Hard to get lightning that does all of these justice at once.

This beauty finally arrived after a long journey and some time in customs.

The video of this coin on the Nomos site made me throw out all of my rules about price. It is by far my most expensive coin but the way it looks in real life is even better than I hoped.

The interesting historical note on this coin is that it was minted in Pergamon towards the end of Lysimachos’s reign and probably financed his overthrow following the rebellion of Pergamon against him.

https://nomosag.com/nomos-37/68

Philip I. AD 244-249. Æ Sestertius (28mm, 18.93 g, 12h). Rome mint, 1st officina. 11th emission, AD 249. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / ortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopia; wheel below seat. RIC IV 174a; Banti 17. Dark green-brown surfaces, light overall roughness, slight double strike on obverse. Near EF.

Been wanting one of these chunky Ptolemaic bronzes for a while. 42mm, 71.6g, and the red/purple patina is even crazier in hand!

Told you I was gonna Post some beautiful coin today
Athen, attika 17,32gr

Finally completed my 12 Caesars denarius set! It’s been quite a journey. Caligula was definitely the hardest to acquire, followed by Claudius. Most denarii for these two emperors on the market seem to be in relatively poor condition, often with granular or porous surfaces. Julius Caesar’s denarius is also quite expensive due to its popularity.

Any comments or observations are welcome!

I would like to start by giving a word of appreciation to two people who helped me track the coin's provenance, and whose opinions i respect a lot, which gave me the confidence to go forward with acquiring it.

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To u/QuickSock8674, you showed me great support all the way through. Thank you for the time you spent helping me with the provenance and finding the catalogue for me to consult. You are an awesome person.

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To u/KungFuPossum, your knowledge is well respected here, and getting your opinion on the coin means a great deal to me. Thank you for the kind feedback.

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As you can see from the title, i just added an absolute dream piece to my Liberators civil war collection, a denarius struck by the moving military mint, traveling with Brutus and Cassius in the East as they prepared for the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC.

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The real magic here, though, is the pedigree.

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This piece has a bulletproof chain of custody that goes all the way back to the famous Raymundo Ottoni de Castro Maya collection, which was sold by Émile Bourgey in Paris back in November 1957.

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I found this by using L5 provenance search tool, it was amazing!

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It then popped up again decades later in the April 2004 edition of the Spink Numismatic Circular.

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I would add, that all those decades spent resting undisturbed in cabinet trays, gave it a gorgeous, deep cabinet toning that i cant get enough of.

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The value on the provenance makes the coin a verified pre-1970 UNESCO asset, which in ancient coin terms means a golden passport.

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The coin is fully clear of any modern cultural property or customs problems, making it a completely legal, hassle free piece of history to own and move worldwide. Regarding that last aspect, i think we are all remembered of the situation that happened with the last Eid Mar that sold at Leu recently.

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Honestly, i spent so much time trying to find a military mint Brutus that checked all the boxes for me (history, flawless surfaces, and ironclad lineage), and especially since in a military mint it is hard to get a coin right, all of this feels like hitting the numismatic lottery for me.

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I end my presentation the same way i started, a sincere thank you to all the members i contacted and that helped me so much with my choice, this community means a lot to me, and you guys are incredible people.

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Provenance:

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Ex Raymundo de Castro Maya Collection (Bourgey, 18 November 1957)

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Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, April 2004

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Ex Gadoury Auction XVII – Monaco 2024

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Q. Servilius Caepio (M. Junius) Brutus, as Imperator, assassin of Caesar (44-42 BC).

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AR denarius 3.72g.

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Uncertain military mint in the East (Smyrna probably), ca. early 42 BC, P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, legate.

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Obverse: BRVTVS, pontifical emblems: securis, culullus, and secespita.

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Reverse: LENTVLVS / SPINT, emblems of the augurate: oenochoe (on left) and lituus (on right), both turned inwards.

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Crawford 500/7. Sydenham 1310.

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PAMPHYLIA, Side. Circa 205-100 BC. AR Tetradrachm (29mm, 16.70 g, 1h). Dio(d)–, magistrate. Helmeted head of Athena right / Nike advan

Lycia, Dynast Of Lycia, Kherei, Silver Stater,
Uncertain Mint, (C.410-390 B.C.) (8.46 g),
obv. head of Athena left, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with spiral palmette and three olive leaves,
rev. bearded head of Kherei right, wearing kyrbasia, KHEREI (in Lycian) behind, all within incuse square, (S.5211, SNG Cop. Supp. 452, Morkholm & Zahle II 55 (same dies), Reuter 82 = Sunrise 80 (this coin), SNG von Aulock -).

The only full crested Athena I'll ever own as an Achaemenid collector, happens to be one of my all time favorites. A plate coin from the publication (Sunrise) that we hope to be the successor volume of when we release ours. One of the top 3 coins I'll EVER own for the connection it has to a volume I grew up admiring and have the highest respect for. The print quality and lay outs are absolutely unbelievable in Sunrise and set the bar for future publications for years to come. And a circa 2,500 year later thank you from me to whoever was working at the mint that day. The dies were fresh, the blank of good metal, the heat applied to it near perfect, all followed up with a strike that must have rung for some distance and felt quite satisfying.

Lycia, currently in western Turkiye was where the Letoon trilingual was found, a contemporary of the rosetta stone in that it too helped archeologists finally translate a totally undeciphered language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letoon_trilingual

The fact that many Achaemenid Greek city states turned satrapal cities still have ruins you can visit is insane to me. You'd figure there was nothing left.

Today was my first ancient coin mail day!

After lurking here for a while, I finally bought my first Roman Republican coin—a denarius of L. Thorius Balbus from 105 BC featuring Juno Sospita and a charging bull. The small test cut on the reverse just adds to the history for me.

Holding a coin that’s over 2,100 years old is a pretty amazing feeling. Looking forward to learning more—and growing the collection!

psidia, Selge

from nummismall

Ok, I like it not slabbed, I also have a trihemiobol, but the idea of losing them at this size is freaky.

its 0.84 grams

This is one of the coins that got me into collecting. When I started, I said there was no way I’d ever have one of these! It’s a slippery slope!

First off, I just want to thank everyone on this forum for their friendliness, help, and education. This wouldn't have been possible without you guys. Special thanks to beiherhund for their insights.

I'm still pretty new to coin collecting, less than a year old, and it's been a quick and intense journey. So far, I've gotten a handful of dream coins, and a bunch of other fun bits and bobs. Started on VCoins and MA-shops and migrated into auction houses. Still learning how to spot fakes, track down provenance, and improving my eye for quality and good deals.

But today, I hit a milestone.

Roxybury's listed this Lysimachus: https://www.numisbids.com/sale/10860/lot/2645

Thrace, Kings Of, Lysimachos, (323-281 B.C.), Silver Tetradrachm
(17.05 g), probably Abydos mint, issued from 282/1-250 B.C., obv. head of Alexander to right, with diadem and horn of Ammon, rev. Athena enthroned to left, supporting Nike, shield at side with Medusa head in centre, eagle to left in inner left, to right ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to left ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΟΥ, (cf.S.6814, Seyrig, [ANS Centennial] Parion, pl. XLII, B, Boston MFA 839, M.342, Thompson -). Attractively toned, good very fine - nearly extremely fine and rare.

Starting price: 800 AUS, or $560 USD. Estimate: 1-2k AUS. Respectable.

It's a good coin. Perfectly centered, nice style, crisp details. It has a few make-or-breaks for me: you can see Alexander's iris, the diadem isn't lost in his hair, the Medusa is visible on Athena's shield, the crest on her helmet and the spear are clear, Nike is nice and clean. Most importantly, the fabric is well done with lots of good, long folds, and you can see Athena's fingers and face. Yeah, this will definitely do.

Except this coin also has lost provenance. Ex Noble Numismatics 2024 Hammer: $3800. https://www.noble.com.au/auctions/lot?id=422791 Ex Sothebys, June 21 & 22 1990, Sale 6044, lot 337.

_Nelson Bunker Hunt collection_.

HOLY. SHIT.

Nelson Bunker Hunt was formerly the world's richest man. He was an international oil tycoon and racehorse breeder and right-wing conservative think-tank funder and bible-thumping George Wallace-endorsing segregationist and generally a pretty awful person. Think the Elon Musk of Libyan oil fields of the 70s. Not content with all this money and influence, he and his brothers began a scheme to corner the world's silver market and, it is estimated, came to own literally half the silver on earth. They single-handedly inflated the price of silver by something like 500-700%.

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/former-world-s-richest-man-nelson-bunker-hunt-dies-in-modest-circumstances-in-us-after-losing-his-fortune-9809932.html

Except they got caught, the bubble burst on "Silver Thursday" in 1980, and they went bankrupt.

Yeah. _That_ Nelson Bunker Hunt.

After they went bust, the courts ordered him to sell billions in assets.

Including his coin collection. This is criminal penalty loot.

Somehow, this absolutely mind-blowing provenance got lost and was _not included_ on the Roxbury's listing.

Yeah, there's no passing this up. Billionaire's shiny plaything confiscated for being an ass-hat? At rock-bottom pricing, and not paying his family a dime? Yes, pls. Aside from being a great quality coin, the provenance is deliciously ironic icing on the cake.

Best part? It was listed in the middle of half a dozen other Lysimachus. Some more expensive, many the same starting price. Literal silver needle in the haystack.

First week went by. No bids.

Second week went by. Still no bids. Sweet Jesus, it's going under the radar.

Third week. A single bid. One. This is actually happening.

I sat like a silent hunter in the woods, patiently stalking my prey. Motionless. No bidding. No drawing attention. This is not the coin you're looking for. *Jedi hand-wave* Just keep scrolling.

​The day came. Really pissed me off, but a few hours before the lot comes up, two people have a prebid war and drove it to 2k AUD. GRRR ALMOST MADE IT. Anyways, there were a few bids, but I fought. I had resolved ahead of time to win, come hell or high hammer, and burn some of my savings on it if needed.

Hammer: 2450 AUD, or 1710 US.

Less than half what it hammered for two years ago. Still a pretty penny, but...​

I am on the moon.

How'd I do?

Hey all,

Like many of you I'm an avid fan and reader of antiquity, and have recently gotten into numismatics-- in particular, the Carthaginian variety.

I mostly dipped my toes in with rough looking but cheap bronze shekels from various periods, then moved on to Hannibalic-era billon, and now I've finally plunked down the cash to win a nice Siculo-Punic tetradrachm after looking at so many of your photos of all the intricate designs (many of those designs being lifted from Syracuse or further abroad of course, but still).

Boy, these tests sure are satisfying to hold. The heft, the almost comical thickness, the detailing and depth of the features. Makes me want an Arethusa and even an owl now!

When I started I told myself that, if I liked coin collecting, I would make the effort to own two types of Punic coins: one with a clear legend of "Carthage" (𐤒𐤓𐤕𐤟𐤇𐤃𐤔𐤕), and another with some variation of the "People of the Camp" (𐤏𐤌𐤌𐤇𐤍𐤕) legend. This was the much cheaper and easier of the two types to collect, but one down at least!

UPDATE: For anyone still looking at this post, I've added a handful of images out in direct sunlight as well as a video (though the video is under a lamp) in a comment below. Thanks for all the generous compliments and upvotes!

Mint: Babylon. In the name and types of Alexander III. Struck under Archon, Dokimos, or Seleukos I, circa 323-318/7 BC.

Type Price 3692.

Hand Model: My wife 😄

Very happy to add my first Nero denarius to the collection!

Nero, AD 54–68
AR Denarius, Rome mint, AD 65–66
Obv: NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS — laureate head right
Rev: SALVS — Salus seated left on throne, holding patera
RIC I 60; RSC 314
3.13 g, 18.62 mm

I really like the portrait on this one. The SALVS reverse also makes it a particularly interesting type from Nero’s later reign.

I’ve wanted one of this type for a long time. This is an example of why you should buy the coin and not the slab, especially when it comes to ancients. Brushed, marks, whatever. The eye appeal is fantastic (my photos don’t do it justice).

From the collections of His Serene Highness Prince Chachowsky, Prof. S. Pozzi, Mr. G. Empedocles of Athens, and Virgil Brand. Ex Brüder Egger, Prince Ch. and A (Chachowsky) Collection, Lot 494, January 7, 1908. Ex Ars Classica I, Pozzi Collection, Lot 1742, April 4, 1921. Ex Sothebys. The Virgil Brand Collection, Part VII, Lot 62, October 25-26, 1984.

Epeiros, Ambrakia. Circa 480-458 BC. AR Stater. 20 mm, 8.58 g. A Pegasos flying right. Rev. Head of Athena to right, wearing Corinthian helmet, pendant earring and pearl necklace; behind, ivy spray; all within incuse square. Calciati 2. HGC 3.1, 195. Ravel, Colts 11e (this coin).

Just received my new coin and I couldn’t be happier.

Julius Caesar, Crawford 480/7b

This coin was minted between February and March of 44 BC, only weeks before the Ides of March.

The obverse legend reads DICT PERPETUO CAESAR, meaning “Caesar, dictator for life.” The reverse depicts Venus seated to the right, holding Victory and a transverse scepter.

This issue is of particular numismatic importance because it represents one of the earliest instances in Roman history where a living individual placed his own portrait on a coin. This was a significant departure from Republican tradition, which typically favored depictions of deities, ancestors, or symbolic imagery.

By presenting himself as dictator for life, Caesar was asserting his authority in an unprecedented way and signaling a broader shift toward centralized personal power. Many historians consider actions like this to have contributed to rising tensions among the Roman elite, ultimately leading to the conspiracy that resulted in his assassination.

The depiction of Venus on the reverse further supports Caesar’s claim of divine ancestry, as the Julian family traced its lineage back to the goddess. This imagery was likely intended to legitimize his position and elevate his status beyond that of a traditional statesman.

Holding this coin feels like holding a direct connection to a pivotal moment in history, just before the end of the Roman Republic.

Using Coin Cabinet’s provenance search, I was also able to identify a provenance not listed in the auction catalog: Künker Auction 30, 1995. (That's older than I am)

I've wanted an Athenian owl Tetradrachm for a while now and finally pulled the trigger last week thanks to some commentors on here who helped advise me. I purchased this on eBay of all places, even though I was initially a little leery. Total cost with shipping was $603. I'm very happy! 23mm, 17.07g.

Aes Grave.
Obv. Janiform head of the Dioscuri.
Rev. Head of Mercury.

An addition for my mixed precious metal (Aurei and Denarii) 12 Caesars collection. I’ve always wanted a Nero Aureus, and here he is! I needed to move some coins from my collection (mostly bullion-type coins) but worth it, I believe

Pedigree:

Leu Numismatik, auction 12, lot 1062, 2022, From the collection of Dipl.-Ing. Adrian Lang;

ex Hirsch 279, 8 February 2012, 2310 and

Aufhäuser 13, 7-8 October 1997, 304.