Because it was pretty and I wanted to buy a coin :)

I just couldn't help myself Doug. I hope you find one at the next show. I still have the one that's not so pretty:

 

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Very nice. Yours has a reverse strike much better than what is pictured in Sear's book. Beautiful. Like the Jugate and the Stars above them...

 

Gosh, many nice coins in this thread, and that's a great ebay score, TIF!

 

For the first 40 years of denarii (denarii began c. 211 B.C.) the Dioscuri-riding-right reverse is by far the most common reverse. The type occurs even down to 121 BC as TIF's piece shows, although it is no longer dominant in the second half of the second century. During those first 90 years most of those Dioscuri pieces differ only in letters on the reverse which indicate the moneyer. However, the very first denarii did not even do that--they are "anonymous", like this one:



Crawford 44/5 "from 211 B.C." (meaning sometime after that, for an indeterminate length of time). Sear 38.
19 mm. 3.76 grams. Hersch NC 1977 says this has Helmet Type A2, one of the very earliest types.

 

Serapis with Dioscuri

 

A nice Dioscuri from my collection, ex Roberto Russo Collection, Crawford 58/2. Again, image courtesy Andrew McCabe.

 

Nothing I own fits that...wait...there might be a coin in my collection that has their caps, but they're mostly off flan if I remember correctly...looking now...

 

A quinarius with well-engraved Dioscuri. One of the twins looking back at his brother as if to say "Hurry up you damn turtle!" is a nice touch.

 

Exquisite detail, great coin! Now on my RR wishlist.

 

Another one I don't have....nice coin Bing!

 

So many nice coins in this thread! Here is my modest contribution to this discussion, a favorite Republican denarii with Dioscuri.


C. Servilius M.f., 136 BC
AR denarius 3.5gm - 19 mm
Obv: Helmeted head of Roma right; wreath AND * (XVI monogram) behind
Rev: The Dioscuri riding in opposite directions C SERVEILI M F in ex.
Ref: Crawford 239/1, Syd 525, Servilia 1, SR116

 

I have that one, and it is one of my favorites...Dioscuri frolicking as I call it.