Three boring LRB's

I don't usually buy multi-coin lots, but each coin in this set of three appealed to me for one reason or another. I bought the set for $24.99, which works out to $8.33 a coin, and I was not disappointed when they arrived today.

They're not interesting enough to warrant separate threads, so I'll toss them all in this one as I get the pics edited.

This first Constantine has a bold, sharp portrait and a strike-though on the letters NST. Also, the campgate is fully struck and the surfaces are clean, with attractive olive-green color. The mint mark is nice as well: gamma SIS and the nested crescents. So I guess you really can't ask much more out of a coin for the price.

 

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Nice details. Nothing wrong with that

 

Here's his arch-rival Licinius. Another common coin, but I didn't have an example with the captive seated at Jupiter's feet. I love how busy these folles can be: Licinius with his helmet, shield, and spear, long legends, Jupiter with a staff, the eagle, victory on a globe, the captive, control marks in the field. Where the kitchen sink?!

 

Boring? What's boring about this coin? Good detail all around. I have one from the same workshop only the crescents look like chevrons:

CONSTANTINE I AE3 Follis
OBVERSE: CONSTANTINVS MAX AVG, diademed head right
REVERSE: PROVIDENTIAE AVGG, campgate with two turrets & no doors, star above, GSISdouble-crescent in ex.
Struck at Siscia 328-9 AD
3.3g, 19mm
RIC VII 215G

 

Well, you know...you've got all these uppity women posting Agathokles silver.

 

I hear what you're saying, but only a collector of Ancient Roman coins would say any of the coins we post are "boring". Think about it. A coin that is 1700 years old and we call it boring. I do understand your meaning though. Some of the coins posted here of late make most of mine look like poo poo in comparison. Oh well, we collect what we like within our budgets.

 

Rest assured that my tongue is planted firmly in my cheek when I say boring. In fact, I've yet to come across a boring ancient coin. Look even a little past a coin's appearance, and you've opened a door to the vast universe of history and numismatics.

 

nice lookin' campgate, i've got kind of a "thing" for those.

here's my ESIS double cresent...

 

And here's that old new-ager Julian II. I know everyone wants a nice bull reverse - well, so do I...but not today. Still, this is decent coin: good portrait, strong details, clean surfaces, a long mint mark, and the remnants of a casting sprue. I give it a B+



So that concludes a little trio from Heraclea.

 

Oh, I also took my own pics of coins I've already posted. Here's the fouree denarius of Tiberius and the anonymous quadrans with modern countermark.

 

Love you too, sugarbritches

 

I know I haven't looked at these LRBs much lately, but isn't that a Licinius II? And is the mintmark SMNB? If so that would make it from Nicomedia.

 

Yes, Licinius II. Sorry! Playing dress-up as a soldier - ain't he cute? As far as the mint mark goes, you may be right, but I always have trouble discerning between the N's of Nicomedia and H's of Heraclea. I wish they were a little more obvious about it.

 

Well, here are two of mine from Nicomedia. They look a lot like yours:

 

They do indeed, but the H's of Heraclea often get a slanted crossbar as well. I'll have to cross-reference the rest of the details with the mintmark, particularly the control marks in the right field. But you've got the X and III as well, so probably Nicomedia.

 

X over II Mu in right field are also found in Heraclea.

 

I LOVE LRB's.........give me a nice LRB any day........

 

Not boring at all JA. Great coins for the price. I like all of them. I've got a better descriptor: A Bargain!

We collectors of ancient Roman coins should feel privileged that we can own such a precious piece of history for under $10 a piece.

Let's hope the masses don't catch on any time soon .

 

I think in a few years, all ancients will be harder to come by/more expensive......just a gut feeling.

 

I think they already are getting there!