fresh from my mailbox Constantius I posthumous issue A.D. 307- 310 25x26mm 7.6g DIVO CONSTANTIO PIO; laureate and veiled bust right. MEMORIA FELIX; lighted and garlanded altar, on either side eagle. In ex. PLN RIC VI London 110; LMCC 5.04.010
Exceptional centering for a cistophoric tet, excellent strike, minimal wear, and Priapus as a minor device! (When have you ever seen that?) Not to mention the coin might be unique with this particular date. What's not to love? IONIA, Ephesos. Circa 180-67 BC. AR Tetradrachm (26.5mm, 12.67 g, 1h). Cistophoric standard. Dated CY 57 (78/7 BC). Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath / Two serpents entwined around bow and bowcase; above, Priapos facing; to left, NZ (date) above EΦE, torch to right. Kleiner, Dated 58; DCA 325; SNG Copenhagen 331. Lightly toned, scrape at edge on obverse. Good VF. Rare date, none in CoinArchives.
Constantine I A.D. 316- 317 19x20mm 3.7g IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust. SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol rad., stg. L., raising r. hand, globe in l., chlamys spread, captive to left wearing Phrygian cap. in ex. RP cf. RIC VII Rome 52 Issued during the 1st Civil War between Constantine I and Licinius I-- the captive is referencing Licinius RIC lists this type as Sol with chlamys across l. shoulder; while on this coin the cloak is spread over both shoulders.
Here is one for @David Atherton : What first drew me to this coin was the impressive portrait - done in typically fine style, and in good condition. I've also been on the lookout for nice Roman bronze as coins - and I lacked one of Vespasian. I also thought the Spes reverse would go well with my Titus (as Caesar) coin of the same type. Then as I typically do I started researching the coin - being a left-facing portrait was a bit unusual - and I found almost no types like it online. It is the combination of the left-facing portrait with the obverse legend ending in "COS VII" - OCRE lists it as RIC II 895 but provides no examples. An extensive search on asearch.com revealed just two examples - this coin (from a couple years ago) and another one sold through Roma in 2016 (although with the Roma coin, I can't really tell from the photo; the auction description gives the RIC 895 obverse legend, but they listed it as 894 - clearly in error) I couldn't find any currently for sale anywhere and I also searched different dealer's archived listings but couldn't find any. Nor any on wildwinds.com. It is also missing from the British collection. Knowing that if anyone could give more information about the coin, it would be the Flavian Fanatic, I went over to Forvm Ancient Coins Gallery. Sure enough, there was an example in the Atherton collection. Here is what David Atherton writes: "An extremely rare left facing portrait variant of the common COS VII Spes. The right facing variant of the type is considered by RIC (p. 51) to be the single most common bronze coin struck for Vespasian. The left facing portrait is another story! RIC cites only Berlin for the left facing variant, although the catalogue's authors Carradice and Buttrey must have known of a few other specimens in order to assign it a frequency rating of just 'rare'. I could not locate any other specimens online either in trade or in a major collection. A truly scarce coin!" (David Atherton, FORVM ANCIENT COINS Member's Gallery That makes a total of three examples that I could find - the one Roma sold in 2016, the Atherton coin, and this one. The interesting fact of the coin's scarcity, added to the eye appeal of the portrait, was enough to tip my decision to buy.
This coin was from a lot of 20, it has a very thick, very hard accumulation on it's surfaces. The only coin I could find of it's type with an F between the standards is 1 on Wildwinds and 2 on Ocre, but only one with images. Couldn't find one on AC Search. Someone in the past gave this an R5 rating but whether this applies today I have no idea. I think I will give it a long soak in distilled water and see what happens. Constantius II, as Caesar, 18mm, 1.78gr AE3. Aquileia 335-336 AD. Authority of Constantine I Obv: FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right Rev: GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers facing with spears and shields, two standards between, F between standards, AQS in ex. RIC VII 133 R5
GETA, Publius Septimius Geta, 198-209 Caesar, 209-211 Augustus, Denarius (200-202), Mint =Rome P SEPT GETA CAES PONT, Bust draped right Publius Septimius Geta, Caesar, Pontifex[ Maximus]. -Publius Septimius Geta, Caesar, Supreme Pontiff (high priest) NOBILITAS, Nobilitas standing right holding scepter and palladium NOBILITAS- nobility, aristocracy
This is a relatively recent acquisition. I often feel drawn to these usurpers, particularly when they have a bit of charisma (or when they seem to do well with the propaganda). Carausius BI Radiate. Uncertain mint, AD 286-293. IMP C CARAVSIVS P F AVG, radiate and draped bust to right PAX AVG, Pax standing to left, holding olive branch and cornucopiae; S-C across fields. RIC V.2 475; Webb 531. 4.76g, 23mm, 6h.
This is my latest. I'm planning on making a new thread for it, since I am for the first time ever doing some in-depth research on this emperor so I'll have some info related to him besides. 2.92g, 17mm Laureate head of Lucius Verus right "L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX" Pax standing left, holding a branch and cornucopiae "TR P VI IMP IIII COS II", "PAX" in exergue. RSC 126
Here is one of my latest, continuing my portrait collection of the Constantinian dynasty. I had been on the lookout for a nice Crispus, and once again my interest turned mostly to the coins of the mint at Rome. I wanted a coin that would show Crispus's youth, but also his maturity as a young man in his twenties (not as a 12-year-old!) So I was pleased when I saw this coin for sale. Not only does the youthful portrait capture some degree of seriousness, but the proportions are also well-balanced (which is not a thing you can take for granted on Late Roman coinage!) and the draped and cuirassed bust also lends gravity to the overall composition. The reverse is less interesting, but I decided that in this little sub-collection, the priority must go to the portraits. I am happy with the new coin!
Picked up a small batch today and got to chat with Doug Smith at my favorite dealer’s table. I would tag him but he was a part of the schism. Here’s the one I picked up first. Love that it’s an image of Ulysses returning home and being greeted by his dog Argos.
I put it away and realized I’ve had one for about 8 years, from the same dealer, so apparently I need to actually inventory what I have.