After 10 years of collecting, I finally acquired my first Imitative. Picked it up from @John Anthony Roman Imitative Issue, (4th century A.D.) Æ12 Minima Class O.: Bust right. R.: Falling Horseman // TC? 1.0g 12mm RIC VIII Arles 224
Cool!! Does this mean that next time I'm your Secret Saturn I can consider imitatives? I recently got me a passel of 'em from the 3rd century:
Lol, sure. I never had any issues with them. I actually have bid on a few in years past but got skunked. I've owned Limes denarii, but not sure if that counts.
I thought of it last time but when I looked through some of your posts, it seemed you weren't too keen. I guess I was mistaken! Limes sorta count, but only if you keep them.
My favorite class of imitatives are those that were not copied or miscopied directly from a regular mint original. For example this Septimius Severus obverse reads L SEVLRS AVGVSTV. The regular mints always abbreviated AVG so this cutter knew what it meant even though he made a few other errors. The reverse is a good copy PART MAX PM TRP VIIII reversed exceptfor the V in VIIII which is upside down. Decent silver (not fourree) denarius. The style is nothing like any official mint.
Pretty cool coin and thanks for sharing it. At this point the "imitative" falling horseman types are more interesting to me than the Imperial issues.
I've posted it before, but here's a barbarous copy of a Constantine I coin. The designs aren't too bad, but try to read that inscription:
That's a cool little imitative coin @Mat ! I dig that bug eye portrait. A crazy looking LRB imitative coin is still on my list. Here an imitative celtic coin I that was once part of the mat collection! CELTIC, Lower Danube, Uncertain tribe. 2nd century B.C. AR Drachm O: Head of Herakles wearing lionskin headdress knotted at throat, right. R: Zeus enthroned holding eagle. 17mm 3.42g Lanz 939 EX. mat!
Nice that you are “breaking your mold” @Mat, and capturing your first imitative! I always thought the Roman artwork on LRB’s and Byz coins were creepy, and a definite fall from the coinage from Earlier Days... however, imitative LRB’s are even more creepier/cruder to my eye! Here is one from the Republic, also absconded from the Guy who Imitates... An IMITATIVE: Imitating Octavian-M. Porcius Cato AR quinarius 13.89 mm 1.29g imitating Octavian r blundered legend - Victory seated r patera Cr 343-462 RARE Ex: @John Anthony
I have a couple (I need to rephotograph them, though). Imitative of a Constantine: Imitative radiate:
Congrats @Mat . A neat little addition. Barbaric Imitation of Roman Constantius II Fallen Horseman Type. 4th century AD. AE 10mm (0.77 gm). Obv.: diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: Soldier spearing horseman.
