2025 - Top 10 Ancients
- sulla80
- 5 hours ago
- 8 min read
2025 has been a better than average year across the board. 2024 wrapped up with surgery and a year later I am fully recovered with a very low chance of recurrence. On the coin front, I sold more than 150 coins and didn't add very many. I may have been more selective in buying this year - opting for quality over quantity - but it also feels like there were fewer coins available that I was interested in. Still no shortage of nice coins added this year.
There is a long list of "runner ups" which are another measure of the "above average year". Ten of them with good stories, four Roman Republican / Imperatorial coins made the Honorable Mention category.
Augustus & Colonies: illustrating the practices of plowing the outer perimeter of a city as it is founded.
Drachm from Metapontion: and unusual little owl (drachm).
Revolt of Aristonikos: When the last Pergamene king, Attalos III, bequeathed the kingdom to the Romans in his will, Aristonikos objected and, rallying slaves and peasants, launched an uprising (133 – 129 BCE).
Quattuorviri monetales: A coin from the time when Caesar put his loyalists in control of the mint, and also Caesar expanded the collegium of tresviri monetales (3-men for the minting of money) to one of quattuorviri (4-men, note the IIII VIR legend). This is attested on this coin of L. Faminnius Chilo from 43 BCE.
Cornelius-Lentulus Marcellinus: a denarius from the time when Caesar and Pompey competed for political legitimacy, the depiction of Marcellus - renowned for military victories crucial to Roman survival during the Punic Wars - linking Caesar’s regime to Republican traditions.
The Founding of Lanuvium: Two coins that illustrate the story of the wolf & eagle nurturing a spontaneous fire while a fox tried to quench the flames of Roman greatness.
The Syrian Goddess Atargatis: Most likely these coins were minted in Rome for circulation in Syria. The depiction on the reverse ambiguously Hera or Atargatis (The Syrian Goddess).
Nomos from Tarentum: The figure riding the dolphin is Taras, the mythological founder of the city. Taras was the son of the sea god Poseidon and the nymph Satyria. According to legend, he was shipwrecked and saved by a dolphin sent by his father, which carried him to the shore of Southern Italy where he founded the city.
Seleukos IV Philopator Tetradrachm: Seleucus was the son of Antiochus III and took power after the treaty of Apamea and led a relatively quiet and defensive reign 187-175 BC, before being killed (allegedly by his minister Heliodorus).
and now, it is on to the top 10 list....four Roman Republican / Imperatorial coins made the top 10 this year along with some excellent Greek coins, one Kushan coin and one Roman Imperial Antoninianus.
a nice version of this coin that I've looked for for several years, I'd like to add as AE version of this type as well.
Caracalla; 198-217 AD, Rome, 215 AD, AR Antoninianus (22.70mm, 5.04 g)
Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM Bust radiate, draped, cuirassed right
Rev: P M TR P XVIIII COS IIII P P around, Luna, with crescent on head and fold of drapery in circle around head, standing in biga of bulls prancing l., their back legs bent, whose reins Luna holds in her r. hand.
#9: Italy & Rome Unified
A coin from years after the Social War that depicts Italy and Rome personified. In 70 BCE, the first full census after the Social Wars formalized Italian citizenship, recognizing them as Roman citizens in state records, and granting voting rights to 35 voting tribes, defining military and property tax obligation.
Roman Republic, Q. Fufius Calenus, P. Mucius Scaevola Cordus, AR Denarius (Serratus) (3.95g), Rome, 70 BCE.
Obv: HO (in the left field) - VIRT (in the right field, partially in ligature) / KALENI (in the exergue), laureate head of Honos and helmeted head of Virtus side by side, facing right.
Rev: ITAL (in the left field, partially in ligature) - RO (in the right field) / CORDI (in the exergue), Italia holding a cornucopia and Roma with fasces, resting her right foot on a globe, facing each other and shaking hands; caduceus in the left field.
Ref: Crawford 403/1, Albert 1305.
Notes: Ex HD Rauch Auction 119 Lot 86, slight striking weaknesses. Attractive specimen with a lightly iridescent patina. About Extremely Fine (vzgl.).
Menes, son of Dionysios, was appointed by Alexander in 331 BCE to manage the newly conquered western satrapies (Cilicia, Syria, Phoenicia) and to forward money to Alexander’s regent Antipater in Macedonia. The "M" monogram on coins this coin (Price 3230) is a strong clue pointing to Menes’ administration. Later coins in the series drift lower in weight - while this coin is a full 17.24g. Menes is most likely the issuer of this coin.
Kings of Macedon, Alexander III 'the Great' (336-323 BC), lifetime issue from 325 or 324/3 BCE, AR (17.24g, 27mm) Tetradrachm, minted in Myriandros or Issos.
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin.
Rev: AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ. Zeus seated left on throne, holding eagle and sceptre. Controls: In left field, monogram above club-in-wreath; monogram below throne.
Ref: Price 3230.
Struck sometime between roughly 325 and 241 BC, the coin belongs to a long and distinguished series. It weighs just over 7.5 grams, consistent with the South Italian didrachm standard, and bears the characteristic imagery of Neapolis:
on the obverse, the serene head of a nymph wearing a jeweled necklace, pendant earring, and diadem
on the reverse, a man-faced bull striding right, crowned by a flying Nike, with the monogram NY below.
The style of the dies is harmonious, confident, and elegant and reflects a period when Greek engravers in Campania were producing work of remarkable refinement.
Campania, Neapolis. Ca. 325-241 BC. Silver Nomos (7.53 g).
Obv: Nymph head right with elaborate jewelry and headband.
Rev: Manheaded bull r. crowned by flying Nike. Below NY monogram.
Ref: SNG Cop. 437; SNG ANS 374; Sambon 478, HN Italy 579.
Notes: Lovely style and well struck. Lightly toned. Choice Very Fine. Ex "ZSS" Collection; Ex Goldberg Auction.
This coin made the collection mainly because I found the reverse portrait stunning.
Corinth. Circa 345-307 BC. AR Stater (8.56 gm).
Obv: Pegasos flying left
Rev: Laureate and helmeted head of Athena left; A-P at neck, eagle standing left, head reverted, behind.
Ref: Pegasi I pg. 262, 426; Ravel 1008.
The Amazon Kyme depicted on the obverse of this coin is the mythical founder of the city. This representation celebrates its origins and honors a local legend on its coinage. The Amazons were a fierce tribe of female warriors, known for their archery and horse riding. They fought against the Greeks. Myrina was a queen, and Kyme was one of her generals. Diodorus Siculus describes that Myrina named other cities after "the women who held the most important commands, such as Cymê, Pitana, and Prienê."
Encircling the design is a laurel wreath (stephanos), which gives these coins their name “stephanophoric” (wreath-bearing) tetradrachms.
Greek, Aeolis, Kyme. AR Tetradrachm (Stephanophoric, 16.80g), Magistrate Straton, ca. 151/150–143/142 BCE.
Obv: Diademed head of the Amazon Kyme facing right.
Rev: Inscription KYMAIΩN with ΣTPATΩN in exergue; horse with bridle standing right, a one-handled vessel in front; all within a laurel wreath.
Ref: SNG von Aulock 1638-1639, SNG Cop 103-105 var. (Magistrate).
Vasudeva I (c. AD 191–232), the last of the "Great Kushans", succeeded Huvishka and presided over a still‑wealthy but contracting empire stretching from Bactria to the Gangetic plain. His dated inscriptions run from year 64 to 98 of the Kanishka era and anchor his reign. His coinage was struck in Bactria and northwestern India with a standardized a royal image of the king sacrificing at an altar and a Kushan divine repertoire that was almost exclusively reduced to Oēsho (Śiva). Oesho/Śiva on coins bridges Iranian and Indian traditions.
INDIA. Kushan Empire. Vasudeva I (ca. AD 190-230). AV dinar (20mm, 8.02 gm, 1h). Choice VF. Kushan standard, Bactria, main mint (probably Balkh), middle phase.
Obv: Þ-AONANOÞAO BA-ZOΔHO KOÞANO, Vasudeva I standing facing, nimbate head left, wearing jewel-edged triangular helmet with forehead ornament, circular side ornament and jeweled earflap, diadem with tie and long ribbons to right, clad in full armor, long-sleeved knee-length tunic with heavy segmented collar and neck guard, banner behind head attached to back, coils covering arms, tunic of plate mail, worn over trousers and high boots, flames emanating from right shoulder, grounded filleted spear in left hand, dropping pellets from right hand over lit altar at left, sword at hip held by belt; filleted trident at left, dotted line beneath feet
Rev: OHÞO, Oesho (Siva or Shiva) standing facing, with one head, hair in topknot with curls outlining face, curls and eyes shown as dots, two arms, erect lingamm, wearing ankle-length dhoti with symmetrical folds, grounded trident in left hand, diadem with two ribbons in right; the bull Nandi standing left behind, tamgha to upper left, dotted border.
Ref: ANS Kushan 1086-1090. Mitchiner -. Sunrise 551. Göbl, MK 509.
This denarius, from the series that Crawford lists as 511, was issue by Sextus Pompey from Sicily. Woytek, in Arma et Nummi (2003), argues that these coins, that bear the legend "MAG PIVS IMP ITER," were likely issued after 38 BC, following Sextus Pompeius's second acclamation as Imperator.
Roman Republic, Sextus Pompeius Pius, AR denarius (3.86 g), military mint in Sicily, 37–36 BC.
Obv: MAG·PIVS·IMP·ITER, pharos of Messana, surmounted by statue of Neptune, helmeted, holding trident in right hand and rudder in left hand and placing left foot on prow; before, ship, left, with aquila in prow and sceptre tied with fillet on stern. Border of dots.
Rev: PRA͡EF·CLAS·ET·ORA͡E·M͡A͡RIT·EX·S·C Scylla, wielding rudder with both hands. Border of dots.
Ref: Crawford 511/4a, Albert 1559, CRI 335a.
Note: Dated according to Woytek, Arma et Nummi, Vienna 2003, pp. 442/497. Punch marks on the reverse and dark, slightly iridescent toning. ex Herkles Numismatics; ex H.D. Rauch eAuction 43, 03-Apr-2024 lot 341.
Struck before the Battle of Pharsalus, this denarius recognized Pompey’s proudest achievements. The obverse presents Jupiter Terminus - guardian of frontiers - evoking the extraordinary pro‑consular command the Senate had just entrusted to Pompey for the defense of the Republic.
Pompey the Great, AR Denarius (3.89g, 18.4mm3h), 48 BCE. Military mint traveling with Pompey in Greece.
Obv: Terentius Varro, proquaestor. VARRO PRO Q, diademed bust of Jupiter right. Rev: MAGN PRO / COS in two lines in exergue, scepter between dolphin swimming right and eagle standing left.
Ref: Crawford 447/1a; HCRI 8; Sydenham 1033; RSC 3.
given the title of this website - it would be hard to put this coin at anything other that #1 for the year. I have bid on several over the years and very happy with this addition.
Roman Republican, Q. Pompeius Rufus, 54 BC, AR denarius (18mm, 3.96g, 6h), Rome. Obv: Q•POM•RVFI / RVFVS•COS, bare head of the consul Q. Pompeius Rufus to right. Rev: SVLLA•COS, bare head of Sulla to right.
Ref: Babelon (Pompeia) 4 and (Cornelia) 48. Crawford 434/1. RBW 1544. Sydenham 908.
Notes: Lightly toned. Minor weakness on the obverse and the reverse struck off center, otherwise, good very fine. From an American collection and the Andrew McCabe Collection, Classical Numismatic Group E-Auction 436, 23 January 2019, 477, ex Aureo & Calicó 224, 29 April 2010, 113.
In all a list that I am grateful for as additions from 2025, with cultural breadth from Manheaded bull to Kushan kings, a portrait coin of Sulla and other republican coins that commemorate moments that shaped republican and imperial power, stories of the Amazons of Kyme and Pegasus of Corinth, each a uniquely struck artifact that circulated in ancient markets and witnessed clashes of armies and cultures from Alexander’s conquests to the Roman Republic’s crises to the Roman Empire under Caracalla.
Thank you for dropping by SullaCoins.com and Best Wishes for a Happy 2026!