For Caligula and Claudius, I’ve found the denarius extremely hard to come by. Do we think the Greek Provincial Drachm’s might be an acceptable substitute?
From my point of view I’d say it’s your collection. Add the coins you want to add. I love the fact that there’s really no wrong way to collect.
My collection isn't denomination specific, so I went with Imperial bronze for those guys. If your collection is denarii specific, then Provincial drachms would definitely be the closest alternative from a theme perspective. However, while not in the same ballpark as the denarii, the Caligula drachms aren't exactly cheap
Ditto. When I was collecting my 12 Caesars set, I was bent on collecting denarii. JC, Caligula and Claudius were the hardest to find and the most expensive.
Heck, it’s hard to admit but I have a fouree standing in for an actual officially issued coin for Augustus. With my budget that little counterfeit is going to be pulling its weight for a very long time. I’m ok with that though. I have something from that time with the emperors bust on it. There just isn’t a wrong way to collect as far as I’m concerned.
If you don't mind bronze Provincials, cost savings can be found. I never figured I'd get a Caligula portrait of any sort, given the cost, but recently I got this little guy for $9 on eBay. It was mis-attributed, which kept the bidding low: Caligula Æ 15 Magistrate Kleandros Philokaisar Philadelphia, Lydia (37-41 A.D.) ΓΑΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; bare head right / ΦΙΛΟΚΑΙϹΑ[ΡΦΙΛΑΔƐ]ΛΦƐ[WΝ ΚΛƐΑΝ-ΔΡΟϹ], capricorn left with cornucopia on its back, [ΠΑ]Ε (?) monogram in left field. RPC I 3028; LS 118, no. 18 cf. SNG von Aulock 3072 (4.15 grams / 15 x 14 mm) eBay May 2023 "The magistrate's unusual title, Philokaisar, literally translates, "friend of the emperor"... In 17, the city suffered severely from an earthquake, and Tiberius relieved it of having to pay taxes...Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula also helped the city." FORVM Not especially attractive, but were I ticking of "12 Caesar" boxes, it is economical! Here it is compared to a couple of die-matches - for a Provincial, it is not a bad portrait in terms of style and recognizability:
I think an interesting aspect of this discussion would be if Romans of the time period accepted the two coins interchangeably, that is, in the market place, as having the same value. The provincial drachmas from the provincial Caesarae mint looked a great deal like the denarii from the imperial mints and were pretty close in weight and fineness to them.
I think an interesting aspect of this discussion would be if Romans of the time period accepted the two coins interchangeably, that is, in the market place, as having the same value. The provincial drachmas from the provincial Caesarae mint looked a great deal like the denarii from the imperial mints and were pretty close in weight and fineness to them.
That's a good point. I believe that was the idea, although I'd want to follow up on some references to check or get confirmation from someone who really knows the Provincial coins of this period. SACRIFICES! I don't restrict myself to any particular denomination, and "12 Caesars" isn't that high on my priorities to collect (but it is on the list), so my own set includes some "sacrifices." Claudius in Provincial bronze! BCD Peloponnesos 2782: Caligula (probably) on Reverse. My Caligula doesn't even have a Caligula portrait on the obverse, just him (probably) sitting on the curule! Ex ANS - HSA 1001.1.22981 (Huntington): Otho & Titus Denarii -- Mostly! Returning to the theme of 12 Caesar's Denarii, my Titus and my Otho have made some significant sacrifices for science. Both ex-Muona Coll., and Butcher & Ponting's Metallurgy studies (see HJB BBS 212, 511 for a much larger group of them, originally incl. these two): A (time of) Galba Provincial AE ... or Maybe Not at All? My Galba, below, is probably the biggest sacrifice with respect to the goal of 12 Caesars coinage! (Never was a portrait at all, just a Persephone/Warrior temp. Galba.) I collect coins that have somehow been part of the numismatic literature and I also like Countermarks and Provincials; it fits all of those. RPC has its doubts about this specimen's identification but I think BCD was right: struck & countermarked during the reign of Galba in Lokri Opuntii (BCD Lokris-Phokis 157.5 = RPC I Online 1342 example 14):
It may have been the case in some provinces. In Jordan, Palestinian territories and Israel for example, Arabia-drachms of Trajan are found in hoards mixed with denarii. In Petra, archaeologists found 3 coins stuck together : 2 trajanic Arabia-drachms and 1 denarius of Trajan. Before eyeglasses were invented, I don't think many people over 50 or 60 could distinguish an Arabia drachm from an Arabia Adquisita denarius of Trajan. During the Bar Kochba war, under Hadrian, Jewish rebels overstruck Arabia drachms and Rome-minted denarii to mint their own drachms. This is absolute evidence that these two kinds of coins had the same value for them. Arabia drachms (or later camel-drachms) have never been found anywhere else than in the Judaea and Arabia provinces. I think these coins, whose silver content was only 70% of a denarius, were minted in Antioch and later in Rome especially for Arabia, and were accepted in this province, and probably in Judaea too, for the equivalent of Roman denarii. But not in other provinces!
Thanks for all the insights, I decided to pull the trigger on a Cappadocia, Caesarea Drachm of Caligula. It looks pretty nice and we’ll see if I can find a reasonable Claidius in St Charles at the upcoming show.
