Style, Ladies and Germs ====> STYLE

Nice coins!

But my favorite part of the thread is that JA used the terms "appropriately capacious" and "burgeoning cornucopia" in the same sentence.

 

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Almost enough BS to be a numismatic cataloger. Almost.

 

It sounded more legit than Lady Luck is a big fat sugar-mama.

 

Nice style is where the emotion is : a coin in EF condition is EF and that's all, gets a premium for that and that's OK, but no more (I'm taking that easy as I like EF coins when I can afford them). But a coin engraved by a master scalptor, when you see it, is WOW ! increases your heartbeat and more...even ten years after you got it, when you hold it in hand it gives you the same feeling.

All that stuff to say "Thanks JA for starting this thread, I like all those coins posted very much"

Here are some that give me that sort of emotion, and it's not just about republic or early empire, LRB's have their own...


Republic, Didrachm Rome mint c. 269-266 BC
No legend, Diademed head of young Hercules right, with club and lion's skin over shoulder
ROMANO, She wolf right, suckling Romulus and Remus
7.29 gr
Ref : RCV # 24, RSC # 8



Octavian, Denarius Italian mint, possibly Rome, 31-30 BC
Anepigraph, bare head of Octavian left
CAESAR - DIVI F, Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath
3.84 gr
Ref : HCRI # 408, RCV # 1552v, Cohen # 66, RIC # 255



Claudius, As As produced at a "branch mint", AD 41-42
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP, Bare head of Claudius left
CONSTANTIAE AVGVSTI, Constantia helmeted standing left holding spear, SC in field
10,84 gr
Ref : RCV #1857, Cohen #14

Q

 

Plautilla, Denarius Rome mint, AD 202-205
PLAVTILLAE AVGVSTAE, draped bust right, with hair fasten in a bun
CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing left, holding patera and sceptre
3,43 gr
Ref : RCV -, Cohen #2



Julia Maesa, Denarius Rome mint AD 218-220
IVLIA MAESA AVG, Bust of Maesa right
IVNO, Juno standing left holding patera and sceptre
3.48 gr
Ref : RCV #7750, Cohen #16



Pupienus, Denarius Rome mint, AD 238
IMP C M CLOD PVPIENVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
PM TRP COS II PP, Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and sceptre
3.08 gr
Ref : RCV # 8527, Cohen # 26



Valerian, Antoninianus Rome mint, AD 253-255
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
FIDES MILITVM, Fides Militum standing left, holding two standards
3.66 gr
Ref : RCV # 9938(45), Cohen # 65

Q

 

Diocletian, Follis Alexandria mint, 2nd officina, c. AD 304-305
IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, Laureate bust of Diocletianus right
IOVI CONS CAES, Jupiter standing left, holding victory and spear. B in right field S | P in lower field, ALE at exergue
11.21 gr
Ref : Cohen # 173, RCV # 12805 (180), RIC VI # 41



Constantine the great, AE 3 Rome mint, 2nd officina
CONSTANTINVS AVG, Laureate head of Constantine right
D N CONSTANTINI MAX AV, VOT XXX in a laurel wreath, RS at exergue
2.93 gr
Ref : Cohen #129, RC #3874 var



Jovianus, AE 1 Antioch mint, 3 rd officina
D N IOVIAN VS P F AVG, Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Jovianus right
VICTORIA ROMANORVM, Jovianus standing, holding victory on a globe and labarum, ANT gamma at exergue
8.46 gr
Ref : RIC # 228, Cohen #22, RC #4085, LRBC #2645



Valentinianus II, AE2 Constantinople mint, 4th officina
D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG, Helmeted, diademed, cuirassed bust of Valentinian, holding spear in right hand
GLORIA RO-MANORUM, Valentinain standing on a galley, driven by a victory, Wreath in field, CON delta at exergue
4.93 gr
Ref : RIC # 52, Cohen #22, RC #4161, LRBC #2151

Q

 

WOW.

 

Cuke: I enjoy focusing on Roman Republic...and I am REALLY "Jonesing" on your Didrachm and Octavian! Excellent examples, beautiful specimens! Thank you for sharing them... I definitely would love to view them over a glass of wine during a trip to your wonderful Country!

 

The is a significant difference between style and state of preservation. All of us can appreciate a coin well-centered in high grade, but that does not mean it has good style. Some issues have more variable style than others. Take a look at this Lucilla (which I just got at the ANA) and compare it to the many examples, widely varying in style, that you can find on your favorite web site. Often the nose is large and the portrait cartoonish. If you just want a Lucilla, one with a large nose suffices and you might think that "high grade" is the primary desirable characteristic. However, this has been a very good thread because it emphasizes something important other than the US-coin emphasis on state of preservation alone (For any given type, US coins all have exactly the same style, so grade is king). There is more to ancient coins than just grade.


Lucilla, sister of Commodus. AR19-18. 3.46 grams.
INVONI LVCINAE
Juno seated left holding flower and infant.
RIC III 770

 

Great portrait on that. I have the same type with a portrait I like compared to others of that reverse.

 

The best example to my eyes is Commodus : the last 35 years I've seen loads of denarii of his, some in very good condition, but rarely enough of good style for ever acquiring any ...

Q

Val & Mat, those Lucillae are top notch !

 

One of my favorite coins is Pinarius Natta, Denarius, 149 BC, Cr. 208/1, see pictures below. I talked about how I picked this one over some others on my blog, http://rrdenarius.blogspot.com/2014_04_01_archive.html

 

I like this version of Roma and the biga on the reverse, C.METELLUS Cr 269/1

 

Those are indeed denarii of the the most refined style. I enjoyed reading through your blog. Welcome!

 

It can be hard to separate the appreciation of style from that of high grade. Of course, high grade makes it easier to discern the skill of the engraver. For Constantine an extremely common type is GLORIA EXERCITVS with two soldiers and two standards. I like the style often seen on Antioch mint pieces. The nose and fleshy cheeks seem real.

 

Welcome rrdenarius. I like both coins you posted. Are they both yours? The C.METELLUS is a wonderful design and one I want for my own collection.

 

Nice coins everyone. I like the style of these.

 

You guys make me sick........................with envy. : - )

 

Great looking Valerian!
I passed this one up a few times with out giving it a close enough look because of the type.