A pleasant sestertius of Philip I ("The Arab") and the NYINC floor

First, here's a coin that arrived today, part of my effort to replace coins that I sold a long time ago.

This is a sestertius of Philip I, "The Arab", who reigned from February 244 to September 249. This type, with the four standards on the reverse, is a fairly readily available coin, but as with other coins, can be somewhat elusive in high grade. This example does not aspire to that category; instead it is what I'd call a nice VF, without any damage, a decent strike, but with some of the crudeness marking the coinage of this period.

Philip I, circa 244 AD
Sestertius
Rome
Obverse: IMP M IVL PHILLIPVS (AVG), laureate & draped bust facing right.
Reverse: FIDES EXERCITVS S-C, 4 standards, the two outer ones plain, the inner left standard is topped with a hand, the inner right one is topped with an eagle.
RIC 171a, Cohen 51
Brown patina with some earthen deposits.

17.49 grams




Regarding the NYINC, I am very interested in seeing reports from other CT members who were able to attend this seminal event. In particular I am interested in price trends for coins sold by dealers. What's hot and what's not? I have been tracking auction trends, which are often significantly impacted by "enthusiatic" bidding, sometimes taking lots to astronomical heights. Whie auction hammer prices are useful to follow trends in that arena, the flip side, what coin dealers on the floor ask for and receive for their coins, especially in an important venue as the NYINC, is of equal, if not greater importance in reflecting the demand for ancients within the general market.

 

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Nice pickup, @robinjojo. I like your coin's irregular flan shape.

 

Thanks. Yes, the flan is somewhat elongated and squared, typical of many later third century AD sestertii and other bronze denominations.

The coin also display's the "severe" style of portraiture that was in vogue during this period in Roman coinage, in keeping with the fortunes and vicissitudes of those turbulent times.

 

I've always found interest in the variations in shapes of the sestertii of this period. Many have one or more flat sides with the others being normally round. Has anyone published anything on the fabric of the coin of this era or is that not of interest to those who study types and dates?


It is not just Philip but shows up before and after. If the straight cuts were weight adjustments, I would expect the weights of the coins to be more consistent than they are. My sestertii from Gordian to Gallus range from 11 to 21g. It is obvious that I do not understand the flan prep process. I have also mentioned before that it seems that dupondii and asses (less common than sestertii) are more often seen rounder and with a taper/bevel to the edge while sestertii are squared off more sharply. I can't recall anyone addressing that either. Just add it to the huge list of things to be studied by numismatists of the 22nd century.

 

I'm really not a student of Roman coinage in the third century AD, and the changes in the flan shapes over the progression of that century.

I have generally seen the flan shapes move from generally round up to the mid point of the 3rd century to more irregular shapes over the final half of that century.

This where my examples become very spotty.

Caracalla




Severus Alexander




Julia Mamaea




Balbinus




Pupienus




Gordian III




Trajan Decius




Valerian I?




Aurelian




Postumus

 

That's a nice sestertius, @robinjojo - and an interesting type as well. The randomness of eBay has sent a few budget Philip and family sestertii my way recently, including the OP type. Its condition leaves a lot to be desired - it is actually too poor even for me to go for, but it came in a lot with some other stuff I wanted. As is often the case, once in hand, I liked it better than I thought I would:


Philip I Æ Sestertius
(244-249 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP M [IVL PHILIPPV]S AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / [FI]DES EXERCI[TVS], four standards, outside two plain, second topped with a hand, third topped by an eagle, SC in exergue.
RIC 171a, Cohen 51; Sear 8993
(15.49 grams / 27 x 24 mm)
eBay Nov. 2021

In the weird flan shape department, here is another one - a wolf & twins from the Rome anniversary celebrations.


Philip I Æ Sestertius
(248 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS A[VG], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / SAECVLARES AVGG, SC in exergue, she-wolf standing left, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus.
RIC 159.
(17.21 grams / 26 x 22 mm)
eBay Dec. 2021

 

Here is my Philip I sestertius, with some die shift...

Philip I AE Sestertius. AD 244.
Rome Mint. 1st officina. 3rd emission.
Obv: Bust right.
Rev: Fides standing, holding scepter and signum.
26.5mm, 17.41g, 12h
RIC IV 173a; Banti 16
CNG Auction

 

That's one beautiful coin! I like the "dusting" of earth over the coin's patina.