My Adventure in the Featured Middle Age Coin Game
June 22, 2025Who’s Done a Calendar with Their Twelve Caesars Coins? My Numismatic Journey
June 22, 2025
There’s nothing quite like holding a piece of ancient history in your palm. Over years of collecting, I’ve been lucky enough to uncover some truly special coins that tell remarkable stories, and I’d love to share what these treasures have taught me about our fascinating hobby.
What Really Makes a Coin Rare?
From handling countless coins, I’ve found rarity often comes from surprising places – maybe an unusual die crack or historical accident. Take that Klazomenai diobol with a left-facing winged boar instead of the usual right-facing version. Who’d think orientation could make such a difference? And here’s something I learned the hard way: catalog rarity ratings can fool you. Some “R5” coins in Emmett’s Alexandrian guide pop up fairly often, while supposedly common issues vanish like ghosts. That’s why I always cross-reference Wildwinds, ACSearch, and hoard reports – nothing bursts the rarity bubble like a fresh hoard discovery!
My Collection’s Crowning Jewels
Looking through my trays, a few pieces always make me pause. There’s that Etruscan AE26 from Central Italy (300-250 BC) with its male figure and aryballos-carrying dog – the deep green patina takes my breath away. SNG Cop and Visonà both call it very rare, a tangible link to Rome’s Etruscan roots. Then there’s my Seleucid tetradrachm of Antiochos Hierax, glowing with original surfaces, which I plucked from an unsorted hoard at Harlan J Berk. That thrill of discovery never gets old!
- My Roman Egypt section holds an Alexandrian obol of Marcus Aurelius as Caesar (year 15, CE 151/2). Emmett rates it R5, yet it surfaces occasionally – proof that catalog ratings and market reality don’t always match.
- One of my greatest coups is a Carthaginian AE 15-shekel from Zeugitana. With its raised-foreleg horse, only three others are known – I’d love to hear if you’ve spotted another!
- Never underestimate group lots! My Postumus antoninianus from Cologne (CE 263) with Providentia reverse was buried in a bulk purchase. RIC lists it as rare, yet there it was waiting to be found.
Hard-Won Tips for Fellow Collectors
If I could offer one piece of advice? Trust but verify. Standard references like Emmett or RIC are essential, but always double-check online databases for those head-scratching inconsistencies. And about condition – my favorite Seleucid tetradrachm would make graders wince with its messy reverse, but its rarity makes it priceless to me. Remember too that scarce doesn’t always mean expensive. That Augustus dupondius temple coin I waited years for? Surprisingly affordable at auction. Focus on coins that speak to you historically, like my Constantine I follis with VICT LAETAE reverse. Rarity alone can disappoint when hoards appear – just ask anyone who chased Seville coins!
Beyond the Rarity Chase
While I treasure my rare pieces, I’ve realized the real magic lies elsewhere. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if more collectors could hold an Eid Mar denarius? My heart still skips for quirky types like the “Winged Dolphin Man,” but I collect stories first – whether it’s that hybrid Domitian-Domitia coin that made Wikipedia or my R5 Licinius I follis. At the end of the day, whether you’re hunting a Caligula sestertius or a Dombes pistole, remember: the joy is in the journey, the history, and the people you meet along the way. Rarity? That’s just the icing on the cake.
