What coin would you HATE to part with? - Ancients.info - The Online Resource for Ancient Coins & Antiquities

delafe · Jul 21, 2009, 06:04 AM

As a dealer, I come across MANY nice coins and often I am tempted to keep one for my personal collection. (I have a policy that I do not mix my business resources with my personal) But it is rare when I get a coin that grabs my attention so much that I hold back on selling it... This is one of them:

Crispus
A.D. 316-326
AE Follis
Obv: CRISPVS NOB CAS - Laureate and cuirassed bust left, holding spear forward and shield
Rev: VIRTVS AVGG - Open campgate with three turrets, gate closed. P-R/RP
Rome, A.D. 318-319. RIC 180 var.

The details of the campgate are INCREDIBLE and the photograph really does not do the coin justice, the details in hand just "pop out". You can see into the "turrets" (clearly watchtowers) and into the arch of the doorway.

This coin also has an interesting obverse legend error. It should read CRISPVS NOB CAES, but it's missing the E.

BeastCoins · Jul 21, 2009, 06:46 AM

Alfred,

That is an incredible example and the early Rome mint campgates are easily the most interesting (my opinion). Stylistically, yours certainly looks like an official Rome mint specimen, but it's so neat seeing the legend blunder.

Funny enough - I recently adopted the same policy of no longer mixing collecting with dealing so as not to compete with customers and have sent my entire campgate collection to Barry for VAuctions.

--Beast

BeastCoins · Jul 21, 2009, 06:53 AM

Alfred,

By the way, you don't point it out, but another neat attribute of your coin is the 3-D perspective above the archway. The Rome mint was experimenting with a number of different designs on this first issue and they are all very interesting (and all go away with subsequent issues and not to be seen at other mints).

Outlined archway:

Constantine I, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 3
CONST_ANTINVS AVG
Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right
VIRTV_S AVGG
Campgate with six rows, three turrets, closed six-paneled doors with pellets inside larger archway, no star above, top and bottom rows empty blocks
P | R in fields
RT in exergue
RIC VII, 176 (R5)

Flourished archway:

Constantine I, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 1
CON_STANTI_NVS AVG
Helmeted, cuirassed bust left, spear pointing forward and shield in front
VIRTV_S AVGG
Campgate with five rows, three turrets, closed six-paneled doors, top and bottom rows empty blocks
P | R across fields
RP in exergue
RIC VII, 178 (R5)

Recessed archway:

Constantine I, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 4
CONST_ANTINVS AVG
High-crested helmet, cuirassed bust right
VIRTV_S AVGG
Campgate with five rows, three turrets, closed six paneled doors, no star above, top and bottom rows empty blocks
P | R in fields
RQ in exergue
RIC VII, --
Note: Bust type D7 not attested for three turret series in RIC

Tunneled archway:

Licinius II, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 2
LICINIVS IVN NOB C
Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right
VIRTV_S AVGG
Campgate with six rows, three turrets with archways, closed three-paneled doors with pellets inside blocked-archway, top and bottom rows empty blocks
P | R across fields
RS in exergue
18mm x 19mm, 3.23g
RIC VII, 182 (R3)

--Beast

mmarotta · Sep 6, 2010, 07:45 AM

Miletus, sixth stater, electrum, c.550 BCE.

It represents one of the earliest examples. I found nothing catalogued of the same type, though others from Rosen and Waggoner's Rosen are similar.

BeastCoins · Sep 6, 2010, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmarotta

Miletus, sixth stater, electrum, c.550 BCE.

It represents one of the earliest examples. I found nothing catalogued of the same type, though others from Rosen and Waggoner's Rosen are similar.

Nice! I love those early Miletus pieces.

--Beast

dlyumkis · Sep 10, 2010, 03:48 PM

something about this coin that always strikes me. It's remarkably well struck and has great eye appeal.

Constantine II as Caesar
317 CE
AE 3 (20.36 mm) – 3.43 gms
Trier mint
Obv: FL CL CONSTANTINVS IVN N C – bare-headed cuirassed bust right
Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS – Prince standing right, holding globe & spear, T F in fields, •ATR in ex.
RIC VII 144 (Trier)

Dmitry

akropolis · Sep 11, 2010, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlyumkis

something about this coin that always strikes me. It's remarkably well struck and has great eye appeal.
Dmitry

Totally charming!!!
PeteB

Jul 21, 2009, 06:46 AM	#2
BeastCoins Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,484	Alfred, That is an incredible example and the early Rome mint campgates are easily the most interesting (my opinion). Stylistically, yours certainly looks like an official Rome mint specimen, but it's so neat seeing the legend blunder. Funny enough - I recently adopted the same policy of no longer mixing collecting with dealing so as not to compete with customers and have sent my entire campgate collection to Barry for VAuctions. --Beast __________________ VCoins Ancients Store: http://www.vcoins.com/beastcoins VCoins US/Banknotes Store: http://www.vcoins.com/us/beastcoins VCoins World Store: http://www.vcoins.com/world/beastcoins Beast Coins Research Site: http://www.beastcoins.com

Jul 21, 2009, 06:53 AM	#3
BeastCoins Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,484	Alfred, By the way, you don't point it out, but another neat attribute of your coin is the 3-D perspective above the archway. The Rome mint was experimenting with a number of different designs on this first issue and they are all very interesting (and all go away with subsequent issues and not to be seen at other mints). Outlined archway: Constantine I, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 3 CONST_ANTINVS AVG Laureate, helmeted, cuirassed bust right VIRTV_S AVGG Campgate with six rows, three turrets, closed six-paneled doors with pellets inside larger archway, no star above, top and bottom rows empty blocks P \| R in fields RT in exergue RIC VII, 176 (R5) Flourished archway: Constantine I, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 1 CON_STANTI_NVS AVG Helmeted, cuirassed bust left, spear pointing forward and shield in front VIRTV_S AVGG Campgate with five rows, three turrets, closed six-paneled doors, top and bottom rows empty blocks P \| R across fields RP in exergue RIC VII, 178 (R5) Recessed archway: Constantine I, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 4 CONST_ANTINVS AVG High-crested helmet, cuirassed bust right VIRTV_S AVGG Campgate with five rows, three turrets, closed six paneled doors, no star above, top and bottom rows empty blocks P \| R in fields RQ in exergue RIC VII, -- Note: Bust type D7 not attested for three turret series in RIC Tunneled archway: Licinius II, AE3, 318-319, Rome, Officina 2 LICINIVS IVN NOB C Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right VIRTV_S AVGG Campgate with six rows, three turrets with archways, closed three-paneled doors with pellets inside blocked-archway, top and bottom rows empty blocks P \| R across fields RS in exergue 18mm x 19mm, 3.23g RIC VII, 182 (R3) --Beast __________________ VCoins Ancients Store: http://www.vcoins.com/beastcoins VCoins US/Banknotes Store: http://www.vcoins.com/us/beastcoins VCoins World Store: http://www.vcoins.com/world/beastcoins Beast Coins Research Site: http://www.beastcoins.com

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