Your favorite coins by century.

Well Steve, the Great White North has its own kind of beauty.

But it's the type I'd much rather appreciate in pictures (Seriously, some of the pictures you post almost make me want to see it in person. Almost.)

 

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Nice. We don't see many Numidians around here.

 

Still in easy decision territory for me since I have only a tiny handful of coins from this period. First one's from my old uncleaned lot.


DEMETRIOS I SOTER
AE17 serrate
Seleukid Kingdom, 162 - 150 BC. Sear 7028.
O: Horse's head left.
R: BASILEWS DHMHTREU, Elephant's head right.


Second one's from my little Castulo collection:

SPAIN, Castulo
AE quarter unit (quadrans). 3.75g, 16mm.
Late 2nd century BC, CNH 48, SNG BM Spain 1354-7.
O: Diademed male head right.
R: Boar standing right, star above, KaSTiLO in Iberian script in ex.
Ex Ortiz Collection

 

I too never get tired of seeing the second picture of this coin and its beautiful backdrop.

 

Okay gang, if we're gonna try out the two-day-span, then today is "next-century" day ...

=> BRING-ON THE "FIRST CENTURY BC"!!

M. Caecilius Q.f. Q.n. Metellus
(Restored issue) AR Denarius
82-80 BC
Rome mint
Diameter: 18 mm
Weight: 3.85 grams
Obverse: Head of Apollo right, wearing taenia; mark of value below chin
Reverse: shield with elephant's head in central boss, surrounded by laurel wreath
Reference: Macedonian. Crawford 369/1; Sydenham 719; Caecilia 30


NOTE => my example is the "Restored Version" ... the original version was:
minted in 127 BC and had Roma, rather than Apollo on the obverse (sadly, this original version is not my coin => I was outbid and left wanting)

 

My second offering is also an RR ...

Bing often refers to it as my Frankenstein RR (but I think of it more as my Christmas-themed RR)

Lucius Axius L.f. Naso AR Denarius
Rome mint
70 BC
Diameter: 18 mm
Weight: 4.04 grams
Obverse: Helmeted head of Mars right, wearing crested helmet with plumes; XV¯ to left
Reverse: Diana driving biga of stags right; behind, two dogs running right; below, dog running right
Reference: Crawford 400/1b; Sydenham 795; Axia 2
Other: 4h … toned, banker’s mark on cheek. Rare

 

=> and the last of my 1st century BC offerings, but not least, is my recent Spanish Augustus purchase ...

SPAIN, Celsa. Augustus. Æ As
L. Baggius and Mn. Flavius Festus, duoviri
27 BC-AD 14
Diameter: 28 mm
Weight: 11.40 grams
Obverse: Laureate head right
Reverse: Bull standing right, head facing
Reference: ACIP 3164c; RPC I 273
Other: 1h … brown patina with tan high points
Ex Archer M. Huntington Collection

 

This is truly a tough century for me. I have so many coins from this century that I absolutely love. But I will choose these three and wish I could choose another 10 or so.


AMISOS, PONTOS AE 20
OBVERSE: Head of youthful Dionysos right, wreathed with ivy
REVERSE: Thyrsos leaning against cista mystica draped with panther skin; AMISOU below
Struck at Amisos 85-65 BC
8.8g, 21mm
SNG BM Black Sea 1199-1200; HGC 7, 243

 

JULIUS CAESAR AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right.
REVERSE: CAESAR - Aeneas advancing left, carrying Anchises and palladium. Carthage 47 to 46 BC
4.0g, 17mm
CRI 55, Sydenham 1013, RRC 458/1, S 1402

 

MARCUS ANTONIUS Ionia Silver cistophoric tetradrachm
OBVERSE: M ANTONIVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, head of Antony right, wreathed in ivy, lituus below, all within wreath of ivy and grapes
REVERSE: III VIR R P C, bust of Octavia right on cista flanked by snakes Ephesus 39 BC
11.8gm, 26mm
RPC I 2201, Sydenham 1197, Sear 262

 

Man. Acilius Glabrio, 49 BC. AR Denarius, 18 mm, 3.75 g. Rome mint. Obv: Laureate head of Salus right; behind, SALVTIS. Rev: Valetudo standing left, resting arm on column and holding snake; on right., MN ACILIVS; on left, III VIR VALETV. Crawford 442/1a; Acilia 8; Sydenham 922.

Notes

The name Manius Acilius Glabrio is attested no less than seven times in Roman history, but the moneyer in question here was likely a lieutenant of Julius Caesar, quaestor pro praetore (provincial magistrate) in Macedonia from 45 to 44 BC, and suffect consul in 33 BC (T.R.S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Vol 1, pp. 308, 326).

Crawford dates the coin to 49 BC, and the math adds up rather nicely. Glabrio would have been a member of the IIIviri aere argento auro flando feriundo, and an aspirant to the higher governmental positions he eventually achieved.

I’m not sure exactly how RRC dates this coin, but given the above information, it certainly doesn’t pose any of the problems associated with, for instance, the Sextus Pompey issues. “For other issues Woytek suggests new mint locations consistent with the movement of the Imperators, whilst Crawford considers it better to think in terms of issues for a given campaign rather than trying to pin down a manufacturing location.” (Andrew McCabe, http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/RRC440.html)

If we assume RRC is correct in dating the coin to 49 BC, there is no doubt that it would have been minted in Rome, at the temple of Juno Moneta, as Glabrio’s military and political careers did not flourish till later. Being a moneyer was a stepping stone to bigger things.

Salus was the personification of security and well-being. Some sources claim Valetudo was the Roman version of the Greek goddess Hygieia, others claim a connection to the Gaulish god Glanis. Both deities are associated with healing, so its entirely possible that they were merged into Valetudo when they were absorbed into the Roman pantheon. To my knowledge, these denarii of Glabrio are the only types on which Valetudo appears.

 

This coin is from the south-western end of the Arabian penninsula. It was minted in the first Century B.C. and the first A.D. Century.

ARABIA, Southern Saba'
AR Unit (Light Drachm)
ca. 50 B.C. – A.D. 50

2.15 gms, 14 to 15.4 mm
Obv: Simple diademed head left with
symbols in fields. Pellet within
crescent at top, beaded boarder.
Lower 50% of beading is off flan.
Rev: Bucranium (Bull’s head) facing
with symbols in fields
Grade: Near Mint, lustrous and properly
conserved. Slightly off center on a
small diameter planchet.
Other: No listing in my limited Sear books for this Southern Saba / Himyarite coin. SNG.ANS.1516. The biblical kingdom of ‘Sheba’ (ca. 1200 BC) was the ancient Semitic civilization of Saba’ in Southern Arabia (modern day Yemen). The ancient Saba’ Kingdom fell after civil war resulting in the rise of the late Himyarite Kingdom. Ex Pegasi, from Allen Berman October 2013

 

Pergamon is in Mysia. I'm told that it was quite the tourist city in its day. One might go to Pergamon for rest, relaxation, and also to cure what ails you.

Pergamon became the capital of the Roman province of Asia in 133 B.C. Pergamon was allowed to continue striking coins in the style of the Greek times while they were part of the Roman empire. One Cistophoric Tet equals three Roman Denarius.


MYSIA. Pergamon.
Cistophoric Tetradrachm
AR 133 - 67 B.C.

12.63 grams, 27 mm
Obv: Snake emerging from basket (Cista Mystica) all within ivy wreath
Rev: Serpents entwined about bow case with Pergamon monogram (∏ΕPΓ) to left & KP/(∏PY) above. Grade: aEF fully struck, Reverse perfectly centered and obverse slightly off center with old toning.
Other: Purportedly purchased from Stacks in 2009.

 

This coin is a new purchase. I have not yet grown attached to it so I can't say it is a favorite until it triggers the endorphins to start flowing.




Seleucid Kingdom
Philip I
AR Tetradrachm
95 - 75 B.C

14.83 grams
Obv: Diadem Head
Rev: Zeus holding Nike
Grade: gVF with great strike and some surface porosity
Other: From private sale Jan 18, 2014 purchased in an NGC holder


P.S. The legends need to be typed onto the label but that is delayed until another day.

 

L. Rubrius Dossenus (moneyer), Roman Republic
AR Denarius
Obv: DOSSEN, head of Jupiter right
Rev: Victory driving Quadriga, L. RVBRI in ex
Rome mint
87-86 BC

 

Marc Antony
AR Denarius
Obv: ANT AVG III VIR RPC, Praetorian galley to right
Rev: Eagle and two standards, LEG X (Tenth Legion) across field
Military mint, 34 BC

 

Wow => absolutely awesome coin-line-up, gentlemen!!

TIF => dooyawanna add a few 1st century BC coins from the sister-side of the biz??

Doug => now that we seem to have the 2-day-span working nicely, it'd be absolutely "fantastic" if you'd jump back into the mix (I'm pretty sure that I speak for all of us, when I say "we love seeing your coins and we really love hearing your coin-speak!!")



Cheers

 

looks a silverfest...i'm in.

two of my favorite 1st century coins...





orodes i, 80-77 bc



and...






republican denarius, 79 bc

 

Sorry, it's been a busy week and I'm not organized enough to quickly toss some up

 

Sorry to hear that you're having another tough time at the ol' rock quarry (hopefully your work-load will subside a bit and allow you to wow us with your wares) ....... I hope that you have a great day