Macrinus upgrade

Thought I'd share with you another recent purchase - a Macrinus upgrade. Macrinus was from Mauretania, and the first emperor who was not of the senatorial class.

Macrinus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 217-218. IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / PONTIF MAX TR P COS P P, Felicitas standing left, holding long caduceus and cornucopiae. RIC 21. 3.48g, 20mm, 1h.


I already have this emperor of course, but this one is much better. I love the portrait and don't mind the minor weakness on the reverse. My older coins that I've been replacing will appear on eBay at some point soon.

 

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Wonderful coin. I just have a Tet.


Macrinus, (217 - 218 A.D)
AR Tetradrachm
Carrhae, Mesopotamia
O: AYT K M OΠ CE MAKPINOC CE, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind.
R: ∆MAPX EΞ YΠATOC, eaglestanding front, wings spread, head right, between legs crescent, star in left field, two pellets (second officina?) in ex; REV LEG?.
Carrhae mint 217 - 218 A.D
25mm
13.9g
Prieur 836

 

A very nice upgrade indeed. His portraits can have quite a large variety of beard length. Yours has a very strong, striking portrait. Loads of eye appeal.

Martin

 

Exceptional example Greg!!! I think the reverse is wonderful and the portrait about as perfect as they come---the details are stunning!

Like Mat, I have an attractive but lesser grade example----a Heritage slabbed photo that I never seem to be able to replace with a raw improvement:

 

It does seem that Macrinus' main accomplishment in the time he was emperor was growing out his beard.


Does anyone have a Provincial with a long beard? Not all mine are as short as this one of Nicomedia but I do not have a really long one.

 

Not I.

 

Fantastic portrait!

 

I believe both of the following bronze coins were struck in Antioch. Macrinus' beard is there as ever.

 

Sorry for posting the same reverse twice. Here's the reverse of the second coin.

 

Beautiful denarius Greg, and great coins everyone else!

 

I notice that in the 2 coins of Antioch, they right Macrinus in 2 different ways. One with C (MAC) and the other with K (MAK). That is Greek in a provincial colony?

 

How much does a more common Macrinus silver coin cost?

 

With all the footnotes about grade and who is selling: You will need to shop around to get one under $200 but there are many half that and many times that rarely having anything to do with rarity. Macrinus is cheaper in Provincials.

 

Macrinus Short Beard
PHOENICIA, BERYTUS
Astarte standing facing with foot on prow, holding standard; to right, Nike on low column crowning her with wreath; all within tetrastyle temple with pellet in pediment and stairway below.



Macrinus Short Beard Denarius w Securitas

 

It is not very clear just how long the beard is....


Macrinus
Coin: Bronze
IMP C M OPE SEV MACRINVS PI - Radiate head right – seen from behind
COL F L PAC DEVLT - Priest veiled, driving two oxen
Mint: Deultum (217-218 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 9.25g / 23mm / -
Acquisition/Sale: $0.00
Notes: Aug 4, 13 - This act was part of the city founding ceremony. Reverse die match with Moushmov Plate XXII (3)

 

My fav Macrinus denarius

And Provincial

 

One thing I love about this forum is you never know what you're going to learn when you post a coin. There's a sub-specialty in collecting all the different beard lengths of Macrinus portraits!

 

Mine was under $200. But like Doug said, you'll need to shop around to find a nice one in that price-range.

 

A great upgrade!


Macrinus, 11 April 217 - 8 June 218 A.D., Antioch, Syria

Bronze provincial as, McAlee 736; Hunter III, 243 - 244; BMC Galatia p. 200, 403 ff. var (busts); SNG Cop 234 var (same), aF, Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) mint, weight 2.175g, maximum diameter 17.8mm, die axis 180o, obverse AYT KAI M O CE MAKPINOC CE, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Macrinus, from the front; reverse KAI M O ∆IA ANTΩNEINOC, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Diadumenian, seen from the front, S - C flanking across field; from the Butte College Foundation, ex Lindgren; very rare bust variant;

 

sweet denarius great, that is a stellar bust!

mine is a short bearded syrian tet..



Syria, Seleucis and Pieria. Emesa. Macrinus, 217-218 AD. AR Tetradrachm
O: laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: eagle standing facing, head left, holding wreath in beak; between legs, radiate and draped bust of Shamash left. Prieur 1015. 27 mm, 12.9 g