Marc Antony and Octavian

So, I was browsing Vcoins, and this one popped up as a newly listed item. I have wanted one of this type. I know the condition is not great, but for the price I had to have it.

Marc Antony, Octavian, and M. Barbatius AR Denarius. Military mint moving with Antony (Ephesus?), 41 BC.

Obv: M ANT IMP AVG III VIR R P C M BARBAT Q P, bare head of Marc Antony right

Rev: CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR R P C, bare head of Octavian, with slight beard, right. Sear 243; Crawford 517/2; Sydenham 1181.

Ex: Incitatus Coins


Please post your coins of M. Antony.

 

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I like your coin @Orfew! Here's my coin of Marc Antony with his brother Lucius. It was minted in Ephesus in the summer of 31 BC.


Marc Antony and Lucius Antony
AR denarius 3.37gm - 18 mm
Obv: M ANT IMP AVG II VIR R P C M NERVA PROQ P(MP.AV, and NE in monogram), bare head of Marc Antony right
Rev: L ANTONIVS COS, bare head of Lucius Antonius right
Reference: RRC 517/5a, CRI 246, BMCRR East 107, RSC Lucius Antony and M. Antony 2

 

I have wanted one of these as well. Congratulations on finding it before me.

 

Lovely type that I've been looking for. Coincidentally, I purchased a coin issued under Marc Antony from the CNG E-Auction this morning. This is my first of the type.

The Triumvirs. Marc Antony. Autumn 32-spring 31 BC. AR Denarius (17mm, 3.74 g, 6h). Legionary issue. Patrae(?) mint. Praetorian galley right / Aquila between two signa; LEG III across lower field. Crawford 544/15; CRI 350; Sydenham 1217; RSC 28
(^ c&p from CNG desc)

-Michael

 

So Michael, now you have to look at collecting all of the MA Legionary series. I have been trying for years, but being on a limited budget has made it even harder. The reverse on your new coin is well centered and detailed. Only 26 more to go for the set (I think that number is near correct).

 

I showed this to my wife. She doesn't think it's funny. I've never seen her eyes roll that hard.

 

Great coin, thanks for posting it.

 

Congrats Michael on the win. It is a great looking coin.

 

man, i don't have any anthony coins.

i saw that one at vcoins (i think it was the same one) as well orfew, it caught my eye...cool coins score.

 

As a 12 Caesars collector, it's nice to have a bridge from the "first" Caesar (Julius Caesar) through the Imperatorial period leading to Augustus. Coins of Marc Antony, Cassius, and Brutus are the main protagonists in this period.

I have a couple Marc Antony coins that are appropriate for this period:



MARC ANTONY & CLEOPATRA
AR Denarius (3.74 g.). Mint moving w/M. Antony 32 B.C.
Crawford 543/1
CLEOPATRAE REGINAE REGVM FILIORVM REGVM draped bust of Cleopatra r. Rev. ANTONI ARMENIA DEVICTA head of M. Antony r.



MARC ANTONY & OCTAVIAN, 42 B.C.
AV Aureus (8.12 gm.) Ephesus mint, 41 B.C.
Crawford 517/1
M ANT IMP AVG III VIR R P C M BARBAT Q P Bare head of Marc Antony right. Rev. CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR R P C Bare head of Octavian right

 

What a wonderfully historical type! Congrats on your new acquisition.

 

Fantastic examples @IdesOfMarch01

I agree, it is nice to have examples that bridge the gap between JC and Augustus. I am still after a nice cassius and a Brutus. I might try for one of those Koson staters.

 

Nice catch @Orfew

@ancientcoinguru, I think it's a typo, the minting year is rather 41 BC IMO

Posting after @IdesOfMarch01 is always challenging, I'll do my best with my MA denarii, Mark Antony being a soft spot of mine (I've already posted them quite some times, but what the heck, we've been asked....)


Mark Antony, Denarius Struck in a travelling mint, moving with Mark Antony in 41 BC
ANT AVG IMP III VI R P C, Head of Mark Antony right
Fortuna standing left, holding rudder in right hand and cornucopiae in left; at feet, stork; below, PIETAS COS
3,82 gr - 20 mm
Ref : Crawford # 516/2, Sydenham # 1174, HCRI # 241, C # 77
Ex. Auctiones.GmbH

The following comment is copied from NAC auction # 52/294 about the very rare corresponding aureus :
The year 41 B.C., when this aureus was struck at a mint travelling in the East with Marc Antony, was a period of unusual calm for the triumvir, who took a welcomed, if unexpected, rest after the great victory he and Octavian had won late in 42 B.C. against Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi. Antony’s original plan of organising an invasion of Parthia was put on hold after he sailed to Tarsus, where he had summoned Cleopatra VII, the Greek queen of Egypt. She was to defend herself against accusations that she had aided Brutus and Cassius before Philippi, but it is generally agreed that the summons was merely a pretext for Antony’s plan to secure aid for his Parthian campaign. Their meeting was anything but a source of conflict; indeed, they found much common ground, including their agreement that it was in their mutual interests to execute Cleopatra’s sister and rival Arsinoe IV, who had been ruling Cyprus. In addition to sharing political interests, the two agreed that Antony would winter in Egypt to share a luxurious vacation with Cleopatra that caused a further postponement of Antony’s designs on Parthia. Thus began another of the queen’s liaisons with noble Romans, a prior having been Julius Caesar (and, according to Plutarch, Pompey Jr. before him). During the course of his stay in Egypt Cleopatra was impregnated, which resulted in twins born to her in 40 B.C. But this care-free period was only a momentary calm in the storm, for trouble was brewing in both the East and the West. Early in 40 B.C. Syria was overrun by the Parthians, seemingly while Antony travelled to Italy to meet Octavian following the Perusine War, in which Octavian defeated the armies of Antony’s wife and brother. The conflict with Octavian was resolved when they signed a pact at Brundisium in October, and Syria was eventually recovered through the efforts of Antony’s commanders from 40 to 38 B.C.



Mark Antony and Octavian, Denarius minted in Asia minor c.41 BC
M ANT IMP AVG III RPCM BARBAT QP, Bare head of Mark Antony right
CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR RPC, Bare head of Octavian right
3.62 gr
Ref : HCRI # 243, RCV #1504, Cohen #8
Ex Coll Alain M.



Mark Antony and Lucius Antonius, Denarius Denarius minted in Ephesus in 41 BC
M ANT IMP AVG III VIR RPCM NERVA PROQ P, Bare head of Mark Antony right
L ANTONIUS COS, Bare head of Lucius Antonius right
3.58 gr
Ref : HCRI # 246, RCV #1509, Cohen #2
Following description taken from NAC auction 40, #617, about an other example of the same coin :
"This denarius, depicting the bare heads of Marc Antony and his youngest brother Lucius Antony, is a rare dual-portrait issue of the Imperatorial period. The family resemblance is uncanny, and one wonders if they truly looked this much alike, or if it is another case of portrait fusion, much like we observe with the dual-portrait billon tetradrachms of Antioch on which the face of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII takes on the square dimensions of Marc Antony. When Antony fled Rome to separate himself from Octavian and to take up his governorship in Gaul, Lucius went with him, and suffered equally from the siege of Mutina. This coin, however, was struck in a later period, when Lucius had for a second time taken up arms against Octavian in the west. Marc Antony was already in the east, and that is the region from which this coinage emanates. Since Lucius lost the ‘Perusine War’ he waged against Octavian, and was subsequently appointed to an office in Spain, where he died, it is likely that he never even saw one of his portrait coins."



Mark Antony, Fourree denarius Minted in Athens in 32 BC
ANTON AVG IMP III COS DES III III V R P C, bare head of Mark Antony right
ANTONINVS / AVG IMP III in two lines
3,52 gr
Ref : RCV # 1478, HCRI # 347, RSC # 2, Cohen # 2



Mark Antony, Denarius struck in a travelling mint, c.32-31 BC
ANT AVG III VIR RPC, Galley right
LEG IV, Legionary eagle between two standards
3.67 gr
Ref : HCRI #352, Cohen #30

Q

 

Congratulations on an historic and very interesting coin, Orfew! It appears that Antony was trying to minimize Octavian by portraying him as a boy who can't grow a full beard, which you can see very clearly on mine and IdesofMarch's aureus.

 

Sorry...I need to re-shoot this...

Roman Republic
(Imperatorial Period... destruction of the Republic)
Marcus Antonius
AR Denarius
32-31 BCE
OBV: ANT AVG III VIR R P C; Galley r, mast with banners at prow
REV: LEG III, Legionary Eagle between two standards
REF: Sear 1479 (var); Crawford 544/15

 

Me either , I'll have to rectify that !

 

WOW, Cuke! I always enjoy your collection!

 

@Orfew , I really like your OP... very nice coin, and one I am looking to go after!

 

Beautiful coin @Carthago. Thanks for the interesting information as well.

 

Not in the same universe as the previously posted coins but sort of interesting.



Mark Antony Fouree Legionary Denarius
Mark Antony Legionary Denarius(Fouree)
Galley r. mast with banners at prow
Legionary eagle between two standards