describing sestertius and patina

" TRUE POCKET-SIZE MONUMENTS ON WHICH THE HAND OF TIME HAS LAID PATINAS WHOSE COLOURS ARE MATCHED SOLELY ON THE PALETTES OF FLEMISH PAINTERS "

ELIO BIAGGI

 

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I think I speak for most of us here when I say I'd be willing to give up a kidney for that beauty.

 

I used to have his book about patinas on sestertii. What a feast! Back in those days, color pictures of ancient bronzes were hard to come by - very rare in auction catalogs.

 

I would also be willing to give up Sallent's kidney for that beauty.

Seriously lovely coin and lovely quotation.

 

@AncientJoe has this beauty, which as hard as it is to believe, surpasses the OP beauty in preservation state. Not sure how much Ancient Joe paid for this, but I'm sure it was worth every penny.

I hope he doesn't mind me sharing his coin here, but it really is appropriate.

 

its called real perfection..!!!

 

Thanks Sallent! It's definitely one of my favorite coins.

 

Awesome!

 

This one is a Kharma Chameleon patina: red, gold and green ... red, gold and gree-eee-eeen.

Herennia Etruscilla, AD 249-251.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 14.04 gm, 28.3 mm.
Rome, AD 250-251.
Obv: HERENNIA ETRVSCILLA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: FECVNDITAS AVG SC, Fecunditas standing left, right hand extended to child standing at her feet; holding cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 134a; Sear 9504; Cohen 9; Hunter 12.