A Roman Republic sextans from the Luceria mint

The sextans I'm sharing today is from the Crawford 97 "L" series, struck at a Roman mint in Luceria. Crawford identifies a total of 6 groups of bronze "L" series issues, the first as part of the Crawford 43 and the rest as part of Crawford 97, but his classifications largely rely on weight and do not do justice to the many styles and minor variations that exist within this overall series, nor the fact that many coins fall in a weight range that make them very difficult to accurately classify one way or the other. For those interested, Andrew McCabe has a fantastic series of pages on these types and related series here.

While this particular example has some corrosion, it's otherwise a rather nice example with a nice and complete prow and most features very clear. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get a good image of it myself just yet as my SD card seems to have died so dealer's pic will have to do for now:

Roman Republic Æ Sextans(6.45g), anonymous("L" series, bronze group 3), 211-208 B.C., Luceria mint. Head of Mercury right; above, •• / Prow right; above, ROMA; below, •L•. Crawford 97/14; Russo RBW 409.

Please feel free to share anything related

 

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This is fine example. Most are not so clear. I do not have anything like it, so I am envious. Congratulations.

 

A medley of Luceria silver pieces:

 

Coincidentally, I have another attractive example of the OP coin currently on it's way to me. I'll post it when I receive it. Meanwhile, this rare Luceria 97/8 semiuncia will have to do. I believe it's a double die match to the Kestner Hannover Museum example. This dealer photo is the best I have at the moment.

 

What's above the prow? A serpent?

 

It a mark of value, an oddly rendered S or Sigma.

 

@red_spork and @Carausius, Cool RR bronzes!!! And terrific posts as usual @Volodya !!!!

I believe this is my only sextans and it's identified as an 'anonymous' 'corn-ear and KA type' (Katania?). circa 211-208 BC with the Mercury and Prow devices:

 

My problem is that I know too little about RR bronzes to have any idea what is related. That means I'll show ignorance and post again the one I have that I can't identify. I've shown it before and no one has taken pity and suggested where to look but maybe my luck will change. I am not even clear on the denomination. 4.26g 10H What is above and behind the head?

 

@dougsmit,
It looks like it might be an overstrike, which is pretty common among RR bronzes. Denomination mark seems to be obscured or off flan, though there may be signs of a pellet or two in the reverse exergue. This coin may have to be identified based on style and weight. I suspect it's a quadrans, as the obv is most likely Hercules with lionskin headdress, but I'm not 100% sure.

The places to look for any RR bronzes, based solely on style and weight would be:
1. Russo et al, The RBW Collection; and/or

2. Berger, Roman Republican Coins in the Kestner Museum Hannover.

Both books have huge numbers of photos of RR bronzes arranged in Crawford/date order. Styles are readily apparent, and it is possible to match a oddly struck coin to its series this way.

I'm not home home now, but I'll try to look at your coin again with those resources at hand later.

 

Here's my sextans:

 

Yours is a corn-ear KA sextans from Sicily like the one MZ posted above.

 

Like Carausius I am leaning towards overstrike, possibly even imitiative overstruck on Roman. To me the obverse over type looks like Minerva?, with devices corrupted by the overstrike. I honestly don't know a lot about these later overstruck types but I think Clive Stannard has done some work on then.

 

I do not believe any of my Sextans are from Luceria... But I am not an expert...

SPORKY is the Expert!


SEXTANS:

RR AE Sextans Cr 69-6a (I think this is Sicily)


RR AE Sextans Manlius Vulso Mercury Prow Cr 64-6b


RR AE Sextans-Hieron II Overstrike 214-212 BCE S1211 Cr69-6
At a show, a dealer had this labeled as a Janiform head. It was a Sextans size. @ancientcoinguru helped identify that this was an overstike over an Hieron II Trident. Both are Sextans (Sicily) sized.


RR AE Sextans 217-215 She-Wolf Twins Eagle Syd 95 Cr 39-3 S 609


Aes Grave Etruria or Umbria 3rd C BCE Sextans 23mm 25-15g Club-2 Dots HN 54 Vecchi-Th 172


RR AE Aes Grave Sextans 270 BCE 37mm 55-28g Dioscuri R and L


Aes Formatum ITALIA AE Bronze Ax Head ca 5th-4th C BCE 44-8mm 56g
This one weighs in at a Libral Sextans...

 

These are the only Luceria that I am aware that I have...

LUCERIA:


AES Grave Luceria Anonymous Uncia Frog-Corn Ear pellet retrograd L



Apulia Luceria AE Quincunx - Spoked Wheel 250-217 BCE Athena-Wheel Obv-Rev Grose 443 HN Italy 678 SNG ANS 699



RR AE Quincunx 210 BCE Luceria Apollo P Dioscuri 5 pellets 6-96g RBW RARE Cr 99-4 Syd 309 S 910
(This is the seller's pic / I need to photo. However, in hand, I can see so much more of the obverse, even though it is flat.)

 

great collection Alegandron !
thanks Sporky, added that info,
Here's my last RR bronze coin, that needs a description,
looks like Zeus and Saturn ?

 

Crawford 43/5, Anonymous. Circa 214-212 BC. Æ Uncia (19mm, 6.56 g)

 

Thank you very much. It is a haphazard approach, but that area of my collection has started to bloom.

At this point, I would not be able to answer Father or Son on this one...

 

I actually considered buying this one as the dealer messaged me about it before he put it in Vcoins. Glad it found a good home!

 

Thank you! I had been looking for this one for 4-5 years, and this is the first one I found! It is not the best condition, but actually is better than the photos... I was pleasantly surprised.

 

I only have one early RR bronze, 217-215 BC Uncia, Crawford 38/6 24mm, 11.8gm.