Get on the Mule Train!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by David Atherton, Sep 16, 2021.

  1. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    My most recent purchase is a decently scarce Flavian bronze mule.

    V767.jpg 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!
     
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  3. Harry G

    Harry G Well-Known Member

    I have a couple :)

    Claudius II mules, with DIVO CLAVDIO obverse

    SECVRIT AVG
    claudius ii mule 2.png
    FELICITAS AVG
    claudius ii mule 3.png
    PAX AVGVSTI
    claudius ii mule.png

    AETERNITAS AVG
    divo clavdio aeternitas.png

    I have a couple of Tetricus antoniniani, with the obverse of one Tetricus, and the reverse of the other!

    Tetricus I / PRINC IVVENT
    Tetricus I PRINC IVVENT.png

    Tetricus II / COMES AVG
    tetricus ii comes.png

    And finally a fouree antoninianus of Gordian III, PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS reverse
    gordian iii fouree.png
     
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  4. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    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 o_O.
    NGC 3988264-003 Al Kowsky Collection.jpg


    However, my favorite mule is "Sal" :p.

     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2021
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  5. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 Well-Known Member

    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.

    TitusPontif.jpg

    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
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2021
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  6. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Not as many passengers on this 'mule train' as I thought there would be!
     
  7. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    You'll have to wait a week or so for Faustina Friday. ;)
     
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  8. Alwin

    Alwin Well-Known Member

    Better than a mule, two mules!
    470.jpg
    DOMITILLA, Sestertius
    Rome, 80-81
    Carpentum drawn right by two mules
     
  9. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    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.
    Vespasian ric 945 new.jpg
     
  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    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.

    [​IMG]
    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).
     
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  11. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Good topic! My only mule doesn't really count because it's a fourree and therefore doesn't have quite the same significance.

    [​IMG]
    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/
     
  12. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Well okay my friend… but you had me at goat biga
     
  13. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..now that's what i was expecting...:)
     
  14. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    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.
     
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  15. Alegandron

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

    Fourree Mule

    [​IMG]
    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

    [​IMG]
    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. 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
     
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  16. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    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.
     
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  17. Alegandron

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

    Thank you! It seems like it circulated well.
     
  18. -monolith-

    -monolith- Supporter! Supporter

    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".

    image.jpg
    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
     
  19. Curtis

    Curtis Well-Known Member

    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.)

    Geta Limes Mule 1.jpg

    "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)​
     
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  20. -monolith-

    -monolith- Supporter! Supporter

    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:

    Untitled-1.jpg
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2023
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  21. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

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