Maximinus I Denarius, Polished or Not ?

I bought the common denarius pictured below many years ago at a coin show in Rochester, NY for the princely sum of $55.00. After showing it to a couple of collectors at the show they thought the coin had been polished . To calm my nerves I sent the coin to NGC for slabbing and it came back Ch AU, Strike 5/5, Surface 5/5, so it looks like I didn't get duped that time . The coin does have obvious die wear on both sides and striking weakness on the reverse, but the luster is original.

 

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To me it also looks like original luster.

And here's one I have:

 

Some of those silvers can look pretty dramatic. Yours is probably the best looking one in terms of luster i ever seen.

almost looks proof like

 

Nice specimens!

I once sent a coin with a SASE to Warsaw & got it back Polished...it looked the same, I don't know why they object to the practice. I've done several more since then.

(...er, what...no kidding ! Well that changes everything! )

Please disregard everything I stated after "Nice specimens".

 

Considering the general bad taste of the jokes known as 'Polish', I suppose this could be classed as one of the better ones of the class. People a bit younger than we are might not have caught that one.

 

That is a spectacular looking denarius, Al.

At the other end of the condition spectrum, here is a $4.99 ("buy it now") eBay sestertius with what I am pretty sure are original surfaces. Should I get it slabbed? (Just kidding).

And yeah, I remember Polish jokes. They were all over fifth grade.



Maximinus I Æ Sestertius
(236-238 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[MAX]IMINVS PIVS AV[G GE]RM, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / F[IDE]S M[ILITV]M S-C, Fides draped standing left holding two standards.
RIC 78; Cohen 13.
(17.88 grams / 29 x 27 mm)

 

...purdy!.....heck, who don't like shiny things...i have a few....my latest shiny one

 

With a name like Kowsky, I grew up hearing every Polish joke imaginable , and some of them I laughed at too.

 

a.c.h.,That's a nice looking denarius , but a common one too . The denarii that have GERM in the inscription are more desirable .

 

Perhaps after the battle of the Harzhorn?

 

a.c.h., That's probably the case ! With coinage found at that site in Lower Saxony, historians are now convinced Maximinus I won that battle .

 

I did read in Herodian (I think) that Maximinus erected large tapestries of battle scenes in the capitol to celebrate the victory and to communicate what a tough guy he was. Cheaper than erecting a column or an arch of Maximinus. Anyway, he wasn't in power long enough to complete such an ambitious project.

 

a.c.h., From what I've read, Maximinus was the 1st emperor never to set foot in the capital ! So the tapestry story must be contrived myth.

 

Could be a myth or something set up by one of his loyal deputies. There was some verbage about cowing the senators.

Edit, here is the passage in Herodian...

https://www.livius.org/sources/content/herodian-s-roman-history/herodian-7.2/

[7.2.8] This engagement and his own bravery Maximinus reported in dispatches to the Senate and Roman people; moreover, he ordered the scene to be painted on huge canvases to be set up in front of the Senate house, so that the Romans might not only hear about the battle but also be able to see what happened there. Later the Senate removed this picture together with the rest of his emblems of honor. Other battles took place in which Maximinus won praise for his personal participation, for fighting with his own hands, and for being in every conflict the best man on the field.

 

No doubt Maximinus was a great fighting soldier who liked to be part of the action , & probably did order canvases of the battle to be displayed in the senate, but that's different than erecting them himself. Septimius Severus appointed him as a personal body guard for good reason .

 

Doug, it had nothing to do with what you think it does. It was merely a play on words (upper case "P" & lower case "p") & differences in pronunciation...sheesh!

Keep you mind out of the gutter...you're usually a great poster here! Have a cup of coffee or whatever gives you enjoyment!

 

Here is another hoard coin of Maximinus Thrax: also quite lustrous in hand, with nice clear fields and with oval shape emphasizing emperor's acromegalic features.

 

This one is nicely toned....Just how I like'em... But still shows some of the original luster in the fields....
RIC 7A Minted AD 235-236

 

Nice one, @Al Kowsky! Here's my latest Maximinus I denarius:


Maximinus I, AD 235-238.
Roman AR denarius, 3.13 g, 19.2 mm, 6 h.
Rome, 2nd emission, AD 236.
Obv: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left, holding baton and cornucopiae; globe at feet.
Refs: RIC 13; BMCRE 86-88; Cohen 77; RSC 77a; RCV 8315; MIR 11-3.

 

...ya know...i'm reading Max l and seeing Max Thrax...i'll have to incorporate the two mentally.....this one ain't shiney..but it is heavy.... Maximinus l Thrax sesterterius