Ancient - Julia Mamaea

A couple of weeks ago I was able to procure this very nice Julia Mamaea Denarius at a very reasonable price. It arrived over the weekend and I am very pleased with it. As always, it looks much better in hand. I have tried experimenting with my photo techniques, but this is the best I can get on this particular coin. The reverse is better detailed than the images show, and the dark area around Vesta is not neared as pronounced.

AR Denarius
OBV: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed & draped bust right
REV: VESTA, Vesta standing half-left, holding palladium & scepter
Struck at Rome, 225-8 AD
2.5g, 20mm
RIC 360

This coin was minted in the name of Julia Mamaea, mother of the emperor Severus Alexander. She exerted strong influence over Alexander, even going so far as to select a wife for him, then banish her when she felt the young wife was gaining too much influence over him. She was murdered along with Alexander at their camp near Mainz in 235 AD.

 

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Very nice jw, it has all the bells and whistles, it also has that thick black patina in spots, very hard to get off.... but great coin...

 

Thanks John

 

Ah, saw this on ebay. Was priced OK but didnt like the surfaces. Ive gone through 5 mamaeas since I stated into ancients. Vesta was my second. Was too common for my taste and it had real crummy surfaces.

My current and one I plan on keeping. It too had a reverse die clash. Was a $40 buy at long beach show back in feb. Steal to me.


Julia Mamaea (222 - 235 A.D.)
AR Denarius
O: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, Diademed and draped bust right.
R:VENVS GENETRIX, Venus standing left, head left, holding scepter and apple; at feet to left, Cupid standing right with hands raised.
Rome
3.6g
20mm
RIC 355 (Severus Alexander), RSC 072

 

The coin was priced as a "Buy Now" at $60, but did not garner any bids. After the bidding closed, I wrote to the seller and offered what I thought was a reasonable price. The seller reluctantly accepted. I think the coin is in nice condition, but the images were difficult to take showing the quality of the coin.

 

Its got very good details. Better then my A. Severa. But when it comes to the more common ladies, I tend to lean towards getting the best reverse I can afford.

There is rarer ones then mine but $40 and 3.6g, which is pretty good weight for her, I couldnt pass it up.

My vesta had a straight dig on the reverse and it was near vesta's eyes, so it looked like she was shooting lasers. Was a newb purchase and $25 at the time. I traded it off for a greek I still have.

 

EGYPT, Alexandria. Julia Mamaea. Augusta
BI Tetradrachm
222-235 AD
Dated RY 11 of Severus Alexander (AD 231/2)
Diameter: 23 mm
Weight: 12.92 grams
Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of Julia Mamaea right
Reverse: Draped bust of Serapis right, wearing calathus; L A (date) behind, palm before
Reference: Köln 2526; Dattari (Savio) 4511; K&G 64.74; Emmett 3224

 

Nice coins folks, the alexandrian tet is gorgeous

Q

 

Yeah, nice looking coin!

 

Julia Mamaea's distinction may reside in the fact that she had to clean up the disastrous messes that Caracalla and Elagabalus had made prior to her reign - and she did a damn fine job of it for a while, as Alexander Severus' regent.

But her relationship with her son suggests something creepy and Oedipal. He was a mama's boy, to the point of proclaiming her consors imperii, and never escaped (nor seemingly desired to escape) her maternal domination. She loathed Severus' wife, Barbia - had her thrown out of the house and executed her father. It makes you wonder what was going on between mother and son behind closed doors.

Severus' mismanagement of the Rhine legions compelled them to promote Maximinus Thrax to emperor, and when troops arrived to execute Alexander, they found him cowering in his mothers arms. They both got the axe.

I like all the coins in this thread, and I take no issue whatsoever with dark toning on silver that's almost 1800 years old. Mat's denarius is in a higher grade, but as far as the color goes, the only difference between the two is that one has been more thoroughly cleaned than the other. If I were at all bothered by the toning on Bing's piece, I'd give it a dip, but of course that's a matter of personal preference. Rough surfaces bother me more than toning.

The provincial that Jerry posted, in it's condition, is probably much more scarce than good denarii. Outside of Alexandria, I don't see many Near East provincials that were well-made, and survived the centuries well-preserved. If I had to choose between the three coins posted, that's the one I would want in my collection.

I have a coin from Bostra which is a more typical example. These coins were cast, not struck, and started out their lives with weak features. Couple that with the hot, arid climes of many areas of the Levant, and you usually get very dull devices with desert patinas. You rarely find examples in better condition...

 

I will concede that the Tet is a much rarer coin than my denarius. And it is beautiful, especially the reverse. The portrait on the Tet, however, leaves something to be desired. The reverse on my coin has good detail and the palladium is very detailed even though my image doesn't show it. I will also add that most of you know I am a bottom feeder and hate to pay big prices. So, for a $36 coin (shipped), I think I did quite well. I am very pleased with the coin.

 

I agree. That kind of roughness is far more bothersome than dark toning. But I love your denarius at $36! I'm trying to find me a couple such deals.

 

nice lookin' julias!

 

Sure your denarius was a great deal and a nice coin Bing. No offense intended when I comment on the tet. Just they are seldom seen and attract attention.

Q

 

No offense taken my friend. None whatsoever. I would prefer everyone's honest appraisal rather than the token flattery. I was only commenting on the difference in cost from such a nice Tet and my little denarius. It seems I have many more denarii than any other denomination.

 

Yup, even tetradrachms of Domna, Faustina Sr. & Jr, Lucilla, & Maesa are super rare and yet their denarii is common as dirt.

 

I have two...Julia Mamaea in a limes, bronze and a silver..222-235..AD.

 

Nice coins. I frequently refer back to this chart to keep the Severan Syrian princesses straight in my feeble mind:

 

Great chart Bart

 

My only Mamaea, and 2nd ever ancient coin.

AD 232 Denarius. IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, diademed and draped bust right / FECVND AVGVSTAE, Fecunditas seated left, reaching out to child.
2.63g
19.1mm