Two New Denarii

I am really happy I was able to win both of these.


First one:








JULIA DOMNA, wife of Septimius Severus.
AR Denarius Struck 196-211 AD.
Laodicea ad Mare mint.
Obverse: IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right
Reverse: SAECVLI FE-LICITAS, Isis standing right, left foot on prow, holding Horus; rudder behind.
RIC IV 645 (Severus); BMCRE 618 (Severus); RSC 174

For those of you who don't know what's going on with the reverse type, Horus was the main god of the Ancient Egyptians, Isis was the mother (and Osiris, the father). I have been very interested in Ancient Egyptian mythology long before I even collected coins. Needless to say, when I discovered this coin, I immediatly desired one. I just had to wait for the right time (and a price I could pay).


And, if that wasn't enough...it's not even the best of the two...

The MOJO, my new all time favorite coin design:









L. Cossutius C.f. Sabula. Ca. 74 BC.
AR denarius, Rome
Obverse: Winged head of Medusa left, SABVLA behind
Reverse: Bellerophon on Pegasus rearing right,hurling spear, L COSSVTI C F below, control numeral above
Crawford 395/1. Sydenham 790. RSC Cossutia 1. RCTV 331.
Very scarce.


For those of you that don't know, I simply love Medusa coinage. This coin depicts a winged head Medusa bust portrait. Pegasus on the reverse isn't too bad either .


stainless

 

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Stainless I am in awe of the Roman Republic Medussa/Pegasus. WOW !!!

 

Ive seen that domna reverse before, its very nice. Nice portrait on that too. Looks like a eastern mint due to the description?

Cool republican. Those banker marks on the obverse?

Makes me want to get mine even sooner but its gotta wait, lol.

 

Totally agree!

 

Honestly Mat, I think it may be a fouree (see the spot by Isis's booty?). But if it is, I don't care much as it's a great example of one. I'm into imitations and contemporary counterfeits anyways, lol. The reverse depiction is what matters to me.

And ya, I'm pretty sure their just bankersd marks.

stainless

 

Didnt even think of it being a fouree, figured it was a deposit/encrustation.

One thing I dont own is a fouree, as with some others, eventually....

 

It could just be that. Won't know until I have it under a loupe. I'll post the results then.

Either way, this made my night

stainless

 

What is a "Fouree?"

 

A fouree is a contemporary counterfeit coin that is just plated in silver. One from the official mint would have been silver all the way through.

stainless

 

An ancient counterfeit plated in silver.

Some are more collectable then the actual coin it copies themselves.

 

Ahhhhhh
Gawd, one more thing to worry about. thanks guys for the info.

 

Sweet stuff Stainless!

Heres one with most of the silver gone

Edit: wonder if the previous owner cleaned it to harshly

 

More than you want to know:
http://dougsmith.ancients.info/fourree.html

 

Randy, I see ancient fourree cores all of the time. I don't think the previous owner did that, time in the ground did that. Btw the most common cores are copper, since they were trying to imitate silver. I have a lead one that has traces of gold, so it appears lead cores were used, (at least to some extent), to try to imitate gold coins. Mine is of a gold type, but poorly done.

 

Yes occasionally lead was used. I've seen examples of this for denarii also. I know that it's more uncommon to find a lead core, but not sure how rare.

Stainless

 

Yeah, you are right, I have seen them for Republican denari, and once for a Shekel of Tyre. To me, they would be in danger of being found out because of the heavy weight, as lead is noticably heavier than silver.

For those of you wondering how you would know a core is lead and not another grey metal, I always start with the toning, as not a lot of metals beside lead tone yellow. If its heavy and yellowish, I assume lead.

 

Great info DS, thank you once again.

 

Nice ones stainless - thanks for sharing.... I still don't have a coin of Domna yet, or Geta.... I have coins of the rest of the Severan Emperors... (excluding some of the later women). I want a Julia Domna Antoninianus, and will probably wait untill I find a nice one of those to get myself a Julia Domna.

 

I got them in the mail today. They look much nicer in hand.

@Mat, the Domna is of an official mint, the suspected spots are just toning.

stainless

 

Thanks for the update!