My most recent purchase is a decently scarce Flavian bronze mule. Titus as Caesar [Vespasian] Æ Dupondius, 10.82g Rome mint, 74 AD Obv: T•CAESAR•IMP•COS III•CENS; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: TR•POT•COS III•CENSOR•; Winged caduceus between crossed cornuacopiae RIC 767 (R). BMC 892. BNC 908. A truly remarkable Titus Caesar dupondius struck in Rome under Vespasian, but lacking the traditional radiate portrait on the obverse and the de rigueur S C on the reverse. The reverse with crossed cornucopiae echoes similar types from the East. Traditionally, the issue this rather strange coin is from has been attributed to various different mints over the years. However, hoard and findspot data indicates these coins circulated in the Western empire and not in the East. Ted Buttrey in the RIC II.1 A&C wrote - 'RIC 756-767 are irregular Dupondii, which should be taken together with Asses, semisses and quadrantes (RIC 1564-1581), forming together a single extraordinary issue in four denominations, distinct in typology and metal, as well as overall character from the regular coinage of the year. Although Eastern in aspect and reverse type, the circulation area of the dupondii is almost exclusively Gaul, Germany, Italy – i.e. the West, with scarcely any penetration of the East. Finds of the smaller denominations are rarely attested anywhere, East or West. The Eastern finds appear to be simply the débris of Mediterranean circulation.' This specimen has the additional feature of being a mint mule combining an obverse intended for Titus Caesar's previous bronze issue with a 'Syrian' reverse. In all likely hood both issues were struck contemporaneously. Get on the mule train and post your mules!
I have a couple Claudius II mules, with DIVO CLAVDIO obverse SECVRIT AVG FELICITAS AVG PAX AVGVSTI AETERNITAS AVG I have a couple of Tetricus antoniniani, with the obverse of one Tetricus, and the reverse of the other! Tetricus I / PRINC IVVENT Tetricus II / COMES AVG And finally a fouree antoninianus of Gordian III, PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS reverse
Curtis Clay explained to me that the Philip II Tet I posted was in fact not a true hybrid/mule, rather a unique die pair. Therefore the info I added to the NGC slab has been changed to read die pair instead of hybrid. At times numismatic nomenclature can be confusing . However, my favorite mule is "Sal" .
Nice find David. Here's another mule from Titus. Rare, but not exceeding rare. It has it's own RIC number, just like yours. They must have struck thousands of them before they noticed the mistake. T CAES IMP VESP CENS Laureate bust right PONTIF MAXIM Vespasian seated right on curule chair, with sceptre and branch Rome, 73 AD RIC 554 (R) (Vespasian) A mule with reverse type of Vespasian 3.03g
A very nice pickup. Here is a mule I just acquired recently. As you know, this is the second one known. I'll let other members guess who has the other one. Vespasian AR Denarius 77-78 CE (18mm 3.17g) Obv: Head laureate left; IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG Rev: COS VI in exergue; Oxen 2 yoked RIC 945; BMC--; RSC -- Purchased from C J Martin coins on Vcoins.
Here's one of the more interesting mules in my numophylacium -- it has the Latin-language obverse of the Thracian city of Deultum combined with the Greek-language reverse of the Moesian city of Marcianopolis. I've written about this coin before. Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235. Roman Provincial Æ tetrassarion, 22.4 mm, 8.92 g, 1 h. Hybrid of coins of Deultum and Marcianopolis, AD 227-228/229. Obv: IVLIA MA-MAEA AVG; draped bust, right, wearing stephane. Rev: VΠ TIB IOVΛ ΦHCTȢ MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN, eagle standing facing, head left, with wings spread, holding wreath in beak. Refs: Unpublished; see Varbanov II, 2333 (Mamaea) and AMNG I-1, 1018-21 (Severus Alexander).
Good topic! My only mule doesn't really count because it's a fourree and therefore doesn't have quite the same significance. Roman Republic fourree mule denarius L. Antestius Gragulus, 136 BCE, and C. Renius, 138 BCE ancient forgery, 3.18 gm Obv: Roma helmeted head right, * below chin, GRAG behind Rev: Juno Caprotina in a biga of goats, C・RENI below, ROMA in exergue Ref: Obverse S.115, Cr.238/1, Syd.451, RSC Antestia 9; Reverse S.108, Cr.231/1, Syd.432, RSc Renia 1 https://www.cointalk.com/threads/mule-or-goat-both-gragulus-renius-fourée-denarius.270214/
As a language nerd, the 2 tongues would have sold me on the coin as well. As most of you know I have bought coins for lesser reasons because they were…well…coins.
Fourree Mule RR fourée mule anon Q Fabius Labeo denarius 18mm 2.9g after 124 BC Roma X Jupiter Quadriga thunderbolt scepter Cr 159 obv Cr 273-1 rev AniMule RI Julia Flavia Titi Diva 90-91 CE d-Titus concubine-uncleDomitian AE Sestertius 33mm 20.4g - Carpentum mules SPQR - SC mule1 /myo͞ol/ noun 1. the offspring of a donkey and a horse (strictly, a male donkey and a female horse), typically sterile and used as a beast of burden
Wow Brian that Julia Titi is phenomenal. The wear does not bother me because in this case I think it enhances the look of the coin. My goodness my friend I love that one.
This coin is either an unlisted Roman Imperial or a mule. The only one sold at auction, Munz Zentrum Rheinland - Auction 175, Lot 683, January 13, 2016, was listed as a possible mule. Mine was described as "unlisted". Authority: Elagabalus (Augustus 218 – 222 AD) Denomination: AR Denarius Mint: unknown Obverse: IMP CAES ANTONINVS AVG – should be IMP ANTONINVS AVG; Laureate, draped bust right Reverse: PROVID DEORVM; Providentia standing left with legs crossed and leaning on column, holding wand over globe and cornucopia References: RIC -; SEAR -; RSC -, OCRE -; unlisted type
Here's a base metal cast Denarius: Geta obverse with the reverse of his mother, Julia Domna's Juno Denarius -- which would be really cool if genuinely ancient. Is it an ancient "Limes" Denarius (explained below), or a modern forgery? I've never been entirely sure. (Opinions welcome!) (There's a visible casting seam, occasionally visible on "Limes." Patina consistent with "Limes." Both features could be consistent with modern forgery, too. I have 10-12 "Limes." I keep it with those -- for now.) "Limes" (pronounced "Lee-Mace"): Latin word meaning "border," as in the English word "liminal" (at the edges/boundaries). "Limes Denarius": Imitative or token coinage resembling the official Roman Imperial Denarii, mostly third century (especially Severan Dynasty). Possibly used in frontier regions (hence the name) where it was dangerous to bring precious metals (by encouraging "barbarian" raiding). Pot metal or potin, probably with plenty of tin or lead, sometimes giving a gray or "silvery" appearance. (Someone has probably done an XRF study or Neutron Tomography or whatever, but I don't know where...) Numiswiki: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Limes denarius @Valentinian 's site: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/imit/Limes-falsa.html (see also: Elagabalus imitations & Severus Alexander Imitations)
I have a number of lime's as well, none have a surface texture like yours. One could argue the rough surface is due to a modern forger casting the coin. However, why would they cast it from a base metal when silver would fetch a higher price. Here is one of my lime's of Gordian III for comparison: