An AS of Character

While some may believe I am referring to myself, I'm actually describing a 'Copper' that caught my eye on Forum Auctions. It has been my experience that Forums's offerings are always superior in hand than in the listed sellers photos. This example is well centered, with legends quite clear and allows me to add another Gordian to my sole denarius---at an incredibly low price.

Please post any related coins...

Gordian III, July 29 238 AD - Feb. 25 244 AD
Copper As, SRCV III 8780, RIC VI 298b, Cohen 112, Hunter III 128
Rome mint, Fine, 8.75 grams, 23 mm

GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureated, draped, cuirassed bust right
IOVI STATORI; Jupiter standing/facing, naked, head right; long scepter vertical in right, thunderbolt in left. (Butte College, ex Lindgren)

As Forum states: "Jupiter or Jove to the Greeks, was the king of the God's and the king of the sky and thunder, and of law and social order. As the patron deity of ancient Rome, he was the chief god of the Capitoline triad, with his sister and wife Juno. The father of Mars, he is therefore, the grandfather of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.

 

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Nice new pick up. Coins with deities always interest me and thankfully there are many examples out there.

 

I wonder how many people know that the smaller denomination bronzes of Gordian III are scarce to rare? It's one of those reasons the ERIC rarity ratings are only worth so much. You can buy bagfuls of ants and sestertii, which may lead you to believe that all the coins of Gordian III are common. Then you might pass up on an as or even scarcer dupondius, thinking you can find one of those any time you want.

If you got that coin at an "incredibly low price," you just won yourself a little lottery. The Lindgren provenance ain't too shabby either. I wish I could "like" it twice.

 

I was 'vaguely' aware of that and that's one reason it caught my eye... but Forums' estimate of $90.00 dissuaded me from investigating further. I won it for a total of $40.68 shipped (including another $2.00 credit they offer). To me anything less than $60.00 was an 'incredible price' for this type. And it looks 'ancient' but attractive too. Are you still as enthusiastic about it at that price? I certainly am.

 

Yes, absolutely. I can't imagine a vendor on vcoins offering it for less than a Franklin.

 

It is very true that late asses are more rare than sestertii. I believe many of them were issued for special occasions (perhaps donatives like UK Maundy coins?). I only have one GIII as (Hercules with VIRTVTI AVGVSTI).



My IOVI STATORI is a sestertius no one wanted because of the horrible hole. It is as well struck on the reverse as I've seen so I bought it (cheap).

 

Late middle bronzes are of great interest IMO. Nice catch Mickey !

A few years ago I came across a Gordian III dupondius (at an incredibly low price ) that I bought as a present for a young fellow collector on his 20 th B'day.
I still have a picture of it, although the coin isn't mine anymore (I haven't kept diameter and weight though). It's quite a rare denomination too :


I also have an as minted for Valerian which is even rarer than those of Gordian III as these middle bronzes were struck on a few occasions in the second half of the third century. Funny enough, it's a Jupiter reverse as yours is :


Valerian, As Rome mint, AD 255-258
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and scepter. S - C in field
10.0 gr
Ref : RCV # 10032, Cohen # 96

Q

 

'Q', I think those two small bronzes are terrific!!! These examples seem to appeal to be as much ---if not more---than 'higher grade/types of other denominations....the fact they are a bit scarce only enhances their desirability.

 

This might be the time to mention the one 'better' than these late asses. That is the semis of Trajan Decius. I'd really like to sell mine because that would mean I have found a better one and don't need this beginner's model. Mine is 2.7g and cracked but it is the last semis in the Roman series so it seemed like I needed one. It is interesting that it was issued by the same emperor who brought you the double sestertius.

They are not rare but nice ones like this $1000 one are:
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1141287

 

I love the 'odd' denominations and I would be compelled to go for those for just the same reasons you did.

WOW, that auction example had a hell of a spread from estimate to sale. Was it undervalued so badly?? Or just another of those 'Any given Sunday ' things?

 

i have this one....



MAXIMINUS I, As, (Æ 25) 235-238 AD
O: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG Bust laureate , draped and cuirassed, R: VICTO -RI -A AVG / S | C Victoria ( Victory ) walking right, holding a wreath in her right hand and a palm of the left hand, Rome mint, RIC 69, 25 mm 10.6 g

 

Cool coin, MZ! I guess an AS didn't go as far as it used too by the time of Gordian III. I wonder how long these small bronzes circulated?

 

I haven't yet ran across that information...but I believe JA or Doug may have the answers. The general impression is they were phased out and rarely used for a variety of reasons associated with the times---as some of the previous posts suggest...

Thanks for the compliments!!

 

Nice capture @Mikey Zee! I am filling in my Empire Album too, but don't have them as a focus... However, I like the scarcer/rarer denominations...they are more eclectic and catch my eyes!

 

Me too, obviously.....And I like adding 'variation' any way I can without breaking the bank.

 

Yup! You and I seem to think a lot alike.

 

I really doubt the smaller denominations circulated much at all after about 200 AD. Many may have been special purpose issues for donatives and Greshem's Law would suggest they would be saved rather than spent at face. This is just a feeling. Provincial AE comes in much smaller denominations and, again I suspect, did more of the duty for small change most places. I do not know of studies that 'proves' anything on the subject.

 

=> well, I'm no official research scientist, but there has been some talk of a tribe that had extremely tiny fingers ...



.... I'm just sayin' ...

 

Apparently Forum agrees, since they had it listed for $110.00 on the attribution coin-slip but had it on 'sale' at auction for the $90.00 estimate I already mentioned---and it does look far better in hand than the photos.

 

FORVM's images are desaturated, presumably to present the detail and surfaces better, but coins usually always look better in hand because you've got them in your grubby little paws. My precioussssss....