The triumphal arch reverse is my favorite of the bunch. What a magnificent thing to see on a denarius.
I have some coins that I regret not being able to buy when the chance presented itself, the latest being this one: Also this lot: Anyone care to guess why this lot was important?
Yes it's the Probus that is unrecorded and also unknown to S. Estiot when she wrote the great Une Campagne Germanique de l'empereur Probus: l'atelier de Ticinum en 277-278. VIRTVS AVG for this issue and this reverse type is only recorded for the 6th officina so all in all a very rare and significant coin from a scarce to rare type. Here is another one - this time recorded - that sold a couple weeks ago for 2800CHF: This one is on a whole other level for the looks and has the nice and rare feature of the votive shield inscribed with VOTIS X ET XX. Here is the article of Mrs. Estiot: http://www.hisoma.mom.fr/numismatique/PDF/Probus Ticinum (S. Estiot, colloque Pflaum_2006).pdf
While type and letter shield are strange enough, the concept of placing the mintmark scattered randomly as it an afterthought (" We gotta put it somewhere!) really seems odd to me. Was the coin made, perhaps, by the aureus team who did what they pleased rather than following the conventions? That last reverse scene could easily have been cut higher in the field without crowding the rider's head. How many other types can you show where the mintmark is scattered. Many have the officina separately in the field but here we have high V, low XX and really high T. The first was QXX over T. This isn't a little curve like my TXXT below but a real departure. Common?
It's definitely not common, I'd say it's rather singular for this issue at Ticinum. Also there is no exergue, but that happens for Sol in quadriga SOLI INVICTO too. On Planche VI on Mrs. Estiot's article there are a few others pictured. Spec 21 on there has no value and mintmark at all.
I stumble across a thread like this from time to time and realise just how ignorant I am. If I ease up a little, perhaps I understand just how incredible others are. (1) I'd never have thought of foil pressing. Such a simple and obviously effective and cheap solution - then exactly how you'd keep a fragile pressing in the state to (2) produce such good photographs whilst claiming (3) things would have been better '...if they hadn't been lazy.'. (4) I am in awe of folk who have learnt ancient coins and (5) are able to spot a variation or incorrectly attributation. One day I may acquire some knowledge about something!
I was thinking that Kutcher sounded familiar so I looked back at my records and I used to have Septimius Severus denarius that was from his collection. I sold it back through CNG a couple years ago. I was always captivated by the reverse of this coin.
Focus. I currently only collect Roman Republican, silver mostly. I sold off most of my Greek and Roman Imperial from my early collection days to make room for more Republicans.
I can respect that - I have come to the conclusion there is a difference between collecting and hoarding. You know you are a hoarder when you dont know what you have and you cant find what you want to look at.
yah, they're pretty cool (I have quite a few) ... funny though, for lately I've been loving those sweet big AE RRs a bit more than the AR RRs Good job (congrats) Oh, and again => welcome!!
I don't know. I think I'm a hoarder, but I know what I have and where it is. I just can't let go. Does that make me a hoarder?