Please tell me what kind of heavy coin this is in the sense of which emperor?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by paschka, Nov 15, 2023.

  1. paschka

    paschka Well-Known Member

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     

    Attached Files:

    robinjojo and Bing like this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Inspector43

    Inspector43 More than 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    I'm guessing
    Marcia Ocatilia Severa wife of Philip I
    Again just a guess
     
    paschka likes this.
  4. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    it must be a sestertius of Severus Alexander (222-235), reverse "Annona Augusti", same kind as this one (not my coin):

    upload_2023-11-15_17-23-32.png
     
    sand, Marsyas Mike, robinjojo and 4 others like this.
  5. Curtis

    Curtis Well-Known Member

    Yes, no question, that's Severus Alexander. (Note: you can read part of his name on the obverse legend "ALE" to the left of the head.)

    Incidentally, here are a couple of my Severus Alexander Sestertii:

    Severus Alexander Sestertius RIC 439.jpg
    Purchased one year at CICF from Curtis Clay at the HJB table, from their $16 junk coins box. I have it as RIC 439

    Severus Alexander AE Sestertius RIC 642 Clain-Stefanelli.jpg
    Ex Elvira Clain-Stefanelli Collection. I have this one as RIC 642. Though worn, I like the obverse bust style!
     
    sand, Marsyas Mike, robinjojo and 3 others like this.
  6. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    I don't have an equivalent of this sestertius but I have this as :

    upload_2023-11-15_17-51-43.png

    Severus Alexander, AE as, Rome 231
    Obv.: IMP. SEV. ALEXANDER AVG., laureate head right
    Rev.: P.M. TR.P. X COS. III P.P. / S C , Otium standing left resting on garden hoe and trashing weed.
     
    Curtis, lordmarcovan, sand and 6 others like this.
  7. paschka

    paschka Well-Known Member

    Thank you very much. And another question. Why were these large and heavy coins made square on one side? In Rome there was an ancient automatic system where these coins were inserted? I've seen this on many coins?
     
    robinjojo likes this.
  8. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    I think the flan shape is reflective of the period. It seems that as the production of sestertii proceeded from the first century AD into the second and third centuries, the flans became less round in many cases. By the mid to late third century some were really square, or more correctly rectangular in shape.

    Here are some later sestertii that have irregular flans.

    Didius Julianus, sestertius, 193 AD.
    RIC IV 15
    14.3 grams


    One edge has some corrosion, but the overall shape is oval.

    D-Camera Roman Empire Didius Julianus sestertius 193AD RIC IV 15 14.3g CNG 6-29-21.jpg


    Trajan Decius, Sestertius, Rome, 249-251 AD.
    RIC IV 117a
    20.01 grams


    D-Camera Trajan Decius Sestertius Rome 249-251AD GENIVS rev 20.01g  RIC IV 117a eBay 3-9-22.jpg


    Postumus, double sestertius, Treveri (Trier) 260-69 AD.
    27.97 grams

    D-Camera Postumus double sestertius Treveri 260-69 AD LAETITA RIC 143 33mm 27.97 g 8-6-23.jpg
     
    Curtis, sand, Marsyas Mike and 3 others like this.
  9. paschka

    paschka Well-Known Member

    Many years ago I watched a popular science film that this square shape of these coins was needed for some kind of Roman technical mechanisms to pay for public institutions or baths or stadiums or epodromes.
     
  10. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    I want a copy of your reference book - this is much better than boring old RIC or the British Museum:

    And you didn't think we read all the attributions! :joyful::joyful::joyful:
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page