Yes, I know the coins of Panzerman are nice...anyway four of my latest arrivals.. Ionia, Ephesos. Domitian.81-96 AD. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm (11.01 gm, 26mm). Struck circa 81-82 AD. Obv.: laureate head right. Rev.: legionary eagle between two standards. RIC II 227; RPC II 868; RSC 668. Syria, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Caracalla. 198-217 AD. AR Tetradrachm (11.96 gm, 26mm). Struck 215-217 AD. Obv.: laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left, seen from behind. Rev.: eagle standing facing on thigh of sacrificial animal, head right, with wings displayed, holding wreath in beak; •D• and •E• above wings. Prieur 228 hoenicia, Tyre. Trajan. AD 98-117. AR Tetradrachm (14.40 gm, 25mm). Struck 110/1 AD. Obv.: AYTOKP KAIC NЄP TPAIANOC CЄB ΓЄPM ∆AK, laureate head of Trajan right above eagle standing right; club below neck. Rev.: ∆HMAPX ЄΞ IЄ YΠATЄ, Tyche seated right, holding grain ears in right hand; at feet, river-god swimming right. Prieur 1498; McAlee 470 (Antioch). Kilikia, Aigeai. Hadrian, 117-138 AD. AR Tetradrachm (13.77 gm, 25mm). Dated Caesarean Era 180 (133/4 AD). Obv.: Laureate and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: ΑΙΓΕΑΙΩΝ ΕΤΟVΣ ΠΡ, eagle standing facing on harpe, head right; in exergue, goat kneeling right. Prieur 721 (same dies); SNG Levante 1719 (same dies)
Nice examples Cyrrhus! I really like those with Eagle on reverse! I am starting into Roman AR coins, those will be on my shopping list.
Congrats @Cyrrhus !!! All have great eye-appeal...and I'd love to own them---especially the Tets of Domitian and Trajan!!
Although they are all four very attractive, I like the Caracalla the most for its strong portrait (the dude really looks stuborn on that one) Q
I agree, Caracalla has a certain look to him, he looked like a nice kid on his earlier coins....turned out to be a bully in adulthood. But then his Dad, as not a good example....bit of a coldblooded killer towards his rivals, the way he dispatched them and their families.
"Keep on collecting" ......that is what my wife tells me, everything the mailman arrives with a "registered letter'!
From a style standpoint, it seems left facing Caracalla tets are more interesting than the right facing ones. I wish we had a better answer for why some portraits were 'special' and others were ordinary. Of this group, I like the Domitian best but part of that is condition of the coin and the fact that it is not just another eagle. As with chariots on Roman Republicans, it is easy to develop a feeling that you have seen enough of the usual types even though they are well executed and different in some minor way. I'm not particularly proud of that attitude but it is why I could never be a specialist in, for example, Lincoln cents.
Actually, not unusual at all! Both Domitian and Titus always have beards on better preserved specimens, Domitian with more of a 'mutton chops' thing. In my descriptions of their portraits, whether as Augustus or Caesar, I always write it thus: 'Head of Domitian (or Titus), laureate, bearded, r.'. A few years ago an author of alternative historical fiction contacted me after browsing my coin galleries at Forvm to ask why I always described Titus as 'bearded'. He wanted to get the look of Titus right! BTW, nice coins Cyrrus. The Domitian tet is superb!
And mostly I only buy eagle coins, but I have to many now, I am now more interested in Judean Roman coins Bought these also: the last two are Domitian from Ascalon. second Claudius, I love the style of these bronze.
