Picked up this beauty at the 2019 New York International Numismatic Convention in Manhattan. It’s my first of the Twele Caesars and I love it. Still very new to ancients, but have been making some slow progress through literature and online research. This very coin was a part of the Knobloch Collection which was auctioned in May of 1980. The obverse depicts a bare head of Augustus facing right with the legend that reads simply AVGVSTVS. The reverse is a laurel wreath intertwined with prows (corona rostrata) with ties at center. It was supposedly struck in 21 B.C. As soon as I brough this piece home I immediately went to the David Sear book to match it to a listing and could not find it. The dealer from which I purchased the piece listed it as RIC 105a, but that turned out to be inaccurate since the ANS catalogue lists 105a as Head of Augustus, laureate, right with a totally different reverse. My next step was to review the original Stacks catalogue from the 1980 auction. The lot was listed under number 11 and identified under RIC 57, which again did not match up anything I could find. I finally identified the coin as RIC 473 through the ANS online database. Now everything added up. Except the above mentioned errors. As I mentioned, I’m still a novice in this field of numismatics. Any feedback on my research is welcome. Did I miss something? Could I have done something differently? Do RIC numbers change over time? Also, would love to see other Augustus (or related) examples. Feel free to share! Hope everyone is having a great day! VZ
WoWiE!!! Now folks, take note, that is how to start off a 12 Caesar's collection. Way to be @VDB! Welcome to the Augustus club. 11 to go Really groovy reverse and the portrait is fantastic. With that nice n cool tone. I really do love my only silver Augustus for it's glaring flaw...what the heck took that chunk out?? And the fact that it doesn't diminish from obv nor rev theme makes one wonder of it's intentionality. Augustus Silver Denarius, 27 BC-CE 14. Lugdunum, 2 BC-AD 12. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, laureate head of Augustus right. Reverse: AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT around, CL CAESARES in exergue, Gaius and Lucius Caesars standing facing, each togate and resting a hand on one of two shields set on ground between them; behind shields, two crossed spears; above, on left, simpulum right, and on right, lituus left. RIC 207
A very interesting reverse and a nice portrait @VDB. My Augustus does not have the ship prows on the reverse.
And I didn’t realize that these were ship prows. Just took a second look and there they were. I’ve read that this reverse was designed to indirectly commemorate the battle of Actium, but did not actually see it until now. Amazing! Thank you!!
@VDB A truly wonderful coin with a nice provenance. Congrats on starting out with an excellent coin. I have consulted RIC (Roman Imperial Coins). It mentions that the coin was possibly minted at a North Peloponnesian mint. The description for the reverse of RIC 473 states: "No legend. Wreath intertwined with prows (corona rostrata), the ties arranged centrally." Here are my 2 silver coins of Augustus Augustus (27 BC-AD 14), Denarius, Uncertain Spanish mint (Colonia Patricia?), 17-16 BC, (19 mm 3.73 g). Obv: Bare head right Rev: Augustus, Capricorn right, holding globe attached to rudder between front hooves; cornucopia above its back. RIC I 126; RSC 21 SRCV (2000) 1592. Purchased October 28, 2016 from vcoins store London Coin Galleries Ltd. Augustus (27 BC-AD 14). AR cistophorus (25mm, 10.86 gm, 12h). NGC VG 5/5 - 2/5. Pergamum, ca. 27-26 BC. Obv: IMP •-CAE-SAR, bare head of Augustus right Rev: AVGVSTVS, Capricorn right, head left, bearing cornucopia on back; all within laurel wreath. RIC I 477. RPC 2211. Heritage Auctions August 30, 2018 Lot 231835
Great coin VDB of a type you rarely see. Augustus, 8-7 BC, Gaius Caesar galloping right, AR Denarius, 18mm, 3.28gm, RIC 199, Sear 1596.
VDB, Nice addition of the Augustus denarius . I've only owned 3 nice portrait coins of Augustus, & one I really regret selling 6 years ago at a Heritage auction , pictured below. However I was happy with the price it sold for $2,415.00 .
Yes, the revised edition of RIC, Vol 1 was published in 1984 - four years AFTER the Stack's sale of the Knobloch Collection of Roman Imperial coins.
@VDB, that's a nice example of a cool type I would love to add to my trays ! Some examples of mine, as Octavian and as Augustus : Octavian, Denarius Italian mint, possibly Rome, 31-30 BC Anepigraph, bare head of Octavian left CAESAR - DIVI F, Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath 3.84 gr Ref : HCRI # 408, RCV # 1552v, Cohen # 66, RIC # 255 Augustus, Denarius Colonia Patricia mint ? ca. 19-18 BC CAESARI AVGVSTO, laureate head right SP - QR on either side of a domed terastyle temple, in which is a chariot with aquila. 3,66 gr Ref : RSC # 279, RIC # 119 Augustus, Denarius - Lyon mint c.12 BC AUGUSTUS DIVI F, Bare head of Augustus right IMP X, Bull butting right 3.77 gr Ref : RCV #1610, Cohen #137 Augustus, Denarius - Rome mint, 2 BC CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, Laureate head of Augustus right AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT, Caius and Lucius holding shields and spears 3,65 gr Ref : RCV # 1597, Cohen # 43, RIC # 207 Q
What a cool design with all those prow's on the reverse , congrats VDB Mine is the same coin as Bing's , but with a left facing portrait:
Cucumbor, Great group of denarii ! The butting bull reverse is beautifully done but my favorite is the 2nd coin with a superb portrait & exquisite reverse of an eagle on a chariot.
Welcome to the Dark Side, @VDB! Love the anepigraphic reverse of your Augustus with those ships prows worked into the wreath. Not a type you see every day. I have one to add to the pile... AUGUSTUS AR Denarius. 3.64g, 19.9mm, Rome mint, 19-18 BC, P. Petronius Turpilianus, moneyer. RIC 297 (R2). O: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head right. R: P PETRON TVRPILIAN III VIR, Pegasus walking right.