Imagine the means and wherewithal to build and complete virtually any set of coinage ever produced... Indeed, Dan O'Dowd, a well-known tech mogul, did almost that. He built many phenomenal collections under the auspices of his "Tyrant" alias with little fanfare and in nearly complete confidentiality until a 2017 British news source revealed his identity. Most of the larger auction firms, especially in the U.S., respected his privacy while he spent more than 17 years building his sets quietly. Mr. O'Dowd's goal was to prevent possible competitors from understanding or realizing his goal until his collection was nearly complete.
Ultimately, although Mr. O'Dowd was willing to spend whatever it took to obtain the items he desired, he did not want to unnecessarily spend extra money on the endeavor. "Nobody knew there was even a collection being built, so I managed to get it without being taken advantage of," stated Mr. O'Dowd on coin-collecting forum Coin Talk when his connection to the famous Tyrant collection was revealed.
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PCGS is grading coins from the Tyrants of the Golden Horn Collection, which incorporates the coinage of Constantine I through the OttOttomans. "The Tyrant Collection is divided into sections, one for each of the major civilizations which issued coins for an extended period of time," O'Dowd told Coin Week in 2017. "Civilizations require access to water for irrigation and transportation, so they tend to develop around bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and seas. Each section of The Tyrant Collection is named after a body of water it dominates." Explaining that his "Tyrant" moniker relates to the rulers who led these lands, O'Dowd said when a "tyrant" had sufficient power they often issued coinage bearing their image.
Thankfully for a curious and enthusiastic numismatic public, many of these wonderful coins in O'Dowd's collection have been placed on exhibit to help educate, enrich, and inspire the public. Just as the menagerie of coins from the storied Louis Eliasberg collection awed crowds upon their display during the Bicentennial celebrations in 1976. O'Dowd has shared his coins from his diverse collection in a series of fabulous engaging exhibits at coin shows around the country for almost a decade now. Mr. O'Dowd has presented the numismatic world with a whole new take on collecting with unprecedented scope and breadth of the coins included. I myself have had the opportunity to tour some of these Tyrant exhibits and was mesmerized by not just the variety but also the quality of his coins.
Even as a youth with a small budget, I strove to acquire the best coins available. The inventory at dealers shops and in bourse floor showcases were my textbook, so to speak. I did further research in any and all numismatic publications - especially those with full-color images like major auction house catalogs. However, I was always left wanting more. Today we are blessed with a myriad of sources for numismatics. Indeed the PCGS information platforms are second to none in this field. High-resolution images for many coins are available at our fingertips. Not only are images of Tyrant Collection coins available, but O'Dowd has put them on display for all of us to enjoy!