Gallienus

Normally I don't buy coins with problems, but, I've been looking at these (the English pounds) for a while and superb ones are a bit expensive. The coin was slabbed "Details" due to an old cleaning but is beginning to retone. I've never ever been able to afford a British gold pound (20 shillings) but now have at least a sterling silver one.

However what I really like is the period this is from: struck by Charles I in the middle of the English Civil War. Also I'm fond of larger pieces and at ~120 grams, this has to be one of the largest circulating coins ever struck by Great Britain. I need to research the history of this piece.

England, Charles I, silver 20 shillings (pound), Oxford mint, 1642

For condition conscious collectors I also bought another piece, much more common but in better grade. This is the Brazilian Republic's 1st crown, issued to repay a debt to Britain which specified the debt to be paid "in silver 2000 reis coins". Thus virtually all were exported & melted.

Brazil, Republic, 2000 reis, 1897 NGC-63

Carthage 1/2 Shekel (NGC AU*) from 2nd Punic War featuring obverse male head possibly of Melqart with Hannibal's features. Reverse is a charging war elephant.

Very nice Hannibal piece. Do you have any additional historical info on this? Was it issued during the 2nd Punic War or afterwards? I'd imagine that as Carthage was ruled by a senate, like Rome, that they wouldn't put a living general on the coinage. Also any info on how you got it would be appreciated. Yes, I might try to get one of my own, but hopefully you don't need to buy more than one of these?

Only got one ancient so far in 2016. Had been looking for a decent one of these Pompey the Great/ War Galley denarii ever since I saw one on the front cover of a Dieter Gorney Auction (#56, 7 Oktober, 1991, lot 388). Threw in a cheap bid without representation at Heritage NYICS '16, but was very pleased when I saw it in person. There was one other superb lot (Medieval/Modern) sold at NYICS to which I was the immediate underbidder which I'm still sorry I lost.

Pompey the Great formed the 1st Triumverate (Caesar, Crassius, & Pompey). Pompey was the main guy behind the faction of senators who opposed Caesar but died after a battle in 48 BC. This coin was struck in 44-43 BC by his son; Sextus Pompey. In a slab as choice EXF it is a bit off-center but fortunately is of good metal, surfaces, & strike. I bought it "sight unseen" Still due to my experience with world coins, I will NOT buy any more slabs that I don't see for myself

My recent acquisition.

Battle of Grunwald was fought on July 15, 1410.

My son was born July 15, 2012.

I'm in a similar situation. I thought it'd be neat to own a coin from the year of "The Black Death". Finally I found this in a Heritage auction and bought it.

It's a "Louis d'or" of France of King Philip VI, 3rd emission. Supposedly it was struck in January, 1348 (NGC-63).

Now the black death first made landfall in Europe in late 1347, but it spread in Europe during 1348 so this was the year I was looking for. I like to do coin showings to non-collectors as well as doing the BSA coin collecting merit badge. So I intend to tell people that the reason why it's in a hermetically sealed slab is also to deter/lessen their chances of contracting the Bubonic Plague! I need to find one of those "bio hazard" stickers for the back of the slab.

Also I should mention that the price of these has fallen dramatically since I first started looking at them 5-6 years ago. Probably they found a hoard of them in a castle somewhere?

more images of the event & a person who got the plague in Oregon in 2012 & survived it. He pulled a mouse out of his cat's mouth with his hand!

While here I should mention that 1410 is within the purview of the early dated European coinage. Thus it may be possible to buy an actual silver piece with the date 1410 if you really look for one.

This one was actually gotten semi-early in 2015. Unfortunately it is my only Ancient aquisition in '15 as I lost the Johannes solidus out of NAC. However I made some numismatic digressions this year (in high grade Polish thalers of all things which I haven't bought for 14 years) which accounted for the Ancients inactivity this year.

Anyhow I have been focussing a bit on late Roman and while a nice Romulus Augustus is out of the question right now, this is the guy just before him at 474 - 475 AD: Julius Nepos. Since Romulus Augustus was not approved by the East he's technically not a legitimate Western Roman Emperor, thus Julius Nepos is the Last True Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Plus this is not a ratty one, (as any reasonably priced Romulus would have to be) but is actually of decent condition.

Just won this one at auction. It's an old Polish thaler but only a lowly NGC 25 grade. Still I think it's quite sharp for a VF-25 ? I really don't know as I'm not a specialist in Polish coinage: just that I'm half Polish. Incidentally this is the 2nd one of this type I've gotten. My current one is even more worn so the new one is an improvement.

It quite rare for me to get duplicates but it does happen if I see a neat type in better grade. Maybe I can give my old one to some of my Polish relatives?

Uncleaned - Caligula & Augustus AR Denarius, 20mm, 2.83gr circa 10 AD Grade: EF+(?)

Wow, he really was prescient! Caligula became Emperor in AD 37 but by year 10 Augustus already knew what he'd look like?

This coin shows up in my book as R.I.C. 10, possibly that's what you meant? Still a really nice coin compared to my collection of worthless and rapidly devaluating bronzes.

Here is a nicely toned Great Britain 1887 Double Florin (4 shillings), Arabic 1 variety, MS 62.

 

greysoldier

Wonderful DuoDekaGroat !

I've always loved that type. As a lad I posted signs around Philly to buy old coins and would then bicycle out to whoever called (too young for a car). I got one of those but not in that condition.

With a coin that pretty I don't understand why one needs to go any higher.

Today I mainly can only afford Latin American coins + a few ancients.

Just one I found before the 1800s.

The GODFATHER type...

Very nice, if I was this old I'd be considered ancient. Why is this one called "The GodFather Coin"?

I should also point out that this is not considered an "Ancient Coin". Those usually apply to pieces made up to and including the Fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD.

Coins from then on until approx 1485 AD are termed "Medieval", and pieces made from 1486 on are "Modern". However this 1485 distinction is a lot less well defined. Many people use 1500 AD & on for Modern.

reference book needed for The Early Peruvian Republic

I'm looking for a good reference on The Coins of Early Peru. Preferably in English or I guess Spanish. This is the period from 1822 to about WW-I or so.

Any suggestions?

 

Not ancient but old. I just purchased this one about a week ago....

The bitterness of low quality is remembered long after the the sweetness of low price is forgotten.

Not sure I agree with your motto. Many years ago, before I knew what I was doing [i still really don't], I purchased a lot of silver coins from a Dr. I was paying the standard price for silver then, 2.6 x face value. He sold me an 1875-S (the common date) US 20 cent piece, VG, for $1.35 (one dollar & thirty five cents). While I've looked at nicer ones, I still never regret buying that coin: especially as it's my only 20 cent piece. An example of a low grade, common coin that has nonetheless, never been regretted.

This is my Condor, I'm looking for an unc one of these instead of just an AU though.

A Roman Provincial medallion of Claudius II 268 -270 AD, struck in Cyzicus

AE 42 (diam in mm) abt EXF, ex Gorney & Mosch, ex Goldberg's

I like the Military Crisis era of the 3rd century AD.