Roman mint bronze coins of Macrinus are much harder to find than eastern provincial AEs. Here is my space filler for the Sestertius that might never come. *sigh* IMP CAES M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG / ANNONA AVG Bronze As, Rome 217/218 RIC 171, C 11
It's a nice coin, and middle bronzes of the period are hard to find. I think you did very well with this one.
Yours is a great As! Some really great raised details making that a really strong image for each side! I only have an AE25 (however that is denominated), and AE27 with Didumenian: RI Macrinus 217-218 AE25 CE Facing Quadriga RI Didumenian and Macrinus 217-218 CE AE28 Markianopolis mint Serapis
I really like the OP and all the subsequent posts....especially @ro1974 terrific sestertius! I recently picked up a Mac and son too---AE28 of Moesia Inferior with a probable Tyche:
MACRINUS AE 26 OBVERSE: ΑΥ Κ ΟΠΕΛ ΣΕΥ ΜΑΚΡΕΙΝΟΣ Κ Μ ΟΠΕΛ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟΣ Κ, laureate head of Macrinus right facing bare headed head of Diadumenian left REVERSE: ΥΠ ΠΟΝΤΙΑΝΟΥ ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩ/Ν, Artemis, huntress, advancing r., reaching for an arrow in quiver at shoulder and in her l. hand holding a bow; below a hound. E to centre l Struck at Markianopolis, Moesia Inferior, 217 - 218 AD 10.4g, 26mm Moushmov 532 MACRINUS Pentassarion AE28 OBVERSE: AVT K OPEL CEVH MAKREINOC K M OPEL ANTWNEINOC - confronted busts REVERSE: VP PONTIAN-OV MARKIANO/ POLIT, Coiled serpent with radiate head Struck at Markianopolis, Moesia Inferior, Magistrate Pontianus; 217 - 218 AD 12.6g, 28mm Hr & J (2012) 6.24.22.6
Thanks! According to ERIC II a Macrinus As is actually twice as scarce as a sestertius with my type being one of the more obscure reverses . I still want a big Sestertius though :-D
This is the case with most later bronzes. Many of the asses appear to have been issued for special purposes/donatives and in much smaller quantities. I do not know the specifics on this one. I also am a bit ashamed to admit that I would prefer a sestertius in most cases anyway.
Browsing thru the literature I collected for the writeup for my Macrinus Sestertius, I also learned more about the coin I intended to replace it with: As the Annona reverse was only introduced with the start of Macrinus´ second emission in late July 217, but new dies made after 1 September 217 no longer showing him with a short cropped beard (according to Curtis Clay´s study), my coin seems to be struck during this time frame but certainly not long after. This type of As indeed seems to be insanely rare (at least much rarer than my new Sestertius, with no example in the British Museum, and RIC and Cohen citing the same Paris example, and not a single specimen on AC Search or wildwinds.com). So I will keep it anyway
