A funny thing happened on the way to the silver shop

So here I was on my merry way, shopping for ancient silver goodies as usual, when a funny thing happened. I bought a chunk of ancient bronze.

Don't panic...I promise hell didn't freeze over. And no... you are not dead, and the apocalypse is not upon us.

I guess it was about time I learned to embrace ancient bronze. Enough blabbing from me, you came here to see the coin. It's this Gordian III sestertius. Did I ever mention how much I love Gordian III?

Show me whatever coins you want to show off, doesn't even have to be Gordian III


Gordian III, AD 238-244
AE sestertius, 30mm, 16.5g, 12h; Rome mint, AD 241.
Obv.: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: SECVRITAS AVG; Securitas enthroned left, holding scepter, resting head on elbow leaning on chair back, S C in exergue.
Reference: RIC IVc 311a, p. 49

 

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Nice job @Sallent , and welcome to another Metal!

Actually, some of my Bronze, particularly Aes Grave, can be expensive, and much more than a lot of my Silver.

This is the only Gordian III that I have, and it happens to be BRONZE!


RI Gordian III 238-244 CE AE As 25mm Hercules S-C

 

The bronzes have a charm all their own, but all I have of GIII bronzes are provincials.

GORDIAN III
AE30
OBVERSE: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right, seen from the backt
REVERSE: PMSC OLVIM City goddess standing left between bull & lion; AN IIII in ex
Struck at Viminacium, Dated year 4=242 AD
17.2g, 30mm
AMNG 83

GORDIAN III
AE26
OBVERSE: ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡ∆ΙΑΝΟC ΑΥΓ ΤΡΑΝΚΥΛ/ΛΙΝΑ, confronted busts of Gordian III and Tranquillina
REVERSE: ΟΥΛΠΙΑΝΩΝ ΓΧΙΑΛΕ/ΩΝ, Tyche or Homonoia standing left wearing modius, patera in right, cornucopia in left
Struck at Hadrianopoli, 238-244 AD
12.44g, 26mm
AMNG II 675

GORDIAN III
AE 26
OBVERSE: AVT K M ANT GORDIANOC AVG, laureate, draped bust right
REVERSE: ADRIANOPOLEITWN, Zeus-Serapis seated, holding patera and long spear; sometimes below - eagle
Struck at Hadrianopoli, Thrace, 238-244AD
8.38g, 25mm
Moushmov 2715

GORDIAN III
AE 25/26
OBVERSE: AVT K M ANT GORDIANOC AVG CAB CEB TPANKVLEINA, draped busts face to face
REVERSE: OVLPIANWN AGCIALEWN, Zeus standing left, naked to waist, holding thunderbolt and sceptre
Struck at THRACE , Anchialos, 238-244AD
9.7g, 25mm
Moushmov 2945; Varbanov 740-741

 

Very nice. I'm liking a Sallent bronze coin.. very strange times indeed.

 

All of you are to blame. I've been watching you guys buy some really beautiful and amazing bronze coins, and posting tempting photos of them here. Although I've been very happy with all my silver beauties, I've found myself liking a lot of bronze coins thanks to all of you. I've even almost bought many a bronze coin only to successfully fight off the temptation at the last second. I tried to resist the urges, but I knew it was a loosing battle and eventually I would cave.

At least I held out long enough to acquire 104 silver coins before succumbing to the temptations of bronze.

 

Nice to see you have expanded your horizons. There are many beautiful bronze coins.

 

I'm planning to rephotogragh the 2 G III I've had (thanks again, Sallent) and a recent Felecitas that just came in the mail today. Oh and thanks to @Sallent recent G III post I'm currently zeroing in on a Diana Luciferus. All of which are silver.
Then back to the hunt for empresses .

Cool coin Sallent. There is some great bronze coins out there.

 

Next thing you know, you'll be bringing home a gold coin.... I'll post a coin or two when I get home.

 

About the same for me man. If it wasn't for you cointalk folks I'd probably just have my little o'l Philip V coin. Is it a bad influence or good? I'll go with good although I might just become broke. Hopefully you have many more bronze coins to share in the future!

 

Speaking of Philip V of Macedon (I assume that's who you are talking about), did you know the Romans made a coin with his portrait?

 

Dont be fooled by them bronze coins. Some are just as expensive if not more...



And some are cheaper, but yet looks just as nice or even better...


and just to top it off, here is a Gordian III...

 

Haha Nice AE !

 

Damn I didn't know that, and I know I've seen your coin before, I just thought it was an ancestor of the moneyer. Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

This was my first ancient, very special to me.

 

A gaggle of Gordians:

Sestertius as Caesar


Barbarous denarius with Pax legend but figure of Aequitas


Paired with Serapis before marriage to Tranquillina (Marcianopolis)


Paired with wife Tranquillina from Tomis (my favorite because of the erased in die denomination mark in the reverse field)


Nikopolis with Hermes reverse


Hadrianopolis with Apollo


My largest (AE36) Gordian Provincial from Tarsus with Tyche


An Alexandria tetradrachm is a must for me


Someday they will publish a volume of Roman Provincial Coins to cover Gordian but I wonder how many of us will be able to lift, or afford, it. "There must be a million of them." So far the online version only covers 1000+ coins of Asia.
http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/search/advanced/?v=7.1&search=Search

 

No, I'm not fooled. While there are plenty of very economical ancient Greek and Roman bronze coins, I've seen some bronze coins going for hundreds, and even thousands of dollars.

But if I am willing to pay for a denarius, which at the end of the day is a tiny coin the size of a dime, then I sure as heck can pay good money for some of those incredibly beautiful, large, chunky, and heavy Roman and Greek bronze coins.

I'm staying away from LRB coins for now. I think eventually I'll start adding some, but for now I'm still focused on silver coins, with the occasional purchase of a Sestertius and/or Greek bronze.

 

Some of my favorite bronzes are Gordian IIIs!

 

Yeah there are a lot of bronze coins I really want to get, except they are expensive. It also seems as the silver coins are preserved better, perhaps bronze coins were circulated more. I've been holding off on LRB coins too but I did deviate and bought a few along the way.

And speaking of bronze, you can't beat a big chunk of Sestertius or a Byzantine coin.

 

I think you will enjoy bronzes just as much as silver Sallent, and you can get some good value coins like this GIII provincial 3/4 view temple for about a $100.

 

@Sallent I always felt you were selling your collection short by ignoring bronze coins. Although I did appreciate not having to bid against you. Speaking of Gordian III...


Gordian III, AD 238-244
AE, sestertius, 25.46g, 32.5mm; 12h; Rome, AD 238-239
Obv.: IMP CAES MANT GORDIANVS AVG; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: VICTORIA AVG; Victory advancing left, carrying wreath and palm; S-C

Big bronzes have their own attraction - much in the same way silver has its own appeal. I'm sure gold has one too but that's too rich for my blood.

 

GIII and @Sallent (and @dougsmit and @Roman Collector and everyone else) rockin' the bronze! Awesome.