NEWP Gordian III sestertius

Just picked this up on ebay, my third sestertii, and second of Gordian III. Looks like RIC 258a, which in my attempt to attribute I ran across another ric 258a owned by a forum member!

Obverse legend is IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG - an early coin from 238-239. I see a lot more of the IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, fewer of this obverse legend. Reverse is VICTORIA AVG, victory left holding wreath and palm.




So, I have a couple questions about ancient coins in general, and this coin specifically.

First, I could not attribute this coin using ERIC II, the reverse type images were mislabeled, is this common for ERIC II or was this a rare occurance?

Second, I assume this coin has been smoothed, I can see tooling marks on both sides, especially prevalent behind the bust. Has it been re-engraved at all in your opinion? I paid $35, which I was comfortable with, what are your thoughts on that price?

On roman bronze in general, what are the tell tale signs of tooling, or generally altered surfaces, and how does that affect value? Am I correct in seeing more roughness between the letters in the legend and less roughness in the fields as a sign of smoothing, even if you can't see tooling marks?

Again, in general, I understand they have all been cleaned at some point, and quite a few have had surface smoothing. But what else can be done to these, filling applied, what about fake patinia? How can you tell?

Thanks for indulging a newb.

 

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Great looking bronze. From the decent pics, it doesnt look like there was any smoothing or tooling on this particular coin. Sometimes it's easy to tell and other times its very hard unless you know the type that was tooling coin was dont to very well.

There is many threads on here regarding tooling, just do a search.

 

That would be me.


Your coin may have a bit of smoothing, but if it's so slight that it leaves you wondering whether it was smoothed or not, I wouldn't be bothered by it. You've got a very handsome example of the type. I don't use ERIC II, so I can't answer any questions about that.

 

1. Nice coin
2. Great price
3. Tooled? Not sure, but if so, it was only smoothed slightly. And what difference in this case does it make? At that price, you have a nice coin that I presume you plan to keep in your collection and not sell for profit. You can see around the edges of the letters and the devices where it is somewhat rougher, but not enough to make me worried.
4. Re-patination looks different. The entire coin would show the same patina which this one does not. Too many variations in the patina to make me think it has been repatinated.

I'd be happy with this coin at this price.

 

That was the one! Wonderful coin, on a very nice/large planchet.

 

How much does this coin weigh ?

 

Mine is 25.5g.

 

Mine is 18g

 

18g makes yours an as. RIC lists this type in two denominations. 258a is the sestertius, 258b is the as.

 

I'm not sure about the denomination. The British museum's 258b weights 12 grams, and a lot of the other Gordian III As weight in that neighborhood. Most of his sestertius weight in the 16-20 gram range. I think your is just the outlier at 25.

 

My list one is an as. The range on this period is greater than you might like but 16g is certainly a sestertius. I do not have a Victory.
21.1g

20.9g

20.2g

16.8g

21.3g

11.5g - Test me on this: More often asses of the period are on rounder flans with rounded over edges while sestertii often have one or more flattened side as if the flan were cut from a bar rather than cast individually. Edges often look more squared off than rounded over.


Going out on a limb:
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2302649
The above 'as' is 14.43g and 30mm. I say is is a light sestertius misidentified by the seller.

http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2302649
Above is 12.53g and 24mm and is a heavy but legitimate as IMHO.

I go more by the size of the dies than the weight here. The as flan at 25mm allows just as much of the circle of dots as does a 30mm sestertius. If that 14.43g coin were an as, the 30mm flan should show extra margins.

I do know that I believe major auction houses should employ someone who knows more than I do about this but Gordian III is a bit beneath the notice of a place like Roma so I doubt they looked twice.

 

My only sestertius is a Gordian III and is 19g. RIC 294a

 

Well there you have it, beef, a sestertius. It is rather remarkable that the weight range is so large.

 

Wow => that's a fantastic lookin' coin, beef1020 (a very rugged example with gorgeous eye-appeal!!)

=> congrats on adding that winner to your your herd!!

... I have a bunch of Gordian-IIIs, but I don't have a sesterius example to toss-in (drats!!)

 

So much information in here, thanks for taking the considerable time to explain this. I have been searching for information on the difference between the denominations but never got far. Your post points in a much better direction, food for thought.

BTW, did you collect these Gordian III by obverse legend type?

Question on your second one, is that reverse Aequitas, holding scales and cornucopia? I don't see that coin in ERIC II or on wildwinds.

 

RIC 286 is Aequitas: http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/gordian_III/RIC_0286.jpg

 

Dougs obverse legend is different, his is "IMP CAES GORDIANVS PIVS AVG" RIC 286 is the more common 'IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG".

 

So it is. Let me check my copy of RIC.

 

RIC 277. Sorry for the mistake (I think I'm right this time).

 

Probably right, ERIC II lists 277 with the obverse IMS CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG. Is there a better resource for these than ERIC? I am not putting it down by any means, but I am finding some mistakes. Would you recommend RIC?