A complete collection of tessera (FDC of course!) from the brothels of Rome.

Offline curtislclay

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2004, 11:50:01 am »
   You mean the spintria.  Their purpose is unknown, but despite the scenes of fornication they bear, it is clear that they had nothing to do with brothels or prostitutes or Tiberius on Capri!
Curtis Clay

Offline LordBest

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2004, 11:53:10 am »
Perhaps Rome mint issued them as marital aids. ;)
                                     LordBest. 8)

Offline Corduba

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2004, 12:20:09 pm »
My dream coin is the Augustus´ sextertius of Colonia Patricia EF or better, now i have one F-.

Ignacio

Ghengis_Jon

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2004, 12:25:24 pm »
Why do you say that Curtis?  Speakers at the British Museum have stated and the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna has published extensively on tessera and spintria; they were used not only as corn issue allotments but also as brothel entry pieces.  I attended a rather detailed lecture at the BM several years back concerning brothel pieces (amongst others).  Produced in denomination and 'style' to bridge the language barriers in such a cosmopolitan city such as Rome.  Evidently, the Vienna collection is the finest in the world, but unfortunately I have yet to visit.  But I agree, no connection to Tiberius or Capri.

Offline curtislclay

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2004, 03:25:20 pm »
Continuation of Spintria discussion moved to separate topic under Roman Coins.
Curtis Clay

Offline curtislclay

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2004, 04:23:33 pm »
     Wow, never seen one of those before!  Where did you see it and where can one get more info on it? (Licinius II 3-D camp)
Curtis Clay

Offline wolfgang336

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2004, 06:13:22 pm »
I think i'll take an unc. Constantine I solidus, doesn't even matter what kind.

Evan

Offline curtislclay

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2004, 06:35:01 pm »
   Thanks to Keith and Bruce for info and link re 3-D campgate.
    In the other discussion Beast supplied the info on legend, mint, issue that I was looking for.
    Steve Minnoch expesses reserves there about both this coin and Beast's hatted Constantine:  he thinks they are perhaps not official products, so should best be left out of the discussion.
     I would agree re the hatted coin, which I believe is authentic, but its odd legend needs explanation, and confirmation from a specimen contained e.g. in a fused hoard like Domitianus would be very welcome!
     But I can't see having any doubts about the 3-D coin.  In my eyes it is obviously authentic, and obviously official.
Curtis Clay

Offline curtislclay

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2004, 12:45:49 am »
       When I was a schoolboy and a collector of American coins, my desire to at least hold in my own hand certain very rare American coins, was unexpectedly fulfilled when my father brought me along on a business trip to Washington DC and left me to go through the Smithsonian by myself while he had a meeting.
        I went to the coin room where two employees were unpacking coins and putting them back in the display cases after their return from an exhibition elsewhere.  
        "I'll bet you don't have an 1822 five-dollar gold piece", I said.  "Yes we do", they replied, and placed the coin in my hand!
         "Surely you can't have the unique 1849 twenty-dollar gold piece?", I continued.  "Indeed we do", they answered, and handed me that coin too to hold!
         As a graduate student studying Roman history and coins, I read of the astonishing unique aureus of Trajan and Hadrian as Caesar, which was discovered c. 1750, entered the French cabinet, but was then stolen and melted down with the rest of their ancient gold coins and medallions in the deplorable theft of 1831.
          Trajan is reported to have adopted Hadrian only three days before he died, and there were rumors that he had done no such thing but that his death had just been concealed for three days so the story could be put out and a smooth succession assured.
         Here was a coin proving that indeed the news of Hadrian's adoption and Caesarship had reached Rome before the news of Trajan's death and Hadrian's proclamation as emperor!  Surviving Mionnet sulphur casts of the coin proved that its authenticity was beyond question.
"What a fantastic coin!", I thought.
        Thirty years later I was working for Harlan Berk and he asked me to look over images of about thirty Roman aurei that were being offered to us from France.  And there was a second aureus of Trajan and Hadrian Caesar, from the same dies as the lost Paris piece but differently centered so clearly a different specimen, and which had been priced far too low because of confusion with the much less rare aurei of Hadrian and Divus Trajan!
          We bought the piece and put it in our catalogue, so I at least got to discover, hold in my hand, and write up one of my ancient "dream" coins!
          If I had to choose one more, it would be the unique bronze medallion of Philip I-II and Otacilia Severa in Berlin, with rev. SAECVLARES AVGG depicting a chariot race in the Circus Maximus during the games commemorting Rome's thousandth birthday.
         This coin shows that for the occasion, the spina in the Circus, the long narrow central divide around which the races proceeded, had been redecorated.  The obelisk at its middle had been transformed into a giant palm tree, and the turning posts and other monuments had been turned into models of four buildings, including the Flavian amphitheater or Colosseum!
         In front of the spina, the winning charioteer has just crossed the finish-line, and raises his r. arm in acclamation.  The chariot behind him has crashed, two horses lie prostrate on the ground, a third is running back in the wrong direction, and the charioteer is flying head over heels into the arena.  Behind him is the third quadriga, and a fourth is just rounding the final turning post.
         This unique piece is in EF condition, is well centered on an extra-large flan, and has a dark green patina.
          Do you suppose that if I ever get to hold this dream coin too in my hot little hand, I'll finally be allowed to add it to my own collection?
         
Curtis Clay

Offline David Atherton

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #17 on: March 13, 2004, 08:12:05 am »
curtislclay:"Here was a coin proving that indeed the news of Hadrian's adoption and Caesarship had reached Rome before the news of Trajan's death and Hadrian's proclamation as emperor!"

What a wonderful bit of history from a coin. I never knew that there was evidence showing that Hadrian was indeed adopted by Trajan, and a coin provided it!

Boy, I learn something new from this board everyday. Thanks for the story Curtis.

Offline LordBest

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #18 on: March 13, 2004, 08:19:37 am »
I always considered the story to be a fabrication by a later historian to try and get some dirt on Plotina by saying she caused her favourite (Hadrian, duh) to be elevated to the purple after Trajans death. Half of the nasty stories in Roman history are about the empresses. ::) Dengrate the woman so the man can then have the extra virtue of having put up with a mad hussy for a wife.
                                        LordBest. 8)

Offline David Atherton

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #19 on: March 13, 2004, 08:28:39 am »
Yeah, I kinda of assumed the Trajan not adopting Hadrian was a fabrication.

It's been a while since I've read it, but I wonder if the Historia Augusta (which itself is fabricated) was partly responsible for the rumor?

Offline curtislclay

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Re:What is your dream coin?
« Reply #20 on: March 13, 2004, 08:09:45 pm »
   The aureus of Trajan and Hadrian Caesar confirms that events proceeded exactly as the Historia Augusta relates:  it was announced from Selinus in Cilicia, where Trajan had fallen ill, that he had adopted Hadrian, and three days later it was announced that Trajan had died.  The aureus also proves that news of the adoption reached Rome, where the coin was struck, before news that Trajan had died and Hadrian was the new emperor.
    What the coin cannot prove, however, is whether Trajan was actually alive during the interval between the announcements or whether he was dead as the rumors suggested!
Curtis Clay

Offline kauaiboy

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Re: What is your dream coin?
« Reply #21 on: December 04, 2005, 04:02:20 pm »
This would be my dream coin.  Hands down  ;D


Offline Roma_Orbis

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Re: What is your dream coin?
« Reply #22 on: December 04, 2005, 05:08:37 pm »
My dream coin would be an Aureus of Postumus with 3/4 facing portrait (see Roman Coins and their values front page:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/catalog/zoompg.asp?param=SME3q00.jpg&id=8976
for me maybe the most extraordinary Roman coin, an astonishing portrait created by a genious engraver in the finest style. Such a style in a troubled time, for a non-official emperor, while the other gold coins of the period were so inferior (see Gallienus) is for me like a shooting star. It makes me think of a hellenistic gem engraver.
And the first 3/4 portrait of a Roman emperor ever (if I remember well)!

Jérôme 8)

Offline Pscipio

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Re: What is your dream coin?
« Reply #23 on: December 04, 2005, 05:25:07 pm »
I agree with Jérome (I apologize for the wrong spelling, but I do not know hot to write that o with hat), a gallic Aureus would be unbeatable. Not only a Postumus 3/4 facing, also normal Postumus and Victorinus Aurei are gorgeous.

Being more realistic, I already own one of my absolute dream coins, a Myrina tetradrachm (see pic or GALLERY LINK ). In my opinion, this is, from style and overall appearance, one of the greatest coins of all times (and I'm no greek collector).

Lars
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Offline David Atherton

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Re: What is your dream coin?
« Reply #24 on: December 04, 2005, 07:07:45 pm »
Recently I acquired a more realistic "dream coin"... GALLERY LINK

Symbolically this coin cannot be beat in my collection. I collect Flavian Denarii and this coin has all three Flavians on it and was in short Vespasian's announcement at the beginning of his reign to found a dynasty. Not to mention the fact that I love the style of this particular coin.

 

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