ROMAN/ Julian II CE 360-363

AE Maiorina (28 mm, 8.0 g, 12h) Aquileia mint c. CE 362-363

RIC 243

O: diad cuir draped bust r DN FL CL IVLI-ANVS PF AVG

R: Bull stg r two stars above. SECVRITAS REIPVB/*AQVILP 

USA Buffalo Nickel 1913-1938

1936; 21.2 mm, 5 g, Philadelphia mint. mintage 119m

KM 134

This example was found in change, and had likely been a coin that had been removed from circulation for some length of time. Thereafter being added by someone back into the circulation stream for a time before it was removed again, since the high points, particularly the date are visible and many details are still apparent, which is not often the case with well circulated pieces. 

In this condition, it is worth $3-$4 perhaps. It was prudent that it was removed from circulation and preserved as it now appears. Not a rare coin, but certainly one that captures the artistry that is mostly missing from circulating coinage in the USA, except for perhaps the new/old bust of Washington appearing on quarters minted since 2022. 

 

New York Prosecutor to Press Charges Against owner of Roma Numismatics - CoinsWeekly

 New York Prosecutor to Press Charges Against Richard Beale / Roma Numismatics - CoinsWeekly

One of the World’s Most Expensive Coins Was Sold Using Fake Provenance – ARTnews.com

There are a few coins posted on this blog, which originated via the aforementioned auction house and purchased by a third party dealer from whom the coins were acquired. 

Unfortunately, the provenances for a couple of these coins are "from a private British or European Collection" which begs the question, if we dug deeper would there actually be a private collection there or something else? These provenances have no documented basis, and without documentation, no provenance. The third party dealer did not include this information in their listing, it was only through our due diligence after acquisition that revealed the origin history such as it is. 

A questionable provenance is as bad as none at all, and an untraceable or ultimately false provenance should not add a premium to the item's value. All purchases must be governed by "caveat emptor". All provenances need to be researched and fully documented as far as the records support it. 

ROMAN/Licinius CE 308-324

 AE Follis; 29 mm, 3.13 g, 6h, Thessalonika mint, CE 312-313

RCV 15251

O: laur., cuir. draped bust r, IMP LIC LICINIVS PF AVG

R: Jupiter stg l, holding Nike and scepter with eagle stg on left IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG NN/*TS*Δ*

ROMAN EGYPT/Constantius I, as Caesar CE 293-296

Potin Tetradrachm; 20 mm, 7.44 g, 1h, Alexandria mint, Regnal Year 2= CE 293-294

Dattari (Savio) 6044

Emmett 4184.2

O: laur draped cuir bust r  ΦΛΑ ΚωCTANTIOC K

R:  Eirene stg facing hd to left holding branch and scepter LB in outer left field

 

Ex: Ken Dorney (unsold at Auction 14: lot 267, 31-01-2023)

Ex: Leu Numismatik Web Auction 16: Lot 2613 (22-05-2021)

Ex: Rhakotis Collection (Germany)

ROMANIA; Mihai (1921-2017) CE 1927-1930 & 1940-1947

Nickel clad steel, 100 Lei, 28 mm, 8.46 g, mintage 21,289,000

KM 64

O: hd r, MIHAI REGELE ROMANILOR

R: crown divides wreath with date and value 100 LEI/1944

edge: NIHIL SINE DEO

I had once known a college professor by the name of Jacques Vergotti (1915-1999) who had been an aide de camp to King Michael and used to talk about his time with the King and encountering people like Averell Harriman and Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Vishinsky among others. He was among those placed on a train to be exiled with the King in 1947 by the authorities in Bucharest. A biography of Vergotti appears in the Romanian version of Wikipedia:

 Jacques Vergotti - Wikipedia. 

His papers are at the Hoover Institution Library in CA and the bio found there reads: "Jacques M. Vergotti was born in 1915. A Major in the Romanian Army, he served as aide to Michael I, King of Romania, between 1941-1947. He witnessed the last year of the Romanian monarchy and the palace coup of December 30, 1947, when the King was overthrown and the Popular Republic of Romania was proclaimed. He was one of the few people allowed to leave the country together with the King, whose aide he was for one more year. He then emigrated to the US and has lived there since."

Mihai on l, Vergotti on r

ROMAN/ Issues of Constantine I in commemoration of the founding of Constantinople CE 330-337

Bi reduced Centenionalis; 16 mm, 2.32 g, 5h, Treveri mint CE 333-334

RCV 16446

O: helmeted bust of Constantinopolis l, [CONSTAN]TINOPOLIS (appears as struck)

R: Victory stg l, r foot on ship’s prow, holding a scepter and shield in ex. TRP and a branch.

 

Ex: K. Dorney

ROMAN/ Constantine II, as Caesar CE 317-337

Bi Reduced Centenionalis; 18 mm, 2.38 g, 12h, Constantinople mint CE 333-335

RIC 81

RCV 17339

O: laur dr cuir bust r. CONSTANTINVS IVN NOBC

R: two soldiers standing facing each other on opposite sides of two standards in the center field. GLOR-IAE EXERC-ITVS/.CONSΓ

Ex: Ken Dorney

Statue of Constantine II as Caesar in the Campodoglio in Roma

1000th Post!!! ROMAN/ Arcadius CE 383-408

AE Half Centenionalis; 12 mm, 1.25 g, 5h, Alexandria mint, CE 388-395

RCV 20854

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN ARCADIVS PF AVG

R: Victory adv left holding trophy in rt and a captive in left SALVS REI-PVBLICAE/ALEΓ, + in left lower field.

 

Ex: Victor’s Imperial Coins

This is a milestone post, the 1,000th post since we started this blog in 2007. Perhaps there are as many or maybe more coins posted than there are posts. We also hope that the 238,384 visitors since 2007 to this afternoon, have found items here that assisted in classifying their coins, and found the site interesting and informative, though I wish I had the time to provide more information other than the data related to the individual coins most of the time. I am still doing my best to provide provenance information when available as that is an important goal in ethical collecting. 

Unfortunately, that information is often only as good as the source, sometimes we can locate the provenance from other sources independently, but if the dealer or prior collector (the most important primary sources) did not record the information, that information could possibly be lost to posterity by omission, but sometimes, I am sorry to say also by commission. 

On to the next thousand posts as time permits. 

ROMAN/ Arcadius CE 383-408

AE Maiorina; 21 mm, 4.77 g, 12h, TBD eastern mint, CE 393-395

RCV 20792-93, 20795-97

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN ARCADI-VS PF AVG

R: Arcadius stg facing with hd r holding orb and standard GLORIA ROMANORVM/----

 

 

Ex: Numispechincha/Armando Veludo/Porto, Portugal

ROMAN/ Gratian CE 367-383

 AE Maiorina; 21 x 22 mm, 4.94 g, 6h, Antioch mint, CE 379-383

RCV 20012

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN GRATIA-NVS PF AVG

R: Arcadius stg facing with hd r holding orb and standard REPARATIO REI PVB/ANTA

ROMAN/ Gratian CE 367-383

AE Maiorina; 22 mm, 5.49 g, 12h, Aquileia mint, CE 379-383

RCV 20007

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN GRATIA-NVS PF AVG

R: Arcadius stg facing with hd r holding orb and standard REPARATIO REI PVB/SMAQS

 

Ex: Numispechincha/Armando Veludo/Porto, Portugal

cf. duplicate acquired in 2004 

ROMAN/ Arcadius CE 383-408

AE Maiorina; 21 mm, 4.29 g, 1h, Nicomedia mint, CE 393-395

RCV 20794

O: diad dr cuir bust r, DN ARCADI-VS PF AVG

R: Arcadius stg facing with hd r holding orb and standard GLORIA ROMANORVM/SMNB

 

ROMAN/ Theodosius I CE 379-395

AE Maiorina; 21 mm, 4.95 g, 11h, Cyzicus mint CE 393-395

RCV 20491

O: diad cuir dr bust r,  DN THEODO-SIVS PF AVG

R: Theodosius stg facing with hd r holding standard and globe, GLORIA ROMANORVM/SMKA

Modern Copy of Antiochos I Tetradrachm

Cast Copy Tetradrachm; 28 mm, 10.4 g, 12h, Controls would indicate a Seleucia on the Tigris mint

 SC 379.3a type

The coin has a beveled and filed edge not found on original tetradrachms, as well as being at least 6.5+/- g under weight. 

The original is minted in silver and weighs in the range of 17 g. This example is posted here as a reference to assist collectors who are interested in this series and are concerned about what they are purchasing. 

Caveat Emptor is indeed the best policy. Purchase from knowledgeable and reliable dealers who provide lifetime guarantees for the items they sell. Before starting any collection, read about the area of interest and purchase books related to coins, learn everything you can. Knowing the average weight of an authentic item can save you from making a bad purchase. Granted there are some items that are authentic and underweight due to having been in the ocean or clipped at some point in time. As you progress in your knowledge you will have a better idea as to what you are purchasing.

Also, inquire as to the item's provenance. If the item has a traceable history the likelihood of it being a problem is slim. 

ROMAN/ Magnus Maximus CE 383-388

 AE 2, 23 x 21 mm, 3.97 g, 5h, probably Lugdunum mint c. CE 383-386

RCV 20649 var.

O: diad, draped bust r. DN MAG MAX[IMVS P]F AVG

R: Maximus in military attire stg l raising with r hand a turreted female figure  who kneels before him and holding Victory on a glob in l. REPARARATIO -REIP[VB]

Mintmark in ex appears to be LVG or some portion of it.

GREEK/Sicily; Mamertinon c. BCE 220-200

 AE Pentonkion, 25 mm, 10.89 g, 1h, Messana mint

SNG ANS 440

Sear 1144

O: laur hd of Zeur r

R: [MAMEPTINΩN] helmeted naked warrior charging r, holding spear and large round shield with Π in lower right field.

INDOGREEK/Baktria; Eukratides c. BCE 171-145

AR Obol, 10 mm, 0.52 g, 11h, mint of Baktra or an uncertain mint in the Paropamisadai or Gandhara, c. BCE 162-145

Bopearachchi 9B

O: helmeted head of Eukratides r, dotted border

R: piloi of the dioscuri with [BAΣ]ΙΛΕΩ[Σ] to right, EYKPATIΔ[--] on left with ΠΓ in lower field.

Ex: Pars Sku G045