A Cute Quadrans

Normally, quadrantes come in fairly ratty condition due to their small size and heavy circulation wear. This one, I believe, escapes most of those pitfalls. Not rare by any means, the eye appeal more than makes up for that.




Domitian
Æ Quadrans, 2.55g
Rome Mint, 84-85 AD
Obv: IMP DOMIT AVG GERM; Minerva head, helmeted, r.
Rev: S C in field; Olive branch
RIC 240 (C). BMC 491. BNC 525.
Acquired from NumisCorner, February 2022.

Domitian struck a fairly large issue of undated quadrantes early in his reign. RIC places them within the 84-85 time period based on Domitian titled as 'Germanicus' ('GERM' - which could only be post 83) and before 85 (after which all these small issues were dated). RIC also speculates many of these quadrantes were struck 'al marco', i.e. by batch weight, because of the variable weights encountered on many specimens. Domitian's patron deity Minerva features prominently on the obverse of this quadrans and is paired with an olive branch, the symbol of peace.

The quadrans in the early imperial period typically lacked an imperial portrait. Tariffed at a quarter of an As, the denomination was possibly deemed too lowly by mint officials to warrant a portrait. They were struck haphazardly and functioned primarily as an urban low value coinage in Rome and central Italy. The quadrans was the typical fee for entry into the baths, a urinal, or for a tryst in a cheap brothel. Being of rather low value quadrantes were not typically hoarded and thus are relatively scarce today being virtually absent from site finds outside central and south-central Italy (in contrast, over 1,827 quadrantes have been found at Pompeii).


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Nice one, @David Atherton! I like quadrantes, though I don't have a whole lot of them. I have only one of Minerva.

Not a spectacular example but, as they say, it looks better in hand.


Anonymous--Domitian to Antoninus Pius.
Roman AE quadrans, 14.9 mm, 2.51 g, 5 h.
Rome, A.D. 81-161.
Obv: Helmeted and draped bust of Minerva right.
Rev: S-C, Owl standing left, head facing.
Ref: RIC 8.

My favorite quadrans is this Venus and dove one from the same series.


Anonymous--Domitian to Antoninus Pius.
Roman Æ quadrans, 12.9 mm, 2.37 g, 4 h
Rome, A.D. 81-161.
Obv: Bust of Venus, diademed, draped, right.
Rev: S-C, dove standing right.
Ref: RIC II, p. 218, 24; BMCRE --; Cohen VIII, p. 268, 10.

 

@David Atherton I believe to see a drapery around the neck of your Minerva which makes this a RIC 241, not 240. Most coins that are (miss-)attributed to RIC 240 are actually RIC 241.

The only die I've found that appears to have no drapery is this one:



Although you could argue that the rightmost curl of hair is unusual long and may be a combination of curl and drapery.

 

Very nice addition, David.

 

Cool Quadrans, @David Atherton ...

RR QUADRANS


Roman Republic
AE Quadrans
18mm 3.6g
Rome 206-195 BCE
Hercules R wearing lions skin pellet behind -
ROMA Prow of galley right 3 pellets
Cr339-4a; Syd679c

 

It was indeed difficult to attribute whether it's a draped bust or not! However, I was able to die match it with the specimen in the bnf that is undraped. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10448149t

 

My favorite quadrans - this scarce Trajan (not as type/design but due to the obverse legend)


IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P, head of Trajan, laureate, right / S C, She-wolf walking right
RIC II Trajan 693


A few weeks I bought in a lot later another example (although not the same condition. She wolf is facing left.

IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG, head of Trajan, laureate, right / S C, she-wolf walking left
RIC II Trajan 694

In the same lot I found a Nerva quadrans, so not bat ad all.

IMP NERVA CAES AVG, modius containing four corn-ears / S C Winged caduceus upright
RIC II Nerva 113

 

I could have sworn your Minerva is draped. But you're right, the bnf piece (what a bueaty!) isn't and is from the same obverse die as yours.

 

Domitian quadrans... Nice basket!

 

That's a very attractive coin!

The only imperial quadrans I have is this little owl, which came as part of a very generous gift from my anonymous 2021 Secret Saturn:

Anonymous, Roman Empire, ca. 81–161 AD, AE quadrans, Rome mint (?). Obv: head of Minerva r. Rev: owl standing r. 14 mm, 2.86 g. RIC II Anonymous 7. Ex Secret Saturnalia 2021.

 

QUADRANS


RR
Anon
AE 28mm 19.2g
Quadrans -
Sicily mint 214-212 BCE
Hercules-Erymanthian boar headress-
Bull snake
ex RBW Craw 72-7 Scarce

 

Recently got one of the Hercules/boar types, like @Bing shows above, I believe:


Trajan Æ Quadrans
(114-117 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP CAES TRAIAN AVG GERM, diademed bust of Hercules right with lionskin knotted around neck / Boar walking right, SC in exergue.
RIC II 702; Cohen 341; BMCRE 1062-1067.
(2.98 grams / 16 mm)
eBay Jan. 2022

 

Cute quadrans OP. Sorry, but I always have a hatred for them, but its not their fault. I am a collector of the rhino quadrans of Domitian, and when I see a Domitian quadrans listing and its that one instead of the rhino I am always bummed. Yours is a nice example though.

 

That is a cute coin; a nice addition to a spectacular collection!

I'm a big coin guy; I don't think I even have a quadrans, unless I scooped up one when Incitatus had the ridiculous deal of the week coins.. Perhaps I should get one.

 

Size isn't everything.

 

You want rhinos? I got rhinos!


DOMITIAN (81-96). Quadrans. Rome. Obv: Rhinoceros advancing left. Rev: IMP DOMIT AVG GERM.Large S C.RIC² 250.Weight: 2.43 g. Diameter: 17 mm.


Domitian Ӕ Quadrans. Rome, AD 84-85. Rhino standing to left / IMP DOMIT AVG GERM around SC. RIC II.2 250; C. 676; BMCRE 498. 2.40g, 18mm, 6h.

I have 2 more - I need create photos of them.

I believe the first rhino in Rome was during games held by Pompey so this would have been mid-first century BC. How on earth did they get a live rhino to Rome?

 

Great rhinos, @Hamilcar Barca ! And some other wonderful quadrans collections, @Ryro , @Bing , et al.! I've got a couple of the rhinos but unfortunately both look more like pigs (or javelinas if you happen to know what those are). Here's the "good one" rooting around:

 

Nice coin! I watch for these in the auctions. In early January 3 of these coins came up at 3 different European auctions. I got 2 of them the the third sold for much more than my max bid.
A week ago I counted 14 javelina beyond by back wall - they travel in groups. My advice to anyone visiting the northern Sonoran desert and seeing them - stay away from them. They are big, bad tempered, and full of bacteria.