Help me choose the final 2 coins for my Roman Republican Top 10 List

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by DonnaML, Dec 6, 2021.

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Vote for two coins for the last spots on my Top 10 Roman Republican list

Poll closed Dec 14, 2021.
  1. 1. T. Cloelius (Roma/Victory in biga, horses rearing high)

    2 vote(s)
    4.5%
  2. 2. Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus (Roma/Victory in biga, man fighting lion below)

    3 vote(s)
    6.8%
  3. 3. T. Manlius, Ap. Claudius Pulcher & Q. Urbinus (Roma/Victory in Triga)

    11 vote(s)
    25.0%
  4. 4. L. Aurelius Cotta (Vulcan/Eagle)

    14 vote(s)
    31.8%
  5. 5. M. Cato (Quinarius) (Liber or Bacchus/Victory)

    4 vote(s)
    9.1%
  6. 6. C. Marcius Censorinus (Numa Pompilius & Ancus Marcius/Desultor with 2 horses)

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  7. 7. M. Nonius Sufenas (Saturn/Victory crowning Roma)

    13 vote(s)
    29.5%
  8. 8. C. Memmius C.f. (Quirirnus/Ceres & snake)

    13 vote(s)
    29.5%
  9. 9. T. Carisius (Sibyl/Human-headed Sphinx)

    19 vote(s)
    43.2%
  10. 10. L. Papius Celsus (Juno Sospita/She-Wolf & Eagle

    6 vote(s)
    13.6%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Since I'm already pretty much decided on 8 coins to include in my Roman Republican Top 10 list, here are the candidates for the last two open spots in the list. l will leave the poll up for a week and see how it turns out. Of course, I reserve the right not to adopt the results of the vote, or to adopt them but take more than two, requiring me to drop one or more coins from the 8 I've already chosen. It's all just for fun, and to have the chance to show and tell about as many coins as possible.

    I an omitting the footnotes for 9 of the 10 (because most of them are the really long footnotes for which I seem to be notorious), but am providing links to my original posts including those footnotes.

    In Crawford order:

    1. Roman Republic, T. Cloelius, AR Denarius Rome 128 BCE. Obv. Head of Roma right wearing a winged helmet, single drop earring, and pearl necklace, wreath behind neck and ROMA beneath; no mark of value / Rev. Victory in biga right, holding reins in both hands in attempt to restrain horses rearing high (or “galloping with high action” [BMCRR Vol. I 1079 at p. 165]); below horses, an ear of grain right; in exergue, T•CLOVLI. Crawford 260/1, RSC I [Babelon] Cloulia 1 (ill. p. 32), BMCRR Vol. I 1079 & Vol. III Pl. xxix no. 5, Sear RCV I 136, RBW Collection 1055 (ill. p. 219), Sydenham 516. 19 mm., 3.83 g. Purchased Nov. 2021 from Künker France - Poinsignon Numismatique. [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/roman-republicans-nos-64-65-t-cloelius-and-q-fabius-maximus.389700/ for footnote.]

    T. Cloelius denarius.jpg

    2. Roman Republic, Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus, AR Denarius Rome 128 BCE [Crawford], 131 BCE [Mattingly], or after 122 BCE [BMCRR]. Obv. Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet and single-drop earring, stalk of grain [Br. Corn] upright behind, monogram (*) for value (XVI asses) in right field beneath chin / Rev. Victory driving galloping biga right, holding reins in left hand and whip in right; below, man with tall conical cap holding spear right, fighting lion (Crawford) left; above, ROMA; in exergue, CN•DOM. Crawford 261/1, RSC I [Babelon] Domitia 14, BMCRR 1025, Sear RCV I 137 (ill.), RBW Collection 1056, Sydenham 514. 18 mm., 3.85 g., 3 h. [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/roman-republican-no-56-lion-ess-or-hound.381034/#post-7594939 for footnote.]

    Domitius Ahenobarbus denarius, hunter & lion on reverse.jpg

    3. Roman Republic, T. Ma[n]l [= T. Manlius, T. Mallius, or T. Maloleius], Ap. Cl. [= Ap. Claudius Pulcher or Ap. Claudius Nero], and Q. Vr. [= Quintus Urbinius or, according to lesser authority, a reference to the first two moneyers as Quaestores Urbani), 111-110 BCE (Crawford) or 105-100 BCE (Mattingly, Lockyear, and Yarrow]. Obv. Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet and two-drop earring, with hair beneath helmet tied in back; behind Roma’s head, quadrangular shape with circle inside it/ Rev. Victory in triga right [one of only two RR triga coins], holding reins in both hands; horses cantering with third horse turning head back to first two; in exergue, T•M[AN]L(or M[A]L) [all ligate]•AP•CL•Q•VR [VR ligate]. Crawford 299/1b, BMCRR Vol. I 1293 [ill. Vol. II Pl. XXX No. 23], RSC I Claudia 3, Sear RCV I 176 (leg. var.), RBW Collection (2014) Nos. 1141-1142 at p. 236. 17 mm., 4.02 gr. [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ro...er-triga-crawford-299-1b.386433/#post-7890724 for footnote.]

    Claudius Pulcher etc. Triga Munthandel G. Henzen jpg.jpg

    4. Roman Republic, L. Aurelius Cotta*, AR serrate Denarius, 105 BCE, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust of Vulcan right, wearing conical cap (pileus) bound with laurel wreath, tongs behind shoulder with * [= XVI; mark of value] above; beneath chin, control mark “D” with single pellet below**; all within myrtle-wreath / Rev. Eagle standing three-quarters right on thunderbolt with wings spread and head left; in exergue, L • COT; laurel-wreath around.*** Crawford 314/1b, RSC I Aurelia 21 (ill.); BMCRR 1296, Sydenham 577, Sear RCV I 191 (ill.). 19 mm., 3.74 g. Purchased from Ken Dorney June 2021; with old coin ticket from 1950s/1960s [with Sydenham number but not Crawford]. [Footnotes omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ro...ius-cotta-nonius-sufenas.385954/#post-7874545 for footnotes.]

    COMBINED Cotta - Vulcan white background.jpg

    5. Roman Republic, M. Cato, AR Quinarius [half denarius], 89 BCE. Obv. Head of young Liber (or Bacchus) right, M•CATO (AT ligate) downwards behind; below, control-mark star/ Rev. Victory seated right, holding patera with outstretched right hand and palm branch over left shoulder; in exergue, VICTRIX (TR ligate). Crawford 343/2b, RSC I Porcia 7 (ill.) (type with symbol as control-mark), BMCRR 662, Sydenham 597(c), Sear RCV I 248 (ill.), RBW Collection 1298. 15 mm., 1.58 g., 6 h. Ex. Numismatique Louis Brousseau Auction 1, Aug. 24, 2019, Lot 255.*

    M. Cato, quinarius, jpg image.jpg

    *Issued at end of Social War. The moneyer’s specific identity and relationship to Cato the Younger (Uticensis) are unknown; he was not that Cato’s father, who died no later than 91 BCE. There is a possibility that he can be identified with M. Porcius the wine-merchant. See Crawford p. 352. The reverse figure is presumably Victoria Virgo, whose shrine was built by Cato Censorius (id., citing Livy). The control-mark of a star is not among the 67 control-marks listed in Crawford Table XXV at pp. 350-351. There is one other example of this control-mark listed in acsearch.

    6. Roman Republic, C. Marcius Censorinus, AR Denarius, Rome 88 BCE. Obv. Jugate diademed heads, right, of kings Numa Pompilius, bearded [legendary second king of Rome], and Ancus Marcius, beardless [his grandson, the legendary fourth king of Rome], no control-mark / Rev. Desultor on horseback galloping right, wearing pileus [conical cap], with second horse at his side, holding whip with right hand and holding reins for both horses with left hand; in exergue, C•CENSO; no control-mark. Crawford 346/1i [no control-marks], RSC I Marcia 18a [no control marks], BMCR 2367 [no control-marks], see also id. 2368-2393 [various control-marks], Sydenham 713, Sear RCV I 256 [illustration has control-mark]. 17 mm., 3.72 g. [Purchased from Munthandel G. Henzen, Netherlands, Feb. 2021; ex. Dutch private collection.] [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/roman-republican-denarius-46-desultor.375241/#post-6368888 for footnote.]

    C. Marcius Censorinus - desultor on horseback on reverse - jpg version.jpg

    7. Roman Republic, M. Nonius Sufenas*, AR Denarius, 59 BCE (or 57 BCE according to Hersh and Walker & Harlan), Rome Mint. Obv. Bearded head of Saturn right, with long hair; behind head, harpa with conical stone (baetyl)** beneath it* and S•C upwards above it; before, SVFENAS downwards / Rev. Roma seated left on pile of shields, holding scepter in right hand and sword in left hand; behind, Victory left, crowning Roma with wreath and holding palm-branch extending behind her over right shoulder; around to left from 4:00, PR•L• - V• - P•F; in exergue, SEX•NONI [The two parts of the reverse legend, together, stand for Sex. Noni[us] pr[aetor] L[udi] V[ictoriae] p[rimus] f[ecit, meaning Sex. Nonius, praetor, first held the games of Victory.].*** Crawford 421/1, RSC Nonia1(ill.), BMCRR 3820, Sear RCV I 377 (ill.), Sydenham 885, Harlan, RRM II Ch. 13 at pp. 104-111[Harlan, Michael, Roman Republican Moneyers and their Coins 63 BCE - 49 BCE (2d ed. 2015)], RBW Collection 1517. 19 mm., 3.95 g. [Footnotes omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ro...s-nerva-aurelius-cotta-nonius-sufenas.385954/ for footnotes.] Sufenas denarius jpg version (Saturn-Roma crowned with trophy).jpg
    8. Roman Republic, C. Memmius C.f., AR Denarius, 56 BCE [Crawford], 57 BCE [Harlan], Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head of Quirinus right [deified aspect of Romulus and/or Italian deity worshipped on Quirinal Hill; see footnote], hair long, beard in formal ringlets, C•MEMMI•C•F downwards to right, QVIRINVS downwards to left; banker’s mark or test mark to left of Quirinus’s eye, in shape of bird? inside flower or star/ Rev. Ceres seated right, holding torch in left hand and corn ear in right hand; at her feet, snake rearing with head right; MEMMIVS •AED• CERIALIA•PREIMVS•FECIT [translated as “Memmius as aedile first held the games of Ceres” (Harlan RRM II pp. 99-100)] downwards from upper left; old graffiti resembling an “X” to right of Ceres. Crawford 427/2, RSC I Memmia 9 (ill.), Sear RCV I 388 (ill.), BMCRR 3940; Sydenham 921; Harlan RRM II, Ch. 12 at pp. 95-103; RBW Collection 1532; Jones, J.M., A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (1990) [entry for “Quirinus” at p. 264]. 19.5 mm., 3.71 g. [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ro...uding-first-two-quinarii.378507/#post-7372631 for footnote.]

    COMBINED Memmius denarius.jpg

    9. Roman Republic, T. Carisius, AR Denarius, 46 BCE, Rome mint. Obv. Head of Sibyl (or Sphinx) right, her hair elaborately decorated with jewels and enclosed in a sling, tied with bands / Rev. Human-headed Sphinx seated right with open wings, wearing cap, T•CARISIVS above,; in exergue, III•VIR. Crawford 464/1, RSC I Carisia 11 (ill.), Sear RCV I 446 (ill.), Sear Roman Imperators 69 (ill. p. 46), Sydenham 983a, BMCRR 4061. 19 mm., 3.87 g. [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/fi...blican-denarii-nos-43-44.372929/#post-5375582 for footnote.]

    T. Carisius sphinx jpg version.jpg

    10. Roman Republic, L. Papius Celsus, AR Denarius, 45 BCE, Rome Mint. Obv. Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat’s skin headdress tied at neck; circular banker’s mark “well hidden” [per email from Dimitrios G. Gerothanasis, Nomos AG] near Juno’s ear / Rev. She-wolf standing right, holding stick in mouth which she places on fire; to right of fire, eagle standing left fanning the flames with open wings (and with tip of outer wing extending beyond coin’s border); CELSVS III • VIR above; L. PAPIVS in exergue. Crawford 472/1, RSC I (Babelon) Papia 2 (ill. p. 71), Sear CRI 82 at pp. 51-52 [David Sear, The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators 49-27 BC (1998)], RBW Collection 1647 (ill. p. 349) (2014), BMCRR I 4018 (ill. BMCRR II Pl. L no. 22); Sear RCV I 461 (ill. p. 158), Sydenham 964. 18 mm., 3.08 g., 1 h. Purchased Oct. 3, 2021 at Nomos Obolos 20, Lot 1059. [Footnote omitted; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ro...papius-celsus-juno-sospita-wolf-eagle.387754/ for footnote.]

    version 2 Papius Celsus (Juno Sospita - wolf and eagle) Crawford 472-1 jpg version.jpg
     
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  3. El Cazador

    El Cazador Well-Known Member

    @DonnaML - Just did:#7&#9

    thanks for sharing
     
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  4. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    And here -- without the write-ups for now and without voting for favorites for now -- are photos (in Crawford order) of the 8 coins I've already chosen for my top 10 RR list. Always subject to change, of course! If anyone feels strongly that there are one or more coins among these 8 that shouldn't be in my Top 10, and should be replaced by one or more of the 10 listed above, please speak up.

    1. C. Metellus Pius, Crawford 263/1a

    M Caecilius Metullus Crawford 263 (Roma- Macedonian shield with elephant at center).jpg

    2. P. Licinius Nerva, Crawford 292/1

    P. Nerva Roma-Voting Scene CNG image.jpg

    3. M. Herennius, Crawford 308/1b

    NEW COMBINED DML M. Herennius.jpg

    4. Marius Capito, Crawford 378/1c

    Nomos Obolos Auction 18 Marius Capito denarius (Control-number CI) jpg version.jpg

    5. Lucretius Trio, Crawford 390/1

    COMBINED FIXED BY PETEB Lucretius Trio Sol, crescent moon & 7 stars (w. Rev. 3).jpg

    6. Calpurnius Piso Frugi, Crawford 408/1a

    Piso Frugi (C. PISO L. F. FRVG) jpg version.jpg

    7. Cassius Longinus, Crawford 413/1

    Cassius Longinus - Vesta - Voting scene jpg version.jpg

    8. Scipio Metellus Pius, Crawford 459/1

    Metellus Scipio elephant Crawford 459.jpg

    So let's see, I've now shown at least photos of 1 Greek coin, 19 Roman Imperials, 15 Roman Provincials, and 18 Roman Republicans. That's 53, out of the 73 coins I've bought in 2021. Last year, I think I showed about 40 out of 140 on my year-end lists. I never was very good at cutting things down!
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2021
  5. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    I chose 9 and 10 because I find the reverses interesting. Especially 10, I really enjoyed the thread for that coin and the myth behind it.
    I also liked the myth behind #1 :D
     
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  6. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    LOL
     
  7. iameatingjam

    iameatingjam Well-Known Member

    I would say 3 and 8... but I tend to go for sharpness and contrast as opposed to uniqueness.
     
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  8. GinoLR

    GinoLR Well-Known Member

    I voted the same
     
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  9. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    I voted for 3 & 7 :happy:.
     
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  10. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I chose 8 & 9, like everyone else, it seems!
     
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  11. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    All are beautiful!
    I voted for 5 and 7.
     
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  12. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    I did 4 and 9. I chose them for different "stereotypical" types of RR.
     
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  13. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Wonderful group of coins! I always enjoy your write ups and reading your research and cannot wait for the official top 10.
    That said, I would disregard everyone's votes and go with your heart on this. Otherwise it is not your top 10, but a bunch of schlubs, save a handful, that don't specialize in RRs. If I let the board choose my MSC top 10 it would have been a bunch of pretty little coins with not nearly the historical merit nor rarities that folks will probably not see again.
    That said, you can never go wrong with Roma sitting on a pile of shields and I've always had a crush on Sibyl...just saying:shame:
     
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  14. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    I chose 7 & 9. I like their reverse designs. :)
     
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  15. tenbobbit

    tenbobbit Well-Known Member

    sorry, my computer had a moment.

    I voted #1 & #4.

    No science behind the choices.

    Coin #1 I really like how Victory has her foot on the brakes :cool:

    Coin #4 made me stop and look for longer

    All great coins but, those 2 stood out to me.
     
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  16. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    4, 7, 9 If the ones you buy look similar. #10 is interesting too. You already have 8 beauties in the set and #4 would be my pick to add IF only one more because IMO it goes best with your coins.
     
    Last edited: Dec 6, 2021
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  17. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    #2 and #7 for me..All beauts though.
     
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  18. singig

    singig Well-Known Member

    I voted for #8 and #9.
     
  19. Numisnewbiest

    Numisnewbiest Well-Known Member

    I cast a double vote for #9 - a win/win for the sphinx! :)
     
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  20. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Hey, is ballot-stuffing allowed?!
     
  21. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    NOT GUILTY. :D I posted about four but only voted for two.
     
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