The 5 good emperors

A set that I consider better than average in interest even though none are MS-65 candidates. These are not necessarily the best types for these rulers but they are not all that boring either.

Nerva as with handshake over standard on prow
Trajan with head of Sol
Hadrian left facing with Romulus (the founder) who appears on very few coins
Pius Fortuna Opsequens (compliant) - I think the only use of that word on a coin
Aurelius with Mercury dates to the year of the 'Miracle of the Rain'
http://www.livius.org/le-lh/legio/rain.html

 

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I really like the denarii of Trajan with the head of Sol on the rev.

 

Great stuff DS, The handshake coin, must be where the Mormons got the idea for thier famous Mormon gold pieces during territorial times.

 

Interesting link for the "Miracle of the Rain", never knew about that. I like the Pius Fortuna Opsequens.

 

Well that size and weight sounds correct for a Drachm, I am pretty sure that you have a fairly unique Drachm from one of the Roman Provincial Mints..... I just wish I knew which mint. Like I said before, it would be worth starting a new thread about, just make sure to have the pics attached and the weight and such.

Also, a Denarius is a completely different denomination than this particular coin, the one we are talking about is a Drachm. Both are often similar size and weight however, but the Denarius would have Latin writing, as opposed to Greek titles, such as on your coin. During this period of time the Provincial mints of the Empire tended to most often use Greek denominations when striking their silver coins for the Roman Empire.

So what you have is a Silver Drachm of Marcus Aurelius, which in many cases can be even more rare and valuable than a Denarius of the same emperor from the Rome mint.
I think it is a beautiful coin, and like it alot. I just wish we knew where it was struck.... I know that some people on cointalk know, but I don't know if they will see these posts, one can only hope....

dougsmit: the first two coins in your last post are beautiful, I really like the handshake of Nerva, and just love the Trajan with Sol reverse. I almost bought a Hadrian Tetradrachm that had the bust of Sol on the reverse.... it was really nice, but someone bought it before I could.

 

I agree with what Rexesq says regarding drachm vs. denarius but David Sear does list SGI 1689 as a 'denarius' and I do not know on what basis he made that rather unusual call. I have disagreed with him in the past regarding things in my area of study and see no benefit in argueing a point here on something he certainly knows better than I. You may call it what you wish.

 

This ameteur, thanks to both Rex and DS for filling in the blanks. Even a blind dog finds her dish once in awhile.

 

Antoninus Pius is my favorite Roman Emperor and when I had the funds
to purchase an aureus, I bought this one:



Antoninus Pius Aureus - Standing with globe
Laureate head right
ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II
Antoninus wearing toga, standing left, holding globe in right hand
TR POT XIX COS IIII
"Rome rules the world"
Struck: AD 155-156, Rome
Size: 19.5mm
Weight: 7.26gm
Catalog: RIC 256a (laureate head, 256b is bare head)

 

Great Aureus!! Two more good Emperor coins....

Wow willie, that is a BEAUTY~! Very nice.....

Doug.... well whatever David Sear may say about that coin, and he surely knows far more than I do on the subject of ancient coins, I am conviced that the coin in question is a Drachm, and I appreciate your agreeing. A drachm from where though? I do not know, but the fact that the titles are all in Greek and it has Minerva on the reverse, makes me think certainly that it is not a denarius (the titles in Greek being the main thing I base my conclusion on, I do know denarii were struck over the years with Minerva in similar poses.)
So that being said, you are correct that there is little point arguing or disputing anything he says or writes on here.
-----
Here is another couple good emperor coins for you all..... however willieboyd's aureus is a tough act to follow....

The first two pics are of a dupondius of Antoninus Pius, and though missing most of it's legends it has a quite nice portrait in my view.... the third shot is of a great denarius of Trajan, with a bust type I have always loved, seen from the front... some call it a 'heroic bust' I have heard....
---
1st and 2nd pics:

Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.)
Æ Bronze Dupondius, Rome mint

obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II - Radiate head of Antoninus Pius right
rev: TR POT XIX COS IIII - Annona seated right, holding cornucopia; at feet, modius.

25.83mm, 11.80 Grams
-------------------
3rd pic:
Emperor Trajan ( 98 - 117 A.D.)
Silver Denarius, Rome Mint.

obv: IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GER DAC PARTHICO - Laureate bust right, seen from the front. Slight drapery on far shoulder.

rev: P M TR P COS VI P P SPQR - Providentia standing holding long sceptre and holding hand over globe. PRO-VID across field

Weight: 3.08 Grams.
---

 

Rad Aureus !

 

can i add my trajan denarius??

 

Why Not?

Of course you can, add all related coins you have. Very nice Trajan denarius, I like it!
I just picked up this Antoninus Pius silver denarius, a posthumous edition issued under Marcus Aurelius... so it's got two of the five good emperors in one! .... sort of...

---------------------------
Imperial Rome
Antoninus Pius ( 138-161 AD.)
Silver Denarius. Rome Mint.
Posthumous Issue struck under Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

obv: DIVVS ANTONINVS - Bare head right.
rev: DIVO PIO - Altar/Shrine with doors closed.

RIC III-441 (Marcus Aurelius).

2.99gr.
--------------------------

 

Its a nice portrait for a posthumous issue, cool pick up

 

Nerva:


Antoninus Pius:


M. Aurelius:


L. Verus:


Seems I don´t have any decent pics of Trajan and Hadrian around.

 

Thanks for the comment Randy, I really like it!
Beautiful coins svessien. Very impressive and a great addition to this thread, thanks for sharing. That is an especially nice example of the denarius of Antoninus Pius with Marcus Aurelius as Caesar on the reverse. Also, very nice way of writing all the info below the coins on the photos as well, very nice presentation.

I add a denarius of Hadrian with Felicitas seated on the reverse that I got for my father for father's day.... Hadrian is his favorite Emperor.
I also include two other Hadrian Denarii that are from my personal collection.... not the best pics though. The one with the blue backround has Fortuna on the reverse, the other one has helmeted Roma seated on a cuirass, shield by her side holding Victory, and is one of my favorite Hadrian coins.... the picture does it no justice though, as is often the case.
-----------------------------------------
Imperial Rome, Hadrian 117–138 AD.
Silver Denarius of Rome
obv: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG - laureate bust right, drapery on far shoulder.
rev: P M TR P COS III - Felicitas seated left with caduceus & cornucopiae, FEL P R in ex.

3.31g.

RIC 120
--------------------------------------
Also, does anyone know what the 'P R' in the 'FEL PR' in exergue on the reverse of my coin stands for?

 

After all this time I got AP

<a data-cke-saved-href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BCvgGegWyxVDO_dcc53detMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink" href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BCvgGegWyxVDO_dcc53detMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink">https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AfJi1_k8GJGeD1Alu7Hd6dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink<br><br>R</a>everse Ceres<br>RIC 259<br><a data-cke-saved-href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AfJi1_k8GJGeD1Alu7Hd6dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink" href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AfJi1_k8GJGeD1Alu7Hd6dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink">https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AfJi1_k8GJGeD1Alu7Hd6dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink</a><br>&nbsp;<br>Obverse AP &nbsp;157 AD &nbsp;)

 

Your links dont work

 

Above links:

 

Thanks Brian, nice collection you have there too.

 

neat denari. That is a nice Nerva, they are soooo hard to get. My only Nerva denarius is a fouree. )