Top Coins of the year | 2023. - Cleaning Ancient Coins

Coins acquired in 2023.

AR

Pile of mostly roman silver (or silvered) coins purchased during 2023.

AE

Nicer roman Bronze Piece’s I picked up

AV

Some ancient gold collected. Abbasid, Byzantine and later Roman.

But this is a list of top 10, so I’ll pick my top 10 pickups of 2023

#10 Dupondius of Trajan

#9 Double Denarius of Trajan Decius and Son

#8 Denarius of Lucius Verus

Early in the year, I purchase this denarius of Lucius Verus because of a good history and toning.

However, after seeing this statue in person, I impulse purchased the denarius below despite being lower grade because of a finer artistic quality, in my opinion. I am much happier with this portrait than the first now that I have both!

#7 Double Denarius of Philip II

#6 Denarius of Maximus Thrax

Sure he started the third century crisis, but look at that chin.

#5 Denarius of Augustus

#4: Sestertius of Antoninus Pius

I was not expecting this coin to be on my top 10 list for the year. I grabbed it off eBay for 50$ hoping for a quick clean and strong potential, but I should have clued into the green substance was the reason for the low price – Bronze Disease. Nightmare fuel for any ancient bronze collector. Thought this would be a great opportunity to learn how to rid a coin of BD, but I was not expecting it to take 4 months!

Sadly, it was clearly bronze disease from the moment i got it.

Even after months of harsh mechanical removal, and 5% sodium s. bath, it kept coming back. Deep roots!

Luckily, however, I finally got it. It’s been 2 months its final soak with no sign of return now. This coin is not exactly the most beautiful coin ever, but after spending many hours cleaning it under microscope I have become fond of it.

#3: As of Caligula

Got this one from a local coin shop. Maybe next year I’ll gather the strength to clean it. Dirt in the obverse legends and the reverse elements looks like it might come off after a distilled soak w/ some toothpicks. Might be worth a try… Perhaps a future post. However, this is high risk, high reward. High value clean with a lot to lose.

#2: Solidus of Valentinian

First roman gold coin.

Cleaning Ancient Coins

Top Coins of the year | 2023.