Post your absolutely favorite coin

FilamCoins · November 14, 2009 9:18AM

If you had to keep one coin in your collection, which would it be and why?

For me, it's this one, for the history, sentimental value, and eye appeal.

One of the least expensive in my collection and circulated, but I'll never part with it.

JCMhouston · November 14, 2009 10:01AM

That is indeed lovely. I just can't choose.

SpaceMonkey · November 14, 2009 11:12AM

of the "world" variety it would have to be this one...

-sm

Hyperion · November 14, 2009 11:32AM

nice SM! I'm looking at that coin and I just realized I was smiling to myself.... uber-attractive.

SpaceMonkey · November 14, 2009 11:35AM

<< <i>nice SM! I'm looking at that coin and I just realized I was smiling to myself.... uber-attractive. >>

thanks... here is his cousin, which is a pretty close 2nd.

-sm

WWW · November 14, 2009 11:49AM

Beautiful Peso, FilamCoins. I can see why you like it so much.
And Space Monkey's coins have interstellar appeal.
Here's the one (currently) that I will hang on to until the bitter end.

Zohar · November 14, 2009 11:59AM

Here are the three that I will keep. They are unique in the state of preservation and they each have a story behing them about how I found them.

STLNATS · November 14, 2009 1:44PM

I'm not positive that this is "the one" but would certainly be in the final cut.

Half piastra of Innocent XII commemorating the Peace of Ryswick. Noah's ark landing on Mt Ararat. Great, high style portrait of the elderly pope combined with an interesting reverse type. Has just about everything one would want on a papal coin of this period.

bosox · November 14, 2009 3:15PM

I have since looked at a whole bunch of 1858 cents and have now written three books about the Canadian large cents series. All of this activity started with me wondering why this coin had all four digits of the date doubled.

lordmarcovan · November 14, 2009 5:08PM

Here. I'll copy and paste my response from the November 6th Liteside "*most* cherished" thread.

This one isn't beautiful, high grade, made of precious metal, OR particularly valuable.

But it's my oldest detector find (oldest coin, anyway). Because of the probable archaeological tie-in to a lost 17th century Spanish mission, it was featured in the Atlanta papers back in 1998, and the AP picked up the story- it popped up all over the country. My fifteen minutes of fame, you might say. Back at the time, I showed the newspaper article off at work and struck up a conversation with a nice lady. Fast forward, and she and I just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary.

So this one would have to be "the" coin for me, though it's kind of crude and not especially valuable from a monetary standpoint. It is an evocative historical relic and was a good conversational icebreaker, though.

Yeah, you heard that right.

I attempted to pick up chicks (well, a chick) with ... coin chat.

Yes, I am a geek.

It worked, though!

(Of course she was just being polite and pretending to be interested in the coin thing, but who cares. The rest, as they say, was history.)

[/l]

canadacolornut · November 14, 2009 6:09PM

I can't choose just one myself but it's a real treat to see the special pieces posted here and the reasons why
they're special to the poster.

Please keep 'em coming

harasha · November 14, 2009 9:20PM

If I may, I would expand the term "coin" to include exonumia.
These days, my principle interest is medals. One of the things that fascinate me about them is the handling that they receive. Those dents and evidence of polishing connects me with someone who may have handled the item decades ago and their time.
Of all my medals, the one that I find most evocative is not really a medal at all, but more likely a medallion that had been fastened to some other surface.
It portrays one of my oldest personal heros. Furthermore, its wear shows the handling and care of many devotees. If I had to choose, this item may be my most favorite.

FilthyBroke · November 14, 2009 9:20PM

I'm gonna go with this one as my all-time favorite. I know, not technically a coin, but it has the most appealing design I have seen.

ajaan · November 14, 2009 10:36PM

Either my 1958 1/2d VIP Proof or this one:

JZrarities · November 14, 2009 10:46PM

ASUtodd · November 14, 2009 10:58PM

This is one of my top three but the only one of the three I have a picture of.....

Zohar · November 15, 2009 12:17AM

JZrarities that is a very nice piece!

covers · November 15, 2009 12:27AM

Q. Pomponius Musa
AR Denarius, 4.08g. 18mm. Q POMPONI MVSA. Diademed head of Apollo r.
Rv. HERCVLES MVSARVM. Hercules Musagetes standing r. wearing lion's skin and playing a lyre; club rests against his leg.
CR 410/1. Syd. 810. an example of the first type in the famous series of Hercules and the nine muses.

Some more of my ancients: HERE

silverpop · November 15, 2009 2:15AM

the dripping ear error coin

Silvereagle82 · November 15, 2009 2:30AM

My favorite and newest .....

Netherlands - Gorinchem.
Rose Noble ND (1583-91).
NGC MS-62
Because it is my rarest coin in the truest sense in both quantity (3-5 exist) and condition (finest of them all)
Reference: Delmonte 825bis @ rarity scale -R4 (highest rating))
It's also a large coin = 36mm.

worldcoinguy · November 15, 2009 4:19AM

I think its a flip of the coin between these two pieces.

1675 Italy - Papal States - Piastra

1788 German States - Fulda - Sede Vacante Taler

mnemtsas2 · November 15, 2009 4:50AM

Easy. Because of it's scarcity and the memories of how I got it.

canadacolornut · November 15, 2009 6:39AM

WOW! Some really nice pieces being posted here.

I can't say that this is my favorite; but it's certainly one of them.

A very large medal (68MM) and the obverse is just as as nice....

canadacolornut · November 15, 2009 6:43AM

Here's another in the favorites category.

Another blockbuster-70 mm-and the reverse is very nice as well...

Zohar · November 15, 2009 7:14AM

THESE ARE AWESOME!

NJMark1 · November 15, 2009 5:40PM

canadacolornut · November 15, 2009 9:17PM

I've been checking on this medal for quite awhile; finally broke down and bought it-less than $150.

Hedley Betts is a great source, in this country, reasonable prices, excellent to deal with...

Aethelred · November 15, 2009 9:35PM

There are a few coins in my collection that I would hate to part with, but this would be a contender:

ajaan · November 15, 2009 9:48PM

You've had that dead king coin for a while haven't you?

canadacolornut · November 16, 2009 6:38AM

Well in terms of how long the poor guy has been dead, it's only a heart beat......

DennisH · November 16, 2009 8:33AM

A big coin.
A "what's that?!" central design.
A Pittman pedigree.
And the only one PCGS has graded.

Aethelred · November 16, 2009 9:32AM

<< <i>You've had that dead king coin for a while haven't you? >>

I got it in change for a yard of ale in 1014.

ASUtodd · November 16, 2009 9:34AM

I love this coin.. absolutely LOVE it.... It would def. be my fav if it were in my collection.

TwoKopeiki · November 16, 2009 9:45AM

Lovely coins, everyone!

For me, it's tough to pick just one. But today I think i'll go with my 1810/09 Mexico 8 Reales. This particular overdate is considered rare, which doesn't mean much to anyone other than the collector of this series. It's the only one graded by PCGS and is now sitting in their AU50 holder. Another reason I like this particular coin (aside from the obvious) is that it was a very nice surprised and much more than what I expected from the auction images (see below).

newsman · November 17, 2009 3:02AM

For now it's this one, because it's a rare proof example of the type of coin that got me interested in the darkside. Even if I have to sell the rest of my collection, this one stays:

Moonwinx · November 17, 2009 3:21AM

Mesquite · November 17, 2009 6:36AM

This is my favorite for photography.

canadacolornut · November 17, 2009 6:51AM

And the good stuff keeps coming.

This is a great thread.....

theboz11 · November 17, 2009 7:10AM

AZLARRY · November 17, 2009 7:47AM

I like the George II portrait on this shilling, and the overall look is my fav. PCGS MS64 image by Mark Goodman.

rwyarmch · November 17, 2009 8:42AM

My favorite medal with Victoria's "Penny Black" image.

wybrit · November 17, 2009 10:55AM

I don't have a single favorite. Will two suffice?

Freeman 2 + B, R12, probably the finest known example.

There are probably equally nice examples of this 3d about.

Aethelred · November 17, 2009 11:32AM

I love the clashed dies on that 1860 1/2 d. Wybrit, very cool!

Lynch · November 18, 2009 1:49AM

Not my absolute favorite, but one of many.

Haiti 1815 25 centimes with Ouroboros

Lynch · November 18, 2009 1:50AM

coinnut86 · November 18, 2009 4:01PM

Some AWESOME pieces in this thread!

BillyKingsley · November 18, 2009 5:56PM

I echo the sentiments of others, outstanding thread! Very nice pieces all around.

I change my mind seemingly every day, but I would probably have to say this one.

Please forgive the scans, and especially that one of them came out crooked.

It was my first ancient, my first tangible piece of ancient Rome, which I have been fascinated with longer then I've been into coins. I traded with Rob/LordM to get it, last year.

Ask me again in a month and my results may vary...but for now that would have to be it.

Moonwinx · December 7, 2009 5:41PM

This is one of my favorite issues and I searched for years before finding this prooflike example in the one penny denomination. : )

It was an ebay item early in 2009, and an absolute steal. : )

yellowkid · December 8, 2009 5:10AM

<< <i>I'm gonna go with this one as my all-time favorite. I know, not technically a coin, but it has the most appealing design I have seen.

>>

This is outrageous!!!

JimK · December 8, 2009 8:00AM

Here's Todd's brother, lovely iridescent toning on this one:

It was a hard decision but I think this one is my fave because of the colorful toning (MS66)

I really love my avatar as well- so it is a very close second.
Awesome stuff on this thread, let's see some more!
Jim

spoon · December 8, 2009 3:16PM

Since I've managed to sell off almost my whole collection recently, I've found the definition shifting. But I still have a safe deposit box full of stuff that I'd rather sell a kidney than those when the bill collectors come. Here are two among many favorites:

Got this for less than $20 way back.. ok, about 6 years ago... best I've seen so far and probably my favorite coin portrait.

And this is from the year of the Hajj.. this is one of the coins I've shown off to great success.

And I'll never get rid of my UNC venetian stuff!

Post your absolutely favorite coin

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