Capricorns

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Pishpash, Sep 11, 2019.

  1. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    Taking a chance posting this now. only just nabbed it. Ebay seller is a favourite of mine so fingers crossed it arrives.

    Wanted Capricorns for a long time. This seems to fit the bill.

    vespasian-removebg-preview obv.png
    vespasian-removebg-preview rev.png

    Silver posthumous denarius of Vespasian, emperor 69-79 CE.

    Rome mint, 80-81 CE.

    This was one of several coins issued by Titus in memory of his deceased father.

    Size and weight: 19mm, 3.1g.
    Obverse: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS • (anticlockwise)
    Laureate head right.
    Reverse: No legend.
    S C on a circular shield supported by two capricorns back to back. Globe below.
    Reference: Sear RCV (I) 2569; RIC II (part I) 357.

    Post your Capricorns, Vespasians or Titus coins, whatever......
     
    Nvb, zumbly, Sulla80 and 22 others like this.
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Thats a great coin, congrats.
     
    Pishpash likes this.
  4. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    A very nice and covetable type
    Love the reverse

    Q
     
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  5. Paul M.

    Paul M. Well-Known Member

    I like everything about this coin, except that, as a type, the SC on the reverse shield wears off far too quickly!
     
    Pishpash likes this.
  6. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Pishpash likes this.
  7. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Nice job, @Pishpash ! Great looking Vespasianus Denarius.

    I have nary a capricorn, as you requested.

    How about Titus with some pigs?

    [​IMG]
    RI Titus 79-81 CE AR Denarius Sow piglets
     
    galba68, TIF, Orfew and 7 others like this.
  8. Yorkshire

    Yorkshire Well-Known Member

    Nice, I know where you got it from I sent a offer on it awhile back got declined lol
     
    Pishpash likes this.
  9. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    A solid example!

    This type also has a variant featuring crossed capricorns with a large shield.

    T357c.jpg
     
    Roman Collector, galba68, TIF and 7 others like this.
  10. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    .very nice Pish! :) quite desirable... congrats..
     
    Pishpash likes this.
  11. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    Nice @Pishpash ..I still have the ol' goat/fish on the list! Solid capricorn example!
     
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  12. Eumsele

    Eumsele New Member

    Nice coin! I just won a capricorn as well.

    00514q00.jpg
    Epiphanes & Kallinikos
    Kingdom of Commagene, Ca. 72
    AE18 Tetrachalkon (8.79g)
    Ob: The brothers on horseback
    Rev: Capricorn with star above and anchor below, all in wreath

    This coin represents the last gasp of Commagene, a splinter state of the Seleukid Empire that lasted until the above coin's emperor, Vespasian, incorporated it into the Roman Empire. The two princely brothers depicted on this coin put up one day of resistance before surrendering to Roman might.
     
    Johndakerftw, galba68, TIF and 3 others like this.
  13. Topcat7

    Topcat7 Still Learning

    I love it, and I am a Virgo.

    As people go for the "12 Caesars", is this the beginning of a "12 Signs of the Zodiac" collection?

    Has anyone done that?
     
    Pishpash likes this.
  14. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    Now that is a thought. Would have to work out what they were and how many of them there were.
     
  15. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    The idea is at least 1,875 years old :D.

    Here's a page from Emmett's book showing the "zodiac series" of Antoninus Pius:

    IMG_8588.jpg

    Even in low grade (which most are) they can be pricey. Alexandria isn't the only city that issued coins with prominent zodiac symbols or even the entire zodiac wheel.

    Great new coin, @Pishpash! I have no capricorns to share but here are some A-Pi zodiac coins.

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
    year 8, 144/5 CE
    AE drachm, 33 mm, 22.9 gm, Zodiac series, "Venus in Taurus"
    Obv: Laureate draped bust of Antoninus Pius right
    Rev: bull butting left; above, diademed and draped bust of Aphrodite left; star before her; L H (date) in exergue
    Ref: Emmett 1450.8

    [​IMG]
    EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
    year 8, 144/5 CE
    AE drachm, 32 mm, 22.43 gm, Zodiac series, Helios in Leo
    Obv: Laureate draped bust of Antoninus Pius right
    Rev: Helios (Sun) in Leo: Lion leaping right; above, radiate and draped bust of Helios and six-pointed star; [L H below]
    Ref: Köln 1495-6; Dattari (Savio) 2968; K&G 35.278; Emmett 1530.8
    Ex Thomas Bentley Cederlind
     
    Nvb, lordmarcovan, Topcat7 and 5 others like this.
  16. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    Wow, thanks @TIF that is fascinating :)
     
    TIF likes this.
  17. Pishpash

    Pishpash Well-Known Member

    Coin arrived this morning, nicer in hand than the photo. Very pleased. Seller is moremoth who is also a member of forvmancientcoins. Highly recommended, never had a problem with him.
     
  18. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Nice pickup! Are you a Capricorn yourself? I am. Not that that means anything.

    I love the type, and will take any excuse offered to post mine again. :)

    Roman Empire: silver denarius of Vespasian, struck by Titus ca. 80-81 AD

    [​IMG]

    Obverse: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, laureate head of Vespasian right.
    Reverse: Two capricorns supporting shield inscribed S C, celestial globe below.
    Issuing authority: Titus, Roman emperor (79-81 AD).
    Composition, diameter, weight: Silver, 19.3 mm, 3.541 g, die axis 180 degrees.
    Grade, certification: NGC AU; Strike 5/5, Surface 4/5, cert. #4280918-004. Purchased raw.
    Reference attribution: RIC II-1 Titus 357; RSC II 497; BMCRE II 129; BnF III 101; SRCV I 2569 (per Forum Ancient Coins).
    Provenance: Forum Ancient Coins, 27 November 2015*. Prior provenance to Jeff Michniak Collection.

    Notes: This is a posthumous Vespasian commemorative, struck by Titus after Vespasian's consecration with the title "Divus". Vespasian had foreseen this deification, and famously quipped on his deathbed, "Vae, puto deus fio." ("Dear me, I think I'm becoming a god".)

    Forum Ancient Coins called this coin “the nicest example of this type handled by Forum to date”. An only marginally nicer example brought 1,300 CHF (approx. $1,340 USD) around the time I bought this one for less than a third as much.

    Additional images:

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG][​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  19. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Most, like mine have the very high relief SC worn off. LM's coin is really special.
    rb1330bb0707.jpg

    Titus also has a nice single Capricorn type. Like the LM's specimen, the globe here had cross hatching which is usually worn away by the time I can consider buying one.
    rb1355fd1851.jpg
     
  20. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Titus 1.jpg
    TITUS
    Fouree Denarius
    OBVERSE: CAES VESPAS AVG TR P COS III, Laureate head right
    REVERSE: Foreparts of two capricorns springing in opposing directions, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe below
    Struck at Rome, 80/1AD
    3.06g, 18mm
    RIC II 357 (Titus); RSC 497
     
  21. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Here is mine...the large shield variety.

    Titus 80-81 For Divus Vespasianus.
    3,10 g.
    Obv: Head laureate r; DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS
    Rev: Capricorns 2 back to back supporting shield inscribed SC, below globe
    RIC 357 Cohen 497 BMC 129 RSC 497
    Ex-Paul Schürer (1890-1976);
    Ex-Fritz Reusing (1874-1956)
    Purchased from Manfred Olding Munzenhandlung June 4, 2019

    Titus RIC 357.jpg
     
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