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Totally agree with your analysis on the evolution everyone goes through collecting ancients. I like many started by wanting to have one of every emperor. After around a year and a half my goals have become much more elaborate, I want coins that have something special or unique about them, it's not just about checking off a list.
As some other people here, I started this year to collect ancient (roman!) coins, and that's in a huge part thanks to your wonderful channel. Have a great 2025!
Great video and beautiful coins. Thanks for introducing me to the Dunning-Kruger effect. My interests bounce around so much I feel like I remain stuck in the Valley of Despair. So much to learn lol!
Beautiful coins!! Probus Antoniniani are beautiful, Trajan's denarius is super interesting, all of them beautiful. The tetradrachm of Antiochus VIII is my favorite, along with the nomos of Metapontum. Happy holidays!!
Leo, I have mentioned this once before but perhaps you might get time to do a video on the direction of legends in 2025. So, vertical up and down, clockwise, anticlockwise, inside out and outside in and over which periods each was popular. I have never seen it discussed in the way you do. Happy new year and keep up your unique work please.
Thank you for yout reply - I do hope you find time as the subject has been very poorly covered. I think that retrograde legends (whatever that truly means) did not occur after Hadrian - but I am no expert.
I started collecting and got a bunch of good stuff this year. My favorites are a Lysimachus tet with the horned Alexander portrait, a J.Caesar Venus denarius, and a mark antony Legionary denarius with Caesars X legion. I got 4 of the 5 good emperors in sestertius too, finding a decent Nerva at a reasonable price has been challenging. Overall very happy with how my collection is going.
I appreciate your videos. I've never been much of a collector but a lover of history. They came together this year when I got my first Denarius, a Julia Soaemias. The study of its history and the person who was on it opened my eyes to just how crazy those times were, as if Game Of Thrones was a real thing. My first goal is to get the Severus dynasty. Your videos are very informative. Have a safe and Happy New Year.
The Severan emperors denarii are inexpensive and quite common, so it's easy to build a set of them. However, the Severan empresses are slightly tougher to acquire, especially the scarce issues of Aquilia Severa and Orbiana.
I have been a coin collector for some years but have yet to purchase an ancient coin as I am only just climbing slowly out of ‘The Valley of Despair’ stage 🙂. However I intend on changing that in 2025 with something from early Roman Britain. Thank you Leo for your videos and the knowledge you freely share; you remain my favourite ancient coins commentator on UA-cam. Happy New Year! 👍
Thanks for your passion and videos. You are the reason I started my channel because I was very inspired by your videos. I also identify with what you say about the different phases. I also agree about the egos XD. The nomos is amazing! I take into your idea of the top 10 coins of the year and will post a video soon. Thanks for sharing and creating fantastic content!
Just like you I too envy those collectors who can zero in on a topic of interest and become real experts. My interests are all over the place! I started out looking to build a collection of one coin of each emperor in silver! Amazing I didn't settle on gold! Back when I was standing on tippy-toe at the very summit of Mount Stupid! Since then I've collected mostly Roman Imperial, along with the occasional Provincial coin and in recent years branching out into Byzantine and Roman Republican coins. Among my favorite acquisitions in 2024 is a Servillia denarius very much like the one you show in this video. Along with that would be a double sestertius of Postumus and a very impressive (my opinion there!) follis of Phocas from Theopoulis showing Phocas and empress Leontina standing on the obverse! Since it is New Years eve as I write this I'll close by wishing whomever reads this a happy 2025!
What a lovely top 10! I particularly like the Mark Antony; it shows the craggy features of that remarkable man to great effect and has a highly desirable reverse. You seem a bit like me over 40 years ago when I first began collecting. Like you I started wanting all the roman emperors from Augustus to Honorius, but soon my eye started to stray to the Republic, then Greek ancients, then early medieval Byzantines, which led me to western and eastern medieval coins. It does make the collecting even more fun and sparks interest in other historical periods and places. Now retired I have been reduced to 2 or 3 coins a year, so that means each one has got to be super satisfying to ensure I avoid buyer's remorse due to limited income. So, I have a top 3 for 2024! First a lovely medieval silver dirham of the Seljuqs of Rum with a lion in medieval style and a sun with a human face, then a mid 1st century BC tetradrachm of King Orodes II showing his rich attire and tightly curled hair and beard. But possibly my favorite is a bronze of the Numidian king Massinissa who reigned from 202 BC to 148 BC. These are fairly common, but usually well-worn, poorly struck or both. Not mine! It is very well struck and in gVF or better condition with an expressive portrait obverse and a reverse with a delightfully prancing horse. (I'm looking at it now with great affection as I type this.) Thanks for all the interesting presentations in 2024 and have a great 2025.
I'm a new collector as of July this year. Your videos are a great help and allowed me some kind of fixation while recovering from a surgery. As for my collection, the two main branches have been bronze issues from Magna Graecia and denarii of the Roman principate. The highlights respectively would be a choice Himera nymph hemilitron (my most expensive coin) and a pair of lightly-toned denarii from Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. Thanks for the videos this year! I wish your channel well (but not too well, lest all the coins become unattainable 😏). P.S. Those Metapontion nomos are my favourite coin type! One day I might attain one and make an exception to the bronze rule!
Beautiful coins Leo. Ty for the past 3/4 yrs of collecting and learning. My humble list/no order. Silver tetradrachm Trajan/Eagle, Fully silvered Probus/minerva lug. Mint, Siliqua Julian arles mint, Silver drachm Hadrian/Helios standing on mt. Argaios, Republic denarius 107bc Pietas, Ae Claudius/Heracles, Republic den. Hercules obv. 112bc, Tetra. Trajan decius antioch mint, Fully silvered Probus/concordia antioch mint, and Republic denarius 85bc Vejovis/ winged genius seated on goat. Ty again for all your work
1:25 This is basically my goal too. I got 4 more to go: Balbinus. Pupienus, Pertinax, and Didius Julianus. Unfortunately, they're extremely hard to find.
Muchas gracias Oscar! Si, estuve buscando una Uncia hace ya mucho tiempo, pero siempre estaban o muy caras o muy corroidas. Super contento con estas piezas. Que 2025 nos traiga un monton de piezas bonitas!
My collecting interest is divided between Greek and Roman coins. 1)Didrachm Of Queen Berenike II, 2) MacedoniantTetradrachm Of Aesillas Quaestor, 3) Pamphylian tertadrachm with head of Athena, 4) Nomos of Metapontum with the beautiful goddess Persephone, 5) Two bronze coins from Metapontum with the goddess Athena 6) Denarius of Emperor Trajan / Dacia Capta 7) Denarius of Mark Antony / Legio XX, 7) Denarius of Empress Orbiana, 8) A bronze coin from Kentoripai, Sicily, with a magnificent portrait of Zeus 9) Bronze coin from Leontinoi with a portrait of the god Apollo. 10) Square bronze coin of the Bactrian king Eukratides I.
Another great list! That solidus of Valentinian is superb. This year I started taking a stab at the 12 Caesars (allowing for a mix of bronze, silver and provincial coins to keep costs low) and I've been focusing on fewer, higher quality pieces that I could reasonably afford (within the $100-$250 range). My top coins list would start off with an honorable mention of half of a dupondius featuring a posthumous portrait of Julius Caesar before making it to: 5. A double maiorina from Julian (The Apostate) struck in Antioch featuring the famous bull reverse, a piece I've always wanted in my collection and was the first one I collected this year. It unfortunately suffered from minor bronze disease on the rim but I was fortunately able to get this treated so that was a good learning experience. I love its historical significance as representing a sort of last hurrah for the traditional Roman ways and it was even singled out for mockery by the emperor's Christian critics (who very well could've held the specific coin I now own as they were dismissing it). It's very much the standout of my Late Roman bronze coins. 4. A diassarion from Caligula struck in the provincial city of Komana in Pontus, to have any coin from this emperor in reasonable condition is incredible but I especially love the reverse for the beautiful depiction of an unknown god that has attributes of Apollo and Herakles. 3. An as from Claudius struck in Rome which I think is such an exquisite piece aesthetically. I have quite the soft spot for this emperor after watching "I, Claudius" and I thought this was a nice piece worthy of being represented in my 12 Caesars set. 2. A denarius from Augustus struck in Lugdunum that is one of the common Lucius and Gaius issues but it's still very historically significant and lovely to look at even if a bit chipped. 1. An antoninianus of Philip The Arab struck in Rome in absolutely pristine condition, everything fits perfectly inside the flan and was minted to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Rome (the reverse shows a cippus with the inscriptions COS III) so it's both beautiful and historically significant. Holding it in my hand feels like I'm looking at the last gasp of Rome's glory days before the very worst of the Third Century Crisis would snuff it all out. Its EF condition seems to reflect the turbulent economic times it was made in since it was hoarded away almost immediately for its silver content and it stands out all the more in quality next to the pitiful scraps Philip's successors would cough up in the years to come.
Great additions to your collection Leo! 2024 has been an amazing year for me personally, with the birth of my second daughter as the cherry on top 😀 This year i've focussed my collection on Late western Roman and post-Roman coins. Despite their generally crude and unappealing designs, these coins are suprisingly hard to get, but that makes the 'hunt' for them more exciting 🙂 Also, the history and stories behind these rulers from the Dark Ages is fascinating. In no particular order: AE4 of Leo I struck under Ricimer in Rome (RIC X 2528), AE4 of Galla Placidia (RIC X 2111), siliqua of Constantine III (RIC X 1526), tremissis of Aelia Eudocia (RIC X 335), 40 nummi coin of Ostrogoths (BMC 103), nummus of Childebert I (MEC 391), 1/4 siliqua of Theodahad (BMC 52), 1/4 siliqua of Athalaric (MIB 54), 21 nummi coin of Vandals (BMC 14) and a 50 denarii coin of Thrasamund (BMC 11). Happy collecting and a prosperous 2025 everyone!
One of my favorite videos you do each year. I get to see your coins read about the acquisitions of others and can talk about my coins too. haha. I am on the uphill slope of the DK chart. At least I hope I am. Still a long way off for being an expert in anything. Here are my top buys (pretty much only buys) in no order. I have been making fewer and more expensive purchases. Have to make sure I save up and don't go over budget. I have noticed the prices on a lot of ancient coins are creeping up each time I look. Glad some Probus coins have come down in price for you. I would be ok with prices coming down on all of them while I am acquiring my collection. Augustus denarius, RIC 171a, EF 1787 Fugio Cent, Newman 14-O, F12 Antonius Pius denarius, RIC III Ant Pius 290A, MS Julius Caesar denarius, Syd-1013, EF Thrace Thasos Stater, SNG Cop-1010, VF 1872 25C California Fractional, BG-722, MS64 from the Bass Collection Nero AS, unlisted RIC, VF, The Obv looks like RIC I Nero 349 and Rev looks like RIC I Nero 301, received from a reputable dealer from the collection of an expert numismatist so it is legit.
My main collecting focus are Roman Republic & Imperial denarii but I’ve also dabbled in Greek, Roman Provincial, Byzantine, and Medieval coins. My top 15 coins of 2024 are: 1) Republic Denarius of C. Postiumius, 2) Republic Denarius of C. Servilius, 3)Republic Denarius of L. Scribonius Libo, 4) Republic Denarius of L. Amelius Lepidus Paullus, 5) Byzantine gold Semissis of emperor Justinian, 6) Seleucid Tetradrachm of king Seleukos Nikator under his own name, 7) Denarius of Sextus Pompey, 8) Silver Triobol of Megalopolis, Arcadian League, 9) Silver Denarius of emperor Tiberius (Tribute Penny type), 10) Denarius of empress Aquilia Severa, 11) Rare silver Didrachm of emperor Domitian Caesar from Cyprus, 12) Silver Didrachm of emperor Hadrian from Cappadocia, 13) Sassanid Persia silver Drachm of king Shapur II, 14) High purity silver Antoninianus of emperor Valerian, 15) English Penny of King John
I like the Solidus coins. I used to have a Phocas (Focas) Solidus but unfortunately I sold it at auction. I have regretted selling it ever since, even despite making a little profit. I really wish I kept mine. Great coins shown.
I have enjoyed coming across your channel. The history along with the coin is combined perfectly imo. I was wondering if you have done a video on how to research coins. How do you know the year it was struck? How do you know if the person on the coin was ruling when struck or after? How do you know if it was cleaned?, etc. I would be extremely interesting to me to see a start to finish video of when you first encounter a coin, then through your research, and finally to the final product of the video. Longwinded on my part. Basically, do you have a research tutorial? Thank you, Sir!
Thats a very interesting question. There isnt a standard formula for researching a coin, as depending on the type of coin, you need to go to different catalogues, different sources, sometimes the dating isnt precise. However, thats a good point for a video, there could be a basic strategy on the "whys, whos, whats" one should research about a coin. I'll keep the idea on the back of my head. Thank you!
Sears 5-volume set for the Roman Imperial series covers most of the more common issues and is more affordable than the more complete (and currently under revision) 10+ volume Roman Imperial Coinage series.
I published a video on recommended books a few weeks ago. Have a look at my beginners playlist, it should help you out and give you a few good suggestions of reference literature
I have been studying a bit of Byzantine history, trying to discern when the Roman empire ended and the Byzantine empire began, only to discover that there is no sharp break between the two, or even that the one fell and the other rose. The "Byzantine" period overlaps w/ the late Roman period, and the "Byzantines" continued calling themselves Romans after the fall of the West, so what we know as "Byzantium", is the Roman empire, centered around "Nova Roma", Constantinople. In light of that, I've modified collecting "Byzantine" coins to be no different than collecting Roman coins, at least beginning w/ Late Imperial issues post-Constantine I.
Even after Anastasius's coinage reform, there is still continuity in the gold coins as the Solidus, Tremissis, and Semissis continued to be minted until the 9th century. The gold Solidus would eventually evolve into the Histamenon Nomisa. It's only the bronze coinage that changed, though the Follis was essentially a multiple unit of the Late Roman Nummus.
@@neptunesmarsh I believe Tiberius III was the last Byzantine emperor to use the classical Roman cuirassed bust on his coinage. I assume the type of armor Tiberius III was wearing would be considered outdated and obsolete by the 8th century
I have some videos of my coins on my page. Ive been on a budget since starting my collection a couple years ago. I still like to think I have an attractive collection.
@ that means a whole bunch from you! I found your videos about 6 months into collecting ancients and haven’t stopped watching since. I appreciate you checking my coins out!!
I sadly didn’t add too much this year, but it was all pretty cool stuff. 1: Lifetime portrait Denarius of Julius Caesar, minted from January-February of 44 BCE. It was a huge upgrade, as well as a type that was a bit earlier. 2: A Penny of Edward the Confessor, one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England. I was able to narrow down to the mint of York. 3: A Denarius of Domitian issued while he was a Caesar. While he is a fairly common emperor, I got a type showing Romulus and Remus, one of my favorite motifs on Roman coins. It’s fairly circulated, but still has a great look to it, with all of the major detail still there. 4: A portrait Denarius of Marc Antony. While I couldn’t gotten any old Legionary Denarius, I didn’t want yo pay up for a nice one that I would’ve liked, so I spend a few hundred less to get a wholesome, worn portrait type. Plus, I like portraits more to begin with. 5: A Shilling of James I. A wholesome example that’s well struck: I can’t complain much. I need to get more from that era of English history. 6: A very nice 1954 Southern Rhodesian Florin. A one year type, this is already a desirable coin, but even more so when it has a nice look to it. While I didn’t get an UNC, still got a very lustrous and bright AU. 7: An extremely attractively toned M6 (1873) Japanese 50 Sen. While it’s a common coin, they don’t tone very often. 8: A 1926 Greenlandic 25 Øre. Not a place that very many people think about, and it has a very nice polar bear on it. To boot, the one I have has wonderful luster. 9: A 1935 Cent from British North Borneo. While not a particularly rare coin, the particular one I picked is an amazing Gem UNC example. 10: A very lustrous M3 (1870) Japanese 10 Sen. Just a very nice example of the first year of the type.
Yes there are! The Severan Dynasty claimed descendance from Marcus Aurelius to increase their legitimacy (they were not related to him, of course). Emperors such as Caracalla and Elagabalus have "Marcus Aurelius Antoninus" added to their regnal names.
My top 12 ancient coin acquisitions of 2024: EASTERN GREEK: Sasanian AR drachms of Bahram II and Ardashir III. CENTRAL ASIAN: Samarkand anonymous AR obol, & Western Kshatrapas AR drachm of Damajadashri II bin Damasena. ISLAMIC: Arab-Bukharan BI drachm of Muhammad, Arab-Sasanian AR drachm of Abd al-Rahman bin Muhammad from the recent hoard & Tabaristan AR hemi-drachm of Nusayr. GREEK: AR drachm of Larissa. ROMAN PROVINCIAL: Gordian III AR tetradrachm of Antioch. IMPERIAL ROME & Rebels: Octilia Severa AR antoninianus with hippo reverse, AE antoninianus of Carausius & AE quinarius of Allectus.
I started collecting and got a bunch of good stuff this year. My favorites are a Lysimachus tet with the horned Alexander portrait, a J.Caesar Venus denarius, and a mark antony Legionary denarius with Caesars X legion. I got 4 of the 5 good emperors in sestertius too, finding a decent Nerva at a reasonable price has been challenging. Overall very happy with how my collection is going.
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Thank you Thank you for the Egyptian coin stuff Leo , brilliant 😊
Have a great new year Leo.
Best wishes 🙏
Totally agree with your analysis on the evolution everyone goes through collecting ancients. I like many started by wanting to have one of every emperor. After around a year and a half my goals have become much more elaborate, I want coins that have something special or unique about them, it's not just about checking off a list.
You deserve all that is good in this life Leo. Thank you for bringing interesting content to the brainrot cesspool that youtube has become
@@isabelcrb agreed 👍
As some other people here, I started this year to collect ancient (roman!) coins, and that's in a huge part thanks to your wonderful channel. Have a great 2025!
Thats amazing, welcome to the hobby and may 2025 bring you incredible coins!
Jean Elsen auction?
Just bought my first a few days ago!
Love that Trajan issue you picked up. Amazing!
Not my prettiest Trajan, but still, my favorite by a long shot!
Great video and beautiful coins. Thanks for introducing me to the Dunning-Kruger effect. My interests bounce around so much I feel like I remain stuck in the Valley of Despair. So much to learn lol!
I felt the same way when I started collecting. Just niche down a bit and it will be considerably easier to become knowledgeable
I just started collecting this year as well and from facebook groups and others your videos got me started so thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you for the support! Happy holidays :)
Beautiful coins!! Probus Antoniniani are beautiful, Trajan's denarius is super interesting, all of them beautiful. The tetradrachm of Antiochus VIII is my favorite, along with the nomos of Metapontum. Happy holidays!!
Leo, I have mentioned this once before but perhaps you might get time to do a video on the direction of legends in 2025. So, vertical up and down, clockwise, anticlockwise, inside out and outside in and over which periods each was popular. I have never seen it discussed in the way you do. Happy new year and keep up your unique work please.
Thats an interesting topic. Thanks for the suggestion, I might have a look at that
Thank you for yout reply - I do hope you find time as the subject has been very poorly covered. I think that retrograde legends (whatever that truly means) did not occur after Hadrian - but I am no expert.
I enjoying seeing coins that I was likely bidding against you on!
And me against you
Beautiful coins. I just started collecting ancient coinage this year. I've learned a tone of information from you and your recommendations!
Thats great! Im glad I was helpful to you. Welcome to the hobby and may 2025 bring you great coins!
Leo is the gift that keeps on giving!
I started collecting and got a bunch of good stuff this year. My favorites are a Lysimachus tet with the horned Alexander portrait, a J.Caesar Venus denarius, and a mark antony Legionary denarius with Caesars X legion.
I got 4 of the 5 good emperors in sestertius too, finding a decent Nerva at a reasonable price has been challenging. Overall very happy with how my collection is going.
I appreciate your videos. I've never been much of a collector but a lover of history. They came together this year when I got my first Denarius, a Julia Soaemias. The study of its history and the person who was on it opened my eyes to just how crazy those times were, as if Game Of Thrones was a real thing. My first goal is to get the Severus dynasty. Your videos are very informative. Have a safe and Happy New Year.
You too! Happy 2025!
The Severan emperors denarii are inexpensive and quite common, so it's easy to build a set of them. However, the Severan empresses are slightly tougher to acquire, especially the scarce issues of Aquilia Severa and Orbiana.
I have been a coin collector for some years but have yet to purchase an ancient coin as I am only just climbing slowly out of ‘The Valley of Despair’ stage 🙂. However I intend on changing that in 2025 with something from early Roman Britain. Thank you Leo for your videos and the knowledge you freely share; you remain my favourite ancient coins commentator on UA-cam. Happy New Year! 👍
Happy New year!
Thanks for your passion and videos. You are the reason I started my channel because I was very inspired by your videos. I also identify with what you say about the different phases. I also agree about the egos XD. The nomos is amazing! I take into your idea of the top 10 coins of the year and will post a video soon. Thanks for sharing and creating fantastic content!
I'll be looking forward to your Top 10!
Just like you I too envy those collectors who can zero in on a topic of interest and become real experts. My interests are all over the place! I started out looking to build a collection of one coin of each emperor in silver! Amazing I didn't settle on gold! Back when I was standing on tippy-toe at the very summit of Mount Stupid!
Since then I've collected mostly Roman Imperial, along with the occasional Provincial coin and in recent years branching out into Byzantine and Roman Republican coins. Among my favorite acquisitions in 2024 is a Servillia denarius very much like the one you show in this video. Along with that would be a double sestertius of Postumus and a very impressive (my opinion there!) follis of Phocas from Theopoulis showing Phocas and empress Leontina standing on the obverse!
Since it is New Years eve as I write this I'll close by wishing whomever reads this a happy 2025!
My ancients are not so much a collection as an assemblage, but I'm happy with that.
What a lovely top 10! I particularly like the Mark Antony; it shows the craggy features of that remarkable man to great effect and has a highly desirable reverse. You seem a bit like me over 40 years ago when I first began collecting. Like you I started wanting all the roman emperors from Augustus to Honorius, but soon my eye started to stray to the Republic, then Greek ancients, then early medieval Byzantines, which led me to western and eastern medieval coins. It does make the collecting even more fun and sparks interest in other historical periods and places.
Now retired I have been reduced to 2 or 3 coins a year, so that means each one has got to be super satisfying to ensure I avoid buyer's remorse due to limited income.
So, I have a top 3 for 2024! First a lovely medieval silver dirham of the Seljuqs of Rum with a lion in medieval style and a sun with a human face, then a mid 1st century BC tetradrachm of King Orodes II showing his rich attire and tightly curled hair and beard. But possibly my favorite is a bronze of the Numidian king Massinissa who reigned from 202 BC to 148 BC. These are fairly common, but usually well-worn, poorly struck or both. Not mine! It is very well struck and in gVF or better condition with an expressive portrait obverse and a reverse with a delightfully prancing horse. (I'm looking at it now with great affection as I type this.)
Thanks for all the interesting presentations in 2024 and have a great 2025.
Happy new year thank you for your videos. Here's to another year!🎉
Thank you! Happy New Year!!
Hi love your channel a lot . Keep it going strong❤
Thank you! Will do!
All are beautiful coins ...happy new year
Love your vids, they have helped me so much.
Its heartwarming to see the positive impact of my videos. Thank you for the kind words. Happy 2025!
Thanks for this years videos. Best wishes for 2025!
Thank you very much! Have a great 2025!
I'm a new collector as of July this year. Your videos are a great help and allowed me some kind of fixation while recovering from a surgery.
As for my collection, the two main branches have been bronze issues from Magna Graecia and denarii of the Roman principate.
The highlights respectively would be a choice Himera nymph hemilitron (my most expensive coin) and a pair of lightly-toned denarii from Hadrian and Antoninus Pius.
Thanks for the videos this year! I wish your channel well (but not too well, lest all the coins become unattainable 😏).
P.S. Those Metapontion nomos are my favourite coin type! One day I might attain one and make an exception to the bronze rule!
All the best on your recovery, Happy new year!
@@ClassicalNumismatics Thanks, I've fully recovered at this stage. Happy new year!
Leo has been a wonderful companion in our quiet momenfs with our coins. I feel like he's a great guy
Beautiful coins Leo. Ty for the past 3/4 yrs of collecting and learning. My humble list/no order. Silver tetradrachm Trajan/Eagle, Fully silvered Probus/minerva lug. Mint, Siliqua Julian arles mint, Silver drachm Hadrian/Helios standing on mt. Argaios, Republic denarius 107bc Pietas, Ae Claudius/Heracles, Republic den. Hercules obv. 112bc, Tetra. Trajan decius antioch mint, Fully silvered Probus/concordia antioch mint, and Republic denarius 85bc Vejovis/ winged genius seated on goat. Ty again for all your work
Thats a pretty great haul! May 2025 bring you lots of amazing coins ♥
1:25 This is basically my goal too. I got 4 more to go: Balbinus. Pupienus, Pertinax, and Didius Julianus. Unfortunately, they're extremely hard to find.
Ooof, thats a tall order!
I've resigned myself to remove these super hard to get Emperors from my Imperial set.
How did your Galba, Otho, and Vitellius quest go?
@@Haveafoodtime I was lucky enough to come across some affordable provincial coins for those 3
@@Haveafoodtime I have an Alexandrian Otho Tetradrachm, a Galba Antioch Tetradrachm, and an Imperial Denarius for Vitellius - happy collecting!
Lovely coins thanks for showing.Happy New year Leo 😊
Happy New Year Gordon!
La Uncia del Aes grave es espectacular. Muy bienas monedas Leo. El tetradracma de antioco impresionante... Buiuf... Un abrazo
Muchas gracias Oscar! Si, estuve buscando una Uncia hace ya mucho tiempo, pero siempre estaban o muy caras o muy corroidas. Super contento con estas piezas.
Que 2025 nos traiga un monton de piezas bonitas!
My collecting interest is divided between Greek and Roman coins.
1)Didrachm Of Queen Berenike II, 2) MacedoniantTetradrachm Of Aesillas Quaestor, 3) Pamphylian tertadrachm with head of Athena, 4) Nomos of Metapontum with the beautiful goddess Persephone, 5) Two bronze coins from Metapontum with the goddess Athena 6) Denarius of Emperor Trajan / Dacia Capta 7) Denarius of Mark Antony / Legio XX, 7) Denarius of Empress Orbiana, 8) A bronze coin from Kentoripai, Sicily, with a magnificent portrait of Zeus 9) Bronze coin from Leontinoi with a portrait of the god Apollo. 10) Square bronze coin of the Bactrian king Eukratides I.
What a wonderful list! That Berenike Didrachm must be something else!
@@ClassicalNumismatics ua-cam.com/video/eIY0GYOk1Is/v-deo.html
Another great list! That solidus of Valentinian is superb. This year I started taking a stab at the 12 Caesars (allowing for a mix of bronze, silver and provincial coins to keep costs low) and I've been focusing on fewer, higher quality pieces that I could reasonably afford (within the $100-$250 range). My top coins list would start off with an honorable mention of half of a dupondius featuring a posthumous portrait of Julius Caesar before making it to:
5. A double maiorina from Julian (The Apostate) struck in Antioch featuring the famous bull reverse, a piece I've always wanted in my collection and was the first one I collected this year. It unfortunately suffered from minor bronze disease on the rim but I was fortunately able to get this treated so that was a good learning experience. I love its historical significance as representing a sort of last hurrah for the traditional Roman ways and it was even singled out for mockery by the emperor's Christian critics (who very well could've held the specific coin I now own as they were dismissing it). It's very much the standout of my Late Roman bronze coins.
4. A diassarion from Caligula struck in the provincial city of Komana in Pontus, to have any coin from this emperor in reasonable condition is incredible but I especially love the reverse for the beautiful depiction of an unknown god that has attributes of Apollo and Herakles.
3. An as from Claudius struck in Rome which I think is such an exquisite piece aesthetically. I have quite the soft spot for this emperor after watching "I, Claudius" and I thought this was a nice piece worthy of being represented in my 12 Caesars set.
2. A denarius from Augustus struck in Lugdunum that is one of the common Lucius and Gaius issues but it's still very historically significant and lovely to look at even if a bit chipped.
1. An antoninianus of Philip The Arab struck in Rome in absolutely pristine condition, everything fits perfectly inside the flan and was minted to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Rome (the reverse shows a cippus with the inscriptions COS III) so it's both beautiful and historically significant. Holding it in my hand feels like I'm looking at the last gasp of Rome's glory days before the very worst of the Third Century Crisis would snuff it all out. Its EF condition seems to reflect the turbulent economic times it was made in since it was hoarded away almost immediately for its silver content and it stands out all the more in quality next to the pitiful scraps Philip's successors would cough up in the years to come.
The Double Maiorina of Julian is my favourite of the bunch! Well, they are all fantastic coins. congrats!
@@ClassicalNumismatics Thank you! Congrats to you as well for your acquisitions.
Great additions to your collection Leo! 2024 has been an amazing year for me personally, with the birth of my second daughter as the cherry on top 😀 This year i've focussed my collection on Late western Roman and post-Roman coins. Despite their generally crude and unappealing designs, these coins are suprisingly hard to get, but that makes the 'hunt' for them more exciting 🙂 Also, the history and stories behind these rulers from the Dark Ages is fascinating.
In no particular order: AE4 of Leo I struck under Ricimer in Rome (RIC X 2528), AE4 of Galla Placidia (RIC X 2111), siliqua of Constantine III (RIC X 1526), tremissis of Aelia Eudocia (RIC X 335), 40 nummi coin of Ostrogoths (BMC 103), nummus of Childebert I (MEC 391), 1/4 siliqua of Theodahad (BMC 52), 1/4 siliqua of Athalaric (MIB 54), 21 nummi coin of Vandals (BMC 14) and a 50 denarii coin of Thrasamund (BMC 11).
Happy collecting and a prosperous 2025 everyone!
One of my favorite videos you do each year. I get to see your coins read about the acquisitions of others and can talk about my coins too. haha. I am on the uphill slope of the DK chart. At least I hope I am. Still a long way off for being an expert in anything. Here are my top buys (pretty much only buys) in no order. I have been making fewer and more expensive purchases. Have to make sure I save up and don't go over budget. I have noticed the prices on a lot of ancient coins are creeping up each time I look. Glad some Probus coins have come down in price for you. I would be ok with prices coming down on all of them while I am acquiring my collection.
Augustus denarius, RIC 171a, EF
1787 Fugio Cent, Newman 14-O, F12
Antonius Pius denarius, RIC III Ant Pius 290A, MS
Julius Caesar denarius, Syd-1013, EF
Thrace Thasos Stater, SNG Cop-1010, VF
1872 25C California Fractional, BG-722, MS64 from the Bass Collection
Nero AS, unlisted RIC, VF, The Obv looks like RIC I Nero 349 and Rev looks like RIC I Nero 301, received from a reputable dealer from the collection of an expert numismatist so it is legit.
Very diverse US-Ancient back and forth there, cool!
Another great video - Thanks! P.S. Valentinian I could have benefited from anger management training! Ha!
Dude really had a hot temper!
Dude literally burst a blood vessel 💀
My main collecting focus are Roman Republic & Imperial denarii but I’ve also dabbled in Greek, Roman Provincial, Byzantine, and Medieval coins. My top 15 coins of 2024 are: 1) Republic Denarius of C. Postiumius, 2) Republic Denarius of C. Servilius, 3)Republic Denarius of L. Scribonius Libo, 4) Republic Denarius of L. Amelius Lepidus Paullus, 5) Byzantine gold Semissis of emperor Justinian, 6) Seleucid Tetradrachm of king Seleukos Nikator under his own name, 7) Denarius of Sextus Pompey, 8) Silver Triobol of Megalopolis, Arcadian League, 9) Silver Denarius of emperor Tiberius (Tribute Penny type), 10) Denarius of empress Aquilia Severa, 11) Rare silver Didrachm of emperor Domitian Caesar from Cyprus, 12) Silver Didrachm of emperor Hadrian from Cappadocia, 13) Sassanid Persia silver Drachm of king Shapur II, 14) High purity silver Antoninianus of emperor Valerian, 15) English Penny of King John
I like the Solidus coins. I used to have a Phocas (Focas) Solidus but unfortunately I sold it at auction. I have regretted selling it ever since, even despite making a little profit. I really wish I kept mine. Great coins shown.
They are quite common still, you might be able to get a new, better one in the future!
Considering how Gold always has considerable attention. Id keep any gold clins for decades, and it would much likely result in great returns
3:19 that's Mark Antony, Cleopatra's partner?
Correct!
Cant you hear what he says??
I enjoy all your videos. Regards. ❤❤❤
I have enjoyed coming across your channel. The history along with the coin is combined perfectly imo. I was wondering if you have done a video on how to research coins. How do you know the year it was struck? How do you know if the person on the coin was ruling when struck or after? How do you know if it was cleaned?, etc. I would be extremely interesting to me to see a start to finish video of when you first encounter a coin, then through your research, and finally to the final product of the video. Longwinded on my part. Basically, do you have a research tutorial? Thank you, Sir!
Thats a very interesting question.
There isnt a standard formula for researching a coin, as depending on the type of coin, you need to go to different catalogues, different sources, sometimes the dating isnt precise.
However, thats a good point for a video, there could be a basic strategy on the "whys, whos, whats" one should research about a coin.
I'll keep the idea on the back of my head. Thank you!
Any good recommendations for an overall catalog of Roman imperial coinage?
Sears 5-volume set for the Roman Imperial series covers most of the more common issues and is more affordable than the more complete (and currently under revision) 10+ volume Roman Imperial Coinage series.
I published a video on recommended books a few weeks ago. Have a look at my beginners playlist, it should help you out and give you a few good suggestions of reference literature
Great additions! Antiochus VIII has a killer nose👃
Whenever I feel my nose is big, I remember of Antiochus, Nerva and their massive schnozers! 👃🐽
I have been studying a bit of Byzantine history, trying to discern when the Roman empire ended and the Byzantine empire began, only to discover that there is no sharp break between the two, or even that the one fell and the other rose. The "Byzantine" period overlaps w/ the late Roman period, and the "Byzantines" continued calling themselves Romans after the fall of the West, so what we know as "Byzantium", is the Roman empire, centered around "Nova Roma", Constantinople. In light of that, I've modified collecting "Byzantine" coins to be no different than collecting Roman coins, at least beginning w/ Late Imperial issues post-Constantine I.
Even after Anastasius's coinage reform, there is still continuity in the gold coins as the Solidus, Tremissis, and Semissis continued to be minted until the 9th century. The gold Solidus would eventually evolve into the Histamenon Nomisa. It's only the bronze coinage that changed, though the Follis was essentially a multiple unit of the Late Roman Nummus.
@MrMonkeySwag96 Constantine IV even revived the cuirassed bust type of the fourth/fifth century for his coins.
@@neptunesmarsh I believe Tiberius III was the last Byzantine emperor to use the classical Roman cuirassed bust on his coinage. I assume the type of armor Tiberius III was wearing would be considered outdated and obsolete by the 8th century
Thus Romania!
I have some videos of my coins on my page. Ive been on a budget since starting my collection a couple years ago. I still like to think I have an attractive collection.
Your Alexander drachm is great, and the Tabaristani piece has a wonderful golden tone!
@ that means a whole bunch from you! I found your videos about 6 months into collecting ancients and haven’t stopped watching since. I appreciate you checking my coins out!!
Love the Solidus ☧
I need to get another one next year 👀
I sadly didn’t add too much this year, but it was all pretty cool stuff.
1: Lifetime portrait Denarius of Julius Caesar, minted from January-February of 44 BCE. It was a huge upgrade, as well as a type that was a bit earlier.
2: A Penny of Edward the Confessor, one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England. I was able to narrow down to the mint of York.
3: A Denarius of Domitian issued while he was a Caesar. While he is a fairly common emperor, I got a type showing Romulus and Remus, one of my favorite motifs on Roman coins. It’s fairly circulated, but still has a great look to it, with all of the major detail still there.
4: A portrait Denarius of Marc Antony. While I couldn’t gotten any old Legionary Denarius, I didn’t want yo pay up for a nice one that I would’ve liked, so I spend a few hundred less to get a wholesome, worn portrait type. Plus, I like portraits more to begin with.
5: A Shilling of James I. A wholesome example that’s well struck: I can’t complain much. I need to get more from that era of English history.
6: A very nice 1954 Southern Rhodesian Florin. A one year type, this is already a desirable coin, but even more so when it has a nice look to it. While I didn’t get an UNC, still got a very lustrous and bright AU.
7: An extremely attractively toned M6 (1873) Japanese 50 Sen. While it’s a common coin, they don’t tone very often.
8: A 1926 Greenlandic 25 Øre. Not a place that very many people think about, and it has a very nice polar bear on it. To boot, the one I have has wonderful luster.
9: A 1935 Cent from British North Borneo. While not a particularly rare coin, the particular one I picked is an amazing Gem UNC example.
10: A very lustrous M3 (1870) Japanese 10 Sen. Just a very nice example of the first year of the type.
Thats a lovely list! A lifetime Julius Caesar portrait piece would be a MASSIVE bucket list coin for me!
A got a nice Nerva this year
Nice! Nerva isnt easy to find
Last Roman Emperor was Constantine XI
Agreed!
The Valentinian is also a good example of graffiti!
It is, indeed! I plan on researching a bit more about it, might give us a clue about where it has been to.
I like Brazilian gold coins.
Pedro II's coinage is lovely!
👍
were there multiple emperors named Marcus Aurelius? or is Google Gemini trippin 😂
Yes there are!
The Severan Dynasty claimed descendance from Marcus Aurelius to increase their legitimacy (they were not related to him, of course).
Emperors such as Caracalla and Elagabalus have "Marcus Aurelius Antoninus" added to their regnal names.
Didn't they marry into his grandchildren?
My top 12 ancient coin acquisitions of 2024:
EASTERN GREEK: Sasanian AR drachms of Bahram II and Ardashir III.
CENTRAL ASIAN: Samarkand anonymous AR obol, & Western Kshatrapas AR drachm of Damajadashri II bin Damasena.
ISLAMIC: Arab-Bukharan BI drachm of Muhammad, Arab-Sasanian AR drachm of Abd al-Rahman bin Muhammad from the recent hoard & Tabaristan AR hemi-drachm of Nusayr.
GREEK: AR drachm of Larissa.
ROMAN PROVINCIAL: Gordian III AR tetradrachm of Antioch.
IMPERIAL ROME & Rebels: Octilia Severa AR antoninianus with hippo reverse, AE antoninianus of Carausius & AE quinarius of Allectus.
What a wonderful, diverse collection! Great job!
Oh man, you are so cruel to make me choose, but to say none of them are Roman or Greek. Maybe I will make a video. Thanks Mate.
Happy New Year Glenn!
Of course, make a Top 10! Im very curious to see what's on your list
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I started collecting and got a bunch of good stuff this year. My favorites are a Lysimachus tet with the horned Alexander portrait, a J.Caesar Venus denarius, and a mark antony Legionary denarius with Caesars X legion.
I got 4 of the 5 good emperors in sestertius too, finding a decent Nerva at a reasonable price has been challenging. Overall very happy with how my collection is going.
Ohh nice, I have one of those J.Caesar Venus denarii, its one of the easiest of his coins to get. Lovely additions to your collection!