These two Tacitus Ants maybe the last arrivals for this year. Lugdunum created the most naturalistic coin portraits at the time and I bought the tao specifically for their nice portraits. I thought the reverse types are kind of fitting for Christmas (if providentia deorum is understood in singular) Obv.: IMP C N CL TACITVS PF AVG Rev.: PROVID DEOR Mint: Lugdunum Weight: 4.42g RIC 48, RIC online 3262 Obv.: IMP C CL TACITVS AVG Rev.: PAX PVBLICA Mint: Lugdunum Weight: 4.55 g RIC 45. RIC online 3253
Exceptional late examples of realistic and finely detailled classical portraiture. Beautiful! Tacitus looks to have had better celators working on his Antoniniani than the rest of the Illyrian emperors. Makes me think about expanding my area of collecting...
Those are exceptional portraits with excellent reverse engraving too . For comparison pictured below is a billon Aurelianianus I sold at CNG 483 for $188.80.
True, I think when it comes to naturalistic portraiture the last flowering of this art was in the 270s and 280s in western mints, such as Lugdunum (Lyon) and Ticinum (Pavia).
My offering.... Tacitus 275 - 276 Ӕ silvered Antoninianus, Rome, 275 21 x 23 mm - 4.07 g IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R/ LAETITIA FVND Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and anchor. XXIB in exergue. RIC Vi Rome 89b large, grey silvering patina, XF
