What Your Budget Buys - $400 Edition

I picked up this Hadrian Sestertius a couple of years ago, Neptune foot on prow, Rome 126 AD, 22.2gm. US $360.

 

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Both these two are around the US $400 with The Julius Caesar lifetime Dupondius bought in 2011 and the Claudius (Domitian restoration) AE As 2016.

 

One of my nicer Sestertii (Auction Jesus Vico 08.06.2017, lot 574).
I cost me less than I expected: 350 Euros plus commission and postage...

 

Fabulous posts everyone!!!

Here are two more of mine in that price range; $407 and $405 respectively:

Silver tetradrachm, Prokopov Thasos, group XVIII, 1635 (O FF3 / R 1304); SNG Cop 1040 ff., VF, centered on a tight flan, light toning, light marks, Roman provincial or military mint, weight 16.769g, maximum diameter 30.7mm, die axis 0o, c. 148 - 80 B.C.; obversehead of Dionysos right, wearing taenia and wreathed in flowering ivy; reverse HPAKΛEOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ ΘAΣIΩN, Herakles standing half left, nude but for Nemean lion's skin on left arm, resting right hand on grounded club before him, left hand on hip, MH monogram inner left.






Silver denarius of Elagabulus, RSC III 27, BMCRE V 277 var. (noted), RIC IV 188 (S), Hunter III 113 var. (draped and cuirassed), SRCV II 7510 var. (same), EF, nice Greek style, toned, tight flan, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, weight 3.561g, maximum diameter 18.8mm, die axis 0o, 218 - 219 A.D.; obverseANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassedbust right, from behind; reverseFELICITAS TEMP, galley with sail right, containing eight rowers and pilot holding rudder, acrostolium and standard at stern, sail or standard at prow; scarce


This galley type was likely issued to announce Elagabalus' travel to Rome from Syria, and the happy times his rule would bring.

 

AR Tetradrachm Aesillas as Quaestor 95-70 BC., Macedon under Roman Rule - diademed head of Alexander the Great right in the horn of Ammon / money chest, club and chair, all within wreath, circa 93-92 BC., Thessalonika mint, (15.61 grams, 29/27 mm), SNG Copenhagen 1330 AMNG III 223, Very fine--- ..............................................$426.00

 

@Mikey Zee how do you go wrong with the big guy, Alexander the Great? That is a spectacular coin.

 

Here are a couple of Julia Domna denarii I bought within the last month that came in in this range (after currency conversion):

A SAECVLI FELICIT crescent and seven stars reverse on an early period denarius with IVLIA DO - MNA AVG obverse inscription (RIC IV 629 under Septimius and Caracalla about 194-195. CNG says Laodicea, but I am not so sure we can rule out Emessa.



I probably paid too much for this next one (~350GBP), but it is in better shape than the seller photo (here) is showing, which isn't too bad at that. This is a FUNDITAS reverse with Terra reclining facing left beneath a tree, with her left arm on a basket of fruit, and the four seasons arranged in line before her gaze. It issues from the middle to later period of her obverses, 196-211, with the IVLIA AVGVSTA inscription (BMC 21 under Septimius and Caracalla). Mattingly dates this type to the late group of 207-209.

 

Very nice coin for the price. I am always on the lookout for solidii like this one. I would definitely like to add Focas one day.

 

Here are a few in that range - the images are from the vendors.

$345 from CNG last year - Crawford 309/1 denarius - I liked the reverse of Sol riding his chariot up from the sea at dawn. It's a bit rough, through corrosion and die rust.



Crawford 428/2 denarius - £350 in 2015 from Roma. This lay in a drawer for a year after arriving - I think its arrival coincided with a cleaning spurt and it and another coin were mislaid and forgotten about until I was looking for something else. Anyway, I won't forget her again:


$478 (OK, this is slightly over $450, but that includes the premium) from CNG last year, ex Tom Cederlind estate - Crawford 494/37:



This is still in the post! - £419 including premium - Crawford 514/2. It's a rare denarius of C. Numonius Vaala. The reverse probably recounts an ancestor's valiant act of being the first man over the wall in an attack on a fortification. It's not in great condition - I dithered and didn't buy a better one last year which went for twice as much (?) at auction and later showed up in a retail venue @ £1000 and sold while I looked at it and my bank balance. Anyway, I have one now, I can upgrade someday if I win the lottery. Ex. E.E Clain-Stefanelli collection.



ATB,
Aidan.

 

Wow, @akeady, that Q. Cassius Longinus is lovely. I've always wanted a Numonius Vaala as well. Nice catch.

 

Antiochus VII Euergetes, Seleucid Kingdom, BC 138-129
AR, tetradrachm, 16.59g, 30mm; 12h; Antioch
Obv.: Diademed head of Antiochus VII right
Rev.: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY EVEPΓETOY; Athena Nikephoros standing left; to outer left, monogram above A; all within wreath.
$395


Postumus, AD 260-269
Ӕ Sestertius, 31x29mm, 19.2g, 12h; Lugdunum mint, AD 261
Obv.: IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VIRTVS AVG, Mars standing right holding spear and leaning on shield.
$395

 

I wish I knew the basis for the CNG ID but I don't. In the time I have specialized in these, we have made more progress in showing what we used to think might not be correct than exactly what we should think next. Traditionally these were called 'Emesa or Laodicea' or just Syrian. The thinking that caused the early Septimius COS dated coins to be given to 'Emesa' and the early IMP dated ones to 'Laodicea' may not be around through the next reevaluation. The person most likely to work this out died 20 years ago and the next level students chose to chase other projects. I wish I had a clue as to how many mints there were let alone where they may have been. I like the coins but they are a poor choice for those who must know everything for certain.

 

Kricheldorf Auction 49, 20.02.2017 (410 € plus commission):



NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP - Bare head of Drusus left.
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP S C - Claudius (?), bare-headed and togate, seated left on curule chair amidst arms, holding branch in extended right hand
Sestertius, Rome 41/42
34,96 mm / 23,90 gr
RIC 93, BMCRE 157, CBN 125, Cohen 8, Sear
"VF with nice brown patina, though with minor patches of surface erosion" (Sear)

 

WRT Laodicea: the British Museum on its website showing the Severan coins of Laodicea has taken to relocating them to "Antiochia ad Orontem." Laodicea is barely referenced, and Emessa does not even come up on searches. All this seems pretty radical, and big stuff as scholarship goes. Yet I have missed the study that has led to all this revision. Are they just turning back the clock on the interpretation of evidence/opinion? Does anyone know anything about it?

 

If anyone it will be @dougsmit or perhaps @maridvnvm