John Conduitt's Top 10 Ancients of 2021

This was meant to be a frugal year for coins, but the never-ending restrictions have given me more to spend. Who can resist that temptation? These are my Top 10 Ancients of 2021 (in no particular order):

10. Yazdegerd II Drachm, 438-457

Qom or Gorgān mint, Sassanid Empire. Silver, 4.0g. Yazdegerd in crown with globe and crescent; his name to the right. Fire altar with two attendants; mint name to the right (SNS 459, Type Ib1/2b). Yazdegerd II fought wars against the Eastern Roman Empire and the Kidarites, and imposed Zoroastrianism on the Christians in his country. He was the first Sasanian ruler to take the title of kay (king).

Persian coins are one of my secondary interests, so I don’t buy anything too expensive. The ones in my price range are usually difficult to interpret if you can’t read poorly struck Pahlavi, and many auction houses don’t even try to attribute them (which is my excuse if this is wrongly attributed). Anything that isn’t Khosrow II is often so weakly struck it looks like the king’s face has melted, but this has a good portrait and I like the strong, distinctive style of Yazdegerd II’s drachm reverse.

9. Gratian Siliqua, 367-375

Trier. Silver, 18mm, 2.0g. DN GRATIA-NVS P F AVG. Roma on throne holding Victory on globe and sceptre, VRBS ROMA; TRPS-dot mintmark (RIC IX, 27f). From the Harptree (Somerset) Hoard 1887 (IRBCH/Bibliography of Hoards 1424). A labourer looking for a water source hit a pewter jar with his pick. It contained 1,496 silver coins from Constantine I to Gratian. It was abandoned around 383 when Magnus Maximus killed Gratian and usurped the throne in Britain.

My main collection is of English coins, or anything dug up in what is now England. The Harptree Hoard has provided me with several of the latter. I like coins from this hoard both because they look great, and because although the hoard was found in 1887, the coins were only sold by Spink in 2016. This means you can identify your coin in that sale. My Gratian was in this lot: https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=1689&lot=2922. The Spink photos show the dark iridescence common to Harptree Hoard coins that’s tricky to capture.

8. Verica Minim, 10-40

Atrebates Kingdom, Hampshire, England. Silver, 7mm, 0.35g. Wine cup, REX above. Eagle; VERICA COMMI F around (S 159; ABC 1331). Verica's coins featured cups and vine leaves to represent imported wine, while the eagle might be a legionary aquila. These highlighted his association with Rome. The coin may have been struck at Silchester, capital of the northern Atrebates, or Chichester, capital of the southern Atrebates. Both were ruled by Verica, although the Catuvellauni occupied Silchester from 25-35. Verica fled from the Catuvellauni to Rome in 40. He sought the support of Claudius in a bid to reclaim his throne, which served as the pretext for the Roman invasion of Britain in 43.

There are many things I like about this coin. At 7mm it’s my smallest, but it’s in such high relief It’s almost spherical. Despite its size, it’s easy to see the images. I also like it because I pass within a couple of miles of Silchester every day when I take my son to school. The city walls still stand and there’s a small amphitheatre. And Verica, although perhaps not much of a British hero, played a central role in the history of Britain – it would’ve been very different today without him.

7. Antoninus Pius Denarius, 158-159

Rome. 18mm, 3.1g. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P. Antoninus Pius, veiled, togate as a priest, sacrificing out of patera over tripod-altar; beside altar, a prostrate, slain bull; VOTA SOL DEC II, COS IIII (RIC III, 291). From the Westbury Sub Mendip (Somerset) Hoard 2016. The hoard of 188 denarii dates to 193 (Septimius Severus) and included denarii from Mark Antony (32BC) and the 225 years in between.

The Westbury Sub Mendip Hoard is another of my favourites, both because I could buy directly from the dealer dispersing it, and because it contained numerous emperors whose coins don’t show up often in British hoards. The drawback with hoard sales is that the coins are all sold at the same time, so you can only buy a fraction of what you want. Ironically, this Antoninus Pius was the cheapest I bought. But it’s stunningly colourful in sunlight. Antoninus Pius’s connection with Britain and British coinage makes him one of my favourite emperors to collect. He was apparently a good one, too.

6. Bar Kokhba Revolt Small Bronze, 132-133

Judaean Rebel State. Bronze, 17.5mm, 5.9g. Grape bunch on tendril, ‘year one of the redemption of Israel’. Palm tree (the emblem of Judaea), ‘Eleazar the Priest’ (Meshorer 224). It’s speculated Eleazar was either an important figure in the rebellion; Rabbi Eleazar HaModai, who was later killed by Bar Kokhba when framed as a conspirator; or Eleazar, Moses's nephew and the second High Priest in the Bible, who played a key role in Exodus, the founding myth of the Israelites.

While I admire the Romans, it’s always fun when someone gets one over on them. Everyone cheers Hannibal, Boudica and Spartacus. Simon bar Kokhba was another to cheer. He led the Third Jewish Revolt against Hadrian, although little was known about him until archaeological discoveries in the 1950s. As the ultimate symbol of rebellion, these bronzes were struck over Roman issues. Of course, bar Kokhba ultimately failed. Worse, his own people called him a false Messiah. But he changed Jewish history – Judaism became conservative, and the revolt set a clear distinction between it and Christianity. This type is perhaps the most common bar Kokhba coin – the tetradrachms are very expensive.

5. Phraates IV Drachm, 37-2BC

Mithradatkart, Parthian Empire. Silver, 21mm, 4.2g. Diademed bust, wart on forehead; flying eagle crowning Phraates with wreath. Archer (Arsakes I) seated on throne, holding bow (Sellwood 52.32-3 var). On taking the throne, Phraates IV murdered all his brothers and possibly his father. Mark Antony invaded Media Atropatene in 36BC, but his war with Octavian allowed Phraates IV to recover his lands. In a prisoner exchange with Octavian, Phraates IV received an Italian slave named Musa. She became queen, giving birth to Phraates V, but her ambition led her to convince Phraates IV to send his four older sons to Rome. Musa poisoned Phraates IV and made herself and Phraates V co-rulers.

Like Sassanian drachms, Parthian drachms are handsome, distinctive coins with comical portraits, but are all rather similar. They are, at least, easier to identify, although much of the time the identity of the ruler hasn’t been established to any level of satisfaction. Phraates IV seems to be well-established, however, and his coins feature a regal wart and a flying eagle, which make them more interesting than most.

4. Magnentius Centenionalis, 350-351

Lugdunum. Billon, 22mm, 5.3g. Rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust; D N MAGNENTIVS P F AVG. Emperor standing, holding Victory on globe and labarum in right hand and standard with ☧ (chi-rho) on banner in left hand; FELICITAS REIPVBLICAE; RPLG in exergue (RIC VIII, 112). From the Freckenham (Suffolk) Hoard 1948, which contained 525 late Roman bronzes of Constans, Constantius II, Magnentius, Decentius and Constantius Gallus, some of which were barbarous.

Coins of Magnentius are common finds in Britain. I have five, more than any other emperor. What isn’t so common is a well-struck, well-executed official issue. Or an official issue at all. To be fair, two of my other Magnentius coins may well be official, but are of the borderline barbarous style that seems to pervade his coinage. One of those even came from the same hoard as the coin above. Needless to say, it’s nowhere near as detailed. Still, the chi-rho on the banner of this one looks rather blundered…

3. Cranbourne Chase Stater, 60-20BC

Durotriges Kingdom, Dorset, England. Silver, 19mm, 4.8g. Head of Apollo with wreath. Biga left, horse with rectangular head, body of crescents, 4 legs, 3 lines for tail, wheel on right (S 366). From the Winterborne Stickland (Dorset) Hoard 2013. 75 staters were found on a hilltop near Maiden Castle hill fort, the capital of the Durotriges. Like many Iron Age coins, the design derived from a 4th Century BC Philip II of Macedon gold stater. See this post by @Al Kowsky for how it morphed into abstraction in Gaul before it got to England, where English tribes took it a stage further https://www.cointalk.com/threads/celtic-gold-coins-an-excursion-into-abstraction.361495/

Coins from Iron Age Britain are not widely collected but also not very common. Most offered for sale are single finds and tend to be expensive, even when in a worn, corroded, broken and otherwise disheveled state. Cheaper bronze issues are barely recognisable. Hoards are found fairly frequently, particularly from around the time of the Roman invasion. But these often only contain gold coins and are kept by museums. Fortunately, the Durotriges were down on their luck. In 65BC their staters contained gold, but they degraded with the tribe’s fortunes. After the Gallic Wars (60-50BC), silver became billon, until by the Roman invasion of AD43 the staters were cast in bronze. The Winterborne Stickland Hoard was disclaimed by the British Museum and returned to the finder so that I could buy one.

2. Magnus Maximus Solidus, 383-388

Augusta (London). Gold, 21mm, 4.59g. Rosette-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Magnus Maximus; D N MAG MA-XIMVS P F AVG. Magnus Maximus and Theodosius I seated facing on double throne, jointly holding globe; Victory above, vertical palm branch under throne, VICTOR-IA AVGG, mintmark AVGOB (RIC IX, 2b). Maximus struck solidi to secure the loyalty of his army, having risen to prominence in Britain. He killed Gratian and made Trier his capital. Whether or not these solidi with AVG mintmarks were struck in ‘Augusta’ (London) is the subject of debate. I wrote about it here: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/magnus-maximus-london-augusta-solidus.386785/

Since I started collecting London Mint coins, this was on my list. This particular one was once owned by Leo Biaggi de Blasys (1906-1979), who seemed to own every Roman gold coin at some point. The fact I now own it is a little surreal. It’s the most common coin from Augusta, but I’ve identified just 15 coins with Augusta mintmarks, at least 8 of which are in museums. Only 5 have come up for auction in 15 years, and 2 of those cost more than a new 5 Series BMW. I don’t usually collect gold – this is my only gold coin. But I can only find 3 Augusta siliquas, all in the British Museum (excluding a rather dubious coin on Wildwinds sold by CNG), so silver is even harder to come by. Fortunately, the solidi have come down in price in the last decade.

Interestingly, this reverse was used by the Saxons as inspiration for their first coins, along with Crispus portraits and VOT vexilla. @Nap bought such a thrymsa this year in his breathtaking haul of Saxon coins https://www.cointalk.com/threads/2021-top-10-coins-mostly-medieval.389602/

1. Saxon Continental Phase Series D, Type 2c, Variety 3e Sceat, 695-715

Frisia. Silver, 1.2g. Radiate ‘British style’ bust left (only 5% have left-facing busts), with large triangular nose, no eye, chevrons before and behind, linear pyramid neck. Plain cross (SL 8-20; SCBI 69, 172 this coin; Beowulf 28 this coin; Metcalf 176 same dies; Spink 792). Ex Tony Abramson. From the Aston Rowant (Oxfordshire) Hoard 1971 (CH I, 347) of 350 sceattas, one of the largest of its kind found in Britain. The hoard was deposited around 710-715 near the Icknield Way, an ancient track that runs from Norfolk to Wiltshire. Only a quarter of the coins were from British mints. The rest were from Merovingian mints around the mouth of the Rhine. The owner may therefore have been a Frisian merchant travelling along the Icknield Way.

My cut-off for ‘ancients’ this year is 710. This allows me to include a coin without mentioning the Romans. 710 may seem rather arbitrary but it’s the deposition date of the Aston Rowant Hoard. This is used as the divide between primary and secondary sceattas – the latter (rather different in design) being absent from Aston Rowant – which is why most secondary sceattas are dated 710-760.

I bought a fair few Saxon coins this year: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/th...-tony-abramsons-dark-age-coins-part-2.387272/, but my collection still has a lot of gaps to go for in 2022.

Merry Christmas. May the new year bring you the coins you've been looking for!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

John, you certainly had a great year ! The Magnus Maximus solidus has to be the "piece de resistance" . The two Celtic coins #8 & 3 were great additions too. The Gratian siliqua from the Harptree Hoard is a beauty too .

 

What an awesome group of coins, I guess #6 and #2 are my favorites, but I wouldn't toss any out!

 

Great selections, John.

I like your #2, 4 and 6. The first two have very nice portraits. #6 is an excellent overall coin.

 

Wow #2 #5 and #9

 

Good, good....very good.
Interesting Magnentius - excellent strike, excellent quality and interesting portrait.

 

Beautiful variety of coins, @John Conduitt . 6 and 7 are my favorites. I own 2 Bar Kokhba coins but they’re in slabs. Maybe in 2022 I’ll free them so I can get some decent photographs of them.

 

It's interesting how your Gratian has wholly toned into an interesting shade of...well...Bronze! If you had asked me denomination based on the photo alone, I never would have guessed Siliqua! The condition is fantastic though.

Although, based on the these coins, fantastic condition must be the norm for your collection. I've seen a lot of examples of these Sceats, Staters, and Revolt bronzes, but they are usually in pretty poor shape. Seeing such pristine examples gives me a new appreciation for them.

 

My favorite is the wonderful Magnus Maximus solidus, and, after that, the Gratian siliqua and the Magnentius. A great group!

 

A fantastic selection of coins! The Magnus Maximus solidus is wonderful, but the little Verica minim also really stands out for me.

 

@John Conduitt, thanks so much for the information regarding Spink's 2016 auction of siliquae and other coins from the 1887 East Harptree Hoard. This is the one coin I own, a Valens siliqua from Rome, that I purchased last year (not from Spink) as being part of that hoard:

Valens, AR Siliqua, 364-367 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. DN VALEN-S PF AVG, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / Rev. VOT- V- MV•LT - X in four lines within wreath. In exergue: Mintmark RB. RIC IX Rome 10c (p. 118), RSC V 91(h) (ill.), Sear RCV V 19687. 17 mm., 2.00 g. From 1887 East Harptree hoard (one of 19 coins of this type in hoard; see https://archive.org/details/thirdnumismatic08royauoft/page/46/mode/1up).



Looking through the Spink 2016 lots, Lot 3028 is the only one containing siliquae matching this description:

https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=1689&lot=3028

Valens (AD 364-378), AR Siliqua (12), Rome, 364-367, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right, d n valen-s p f avg, rev. vot / v / mv·lt / x in wreath, rb or rt in exergue (RIC 10c; cf. RSC 91†d), and Magnus Maximus (AD 383-388), AR Siliqua, Trier, similar bust, rev. virtvs romanorvm, Roma seated facing, trps in eergue (RIC 84b; RSC 20a), very fine or better (12).

Here is the photo of the coins in the lot (unfortunately showing only the obverses):



I think it's possible that my coin may be the one to the upper right of the group, second from the top and second from the right. Here's an excerpt showing only that part of the group, with the possible match in the center:



What do you and others think: is that my coin? Note particularly that the "P" in the obverse legend appears to have the same little tail at the bottom.

Thanks for your opinions.

 

It's so hard to pick just a few favorites when your collection is so diverse! What a great group! Love that Verica minim-- what a great strike and preservation for such a tiny coin. Found hoard coins are always exciting so I love that Cranbourn Chase stater. The Mag Max solidus is of course fantastic. The Gratian siliqua is beautiful, the Bar Kokhba bronze terrific for the history. I'll stop now or the whole group will have been listed .

Congrats on the great year!

 

Yes, that is the same coin .

 

Thank you. I was pretty sure, but it's nice to have another set of eyes confirm it! And to have more than the dealer's say-so for the attribution.

 

You've had a great year. Good stuff.

 

Lovely selection!....1, 6 and 3 for me but hey all sweet coin!....Congrats!

 

The Magnus Maximus is indeed awesome, but I would take the Cranbourne stater any day !
The Magnentius follis is unusually well detailed and struck too.

Q

 

lovely and interesting coins - all appealed, especially 9,8 and 2

 

You had a great year. The grapes on your Bar Kokhba coin look ready to pick.

 

Great list @John Conduitt . I like them all. My favorites are #2, #6 and #8.

The Verica Minim is interesting and a really nice looking coin for the size. That is also a very nice Bar Kokhba example. I plan to add a Bar Kokhba coin at some point in the future. I just added an example recently from the First Jewish Revolt.