I've had this antoninianus of Maesa since 2009 but never posted it to CT

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Jul 12, 2020.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Post anything relevant -- including coins you've had for years but never bothered to photograph or post before.

    This is the only antoninianus issued for Julia Maesa and it's somewhat scarce compared to the denarii with this reverse type.

    Maesa PIETAS AVG Antoninianus.jpg
    Julia Maesa, AD 218-225.
    Roman AR antoninianus, 4.75 g, 22.3 mm, 12 h.
    Rome, AD 218-219.
    Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right, on crescent.
    Rev: PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing left, dropping incense with right hand over lighted altar and holding box in left hand.
    Refs: RIC 264; BMCRE 70-72; Cohen 30; RCV 7747; Thirion 407; CRE 489.

    This reverse type is most commonly seen on the denarius denomination:

    Maesa PIETAS AVG denarius.jpg
    Julia Maesa, AD 218-225.
    Roman AR denarius, 2.96 g, 18.7 mm, 5 h.
    Rome, AD 218-219.
    Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing left, dropping incense with right hand over lighted altar and holding box in left hand.
    Refs: RIC 263; BMCRE 73-74; Cohen 29; RCV 7754; Thirion 405; CRE 486.

    It was also issued in bronze in the sestertius and MB denominations.

    Maesa PIETAS AVG S C sestertius.jpg
    Julia Maesa, Augusta AD 218-225.
    Roman Orichalcum Sestertius, 21.28 gm, 29.2 mm.
    Rome mint, AD 218-220.
    Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: PIETAS AVG SC, Pietas standing left, sacrificing over altar and holding incense box.
    Refs: RIC 414; Cohen 31; BMCRE 389; Sear 7763; Thirion 408.

    A similar, but less commonly encountered reverse type was issued in the denarius denomination only and features Pietas raising both hands and not holding an incense box.

    Maesa PIETAS AVG denarius no incense box.jpg
    Julia Maesa, AD 218-225.
    Roman AR denarius, 2.38, 18.7 mm, 2.70 g, 11h.
    Rome, AD 218-220.
    Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG, bare-headed and draped bust right.
    Rev: PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing left, both hands raised, before lighted altar.
    Refs: RIC 266; BMCRE 75; Cohen 34; RCV 7755; Thirion 410; CRE 490.
     
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  3. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    Interesting example – I wasn't aware that this type was also minted as an antoninianus.

    I bought an example of the denarius version with two raised hands from Frank Robinson two years or so ago. Note that this type shows Pietas wearing a wreath or diadem, while the types featuring the incense box portray her as veiled:

    Rom – Julia Maesa, Denar, Pietas.png
    Julia Maesa, Roman Empire, denarius, 218–222 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG, bust of Julia Maesa, draped, r., hair turned up low at the back. Rev: PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing facing, head l. raising both hands, burning altar to l. 20mm, 3.65g. Ref: RIC IV.2 Elagabalus 266. Ex FSR 106, lot 270.
     
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  4. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    In 2015, Marc Walter had on Vcoins some of the most interesting coins with some of the best prices:

    other maesa.jpg
    gi3J2WHsLNe5pS99X8azzc7F4TkPmK.jpg
     
    ominus1, Alegandron, DonnaML and 10 others like this.
  5. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    My ant.

    [​IMG]
    Julia Maesa (218 - 225 A.D.)
    AR Antoninianus
    O: IVLIA MAESA AVG, Draped bust right, wearing stephane and set on crescent.
    R: PIETAS AVG, Pietas standing facing, head left, extending hand and holding acerrum; lighted and garlanded altar to lower left.
    Rome Mint
    23mm
    4.58g
    RIC IV(part 2), pg 50, #264 (Elagabalus).
     
  6. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Very nice ants all!
     
    +VGO.DVCKS likes this.
  7. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    RC, that is a stunner!!! And all the others are great to see! For some reason I hadn't put 2 and 2 together that the females of the Severan era had ants. Now I know!
     
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  8. +VGO.DVCKS

    +VGO.DVCKS Well-Known Member

    May I second that? I had to do a double-take, seeing an ant without a radiate crown. Just visually, that took a second to process!
     
  9. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    Right?!? Then I noticed that telltale crescent below the bust. :D
     
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  10. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    But portraits of women on antoniniani never have crowns. The crescent is the sign of an ant for a woman, as in these three examples:

    Obverse image only, Otacilia Severa antoninianus hippo reverse - jpg version.jpg

    Herennia Etruscilla jpg.jpg
    Salonina-Vesta jpg version.jpg
     
  11. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Although for whatever reason I don't see a crescent on this antoninianus of Severina. Were the crescents abandoned at some point?

    Severina VENVS FELIX jpg version.jpg
     
  12. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's a denarius! You may read about this denomination here. It was a fun thread and @Severus Alexander and I came up with the miniature poodle theory!:smuggrin: Yours is nicer than mine.

    [​IMG]
    Severina, AD 270-275.
    Roman billon denarius, 2.52 g, 18.8 mm, 6 h.
    Rome mint, officina 5, issue 11, early – September AD 275.
    Obv: SEVERINA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: VENVS FELIX, Venus standing left, holding unidentified object (perfume box, apple?)and long scepter; –/–//∈.
    Refs: RIC 6; MER/RIC 1861; Cohen 14; RCV 11710; CBN 285-86; La Venera 1510-11.
     
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  13. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Thanks! It was my mistake: I just checked the seller's description from VCoins from when I bought the coin in May 2018 (it was our own @Victor_Clark), and he correctly identified it as a denarius. For some reason I thought my latest denarius was from Gordian III; I either forgot or didn't know about the denomination's revival under Aurelian.

    The mark in the exergue looks like a gamma. Officina 3, I would assume. And I still don't really know what Venus is holding on the reverse -- it's supposed to be an apple, I believe.
     
    Last edited: Jul 12, 2020
  14. +VGO.DVCKS

    +VGO.DVCKS Well-Known Member

    Regarding denarii of Aurelian, just never mind. How often do you see one?
     
    Roman Collector likes this.
  15. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

  16. Alegandron

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

  17. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Jul 12, 2020
  18. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    Although I have no Ants of Maesa, and no Pietas of Maesa, and no Poodles of Severina, I did enjoy the post @Roman Collector, and all of the coins from you and others. Here's my favorite Maesa (denarius):
    Maesa Saeculi Felicitas.jpg
    Julia Maesa, AD 218-224,Rome, AR Denarius
    Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG, draped bust of Julia Maesa to right
    Rev: SAECVLI FELICITAS, Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding patera over burning altar in right hand and long caduceus in left, to right, star

    On the Severina - it looks like a die match to this apple:
    upload_2020-7-12_22-20-48.png upload_2020-7-12_22-20-55.png
     
  19. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    That looks more like a sponge on a stick! :sour:
    [​IMG]
     
  20. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That's why Venus Cloacina is Venus Felix on that coin! :D
     
  21. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    They're relatively common, though of course not as common as the ants. Denarii later than Aurelian are definitely rare, though. Here's my Carinus:

    Screen Shot 2020-07-12 at 7.37.40 PM.jpg
     
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