Lordmarcovan: My Roman Twelve Caesars collection as of Fall, 2025
lordmarcovan
Posts: 45,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
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
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!
Thanks!
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
Loved the video - your sister did a great job!
Fantastic history lesson. Very well done video. Congratulations.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Great video! Loved the historical context and commentary, particularly the discussion of 'pecunia non olet'.
Fantastic set with tons of history.
69AD was a tough year to be emperor!
Really liked the video. Good work Rob (and sister).
My World Coin Type Set
Great video of your wonderful collection!
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
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.
Nero must have really liked to eat!
Very cool 😎
Your collection is awesome!
My YouTube Channel
Very nice LordM! I recall your early motivated phase for Roman coins on the boards!
Nice set!
http://www.victoriancent.com
Great looking Caesars!
Awesome set, LordM!
Phil Arnold
Director of Photography, GreatCollections
greatcollections.com
That's impressive, I like 👍
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.
Thank you really cool set!
I guess I resurrected your other post on the subject from 2013! I was doing a google search on the subject
That was my FIRST time doing the 12C, on a much smaller budget!
Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.
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.
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.
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.
@lordmarcovan that is exceedingly helpful, thank you!
I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.