A few weeks ago at a coin show, on a lark, I stopped at a table where a guy had a few hundred ancients displayed. One of the things I was interested in there was a series of coins commemorating the 1000th year of the Roman empire. I like so called "classic" commems, so this piqued my interest a bit. I think an ancient commem would make a nice backdrop piece to a collection of US commems 1892-1954. Can anybody tell me a little bit more about ancient commems? What are some of the earliest examples? What can one get in nice grade (Say, at least VF/4/4) for under around $3-400? And what are some just plain cool pieces that are out there? Pics welcomed and encouraged.
Here are some current Vcoins offerings of the types (note that there are a few strays on that page which are not 1000th anniversary types). These are all within your price range and a few of them are reasonably nice. @AncientJoe has a spectacular sestertius of Philip I, along with more information about the celebration.
We've discussed here the approximate dates of the ending of the Roman Empire, but suffice it to say, Rome first as a Republic and later as the Empire lasted well past 1000 years.
Looks like I misspoke. Those Phillip I coins are what I saw, so it must have been the 1000th anniversary of Rome rather than the empire. Are there any earlier commems (Greek, Roman, or other) than this?
Here are two of my sweet 1000 year examples ... Secular Games issues: Philip I AR Antoninianus 248 AD Philip I & She-Wolf with Suckling Twins Otacilia Severa. Augusta, Æ Sestertius AD 244-249 Secular Games issue., 4th officina. 9th emission of Philip I, AD 248 Rome mint Diameter: 28 mm Weight: 15.99 grams Obverse: Draped bust right, wearing stephane Reverse: Hippopotamus standing right Reference: RIC IV 200a (Philip I); Banti 13 Other:12h … dark brown patina, with some red ... cool
Many Roman coins commemorated something. The best is certainly the commemorative issued by Brutus on the murder of Julius Caesar. Among the common ones are the Philip Saeculares set on the 1000th anniversery of the founding in 753 BC. Each workshop used a different animal type from species used in the games celebrating the anniversary. Shop III struck for Philip II while IIII for Otacilia Severa. The other four struck for Philip I. Somehow, the cippus version did not get a workshop number. A problem with many Roman reverses is that we have lost the meaning for which the type was issued. They did not have a fixed set of definitive types so it is not always possible to know what led to a coin being issued. Some can be guessed with some accuracy like this quadrans in honor of Caligula repealing the hated 1/2% sales tax. ...or this Provincial honoring the defeat of Cleopatra and founding of a city for the benefit of veterans who helped with that effort. The same event was commemorated 200 years after the defeat when Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus reissued coins of the type used by the defeated Mark Antony. There must be a million of them!
The Western half of the empire fell in 476 with the deposition of the last western emperor while the Eastern half, which in modern times would be known as the Byzantine Empire, fell in 1453 with the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans.
The Romans believed that Rome was founded in 753 BC by using a formula many years later to try and set the date. Archeological evidence has pointed to a more likely date approximately a century later, sometime in the 7th century as more probable. But definitely not enough clear evidence to effect a change to the traditional date. Fact is the Romans themselves did not actually know, but even with an adjusted date it did last more than a thousand years. Historians originally came up with the concept of the name Byzantine Empire to draw a line from the moment that the Eastern Roman emperor Heraclius declared Greek as the official state language in 620 AD, but that standard has changed depending on who or what need there is for drawing a line for the Empire's different states of being. Either way, though, the Byzantines believed themselves to be and called themselves Romans and the entire footprint of the history of ancient Rome stretches for 2,000 years, however or in whatever way its chosen to be looked at as.
The 1000th anniversary issues by Philip I are popular and desirable, but Antoninus Pius also issued a commemorative series, a hundred years before that for the 900th anniversary celebrations. Claudius celebrated the 800th, but I don't know of any commemorative issues for those. The designs for Pius's issues depicted various scenes from the founding legends of Rome. I can't remember offhand how many different varieties there were, but here are the two that I have. ANTONINUS PIUS, AE As. 11.02g, 28.6mm. RIC 733. Aeneas, a Trojan hero who escaped the fall of Troy, was said to be the ancestor of the Roman people. He journeyed with his followers to Latium, where a divine dream led him to found a new settlement at a site where he came across a white sow suckling her young by a river under an oak tree. ANTONINUS PIUS, AE As. 11.34g, 27.8mm. RIC 694a. Rhea Silvia was a vestal virgin, daughter of Numitor, the King of Alba Longa, and a descendant of Aeneas. She was seduced by the god Mars, and from their union bore the twins Romulus and Remus. Romulus would go on to found the city of Rome.
In indo-Greek coinage there is a very impressive commemorative series of silver Tetradrachms of King Agathokles (ca185-170 BC) The coins in this series bear the portraits and emblems of all his royal predecessors, starting with Alexander the Great. Don't have any to show, as these are prohibitively expensive.
The romans were notorious for commemorating political and other events and lives through the issuance of coins. One of the more interesting aspects of ancients is that each coin tells a typically deeper story than those of modern times. You may want to narrow down your definition of what types of commemoratives you are looking for and define what commemorative types would interest you and what you consider a commemorative to be. Many roman coins commemorate something. Commemorate issues could be collected by political events, battles won, architectural achievements, territories captured, emperor commemoratives such as a series of Constantine, the city commemoratives, events such as a gladiator or games issues. You could build a memorial/posthumous commemorative series of spouses or ladies struck under later emperors (like are done today with the U.S. presidential series) or commemorative death issue series of emperors. There were also early republic issues that commemorate the moneyer's families/ancestors and events. Some of those ways would be so broad an expensive though and the list is much greater then what I just wrote. It may make more sense to collect just what you like. You could also narrow down categories by period as well, such as the early Republic or by dynasty. Personally, I find the republic issues much more interesting along with the style but it is a matter of preference. In that price range, One of my long time early favorites has to be a T. Carisius commemorative issue of the mint showing how coins were made. In later times any of the Constantine city commemoratives (Rome/Constantinople) with the she-wolf and twins. Both are very affordable and tell a story. You should be able to get a nice VF for the carisius for $500-600, and a near flawless mint state city issue for $200 in a NGC Holders. Accepted references such as RIC, Sydenham, Crawford, BMC, etc. can provide explanations/descriptions of many of these. If you do not have access in hand, at a library or online, you could probably do a search on wildwinds, acsearch or cng by denarius (or other) combine with the word commemorating or commemorative and numerous issues will likely come up. Be careful though, what you see for attributions and descriptions is not always right. Unfortunately I am not aware of any specific reference work on commemoratives as it would be great in detail.
Just how I feel. I do collect Roman empire, but the Republican coins are my favorites. As you say, some Republican coins commemorate family heritage such as: SEXTUS POMPEIUS FOSTLUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS POMPEIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: Head of "Minerva or Pallas" (personification of Rome) with winged helmet, earrings and necklace, looking to the right. Below the chin, it is the "X" (although its value then was 16 aces) and behind the bust is a small jar. REVERSE: FOSTuLVS left and Sextus. Pompeius. to the right of the field. She-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus. Behind Ruminal fig tree is represented with three birds in their branches. On the left, the pastor Faustulus figure in an attitude of admiration for the wonder he sees. ROMA in ex Struck at Rome 137 BC 3.63g, 19.5mm Cr235/1a; Syd 461; Pompeia 1
As mentioned by other posters, there are many commemorative coins, especially from Rome. Here are a few of my favorite: Commemorating Antoninus Pius' distribution of money to the roman populace. It shows the goddess Liberalitas helping the emperor hand out coins to a grateful citizen. This happened from time to time, with this coin being the fourth time during Antoninus Pius' reign, in 145 AD: A denarius minted by Titus to commemorate the opening of the Colosseum (as they imported a vast number of exotic animals for the celebrations): The above coin's "big brother", the Colosseum sestertius, likely handed out at the inaugural games of the Colosseum: Septimius Severus' Secular Games featuring the Circus Maximus: And of course, Brutus' "Eid Mar" denarius, commemorating his assassination of Julius Caesar and the subsequent freeing of the Roman people:
