18 Sestertii of Elagabalus - Part 2

This continues the prior post:



11. Fortuna standing - RIC 348 - featured on another post on this site. Purchased from VCOINS ca 2019.



12. Libertas standing left holding pileus and cornucopia - RIC 357 (a) - purchased from a VCOINS dealer a few months ago in 2021. Very rare - wish I had a better example, but I happy to have this one since the type is so rare!



13. Libertas standing - RIC 358 - purchased from an Italian dealer on ebay ca. 2013. Inscribed "LIBERTAS AUGUSTI" Beautiful portrait. This is the common "LIBERTAS" type and based on the bust was likely struck earlier than the "LIBERTAS AVG" type



14. Liberalitas standing - RIC 354(a) ? - I need help on this example which was purchased from a well respected Spanish dealer on ebay ca. 2019. Many questions about this coin - I have seen fabric similar to this coin for sale recently, including in an Adventus type. What is puzzling is that this appears to read on the reverse LIBERALITAS AUGUSTI III, which is not possible. It may be a mistake on the part of the celator or it may have been tooled in, which would be distressing, or it could be a misreading. Another of this type is now for sale in a catalog auction, but it is not a match for this die. The examples on ACSEARCH seem all from different dies. An interesting example!



15. Pax walking right with olive branch - RIC 366, purchased on ebay circa 2015, the Seller claims it was purchased from CNG. Medallic flan. Many of the Pax types are from this obverse die. The patina is black and nicer than this poor photograph. 31mm, 21.57 grms



16. Salus standing right - RIC 372 - purchased on German ebay from a reputable dealer circa 2020. A large, thick coin, same dies as a couple others on ACSEARCH. This type is reputed to be common but only a few examples ae noted on ACSEARCH. I have found none of the dated type at RIC 283. One other type - Mars Victor - should be common but only ONE example on ACSEARCH. I actually owned an example of an Elagabalus sestertius with a Mars reverse but FOOLISHLY sold it due to dissatisfaction with its condition - I have a photograph of the coin, and I should never have sold it. One of many selling mistakes, coins are sold which I would now be very happy to own.



17. Victory walking right with wreath - RIC 377. This and "LIBERTAS" appear to be the most available Elababalus sestertii types. Purchased from ebay ca. 2014.



18. Horned Elagabalus - RIC 350, purchase from CNG, May 2010. inscribed - "INVICTUS SACERDOS AVG" Emperor standing with patera over alter, among the most common reverse types for this emperor.

Ever look at a listing in RIC and think - "I will never be able to find and own an affordable example of this coin, if I find one at all"? I thought this type with this inscription would never come up for sale, and if it did it would be far too expensive but this went for a reasonable price. I really like this coin despite its rather diminutive size- 28mm, 21.80 grams. Like I said, Elagabalus is not a popular emperor, so his sestertii do not go for Nero prices - of course they are not as nice as Nero's sestertii either.

And that's it - time limitations means that I have to post the weight and size of each coin, and perhaps the inscription, in an added post to each page.

If you happen to come upon an example of an Elagabalus with a Mars reverse for sale anywhere, or a worn Adventus - but not the really worn one on German ebay - PLEASE let me know.

 

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Great batch O coins! Thanks for sharing.
That Fortuna one has a eye catching portrait.
Best I can do is my most recent Severus Alexander, who supplanted his cousin Elagabalus (thanks to those conniving Severan women), with Mars reverse:

 

Elagabalus does have a certain charm to him. Definitely, a fun bit of history to learn.

Great collection of bronzes. Many are pretty scarce/rare to find in this denomination so well done.

 

Nice coin - I like this type for Severus Alexander and hope to find the similar one for Elagabalus

 

I always find it interesting that the emperors are portrayed much older. Considering Elagabalus was 14 as emperor and assisnated at 18, his portraits depict t him as much older.

 

Perhaps it was to make him more of an adult for the soldiers, many of whom wore beards -

 

A wonderful collection! How many more were issued that you don't have?

 

Fascinating collection. Hopefully I manage to settle on a particular niche rather than bouncing around like a maniac. You must be the premier Elagabalus Sestertii expert by now!

 

It is a different way to collect - it is frustrating because once you get to a certain point it gets more and more difficult to go further because all of the more common coins are finished, so you have to wait and wait for something. And some coins which are supposed to be common never come up -- I mean Mars, of course. The same thing happened with Septimius Severus, but there are so many of his coins that I gave up. There is a better shot at reaching the goal with Elagabalus. I got lucky the last three years since rare (and equally important - affordable) examples kept being available. I'm close to the end of that and have not bought one for a few months.

 

It is much like anything in life. The longer and more difficult the chase, the more euphoric the catch!

I believe they wanted to emphasise his somewhat fabricated connection to Caracalla, particularly with the beard choice. On the contrary, Gordian really does look his age.

 

It depends on how you count the coins - I count 41 different types of sestertii in RIC, but the number would be higher if you count different bust types, whether there is a star or not in the field, etc.

These are the major types missing: (1) any platform type; (2) Elagabalus on horse - Adventus, which are in my opinion his beautiful sestertii; (3) of course, Mars; (4) Three Moneta (the holy grail of Elagabalus - I have never seen one anywhere); (5) sacrificing type but inscribed: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB - foolishly just missed out on an example.

 

Here is an idea of the relative rarity of your Sestertii according to their respective numbers known to Banti (I Grandi Bronzi Imperiali, Vol. IV-2) in 1987 (those numbers must be multiplied by at least three in the age of the Internet I suppose):

1) Roma, RIC 280 4 in Banti
2) Roma, RIC 284 8 in Banti
3) Sol, RIC 293 (should be RIC 300) 29 in Banti
4) Genius (Emperor) seated, RIC 304 2 in Banti
5) Quadriga, RIC 308 7 in Banti
6) Providentia, RIC 321 4 in Banti
7) Emperor and altar, RIC 327 1 in Banti
8) Fides, RIC 345 13 in Banti
9) Emperor and altar, RIC 334 2 in Banti
10) Emperor and altar, RIC 334 1 in Banti
11) Fortuna, RIC 348 3 in Banti
12) Libertas, RIC 357 1 in Banti
13) Libertas, RIC 358 23 in Banti
14) Liberalitas, RIC 354 (should be RIC 353) 6 in Banti
15) Pax, RIC 366 7 in Banti
16) Salus, RIC 372 9 in Banti
17) Victory, RIC 377 18 in Banti
18) Emperor and altar, RIC 350 5 in Banti

RIC 358 was also the most common Sestertius of Elagabalus encountered in the Guelma hoard.

What Blake needs next is:
ADVENTVS AVGVSTI (Emperor on horseback), RIC 340 9 in Banti
SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB, RIC 369 6 in Banti
LIBERALitas (platform scene), RIC 290 3 in Banti
MARS VICTOR, RIC 362 2 in Banti

The Three Monetae never apperared on a Sestertius of Elagabalus, only on Medallions (only a handful known)

And here is my humble (only) Elagabalus:

IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS PIVS AVG - laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus right.
VICTORIA ANTONINI AVG S C - Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm branch.
Sestertius, Rome 218-219
30,22 mm / 20,15 gr
RIC 377; BMCRE 362; Cohen 297; Sear 7582

 

Not so humble - a beautiful example!

 

This is such an interesting response and is greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for providing this - this all goes in a scrap book series I have of imperial sestertii -

by the way where in the world do you find this information - do you have a copy of Banti? I saw someone on French ebay was selling an edition for $500 - beyond my means

 

P.S. Most surprising is Mars - should be common but clearly it is quite rare. Makes me feel even less better for selling an example!

 

That does not seem all that bad if for the whole set. I only have IV-1 which cost me $48.50 from NFA in 1992. It covers Septimius through Macrinus. The photos are second rate but there are some nice drawings of medallions and rarities. Worth owning? Maybe. I find it a bit depressing. It shows about a dozen sestertii of Geta as Caesar and the specimen count is usually just one.

 

I bought a complete unused edition on Italian Ebay five years ago for 200 Euros or so. A must have if you are an exclusive Sestertius collector like me (as a bonus I discovered one of my Sestertii as a plate coin with a century-old pedigree in there).
Banti died before he could finish Vol.I.1-3 dealing with the Julio-Claudians and Flavians, but the first Volume of Cayon (which is even harder to find, I still miss Vol.3) covers that time period.

 

Depressing indeed - Severan sestertii during the rare years are almost impossible to find, and when they do appear usually command enormous prices in even poorer condition. For example in June, 2019 Heritage sold one - Victoriae Augustorum - 33mm, 29.26 gram RIC 115 - very worn, but very beautiful, and an interesting design, thought I had a shot but the price was (I think) over fifteen hundred dollars. The Geta sestertii that are referenced in Banti - these are in RIC?

This weekend I am going to try to put together a photo gallery of sestertii during the Severan "few bronze period" for my loose leaf - a photo is something, plus it is good for research.

 

Could you recommend books or catalogs that focus on sestertii? Two of my CNG catalogs, one from 2004 and the other from 2005 (I think) have large sestertii collections, plus the catalog from the _____ collection just can't recall the name - yellow, orange cover, about 1,115 sestertii, mostly in VF, many less but this was a celebrated aspect of the collection that they were not all in perfect condition, since there was so many and all were different - one of my favorite catalogs, with a great one or two paragraph introduction but of course I cannot recall the name.

 

I think you may refer to NAC´s catalogue "Roman Imperial Sestertii - The Friedrich Collection" (2nd April 1995) featuring illustrations of 960 Sestertii. Highly recommended!

I also enjoy Robert Turcan´s 1963 catalogue of the Guelma hoard of 7486 roman Sestertii (Le Trésor de Guelma, Étude historique et monétaire) including 300 illustrations. There were just 24 coins by Elagabalus, 17 of Julia Maesa, 5 of Soaemias and one each of Julia Paula and Aquilia Severa in the hoard (as compared to 1.284 of Severus Alexander, 346 of Julia Mamaea and 4 of Orbiana), confirming their rarity even in ancient times.

My main reference is Banti however.