eBay snack, Arcadius

I came across this AE2 of Arcadius tonight for $19, which I think is a reasonable price, since comparably graded examples at vcoins are going for $50-$100. Maybe the hundred dollar ones are scarcer varieties? I admit I didn't do much research here.

Here's the seller's pic, adjusted. His white balance was way off and the original pic was purple. I doubt the coin is purple, but I'll post a true-color image when I get it.

Nothing special, just a cheap, attractive addition to my LLRB's. Weakly struck reverse, but everything is there, solid patina and clean surfaces.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Sweet Arcadius snack, my coin-hungry friend!! (yummy-yummy)

Oh, Arcadius? => I don't mind if I do ... I'm gonna pig out too!!

Arcadius, AR Siliqua
Quinquennalia issue, Mediolanum (Milan) mint
383-408 AD
Struck AD 388
Diameter: 17 mm
Weight: 1.43 grams
Obverse: Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Reverse: VOT V/MVLT X in four lines within wreath





=> Arcadius makes a nice light snack!!

 

I always love seeing that siliqua Steve. Nice find!

 

This coin joins my veritably burgeoning collection of Arcadius' bronzes, of which I have a grand total of 1 other type. This is an AE4 with a rather amazing portrait, considering it's only 2x4mm in size...

 

a well spent 20 spot, that's in pretty good shape really!

 

Well done Big John...very nice!!

 

Nice one for the price. I dont remember what I paid for mine, I think $18, could be wrong.


Arcadius (383 - 408 A.D.)
AE2
O: D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, rosette-diademed draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: GLORIA ROMANORVM, emperor standing facing, head right, standard in right, globe in left, ANTB in exergue;.
Antioch Mint
4.8g
21.1mm
RIC IX 68(c), LRBC 2912

 

I think that is a fine Arcadius my friend. Better than any I own. Congrats.

 

Looks like a wholesome, affordable snack indeed. Nice one!

 

I agree with everyone else JA---It looks like a terrific coin for the price....well-centered and great details.

 

The OP coin strikes me as a good addition to a late Roman collection. Arcadius coins are common. Well centered, smooth surfaced ones are not. Good pick up.

 

I'm sorry to say JA, the price isn't reasonable at all : it's way too low for such a quality coin !
As stated by Doug good quality late AE2s are quite uncommon

I have 50 % more coins of Arcadius than you do, meaning I have three of them :


Arcadius, Siliqua Treveri mint, 2nd officina
D N ARCADI VS P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
VIRTVS RO MANORVM, Roma seated left, holding Victory and spear, TRPS at exergue
Ref : RIC # 106, Roman coins # 4227



Arcadius, AE 2 struck in Alexandria, 3rd officina
D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, Diademed bust of Arcadius right
VIRTS EXERCITI (sic !), Arcadius, standing right, a captive at right foot, holding globe and standard. ALE gamma at exergue
6.28 gr
Ref : RIC # 18, RC #4230, LRBC #2896 var



Arcadius, AE4 Heraclea mint, 1st officina, c. AD 383
DN ARCADIVS PF AVG. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right
VOT / V within wreath, SMHA at exergue
1.27g, 14mm, 12h
Ref : RIC IX # 18b, LRBC II # 1964

Q

 

JA, your Arcadius is very nice. I don't think there are any varieties that are more valuable, so the low price paid is just a very good deal. They are difficult to find in better condition.
Here is a page of them from various mints:

http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/type41.html

Now you "need" a Theodosius and an Honorius to go with it.

See Type 41:

http://esty.ancients.info/ricix/type41.html

 

Yes, I absolutely do "need" a Theodosius and Honorius. I like sets of the same type with different emperors.

In the meantime, I scored another $19 coin this afternoon that nobody else bid on. Just a humble Constantinople commem, but it has very fine detail and it's from Alexandria - with a very bold mint mark and the beautiful long wings characteristic of Alexandria's Victories. (Victory has shorter wings on this series from other mints.) The seller's pic is pretty dark, but I think this coin will look great in the sunlight...

 

One of my coins from yesterday's show was a different Arcadius. It has an unfortunate surface texture which someday I will learn not to buy because I like the one on your coin better. It does have a decent 'Hand of God' obverse and I did not have that from Constantinople.


My older Antioch coin of the type is doublestruck on the reverse, one being inverted. In addition to the T (meaning?) this one has a cross in the reverse field. I wish I could convince myself that the two strikes here are from different dies. Curtis Clay explains these (from coins having clearly different dies) as evidence that these were struck with two reverse teams alternating on one obverse die. Doublestrikes happened when the coin was not removed between strikes. This sharing would enable the upper, reverse dies to cool keeping them from softening and failing prematurely. Smaller reverse punch dies actually hit by the hammer would heat up more than the anvil die and a practice like this would seem to make sense in terms of getting the most service out of the dies. I'm not sure that I see the matter as certainly proven but I believe Curtis' theory has exceptional merit (in other words, I choose to accept it as the best answer).

 

Very nice score for that Arcadius AE2. I have a AE4 and that's it right now. There is another that I've been looking at but haven't gotten around to purchasing it.

 

Arcadius AE 4. 383-408 AD, Constantinopolis, 1.4g, 13mm

OBV: D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, Pearl-diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right.

REV: VOT V in wreath. CON(?) in ex.

REF: RIC IX 62

 

JA, I like your Alexandria CONSTANTINOPOLIS. Here is a short article on the type:
http://esty.ancients.info/CON/CONSTANTINOPOLIS.html

 

Very interesting! I was not aware of the significance of the prow, nor was I aware why CONSTANTANOPOLIS is occasionally missing the S. Thank you.

 

Is it unfortunate? I would have bought that coin as well, for the obverse alone. I've bought coins with these sort of minutely rough surfaces. Here's Helena for example...


This surface doesn't bother me in the least, given the detail on the coin. I wonder how this happens? Does something in the alloy leach out of the coin over time?