Sometimes a coin portrait is so well done you feel you could recognize the person if you saw him. This quality is not usually associated with coins of the tetrarchy which often have portraits remarkable for their lack of personal characteristics. For example, it is hard to say who is who in the famous statue outside St. Mark's in Venice. Art books sometimes say the artists were purposely trying to avoid individual characteristics in order to emphasize the joint rulership. I like coins of the tetrarchy. They can be big, in nice grade, and still not expensive. But some of them have the "cubist" nature of the indistinguishable statues. But some don't. When I saw this one, the portrait spoke to me: Maximianus (286-305) struck at London c.303. IMP MAXIMIANVS PF AVG Laureate and curiassed bust right. GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI Maximianus had an upturned nose, unlike almost all other emperors. It makes his coins distinguishable and is sometimes overemphasized so the portrait is almost a caricature. This portrait has the upturned nose, but not too much--it seems realistic. Look hard at it and it is convincing. You can see the image of an individual. The artistry is top quality. If I saw him on the street, I'd recognize him. Show us a coin with an artistic individual portrait, so nicely engraved that you'd recognize the person.
I have alot of coins and some have really great portraits. But this faustina is probably my favorite and most well dont, to me. I still find the antonine period one of the best with portraits. Faustina Jr. (146 - 175 A.D.) AR Denarius O: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right, hair in bun at back of head. R: AVGVSTI PII. FIL, Venus standing left, holding Victory and resting left hand on shield set on helmet. Rome 18mm 3.3g RIC (A. Pius) 93, 495a. Cohen 15. For a male, this severus. Septimius Severus (193-211 AD) AR Denarius O: SEVERVS - PIVS AVG, Laureate head right. R: PM TRP XVII - COS III PP, Neptune standing left, leaning on raised right leg set on rocks and holding trident. Rome, 209 AD 18mm 3.2g RIC 228 / Cohen 529/BMCRE 003
I'm also very interested in the coinage of the Tetrarchs. Here's my finest example of a follis of Constantius Chlorus... Constantius I "Chlorus" AE Follis, 7.9g, 29mm; Antioch mint: AD 300-301 Obv.: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES; Laureate bust right. Rev.: Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right holding patera (from which liquor flows), left cornucopiae, epsilon / K - V // ANT Reference: RIC VI 55a (p. 620)
I think my most precise and un-embellished portrait is of Pompey the Great. I wouldn't call it my favorite portrait (that honor goes to Antoninus Pius, Alexander the Great, or a new acquisition which I have yet to post) but it captures a range of facial details, including eye wrinkles. Full thread here
The coins in this thread are all very distinctive portraits, both artistically as well as representationally. I'm hoping that more coins with women's portraits will be shown (I don't have any, as none of the 12 Caesars was a woman, although Livia surely was as strong a personality as any of the men). The coin portrait that I think might make the actual emperor most recognizable is my Galba sestertius: GALBA 68 - 69 A.D. AE Sestertius (28.10 g.) Rome late summer 68 AD RIC 309 IMP SER SVLP GALBA - CAESAR AVG TR P Laureate and draped bust r. Rev. LIBERTAS - PUBLICA Libertas standing l., holding pileus and long scepter; S - C in field I have a number of other coins whose portraits "feel" as if they portray a recognizable emperor, but this Galba is probably #1.
Im the "ladies man" around here. My favorite lady portraits are below: Orbiana (225 - 227 A.D.) AR Denarius O: SALL BARBIA ORBIANA AVG, draped bust right. R: CONCORDIA AVGG,Concordia seated left holding double cornucopia and patera. Rome 19mm 3.8g RIC IV 319, RSC III 1, BMCRE VI 287, SRCV II 8191 Salonina (254 - 268 A.D.) AR Antoninianus O: CORN SALONINA AVG, Draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent. R: VESTA, Vesta standing left, holding patera and scepter. 3.4g 23mm RIC V 39A ; RSC 137 Julia Mamaea (222 - 235 A.D.) AR Denarius O: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, Diademed and draped bust right. R:VENVS GENETRIX, Venus standing left, head left, holding scepter and apple; at feet to left, Cupid standing right with hands raised. Rome 3.6g 20mm RIC 355 (Severus Alexander), RSC 072 Portrait outline on reverse. Crispina (178 - 182 A.D.) AR Denarius O: CRISPINA AVGVSTA, Draped bust right, hair weaved in rows and tucked in round coil at back. R: VENVS, Venus standing facing, head left, apple in right hand, gathering up drapery on her left shoulder with left hand. Rome 18mm 2.97g RIC III, 286a (Commodus) RSC 035
I've always admired this coin. Galba seems to have some very distinctive portrature on his coins (denarii included) but yours is at another level of realism.
Yah, a few of those are okay ... ; ) I also have a few that "never shut up!!" => they're always talkin' to me!!
If he really looked like this I am not sure I would want to bump into him in the street as he looks fairly brutal. Seleucid Kingdom, Demetrios I Soter, Silver tetradrachm Obv:– Diademed head of Demetrios I right inside a fillet border Rev:– BASILEWS DEMHTROS SOTEPOS / BXR, Tyche seated left on throne ornamented with tritoness, holding short scepter and cornucopia; in outer left field, controls; in exergue Minted in Antioch on the Orontes, S.E. 162 (151/0 B.C.) Reference:– Seleucid Coins 1641.8h; SMA 131. Obverse struck a little off center 16.53g, 28mm, 0o
Rejoice, you're not alone mate ! Not sure the portrait is "that" lifelike though ! As for the reverse... Yet another one with "hadrianish" features A noble woman in every way ! Everyone is good looking when they are young (see older portraits of Maesa's, or closer to us, portraits of E II R..) I sincerely hope this portrait is NOT lifelike. poor thing ! Q
