Commodus Denarius reverse die match to British Museum specimen

This is kind of cool. In the course of photographing this one and cataloging it for my collection, I notice it's a reverse die match to the specimen in the British Museum collection. It has a pleasing portrait of the unhinged emperor; the reverse is unremarkable. Mattingly doesn't comment on this type whatsoever in the introductory material to Commodus dealing with issues of AD 191 (BMCRE 4, pp. clvii-clxx).


Commodus, AD 177-192.
Roman AR denarius, 2.29 g, 17.2 mm, 7h.
Rome, AD 191.
Obv: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT P P, laureate head, right.
Rev: CONC COM P M TR P XVI COS VI, Concordia standing left, holding patera and scepter.
Refs: RIC 219; BMCRE 296-97; RCV 5631; MIR 808; Cohen 45.

Here's BMCRE 296:



Comparing the reverses side-by side, we have:


Which superimpose exactly upon one-another. I don't know why I get so excited when I find die-matches to my coins, but I do.

Post your Commodus denarii, comments, or whatever you feel is relevant!

 

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Thats really cool! Neat find.

 

Great pick up RC.

 

Neato. I have one, but from different dies.

 

It's always a special thrill to find a die match to a plate coin! Coins of a rare type are often die matched with each because of the scarcity of dies used for striking them. What is more remarkable is finding a die match of a common type. I am not familiar with Commodus' coinage, is that a common type?

 

Quite common. That's why it's so surprising!

 

Surprising indeed! What a wonderful find.

 

Found one of his mama that's an obverse die-match to the British Museum specimen!


Faustina Jr, AD 147-175.
Roman AR denarius, 3.03 g, 17.3 mm, 7 h.
Rome, AD 152-154.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG PII AVG FIL, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: CONCORDIA standing facing, head right, gathering up skirt and holding cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 500b,3; BMCRE 1085; Cohen 42, CRE 164.

And alongside the British Museum specimen:

 

You must have a lot of patience and an eagle's eye Roman Collector, congrats.

Never managed to find a matching die, on the other hand I dont look for 'm

 

Good eye!

 

I haven't checked the BM's online database for die matches but it sounds like a fun thing to do.

I get excited when the coin I own is better than the example held by the British Museum . It's not really a great feat though. Like many museums most of their coins are not of remarkable preservation or style.

 

Very cool @Roman Collector ! It is a special thrill finding a match to such a prominent and important collection. I also have a coin that I can die match to a BM coin.

My favorite denarius (on the left) is an obverse die match to one of thier examples.

The Story of the Coin Struck to Fight Hannibal: The First Denarius and its Influence

 

I know what you mean. I always get excited when I have a better example. Luckily I have a few that meet that criterion.

 

Wow! That coin's a stunner, too!

 

Part of this is because the museum did not know they were in a high grade contest. Many of their coins were donated from the old days when a collection was rated by how many different coins it contained rather than how many coins were mint state. When they were selecting coins for their plates, I imagine that they picked the best one they had but it is not even given that they used the same standards there that we might. I would rather have a plate coin in fine that showed a full legend with clear letters than an EF portrait with some letters clipped. Many of their coins were donated. There are a few coins in the BM collection that are probably fake. If the coin was in the collection of King George III, who is to say it should be removed? BMCRE plate 13, 7 is even listed as probably false but somehow made the book anyway.

Yes, I enjoy having coins better than the BM but I enjoy more having coins they lack altogether. Of course they have probably doubled their holdings in the years since the books came out so don't bet they don't have one like yours.