Lordmarcovan: My Roman Twelve Caesars collection as of Fall, 2025

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lordmarcovan
lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

MY TWELVE CAESARS COLLECTION AS OF FALL, 2025

This is the category of my collection for the Twelve Caesars of Rome.

All my other ancient coins have their own separate thread.

Coins below are displayed in chronological order. Photos are not shown to scale.

Thank you for taking the time to view my collections. I welcome your comments.

Numismatic Regards,

~Robertson (“Rob”) Shinnick (“lordmarcovan”)

Golden Isles of Georgia, USA

My sister made a little video of me presenting this collection. There are minor errors in it- I misspoke in a few places.
https://youtu.be/I8qAThFUcv0

PART I: THE JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY

Roman Imperatorial era: 44 BC silver denarius of Julius Caesar, lifetime issue

Roman Empire (Ephesus): ca. 25-20 BC silver cistophorus of Augustus

Roman Empire: ca. 14-37 AD silver denarius of Tiberius (the biblical "Tribute Penny")

Roman Empire: ca. 37-38 AD bronze as of Gaius ("Caligula")

Roman Empire: ca. 41-54 AD bronze sestertius of Claudius

Roman Empire: ca. 54-68 AD gold aureus of Nero

PART II: THE CIVIL WAR EMPERORS

Roman Empire: ca. 68-69 AD silver denarius of Galba

Roman Empire: 69 AD silver denarius of Otho

Roman Empire: 69 AD silver denarius of Vitellius

PART III: THE FLAVIAN DYNASTY

Roman Empire: ca. 80-81 AD silver denarius of Vespasian; commemorative issue struck by Titus

Roman Empire: ca. 80 AD gold aureus of Titus, struck for the opening of the Colosseum

Roman Empire: ca. 80-81 AD silver denarius of Domitian as Caesar under Titus

Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

Comments

  • MEJ7070
    MEJ7070 Posts: 953 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Ancients are an area that I know very, very little about, but I always enjoy reading your posts and seeing the coins in your collection. Your passion is very evident.

    Also appreciate the little nuggets of info/knowledge that I often pick up from your posts.

    Cool coins!

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Thanks!

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • TwoKopeiki
    TwoKopeiki Posts: 9,969 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Loved the video - your sister did a great job!

    Instagram: 8 Reales Numis
  • ajaan
    ajaan Posts: 18,005 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Fantastic history lesson. Very well done video. Congratulations.


    DPOTD-3
    'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'

    CU #3245 B.N.A. #428


    Don
  • worldcoinguy
    worldcoinguy Posts: 3,066 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Great video! Loved the historical context and commentary, particularly the discussion of 'pecunia non olet'.

  • cinque1543
    cinque1543 Posts: 613 ✭✭✭✭
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    Fantastic set with tons of history.

    69AD was a tough year to be emperor!

  • WorldTypeSet
    WorldTypeSet Posts: 1,365 ✭✭✭✭
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    Really liked the video. Good work Rob (and sister).

    Paul

    My World Coin Type Set
  • HoledandCreative
    HoledandCreative Posts: 2,890 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Great video of your wonderful collection!

  • taropatch99
    taropatch99 Posts: 268 ✭✭✭
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    Its good that you posted this video offering a second time for those that missed it the first time.
    As a history buff, I appreciated it more the second time I viewed it.

    Formerly known as deadmunny
    Positive transactions with: dcarr, JWP, Cent1225, slantycouch, dontippet, Gerard, Scrapman1077, USMC_6115, rah1959

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I still cringe a bit at some of the errors I made in the video. I was speaking without notes and goofed in a few places.

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • 291fifth
    291fifth Posts: 25,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 10, 2025 4:45PM
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    Nero must have really liked to eat!

    All glory is fleeting.
  • World67
    World67 Posts: 13,098 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Very cool 😎

  • asheland
    asheland Posts: 24,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Your collection is awesome!

    My YouTube Channel

  • colincmr2
    colincmr2 Posts: 18 ✭✭
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    Very nice LordM! I recall your early motivated phase for Roman coins on the boards!

  • bosox
    bosox Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Nice set!

    Numismatic author & owner of the Uncommon Cents collections. 2011 and 2025 Fred Bowman Literary Award, 2025 Guy Potter Literary Award, 2022 Paul Fiocca Award, & 2020 J. Douglas Ferguson Award.

    http://www.victoriancent.com
  • syl
    syl Posts: 1,071 ✭✭✭✭
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    Great looking Caesars!

  • PhilArnold
    PhilArnold Posts: 264 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Awesome set, LordM!

    Phil Arnold
    Director of Photography, GreatCollections
    greatcollections.com

  • johnny9434
    johnny9434 Posts: 34,068 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That's impressive, I like 👍

  • Coin Finder
    Coin Finder Posts: 7,805 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    May I ask what these retail for? It looks interesting to me and if the budget is there maybe ill give it a go...

    The court jester does not play, but gently pulls the strings…

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Coin Finder said:
    May I ask what these retail for? It looks interesting to me and if the budget is there maybe ill give it a go...

    The cheapest coin here is in the $300s or $400s. The two gold ones cost north of $3000, with the most expensive being the Titus elephant aureus, which cost me somewhere around $3500, give or take (I forget, at the moment).

    I have about $10K in this set, but a Twelve Caesars collection in just bronze and silver can be done for less. The first time I did one, I had a $500/coin ceiling. That was challenging but I managed to do it on that lower budget.

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • Coin Finder
    Coin Finder Posts: 7,805 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Thank you really cool set!

    The court jester does not play, but gently pulls the strings…

  • Abuelo
    Abuelo Posts: 2,059 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I guess I resurrected your other post on the subject from 2013! I was doing a google search on the subject :D

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Abuelo said:
    I guess I resurrected your other post on the subject from 2013! I was doing a google search on the subject :D

    That was my FIRST time doing the 12C, on a much smaller budget!

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • SimonW
    SimonW Posts: 1,582 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @lordmarcovan said:

    @Coin Finder said:
    May I ask what these retail for? It looks interesting to me and if the budget is there maybe ill give it a go...

    The cheapest coin here is in the $300s or $400s. The two gold ones cost north of $3000, with the most expensive being the Titus elephant aureus, which cost me somewhere around $3500, give or take (I forget, at the moment).

    I have about $10K in this set, but a Twelve Caesars collection in just bronze and silver can be done for less. The first time I did one, I had a $500/coin ceiling. That was challenging but I managed to do it on that lower budget.

    Really?! You have roughly 8k in the two gold coins and the Julius Caesar combined, so you only have like $2k in the remaining nine rulers? I currently have three; an Augustus, Vitellius, Domitian and I’m already over $1500, and they’re only in VF. Teach me your ways!

    I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 12, 2026 11:43AM
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    @SimonW said:

    @lordmarcovan said:

    @Coin Finder said:
    May I ask what these retail for? It looks interesting to me and if the budget is there maybe ill give it a go...

    The cheapest coin here is in the $300s or $400s. The two gold ones cost north of $3000, with the most expensive being the Titus elephant aureus, which cost me somewhere around $3500, give or take (I forget, at the moment).

    I have about $10K in this set, but a Twelve Caesars collection in just bronze and silver can be done for less. The first time I did one, I had a $500/coin ceiling. That was challenging but I managed to do it on that lower budget.

    Really?! You have roughly 8k in the two gold coins and the Julius Caesar combined, so you only have like $2k in the remaining nine rulers? I currently have three; an Augustus, Vitellius, Domitian and I’m already over $1500, and they’re only in VF. Teach me your ways!

    Yeah, sorry, that was a serious math fail, off the top of my head. (Actual numbers in the post after this.)

    Funny you should resurrect this thread. Yesterday I just sold this, my second 12 Caesars collection (with the two aurei) for $16K (my earlier rough guesstimate of $10K cost was erroneous). That sale price was only pocket change above my cost (I might’ve made slightly north of a hundred bucks on the deal), but it was an easy deal accomplished in one go, and the new owner is my oldest numismatic friend, to whom I owe many favors.

    I did hold back the Vespasian denarius for sentimental reasons.

    It was a sacrifice, but I have some biggish bills to pay, and any regrets I have are tempered by the enjoyment I had in building the set. Again! And selling it off in one lot was easier (both logistically and emotionally) than breaking it up. And I’ll still have visitation rights.

    Will I do a third 12C set again someday? Dunno.

    I do still retain all of my other Ancients as well as my World and US collections.

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 12, 2026 11:39AM
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    I crunched the numbers for my friend before the sale.

    I was underwater on the Augustus cistophorus but got such a great deal on the Tiberius Tribute Penny, it was essentially free to me (despite its later $1K appraisal by Ephesus Numismatics).

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • SimonW
    SimonW Posts: 1,582 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @lordmarcovan that is exceedingly helpful, thank you!

    I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.

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