Post your latest ancient!

two more I won this week



Maxentius
A.D. 308- 310
22mm 6.0g
IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG; laureate head right.
VICTORIA AETERNA AVG N; Victory advancing left with wreath & palm frond; captive at feet.
In ex. RBP
RIC VI Rome 223 var. (no captive) Drost 112e/1 (this coin illustrated).

Not in RIC

plate coin in "Le monnayage de Maxence" by Vincent Drost






Constantine I
A.D. 314- 315
21mm 3,7g
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG; laureate and cuirassed bust right.
GENIO POP ROM; Genius standing left, tower on head, loins draped, r. holding patera, l. cornucopiae.
In ex. PLN
RIC VII London--; LMCC 8.07.001; RML 693 (forthcoming)

Not in RIC

 

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Aha, I knew it! Since you posted the previous Maxentius-captive-Drost-"plate coin" when I saw the banner headline I watched this one closely. (I was not the top underbidder...but I was one of the earliest bidders!)

I literally thought to myself, "If I can't have it, I hope Victor Clark gets it and it becomes a Constantinethegreatcoins 'digital plate coin.'" (I see it's already up there.)

(I don't know why I care so much about where a coin goes if I don't get it. But I want to know where. That's one thing I like about public bidding, but it's rare now.)

 

Et Tu Brute = I got 2 Brutuses

I'm trying to beef up my Roman collection of the Imperatorial Era as I'm hoping to do an educational display of this era for a coin show.


Brutus, non-portrait denarius,
military mint traveling with Brutus & Cassius in Western Asia or Northern Greece
late summer or autumn, 42 BC., Crawford 508-2.
Leu Auctions, May, 2023



Brutus Ancestors, L. Iunius Brutus, 54 BC
Heritage Auctions, Sept, 2023
Roman Republican Coinage, Crawford # 433-2, ANACS AU-50

The 2nd piece was <$1K** possibly due to the "lower ANACS grade" or the brownish color.


I bought the Crawford 2nd edition rather than the rarer & more expensive 1st ed. I figured I could always compensate for the lesser plates with online images and it has additions & corrections to the 1st ed.

** before userious commission of course

 

Brought home a budget JC. Thought I didn’t have the type but when I put it away saw that I already have a better example. Oh well, can’t have too many Caesars

 

Worn but plenty of eye appeal, and a historic type! I like it.

 

That's what's called an embarrassment of riches! And I'm jealous. I have one.

It's one of my favorite types (the first "two captives & trophy" design on any coin or any other artwork, elaborating on the "one captive & trophy" design which was still only about 55 years old by then; Caesar's would survive on nearly 400 years of Roman imperial coinage).

I've got a few of those blue Andreas Singer tags on Republican denarii too. Mine were purchased about 10 years ago from Agora or VAuctions

 

Nice coin! Out of curiosity how much does a budget One of those cost?

 

Andy Singer is a great dealer and I’m lucky to be able to see him at multiple shows a year.

 

That one was $175 which I think is cheap for a recognizable JC

 

I don't know how much @H8_modern's coin cost, but I'd say - going by the past several years - a budget specimen of that type might be anywhere from $200-$400

Edit - H8 posted just before I did.

 

Indeed! That was a great deal!

 

I have a personally done but functional HTML website that lists pieces from my collection. It shows the coin and the provinance. This way when looking at a new piece, I can compare it to what I already own. Also when talking about coins, I can show pix of my collection without taking anything out of the SD box.

Still a nice J.C., his name, on the Rv, is very clear.

 

I would agree with you on that! Great purchase!

 

I picked this up yesterday. I would have preferred more legend extant but loved the portrait.



Marius, 268 Antoninianus Cologne 268, billon 17.00 mm., 3.25 g.

 

Here is one I received today that has been on my wants list for some time.





Q. Servilius Caepio (M. Junius) Brutus Silver Denarius
Rome mint, (54 BC).
Obverse: Bust of Libertas facing right; LIBERTAS downward behind.
Reverse: Consul L. Junius Brutus, between two lictors, each carrying axe over shoulder, preceded by accensus, all walking to left, BRVTVS in exergue.
Crawford 433/1; BMCRR Rome 3862; RSC Junia 31. Weight 3.71 g 21 mm

It has some old collector labels including one from Michael Trenerry that I always appreciate.



A bonus is that one of the labels state it was found in Ely Mildenhall on 15/6/82

 

Here is a handful of additions to my countermark collection. The TONZOY (far right coin) on a Trajan from Bithynia is one I've wanted for a while (Howgego 568), for the Tonzos river in Thrace.

A couple have multiple countermarks which is always nice.

I recognize some but a couple still need some researching. (Can't quite place the bottom l. and not sure about all the ones on the top l.)

 

As promised I was able to finish collecting denarii of the really important figures who made up the Severan Dynasty. I figured I'd save the rest of the coins I've collected for one big post so I don't bug everyone with every individual coin I purchase. I'm just going to go from my least to most favorite coins:


JULIA MAESA

AR silver denarius. Struck under Elagabalus, 220-222 AD. IVLIA MAESA AVG, draped bust right. Reverse - SAECVLI FELICITAS, Felicitas standing left with long caduceus, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar, star right. RSC 45, RCV 7757. 18mm, 2.5g.

Not my favorite of the coins I purchased as it is rather worn, but it was very cheap and it fills a pretty important gap, seeing as how this woman was instrumental in bringing the Severans back into power following Macrinus' brief usurpation, elevating both of her respective grandsons, first the notorious Elagabalus and when he wasn't working out, the more conscientious Alexander Severus would soon follow. Definitely an important figure that needed to be represented in my collection in some form.



Title: Julia Soaemias (AD 218-222) AR Denarius / Venus
Attribution: RIC IV (Elagabalus) 243 Rome
Date: AD 218-220
Obverse: IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG, draped bust right
Reverse: VENVS CAELESTIS, Venus seated left, holding apple and scepter, child at feet with arms raised
Size: 18.92mm
Weight: 2.06 grams
Description: nearing VF, porous metal.

The portrait on this one is better and though the reverse of Venus is still a bit worn, it's still in somewhat better shape. I bought this from the same merchant where I bought the coin of her son Elagabalus so it's fitting that they both seem to complement each other appearance wise, one of the reasons I bought this coin specifically at least.



GETA

Denarius
209-211 AD. Rome mint.
Ovb/ P SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev/ PONTIF COS II, Geta standing left with globe and sceptre.
Cat: RIC 61a
Silver (Ar) 2,7g - 20mm

I absolutely love the portrait on this coin, very sharp details and the folding of the drapery is exquisite. The reverse is looking better than the other two coins also. There's a pretty distinct crack on the top and some corrosion on the side but I can look past it. It'd be interesting to see what would've happened if Geta was the one who lived rather than Caracalla (either one was going to take out the other no matter what), would he have done many of the same things as his brother or would he maybe have been more moderate in his dealings (I heard he put on a more reasonable front with the rank-and-file soldiers compared to the more dour Caracalla)? Would make for a riveting alternate history scenario.



JULIA MAMAEA

2.88g, 18.5mm
Diademed and draped bust of Julia Mamaea right "IVLIA MAMAEA AVG"
Vesta standing, holding palladium and scepter "VESTA"
RSC 498

The portrait on this coin of Alexander Severus' mother is lovely though the real standout part for me is the reverse (and this is coming from someone who usually focuses on the obverses). It's absolutely one of the best reverses I've ever collected, if not the best. It's such a great composition and I love the classic contrapposto of the goddess Vesta. For me it's a tasteful mix of minimalism and detail that I find very satisfying.



Overall I find the Severan Dynasty a very fascinating period of transition for the Romans, going from the prosperous 2nd century to the devastating 3rd century. The fact that it doesn't get talked about as much as the Twelve Caesars means there's not as much demand for coins of this era and therefore it was SO MUCH easier for me to put together a whole set of denarii which is really cool (at least until a popular HBO series or Gladiator-like film comes along that covers people from this time period like Caracalla or Elagabalus then it's a good thing I got these coins when I did!!).

 

My first parthia coin !

An hemidrachm from Phraates II.
Mint : Margiane.
Weight : 2,37gr.

Not in Sellwood, BM and the Sunrise collection.
I didn't check yet the BNF.

 

I like how the pit (I assume?) on his eye happens to be right where the pupil/cornea would be, so he looks like he's staring downward at something with great concern!

(Like, "Someone has snuck in and taken a bite out of my LAST COOOKIE! Vones? Vones! WHERE is Vones the Executioner? VONEEEES? I NEEEED you. RIGHT NOW!")

Wow, jumping right in with the rarities for your first one!

 

I got in a beautiful little denarius a few weeks ago. There is a lot to love about this coin!

Septimius Severus (AD 193-211)​

AR Denarius (19.71mm, 3.70g, 12h)
Rome mint. Struck AD 209
Obverse: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head of Septimius Severus right
Reverse: P M TR P XVII COS III P P, Neptune standing left, foot on rock, right hand resting on upper leg, left hand holding long trident
References: RIC IV 228, RCV 6346
Ex Mark Salton Collection (1914-2005)​

First of all, the absolute pristine condition, which is not too hard to find with Severan denarii but is pleasing nonetheless. I like the classic Septimius Severus portrait complete with curly hair and forked beard. The reverse features Neptune, god of the sea, holding his trident. I seem to recall that this may be a reference to Severus' sea voyages during the time of the Caledonian conquest.

I also love when the strike is centered enough, and the flan large enough, to register a complete dotted border. The reverse's border is complete, the obverse 99% so. This coin was evidently well-struck from good dies.

The coin has a beautiful cabinet tone, with hints of iridescence and gorgeous mint luster, difficult to catch in the photo.

Another thing to like: the coin weighs an impressive 3.70 grams - as much as a full weight early Augustan denarius! The mint quality standards under the Severans were notoriously lax, and one can occasionally find heavyweight specimens like this one, but they are definitely out of the ordinary and something special.

And to top it off, this coin (according to the dealer) came from the famous Mark Salton Collection. Salton (born Max Schlessinger) came from a long line of established German coin dealers, going back to the early 1800's. His father, Felix Schlessinger, ran a coin dealership until he was imprisoned and murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust; Max and his brother managed to escape, eventually settling in America. Their story is a fascinating one - you can read more about it here.

The coin came with Salton's hand-written tag:





I wouldn't mind your opinions on this, by the way. (especially @Curtis !) As far as I know, the only thing I have to go on is the dealer's word for it. I did do some digging and found the coin had sold in a group lot earlier this year by Fritz Rudolf Künker - 6/24/2023 (Auction 390 eLive, lot 3373 (part). I believe Künker auctioned off much of the Salton Collection upon the death of Lottie Salton (Mark's wife) in 2020.