Baltimore ANA show report

Hi all,

Spent today at the ANA show in Baltimore. It was a good show, I tried
to go beyond just shopping in the bourse and take advantage of some of
the other opportunities there. I saw some cool stuff, met a couple of
rcc'ers, and still ended up buying a few really cool coins.

The US Mint had a display about the upcoming Ultra-High Relief
Saints. There were three uniformed security guards at the exhibit-
more than at any other spot I could see. I also saw the displays of
the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and 1804 Eagle. Those were in less
prominent display cases and with no obvious security guards nearby.
(I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one plainclothes guard
for such valuable coins, there was just no-one in uniform.) I also
managed to catch one of the talks, by Prue Morgan Fitts on depictions
of propaganda and the royal succession on Byzantine coinage. Quite
interesting, almost enough to make me start collecting Byzantine
coins.

The bourse was well-attended, and there were a fair number of children
in attendance. The main difference from the usual Baltimore show was
the presence of many national mints. I ended up buying a 2008
Japanese mint set as my one non-ancient coin purchase. I found two
Parthian coins to purchase- both tetradrachms of Vardanes I with full
dates (year and month) visible, not high grade but both decent coins.
Also ended up getting a couple of Roman late Republican/Imperatorial.
First was a denarius of the consuls L. Cornelius Lentulus and C.
Claudius Marcellus from 49 BC. The two consuls joined with Pompey's
faction in the Senate in condemning Julius Caesar, then fled the city
with Pompey's supporters when Caesar marched on Rome. This denarius
depicts a triskeles, which is very unusual for a Roman coin. I have
found other examples of this coin online but so far no explanation of
the intended symbolism. And shortly before I left, I made my big
purchase: a denarius of Marc Antony and Octavian, issued 41 BC and
showing portraits of both (Antony's is bigger, of course- got to show
who's _really_ in charge...) I paid *mumblety-mumble* dollars for it,
but it was well worth the price. Also found a $15 coin in Harlan J.
Berk's junk box that is probably Kushano-Sasanian, I will have to look
it up and figure it out.

Overall, it was quite a good show. I met Jud Petrie and Ken Barr, so
now I can put faces to their posts. I found a few new coins for my
collection. And most importantly, I got the chance to spend a few
hours surrounded by folks who saw my obsession with little discs of
metal as completely normal! Hope others are enjoying the show as much
as I did.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

On Jul 31, 7:12�pm, wrote:
Hi all,

Spent today at the ANA show in Baltimore. �It was a good show, I tried
to go beyond just shopping in the bourse and take advantage of some of
the other opportunities there. �I saw some cool stuff, met a couple of
rcc'ers, and still ended up buying a few really cool coins.

The US Mint had a display about the upcoming Ultra-High Relief
Saints. �There were three uniformed security guards at the exhibit-
more than at any other spot I could see. �I also saw the displays of
the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and 1804 Eagle. �Those were in less
prominent display cases and with no obvious security guards nearby.
(I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one plainclothes guard
for such valuable coins, there was just no-one in uniform.) � I also
managed to catch one of the talks, by Prue Morgan Fitts on depictions
of propaganda and the royal succession on Byzantine coinage. �Quite
interesting, almost enough to make me start collecting Byzantine
coins.

The bourse was well-attended, and there were a fair number of children
in attendance. �The main difference from the usual Baltimore show was
the presence of many national mints. �I ended up buying a 2008
Japanese mint set as my one non-ancient coin purchase. �I found two
Parthian coins to purchase- both tetradrachms of Vardanes I with full
dates (year and month) visible, not high grade but both decent coins.
Also ended up getting a couple of Roman late Republican/Imperatorial.
First was a denarius of the consuls L. Cornelius Lentulus and C.
Claudius Marcellus from 49 BC. �The two consuls joined with Pompey's
faction in the Senate in condemning Julius Caesar, then fled the city
with Pompey's supporters when Caesar marched on Rome. �This denarius
depicts a triskeles, which is very unusual for a Roman coin. �I have
found other examples of this coin online but so far no explanation of
the intended symbolism. �And shortly before I left, I made my big
purchase: a denarius of Marc Antony and Octavian, issued 41 BC and
showing portraits of both (Antony's is bigger, of course- got to show
who's _really_ in charge...) �I paid *mumblety-mumble* dollars for it,
but it was well worth the price. � Also found a $15 coin in Harlan J.
Berk's junk box that is probably Kushano-Sasanian, I will have to look
it up and figure it out.

Overall, it was quite a good show. �I met Jud Petrie and Ken Barr, so
now I can put faces to their posts. �I found a few new coins for my
collection. �And most importantly, I got the chance to spend a few
hours surrounded by folks who saw my obsession with little discs of
metal as completely normal! �Hope others are enjoying the show as much
as I did.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

Thanks, Robert, for the nice recap of your visit to the show. I wish
I could have been there this year. I'm glad that you had the
opportunity to purchase a few metals discs and also (potentially)
broaden your numismatic horizons. Byzantine coinage isn't my cup of
apple tea, but there are certainly many coins of that era that I would
love to add to my eclectic collection.

You mention buying a Republican denarius of Lentullus & Marcellus, one
with a triskeles, the symbol of Sicily. While Sydenham proposes that
these coins were minted in Sicily, David Sear discounts this by saying
that the Sicilian connection is an ancestor of Marcellus who took
Syracuse during the war with Carthage.

When I was in Sicily a few years ago, I bought a little ornament in
the shape of a triskeles. The merchant told me that the three legs
represent Sicily, a triangular island whose shores are as smooth as a
woman's leg. For what it's worth... ;-)

Nice to hear from you.

~Anka

Anka wrote:
On Jul 31, 7:12�pm, wrote:
Hi all,

Spent today at the ANA show in Baltimore. �It was a good show, I tried
to go beyond just shopping in the bourse and take advantage of some of
the other opportunities there. �I saw some cool stuff, met a couple of
rcc'ers, and still ended up buying a few really cool coins.

The US Mint had a display about the upcoming Ultra-High Relief
Saints. �There were three uniformed security guards at the exhibit-
more than at any other spot I could see. �I also saw the displays of
the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and 1804 Eagle. �Those were in less
prominent display cases and with no obvious security guards nearby.
(I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one plainclothes guard
for such valuable coins, there was just no-one in uniform.) � I also
managed to catch one of the talks, by Prue Morgan Fitts on depictions
of propaganda and the royal succession on Byzantine coinage. �Quite
interesting, almost enough to make me start collecting Byzantine
coins.

The bourse was well-attended, and there were a fair number of children
in attendance. �The main difference from the usual Baltimore show was
the presence of many national mints. �I ended up buying a 2008
Japanese mint set as my one non-ancient coin purchase. �I found two
Parthian coins to purchase- both tetradrachms of Vardanes I with full
dates (year and month) visible, not high grade but both decent coins.
Also ended up getting a couple of Roman late Republican/Imperatorial.
First was a denarius of the consuls L. Cornelius Lentulus and C.
Claudius Marcellus from 49 BC. �The two consuls joined with Pompey's
faction in the Senate in condemning Julius Caesar, then fled the city
with Pompey's supporters when Caesar marched on Rome. �This denarius
depicts a triskeles, which is very unusual for a Roman coin. �I have
found other examples of this coin online but so far no explanation of
the intended symbolism. �And shortly before I left, I made my big
purchase: a denarius of Marc Antony and Octavian, issued 41 BC and
showing portraits of both (Antony's is bigger, of course- got to show
who's _really_ in charge...) �I paid *mumblety-mumble* dollars for it,
but it was well worth the price. � Also found a $15 coin in Harlan J.
Berk's junk box that is probably Kushano-Sasanian, I will have to look
it up and figure it out.

Overall, it was quite a good show. �I met Jud Petrie and Ken Barr, so
now I can put faces to their posts. �I found a few new coins for my
collection. �And most importantly, I got the chance to spend a few
hours surrounded by folks who saw my obsession with little discs of
metal as completely normal! �Hope others are enjoying the show as much
as I did.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

Thanks, Robert, for the nice recap of your visit to the show. I wish
I could have been there this year. I'm glad that you had the
opportunity to purchase a few metals discs and also (potentially)
broaden your numismatic horizons. Byzantine coinage isn't my cup of
apple tea, but there are certainly many coins of that era that I would
love to add to my eclectic collection.

You mention buying a Republican denarius of Lentullus & Marcellus, one
with a triskeles, the symbol of Sicily. While Sydenham proposes that
these coins were minted in Sicily, David Sear discounts this by saying
that the Sicilian connection is an ancestor of Marcellus who took
Syracuse during the war with Carthage.

When I was in Sicily a few years ago, I bought a little ornament in
the shape of a triskeles. The merchant told me that the three legs
represent Sicily, a triangular island whose shores are as smooth as a
woman's leg. For what it's worth... ;-)

Nice to hear from you.

~Anka

"Fain would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg, / Which is as white and
hairless as an egg."
~ Robert Herrick

Edwin Johnston wrote:
Anka wrote:
On Jul 31, 7:12?pm, wrote:
Hi all,

Spent today at the ANA show in Baltimore. ?It was a good show, I
tried to go beyond just shopping in the bourse and take advantage
of some of the other opportunities there. ?I saw some cool stuff,
met a couple of rcc'ers, and still ended up buying a few really
cool coins. The US Mint had a display about the upcoming Ultra-High
Relief
Saints. ?There were three uniformed security guards at the exhibit-
more than at any other spot I could see. ?I also saw the displays of
the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and 1804 Eagle. ?Those were in less
prominent display cases and with no obvious security guards nearby.
(I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one plainclothes
guard for such valuable coins, there was just no-one in uniform.) ?
I also managed to catch one of the talks, by Prue Morgan Fitts on
depictions of propaganda and the royal succession on Byzantine
coinage. ?Quite interesting, almost enough to make me start
collecting Byzantine coins.

The bourse was well-attended, and there were a fair number of
children in attendance. ?The main difference from the usual
Baltimore show was the presence of many national mints. ?I ended up
buying a 2008 Japanese mint set as my one non-ancient coin
purchase. ?I found two Parthian coins to purchase- both
tetradrachms of Vardanes I with full dates (year and month)
visible, not high grade but both decent coins. Also ended up
getting a couple of Roman late Republican/Imperatorial. First was a
denarius of the consuls L. Cornelius Lentulus and C. Claudius
Marcellus from 49 BC. ?The two consuls joined with Pompey's faction
in the Senate in condemning Julius Caesar, then fled the city with
Pompey's supporters when Caesar marched on Rome. ?This denarius
depicts a triskeles, which is very unusual for a Roman coin. ?I
have found other examples of this coin online but so far no
explanation of the intended symbolism. ?And shortly before I left,
I made my big purchase: a denarius of Marc Antony and Octavian,
issued 41 BC and showing portraits of both (Antony's is bigger, of
course- got to show who's _really_ in charge...) ?I paid
*mumblety-mumble* dollars for it, but it was well worth the price.
? Also found a $15 coin in Harlan J. Berk's junk box that is
probably Kushano-Sasanian, I will have to look it up and figure it
out. Overall, it was quite a good show. ?I met Jud Petrie and Ken Barr,
so now I can put faces to their posts. ?I found a few new coins for
my collection. ?And most importantly, I got the chance to spend a
few hours surrounded by folks who saw my obsession with little
discs of metal as completely normal! ?Hope others are enjoying the
show as much as I did.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

Thanks, Robert, for the nice recap of your visit to the show. I wish
I could have been there this year. I'm glad that you had the
opportunity to purchase a few metals discs and also (potentially)
broaden your numismatic horizons. Byzantine coinage isn't my cup of
apple tea, but there are certainly many coins of that era that I
would love to add to my eclectic collection.

You mention buying a Republican denarius of Lentullus & Marcellus,
one with a triskeles, the symbol of Sicily. While Sydenham proposes
that these coins were minted in Sicily, David Sear discounts this by
saying that the Sicilian connection is an ancestor of Marcellus who
took Syracuse during the war with Carthage.

When I was in Sicily a few years ago, I bought a little ornament in
the shape of a triskeles. The merchant told me that the three legs
represent Sicily, a triangular island whose shores are as smooth as a
woman's leg. For what it's worth... ;-)

Nice to hear from you.

~Anka

"Fain would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg, / Which is as white and
hairless as an egg."
~ Robert Herrick

Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?

James

On Jul 31, 10:10�pm, Edwin Johnston wrote:
Anka wrote:
On Jul 31, 7:12 pm, wrote:
Hi all,

Spent today at the ANA show in Baltimore. It was a good show, I tried
to go beyond just shopping in the bourse and take advantage of some of
the other opportunities there. I saw some cool stuff, met a couple of
rcc'ers, and still ended up buying a few really cool coins.

The US Mint had a display about the upcoming Ultra-High Relief
Saints. There were three uniformed security guards at the exhibit-
more than at any other spot I could see. I also saw the displays of
the 1913 Liberty Head nickel and 1804 Eagle. Those were in less
prominent display cases and with no obvious security guards nearby.
(I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one plainclothes guard
for such valuable coins, there was just no-one in uniform.) I also
managed to catch one of the talks, by Prue Morgan Fitts on depictions
of propaganda and the royal succession on Byzantine coinage. Quite
interesting, almost enough to make me start collecting Byzantine
coins.

The bourse was well-attended, and there were a fair number of children
in attendance. The main difference from the usual Baltimore show was
the presence of many national mints. I ended up buying a 2008
Japanese mint set as my one non-ancient coin purchase. I found two
Parthian coins to purchase- both tetradrachms of Vardanes I with full
dates (year and month) visible, not high grade but both decent coins.
Also ended up getting a couple of Roman late Republican/Imperatorial.
First was a denarius of the consuls L. Cornelius Lentulus and C.
Claudius Marcellus from 49 BC. The two consuls joined with Pompey's
faction in the Senate in condemning Julius Caesar, then fled the city
with Pompey's supporters when Caesar marched on Rome. This denarius
depicts a triskeles, which is very unusual for a Roman coin. I have
found other examples of this coin online but so far no explanation of
the intended symbolism. And shortly before I left, I made my big
purchase: a denarius of Marc Antony and Octavian, issued 41 BC and
showing portraits of both (Antony's is bigger, of course- got to show
who's _really_ in charge...) I paid *mumblety-mumble* dollars for it,
but it was well worth the price. Also found a $15 coin in Harlan J.
Berk's junk box that is probably Kushano-Sasanian, I will have to look
it up and figure it out.

Overall, it was quite a good show. I met Jud Petrie and Ken Barr, so
now I can put faces to their posts. I found a few new coins for my
collection. And most importantly, I got the chance to spend a few
hours surrounded by folks who saw my obsession with little discs of
metal as completely normal! Hope others are enjoying the show as much
as I did.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

Thanks, Robert, for the nice recap of your visit to the show. �I wish
I could have been there this year. �I'm glad that you had the
opportunity to purchase a few metals discs and also (potentially)
broaden your numismatic horizons. �Byzantine coinage isn't my cup of
apple tea, but there are certainly many coins of that era that I would
love to add to my eclectic collection.

You mention buying a Republican denarius of Lentullus & Marcellus, one
with a triskeles, the symbol of Sicily. �While Sydenham proposes that
these coins were minted in Sicily, David Sear discounts this by saying
that the Sicilian connection is an ancestor of Marcellus who took
Syracuse during the war with Carthage.

When I was in Sicily a few years ago, I bought a little ornament in
the shape of a triskeles. �The merchant told me that the three legs
represent Sicily, a triangular island whose shores are as smooth as a
woman's leg. �For what it's worth... �;-)

Nice to hear from you.

~Anka

"Fain would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg, / Which is as white and
hairless as an egg."
~ Robert Herrick- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Hoh yeah. Bobby sure had a thing for her. ;-)

~Anka

"Anka" wrote in message news:90baab5b-
Hoh yeah. Bobby sure had a thing for her. ;-)

~Anka

Are you so sure the guy in Sicily didn't hae a thing for you too? ;}

BTW I have one of the 8 Litrai coins from Sicily with the triskeles on it.
Curiously the triskeles is also the emblem of the Isle of Man.

scottishmoney wrote:
"Anka" wrote in message news:90baab5b-
Hoh yeah. Bobby sure had a thing for her. ;-)

~Anka

Are you so sure the guy in Sicily didn't hae a thing for you too? ;}

BTW I have one of the 8 Litrai coins from Sicily with the triskeles on it.
Curiously the triskeles is also the emblem of the Isle of Man.



I've got the Isle of Man 10p coin from 1992 with the triskeles. I like it!

On Jul 31, 10:33*pm, Anka wrote:
{snip}

You mention buying a Republican denarius of Lentullus & Marcellus, one
with a triskeles, the symbol of Sicily. *While Sydenham proposes that
these coins were minted in Sicily, David Sear discounts this by saying
that the Sicilian connection is an ancestor of Marcellus who took
Syracuse during the war with Carthage.

Thanks for the cites, Anka. I don't have Sydenham (yet) and am still
getting by with my old one-volume fourth edition of Sear, which
doesn't include this coin. I was able to find the coin listed in one
of my other books, Clive Foss' "Roman Historical Coins." Foss goes
along with the coins being minted in Sicily and states that the
depiction of Jupiter on the reverse is copied from a "statue of
Jupiter by Myron, erected in Syracuse in 460 BC." I probably should
have guessed at the connection to Sicily, don't know why it slipped my
mind. It turns out that the version on this coin, with Medusa head at
the middle and three grain ears, is on the current flag of Sicily:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sicily

As for the origin of the symbol as representing the smoothness of a
woman's legs... there's really nothing I can add that won't get me in
trouble

Nice to hear from you.

~Anka

Thanks for your contribution to this thread, Anka, sorry that you
couldn't make it to this show. I will try to take some photos of this
coin and the Antony/Octavian and will post a link once I've done so.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

On Aug 1, 7:12�pm, wrote:
On Jul 31, 10:33�pm, Anka wrote:
{snip}



You mention buying a Republican denarius of Lentullus & Marcellus, one
with a triskeles, the symbol of Sicily. �While Sydenham proposes that
these coins were minted in Sicily, David Sear discounts this by saying
that the Sicilian connection is an ancestor of Marcellus who took
Syracuse during the war with Carthage.

Thanks for the cites, Anka. �I don't have Sydenham (yet) and am still
getting by with my old one-volume fourth edition of Sear, which
doesn't include this coin. � I was able to find the coin listed in one
of my other books, Clive Foss' "Roman Historical Coins." �Foss goes
along with the coins being minted in Sicily and states that the
depiction of Jupiter on the reverse is copied from a "statue of
Jupiter by Myron, erected in Syracuse in 460 BC." �I probably should
have guessed at the connection to Sicily, don't know why it slipped my
mind. �It turns out that the version on this coin, with Medusa head at
the middle and three grain ears, is on the current flag of Sicily:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sicily

As for the origin of the symbol as representing the smoothness of a
woman's legs... there's really nothing I can add that won't get me in
trouble

Nice to hear from you.

~Anka

Thanks for your contribution to this thread, Anka, sorry that you
couldn't make it to this show. �I will try to take some photos of this
coin and the Antony/Octavian and will post a link once I've done so.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.

Yes, please do! I especially would like to see the Antony. Now
there's one that's still missing from my stash (not to mention a
Julius Caesar, which I'll probably never be able to afford).

The flag of Sicily? I thought *this* was the flag of Sicily:

http://members.aol.com:/ankaaz/pictures/forza1.jpg

http://members.aol.com:/ankaaz/pictures/forza2.jpg

;-)


~Anka

On Aug 1, 9:40*pm, Anka wrote:

Yes, please do! *I especially would like to see the Antony. *Now
there's one that's still missing from my stash (not to mention a
Julius Caesar, which I'll probably never be able to afford).

Hi Anka,

I can't get a decent photo of the triskeles coin, but I did manage to
photograph the Antony/Octavian:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23911267@N06/2725348223/

Not a bad coin despite the bankers' mark on Octavian's head. I did
look at a Julius Caesar portrait denarius, but I was already
overbudget. Maybe some other year...

One other thing I noticed at the convention but forgot to mention
earlier: The banner sign for the Foreign and Ancients section
featured a Parthian coin, a tetradrachm of Gotarzes II. Nice to see
my Parthians getting some recognition.

-Robert A. DeRose, Jr.