Help with my next acquisition

I am looking at picking up a Legionary Denarius. I would like to see examples. Thanks for any help.

 

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Iown around 35 examples, but here a a few:

 

Nice. I will be looking for a good price. Not sure if that is possible but I will look.

 

When you are looking, make sure the legion number is legible. Not counting "PRI" and "LEG IIX" which are both questionable, there are 29 varieties of MA Legionary coins

 

Good advice. What would llX mean?

 

I ran across this one to maybe get started. Seller asking 80 dollars. The 19th legion.

 

Seems a good price.

Legio 8

 

Would 8 not be written VIII?

 

It does as 4 is written IV or IIII

Here is the other 8

 

I decided to go with something a bit more legible. These are somewhat scarce. On all of Vcoins there are only 6 or8 that I can find. Unless my search is not correct.

 

With the help of a forum member I picked this one up. I think it was also very fair priced.

 

Nice looking Legio II @edteach

Here is one of mine:

 

The neat thing about these is you know that a legionary soldier was paid with it.

 

The MA Legionary coins circulated much more and longer than other coins, as nobody wanted to keep them because of the low silver content.

 

I am impressed by @Bing's collection... It's like the whole Mark Anthony's army was parading before our very eyes.
But well... Call me a killjoy, but what an army of losers ! Those 23 and more legions on Mark Anthony's side were recruited, paid and trained for a decisive war against Octavius' forces, but most men eventually deserted, ran away or surrendered without even a fight. The legions which are ground forces took no part in the decisive battle of Actium, it was only the navies that were involved.
Some die-hard Anthonists resisted some time when Alexandria was attacked, but they lost to largely superior forces...
Noo, don't hit me! These coins are really interesting! I wish I had one... Some day I'll probably get one.

 

You are right in every sense about these legion's performance. They were recruited from all points of the Roman world and paid for out of Egyptian coffers by that tart Cleopatra. And they had little support out of Rome herself.

But many of the coins we all collect from the Roman and Greek world were minted by losers (think Otho, Galba et al). And like you, I want them all in my collection.

Actually, my interest in these coins stems from my chosen career path. I'm retired military and find military history fascinating. Thank you for your kind remarks about my MA collection. I haven't purchased any in a while, but I want more and better examples.

I hope you have the opportunity to obtain an example soon.

 

@Bing has a tremendous collection. Your Legio II @edteach is a great example. I just got my first delivered today. Not as sharp, but had an interesting countermark. I am not sure if it is a Legio III or IIII. Maybe impossible to tell, but it's a start.

 

But you know at one time it circulated in the legions.

 

Question. Once a legionnaire was paid with these coins were they accepted anywhere regular Roman coinage was accepted?

 

Of course yes. These legionary coins have been hoarded along with other denarii. They were accepted everywhere.