AV medallion of 8 Aurei/ Maxentius/Rome Mint Why is this not described as an 8 Aurei coin? In worldwide coins/ all of the massive silver/gold issues are "coins" even though many were minted as "presentation pieces"
OK, here it is. Sold for 1.3 Million Swiss Francs in 2011 I would have to work 15 years to have a "coin budget" to buy that beauty But, man its really nice! AV 8 Aurei 42.76g. struck 308AD Rome Mint/ Emperor Maxentius
1.3 Million Swiss Francs?!! => that's nothing with your landscaping skills, my Canadian-friend!! That's merely 14 lawn-rakes and 10 raised flower-beds!! => you rock!! (how is the snowmobiling treatin' ya lately?)
Only 1.3 million? That's nothing. Why if I sold my house and my investment property, and pooled all my assets together....I'd still be nowhere near being able to afford that coin. You think the owner would accept payment in the form of one slightly used Cuban-American kidney? Or how about an eye? I only really need one!
I'll be the first to admit I don't know jack about ancients. But if it was intended to be a medallion (rather than circulate), maybe it has to do with extra effort on the die-making, and extra care with preparing the planchet? This is one of the best-struck and best-detailed pieces I've ever seen. ============= Later. I went into Wikipedia and read several articles about Maxentius. He had a rather short and tumultuous reign, and was handicapped by the fact that he had no prior military experience of any importance. He was drowned after the defeat of his army by Constantine, north of Rome, as his troops fled across the Tiber. His body was later displayed in North Africa, as proof of his death, where a considerable number of troops had remained loyal to him. I did not see any facts or events that would explain the meaning of the coin/medal design.
Steve/ snowmobiling is great, we have had 250 cm. so far Now for the bad part, I was out three days straight clearing 50 cm. we got on Mon/Wed/ so I am pretty beat! Sallent....I know the feeling Back in 1999, I saved up my "coin $", for a that whole year. Then I got my Triton V catalogue. I bid on a FDC gem AV Diocletian Aureus, won it at 10K US=16000 CAn$ Well, I blew half the budget!
These are medallions in that they were specially produced and not intended to circulate like traditional coinage. But, the weights were still standardized, so that they could serve as a storage of monetary wealth. Its a bit of a semantic matter. I'll try to think of an article or book that could give more direction.
So in a way it's like a proof coin? A US proof quarter is still quarter and worth 25 cents, but it's obvious from the way it looks that it is not meant to be circulated and is specially produced.
I think a "proof coin" is a good analogy; that piece looks about as "proof" as Romans were able to strike.
Uh.... apparently you don't. On a separate matter, what's with all the Canucks on this board?!? Maybe we just have more ancients collectors per capita. I like that thought.
Actually, it's been scientifically proven that half the collectors in the ancients section are Floridians, and the rest of them here wish they were Floridians. Maybe that's why every winter we tend to become the Canada of the South. It's literally a sea of Canadian license plates down here in the streets of Miami.
We have changed the definition of coin over the years. Now the US mint makes five ounce silver rounds and writes 'Quarter Dollar' on them. That is a medallion. There was a time you could buy nice large coin shaped things made by anyone who wanted to. Those were medallions. Current coins once were expected to sell for face value at banks and mints made coins for circulation rather than selling things marked as coins for many times the marked price. In my mind, I see the 8 aurei piece named that by scholars to mean it weighs as much as eight aurei. Perhaps Maxentius gave one of them to every Centurion/General/Governor as a Saturnalia bonus. The one here was cherished by the recipient and handed down to his grandchildren who told their kids about the honor brought to the family when grandpa met the emperor. Others handed out that day were melted down and made into jewelry for the recipient's girlfriend. Those of you who think your coins are hot stuff should look at some of the things in the book Roman Coins by Kent. https://www.amazon.com/Roman-coins-...=1487288302&sr=8-1&keywords=kent,+roman+coins If you are looking for just the right coin for my Saturnalia present, I'll take #629. Its a niner.
