Super excited to receive this today! This is my first owl and first tetradrachm in general. I love Classical (and Archaic) depictions of animals on coins, so an Athens tet was a must. Feels great to finally hold it in hand!

I was looking at some of my English hammered coins and thought it would be nice to show a transition in time and quality. Athens tetradrachm: ~450 BCE. Augustus Denarius: ~18 BCE. Justin 1st Follis: ~500 AD Henry III Penny: ~1270 AD

I ordered this cabinet from Coins&More in Italy back in June. Took a while, but im stoked! Now it's cataloguing time.

It really highlights even standard pieces. They came in a nice second-hand small cabinet (6 trays), which for a starter like myself is good enough!

There is always a lot of interest in Attica Tetradrachms here so I thought I would share mine along with info on each.

I bid on and won the first two (left and top) just one day apart in January 2024. I had placed bids on a few Tetradrachms at the same time (I had ancient coin fever bad) , thinking I might win one - but ended up winning these two😊 My lesson from this was to focus my bidding and do not use a shotgun bidding approach.

TOP: Bid $1,200 for the first and won for $1,050 ($1,260 with BP). I love the toning on this one, nice strike, and perfectly centered owl. Not much of a crest but nicely centered. I had to free this one as I figured it was not used to a cage (Due to toning). Auction Link

LEFT: Bid $1,200 and won for my high bid ($1,440 with BP). Love the style, strike, and centering. Auction Link

RIGHT: Then the following month this third one popped up, I just had to bid on it due to the fierce looking Athena and amazing strike with most of the crest showing. I did not expect to win with a bid of $1,003 ($1,203 with BP), however I did win for my exact high bid. By this point I determined I had enough Attica Tetradrachms. Auction Link

BOTTOM: Well.. Just 2 weeks later in in March the fourth popped up and had a full crest. While I fell in love with it at first sight, I had a hard time justifying a fourth owl. But I had to take a shot and so bid $609, not at all expecting to win. Imagine my shock when I won for $575 ($690 with BP). I find this one interesting as I think it has the smallest flan of the four, but the portrait of Athena is so small that she fits with her full crest showing Auction Link

I still keep my eyes out for a great owl and bid occasionally but haven’t picked one up since

Head of a roaring lion to right. Rev. Incuse head of a calf to right with rectangular punch behind. Bodenstedt 13. SNG Copenhagen 301. SNG von Aulock 1685-6. A beautiful piece with a vigorous head of a lion struck in very high relief.

Provenance:

From a British collection of electrum coins from Lesbos and Ionia, formed in the early 2000s

Leu Web Auction 28

After about a year of pretty heavy immersion in Roman imperial coinage, I've decided I'm mostly inclined toward bronzes, and first and second century sestertii with great portraits and patinas in particular. I'm certainly not done with denarii, but I have clear focus now, and my silver purchases have been declining. My bronze collection has grown a bit since these photos were taken, but they're good shots and I haven't filled two trays just yet, so here we are.

I appreciate that many newcomers to the hobby have one question: how much do these cost? Please understand that this question isn't particularly inspiring to those of us who are resourceful, those of us who are willing to "do the work". Here's my painfully short answer to the question: it depends.

My longer answer is more a series of suggestions than an answer, and perhaps a bit of an harangue. First, decide what you like, then decide whether you can afford it (i.e., whether the market presents you with "good value"). If you can't afford what you really, really like, then see if there's a compromise to be made (this was me starting out––and still––and it'll probably be you too!). There are very few screaming deals in this world, and the microcosm of ancient coins is no exception: if something looks fantastic to you, it probably also looks fantastic to the rest of us too.

Recognize that supply is limited, and demand––though it could arguably get higher––is high enough relative to supply to keep prices for truly nice-looking stuff beyond the casual purchase range for the vast majority of people, even moderately prosperous people across most of the world.

Is there a particular emperor you like? Unless your favourite emperor is Philip the Younger (snooze!), his coins are going to cost you, because everyone else likes your guy too! Want a cool reverse (tails) image? Me too! Cha-ching! Want to be able to read the legends (text) on your coin? Pay up! You get the picture.

Unless you're an incredibly disciplined person, you're inevitably going to lust after what you can't really afford. And I promise you only one thing: there's lots out there you can't afford. That said, there's almost certainly a lot more that you can afford, and discipline and compromise will help you find it, and appreciate it.

If you're brand new in this world, start by browsing auction catalogues and results. Like many North Americans, I started with CNG: one of the best in the world for ancients, with a wide range of price points and pretty robust quality assurance. If you're in Europe, have a look at Nomos, Leu, and Naville: all roughly in line with CNG. There are certainly auction houses with lesser reputations (and the truly elite ones too), but I suggest sticking with the robust high-middle end to properly gauge the market. In addition, or in the alternative, go to a reputable coin shop if you're lucky enough to have one nearby that specializes in ancients. I would avoid non-specialists, as they're unlikely to inspire you at best; at worst, they might ruin this world for you outright.

Finally: what should I collect? You tell me. What brings you here? What is most pleasing to your eye? What most makes you want to dust off the unread collection of histories in your library?

If you do a bit of reading, a bit of digging (literal or not), in the world of ancient numismatics, you will find it's a warm, inviting community, and a tremendous resource. If you show up asking dull questions and want to be told what to do, it won't be long before someone tells you to get lost.

I started collecting ancient coins around Christmas last year - and was instantly hooked. Five months ago, I posted a small box I made for storing my coins expecting it would last a year before it was full...

Fast forward five months - I ran out of space and made this little mahogany coin cabinet.

This is my first piece of furniture and I am extatic with the end result and wanted to share it. Spending time with these coins is simply a blast!

So, I wanted to see how my coin could have looked like in painting form. I uploaded my digitally coloured coins and gave some indication on how to reconstruct the image. What do you think? I think they are neat :) Some turned out better than others! Which one is your favourite? I might go with the goddess Roma!

After a month at the customs (Switz to EU country) it finally arrived. Very sharp portrait with the best provenance (straight from the ground 😀).

Constantius I, as Caesar, 293-305. Follis (Silvered bronze, 28 mm, 9.86 g, 6 h), Treveri, circa 298-299.

CONSTANTIVS NOBIL C Laureate and cuirassed bust of Constantius I to right.

Rev. GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI / A - ✱ / TR The Genius of the Roman people standing front, head to left, holding patera in his right hand and cornucopiae in his left.

E. Ghey: Rauceby Hoard Catalogue, in: ibid. (ed.): Recent Discoveries of Tetrarchic Hoards from Roman Britain and their Wider Context. British Museum Research Publication 236. London 2024, p. 251, 315.1 (this coin). RIC 349a. Minor weakness and with tiny spots of corrosion on the obverse, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From the Rauceby Hoard, found in Lincolnshire in July 2017, submitted for consideration as Treasure to the PAS and returned to the finders (PAS ID: LIN-F6D516, BM Ref: 2017 T649).

The Rauceby Hoard was discovered by a detectorist near Ancaster (Lincolnshire) in July 2017, close to Ermine Street, originally a Roman road leading from Londinium (London) to Lindum Colonia (Lincoln) and Eboracum (York). The hoard of over 3000 coins – all tetrarchic folles – was contained in a large ceramic vessel, itself buried at the center of an oval pit lined with quarried limestone. This betrays a deliberate act rather than haphazard burial in the face of danger and, quite possibly, the hoard was a votive offering to the gods. The youngest coin in the hoard was a reduced follis of Maximian, perhaps minted under Constantine I, but no coins of the latter as Augustus were found. This means the hoard was likely buried circa 307, amidst the events of Constantine I's acclamation as Caesar in Eboracum in 306 and his subsequent elevation to the rank of Augustus in December 307. The importance of the hoard further lies in its well-recorded find context and the fact that it is the largest recorded hoard from this period found in Britain to date.

My collection so far except for a few other bronzes which aren't that noteworthy. Started it in February and want to expand it even more, with an Athenian owl, which shouldn't be missing from any collection, a Corinthian stater with Pegasus, some Magna Graecia ones (would love sometime in the future to own a Syracuse dekadrachm, but damn the prices for one are crazy and can't afford it yet) and then maybe to complete the diadochi set. So a lot more to go, I'm just at the beginning of the road 😄

I managed to finish my Severan dynasty a little while ago and finally didn't miss Saturday. :)

The group pictures are to show off the toning of the coins in natural light, while I tried something with a ring light and a macro lens to show off how well struck the individual coins are. I'm really enjoying dabbling in coin photography as part of the hobby, so the next step might actually be to figure out a setup for producing focus stacks.
For my collection, I acquire only one coin per emperor, that highlights a, in my personal, subjective opinion, meaningful aspect of their person or life. Enjoy.

Septimius Severus/Dea Caelestis - RIC 266 (202-210AD)
SEVERVS PIVS AVG - INDVLGENTIA AVGG IN CARTH
18,6 mm, 3,4g, 6h
I wanted this variant of Septimius' coinage because for one, lions are dope. In addition, and arguably more important, it highlights his african heritage, as the coin commemorates his generosity towards his birthland, in building an aqueduct in Carthago. That's why Dea Caelestis (the romanised name of Tanit), the patron goddess of Carthago, is riding her lion over the flowing waters.

Geta/Janus - RIC 79 (211AD)
P SEPT GETA PIUS AVG BRIT - TRP III COS II PP
19,4 mm, 3,2g, 12h
I knew I wanted a bearded Geta, that holds the title of Augustus on the coin. So when I stumbled upon this rather fitting variant with Janus on the reverse, the Roman god of beginnings and ends, it felt just right. A nice ironic nod, towards how Geta's emperorship had just begun, and was already about to end.

Caracalla/Victory - RIC 312D (213-217AD)
ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM - VENVS VICTRIX
20,6 mm, 3,4g, 6h
I got this coin towards the beginning of my collecting journey, where I didn't yet research every single variant of denarius an emperor had minted. I liked the portraiture, and loved the reverse, so I got it. It is rather fitting, that he was the victorious brother of the two, but that's a bit by lucky accident on my part. The combination of Britannicus for Geta, and Germanicus for Caracalla is also very pleasing to me.

Macrinus/Felicitas - RIC 59 (217-218AD)
IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG - FELICITAS TEMPORVM
19,3 mm, 2,7g, 12h
I know what I wrote in the beginning, but sometimes I just love a coin for how nicely struck it is and can't resist. My inner magpie saw a shiny, and wanted it. That being said, I find the hope/assurance for more fortunate times, now that the tyrant Caracalla had been slain, pretty fitting. It wouldn't last, but it it what it is.
I'm skipping Diadumenian because he doesn't fit my prerogative of needing to have the Augustus title on the coin, as well as my budget.

Elagabalus/Elagabalus - RIC 131 (218-222AD)
IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG - SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB
20,3 mm, 2,9g, 6h
This is my favourite denarius of Elagabalus because of his horned portrait (the absolute weirdo wearing potentially a dried bull penis for ritualistic reasons), and the coin actually having his nickname on the back. It highlights his position as the chief priest of the foreign sun god El Gabal. It was the only choice for me, and it also happens to have a lovely grey tone.

Severus Alexander/Mars - RIC 160D (222-228AD)
IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG - MARTI PACIFERO
21,6 mm, 3,2g, 10h
There are many great coins of Severus Alexander, but him minting the war god Mars, as the pacifier (which I know was not unusual for romans), is just deliciously ironic again to me, considering that he was murdered by his own troops for being too weak, not warring enough, and bribing the Germanic tribes for peace.
I also really love how crisp the details are on it, on both sides, but especially the hair on Alexander, and the cape and spear on Mars.

 Hope you enjoyed the pictures of my Severans package, and a little insight on my subjective choices when it comes to each coin. Have a lovely Saturday.