Won this SULLA today

Wow, I was pleased.

I like the history around Lucius Cornelius Sulla...

So, I bid and won this cool Denarius today.

Kinda a "Veni, Vidi, Vici" by Caesar moment... Hey, and Sulla ALMOST killed that GJ Caesar when he was a young lad, and Sulla was cleaning house around Rome.

Here is a little history on Sulla:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulla


Roman Republic
L. Manlius Torquatus and L. Cornelius Sulla. 82 BCE
AR denarius (17 mm, 3.72 g, 12 h).
Military mint moving with Sulla.
Obv: L · MANLI before, PR[O · Q] behind, helmeted head of Roma right
Rev: L · SVLLA · IM in exergue, Sulla, togate, driving triumphal quadriga right, holding branch and reins; above, Victory flying left, crowning Sulla with wreath.
Ref: Crawford 367/3; Sydenham 759; Manlia 7; Sear 286. Auction comment: Nicely toned, light rub on cheek. Very fine.

POST ANY SULLA or any other cool coins from this time!

 

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I've been eyeing these Roman republics of late - loving all the different designs. And who doesn't like Sulla?? (Aside from Marius, obviously...)

Love the coin @Alegandron !

 

It's a type I've done a special study of, but for now, here's my best example. Note the different configuration of the quadriga; a detail missed by Crawford that turns out to be significant:

 

The Republic is beckoning you!

Eschew the Medieval chaos and Embrace the Republic!

 

Would love to see your study if it is available!

 

Those are well detailed examples @Alegandron and @Volodya


L CORNELIUS SULLA & L MALIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS CORNELIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Roma right, L MANLI PROQ
REVERSE: Triumphator in quadriga right, crowned by Victory, L SVLLA IMP in ex.
Rome 82 BC
3.9g, 17mm
Cr367/5; Cornelia39

L CORNELIUS SULLA FELIX ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS CORNELIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right
REVERSE: Double cornucopiae; Q below
Rome 81 BC
3.77g, 19mm
Cr 375/2; Syd 755; Cornelia 33

 

Nice denarii!

 

It's a study of the numbered reverse dies of the issue. It sort of is available. There's a version in the Celator, but that may not be available online. I've attached a larger paper by Bernhard Woytek that incorporates the most important parts of my study. Pages 88-91 deal with L. Manlius Torquatus. I can post images of some of my examples later if anyone's interested.

 

I would be very interested in seeing the images!

 

Very nice example!

 

Wonderful score @Alegandron!!!

LOVE yours too @Volodya !

I have none of that specific type but do have a Venus/Cornucopiae that @Bing posted and this one I've posted numerous times.

Faustus Cornelius Sulla. AR Denarius (18-19 mm, 3.44 g). Rome, 56 BC.
Obv. FAVSTVS , diademed and draped bust of Diana right, crescent above, lituus behind.
Rev. FELIX , Sulla seated left on raised platform between King Bocchus of Mauretania on left, presenting him with wreath, and King Jugurta of Numidia on right, hands bound behind him, both kneeling.



The moneyer of this coin was the son of the dictator Sulla. The reverse commemorates one of the most important events of his father’s early career: the capture of Jugurtha. Jugurtha was a Numidian prince who had served in the Roman auxiliary cavalry, but who had come to blows with the Romans. Metellus Numidicus was given command to defeat Jugurtha, but Jugurtha was proving a wily adversary and through several campaigning seasons Numidicus was unable to defeat him. In 107 BC one of his legates, Marius, who disagreed with Numidicus’ strategy for prosecuting the war, gained the consulship and also command in Numidia. However, Jugurtha was proving just as slippery for Marius as he had been for Numidicus. One of Marius’ junior officers was Sulla, and he managed to capture Jugurtha through a ruse. He invited both Jugurtha and Bocchus, the King of Mauretania and Jugurtha’s father-in-law, to a meeting. In advance of the meeting he had convinced Bocchus to betray Jugurtha, and when Jugurtha arrived unarmed his attendants were ambushed and Jugurtha was captured. Bocchus immediately handed him over to Sulla. Sulla had a signet ring engraved showing the event, and the reverse of this coin may be a direct copy of that signet ring.

 

Coool coin! Congrats!!

 

Nice catch! Triskeles had a handsome handful of RR's today. Sigh...so many coins, so little money, lol.

 

Amazing!!!

 

Nice examples Alengandron/ Volodya/Mikey!
I do not have any from this guy/ but will try my best to get one in future auction.

 

Here's my "discovery" coin that got me interested in this issue; control no. I. There turn out to be other examples, in Paris and probably elsewhere, but I was the first to notice its importance. It also is, incidentally, an example of the very rare Crawford 367/1 with a variant obverse legend placement; L M behind Roma's head. The I is barred, resembling a T behind the figure of Sulla on the reverse:

 

How is determined to be a control letter I with a single bar vs. being a T?

 

Nice coin @Alegandron
I'm really starting to like some of them RRs. The reverse always looks so cool, sooner or later I'm going to end up getting one.

 

I have been collecting RR's for several years. Started with many "poor-man's" denarii just to get into the history. Then, began to fill in some of the history slots. They are incredibly diverse, and fun to find.

 

Some other numbered dies:

Control VI (before horses):


Control X (behind Sulla):