As I told some of you, thanks to Chrismat locating a local coin shop for me, I was able to while in Krakow, Poland last week. The shop carried only a few lower grade Romans and even fewer, but nicer, Greek coins. I still took the time to peruse through the holdings since the exchange rate was really in my favor. So, having taken up so much of the shop keepers time, I had to buy a coin, didn't I? Actually, I purchased two coins. One Greek and one Roman. This is my new Roman Dupondius. It ain't purdy, but I liked the reverse and with the exchange rate was able to buy it for around $25. Not great, but not bad either. DOMITIAN AE Dupondius OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P, radiate head right REVERSE: S-C, Mars advancing left, holding Victory & trophy Struck at Rome, 86 AD 11.6g, 27mm RIC 482 Feel free to add your Domitian coins (or any coin for that matter).
bing got the bucket, but i got the assist on that one! i like it as well, portrait is nice and cool reverse really. here's provincial of caracalla i picked up under similar circumstance. 20 bucks got me a less than purdy coin, yours is nicer for sure.
My philosophy is that a dinged up coin is better than no coin at all! I don't have any coins of Domitian( I need to rectify that!) Cheers!
As many times as I see your coins little brother, they never get old. When they do, it will be time for me to move on to other things (that'll never happen).
It's funny. The shop keeper couldn't speak English while I couldn't speak Polish, but we were able to communicate regarding the coins. I was even able to talk him down from his original price by 10 Zwolty, a whooping $2.50. But hey, any time I get to look at coins is a good time for me. My wife on the other hand.........
Curious? => was your wife standing impatiently beside you the whole time as you were weaving your coin-magic?
You must be mad. I didn't take her with me. She was shopping for tourist junk off the main square. I would never take her with me on purpose. I would feel rushed for one thing and I would feel like she would disapprove if I spent more than she thought I should for another. I met back up with her on the sguare and took her to Wedel Chocolate shop for some warm drinking chocolate (yum). I showed her this coin and was honest about the cost. However, the Greek coin stayed in my pocket, all tucked away.
=> well played once again (I haven't checked to see if you've posted "the Greek coin" yet) ... you are amazingly stealth & cunning, my friend (good thing that dude didn't sell chocolate coins as well => you may have been busted, red-handed?!!)
Not yet, but soon. I'm trying to spread out my posts of new coins instead of dumping them all at one time. You guys would probably get bored if I did.
=> post it and then buy some more ancient-coins!! (just send your wife on a wild goose-chase for chocolates!!) https://www.google.ca/search?q=wild goose chase photos&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB0QsARqFQoTCKjHsvbq9McCFVgYkgod8kgKFQ&biw=1280&bih=935#imgrc=jb9fx6rpctMLQM:
Domitian AE As. 81 - 96 AD, 8.5g, 28mm OBV: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XII CENS PER P P, laureate bust right, wearing aegis. REV: FORTVNAE AVGVSTI S-C, Fortuna standing left with rudder & cornucopiae. REF: RIC 487, Cohen 122
Domitian AE As, 81-96 AD, 8.8g, 27mm OBV: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XVI CENS PER P P, Laureate head right. REV: MONETA AVGVSTI, Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae. REF: RIC 756, Cohen 333.
Not sure that will work here. No unique town square mid 13th century here to wander around. Krakow is a beautiful town with a castle overlooking a town square and centuries old cloth market. I can highly recommend it for those of you hardy enough to make the trip. I've worked in Warsaw a few times and wished it were more like Krakow. Too bad Warsaw was flattened during WWII by both the Germans and the Russians or it would have been just as nice as Krakow.
There's nothing wrong with that coin at all. It's got a strong bust, nice reverse features, and decent lettering. First-century "budget" bronzes get a helluva lot crustier and rougher than that.
Bing, you got a nice piece of history for the price! 86 AD was the year the second Dacian war was waged against the Dacians. Two imperial legates were lost and had to be avenged by Domitian, who travelled from Rome to the Danube front to oversee the campaign personally. One could only assume that Mars reverse refers to those long lost campaigns.
