Commodus, Cappadocia Didrachm

Well, as most of you know I have a thing for coins from Cappadocia. It all started with a Julia Domna drachm which I won't post again, I promise... at least not in this thread.
And then it happened again, I was browsing VCoins for more coins and saw it. So I'm up to my old tricks again. Posting another Cappadocia coin with a reverse of Mt. Argaeus.


Commodus, Cappadocia,
Didrachm of Caesarea
183-185 AD.
AR21 / 4.2g
o: AY-T M AVP KO-MO ANTWNI, laureate head right
r: VPATOC D PAT PATRI, agalma of Mt Argaeus surmounted by eight-pointed star
Sydenham 372b

btw. if anyone is wondering a didrachm is worth 2 drachms.
And of course feel free to post anything of relevance.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I love these types as well.

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
AR Drachm
OBVERSE: AY Λ CЄΠ CЄOYHPOC, laureate head right
REVERSE: MHTPOΠO KAICAPIAC, Mt. Argaeus surmounted by star, ETЄ in ex
Struck at Cappadocia, Caesarea, Year 5=A.D. 196/7
2.58 g, 17mm
Sydenham 395

GORDIAN III
AR Drachm
OBVERSE: AY K M ANT ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC CE, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: MHTPO KAIC B N, Mt. Argaeus, ETΔ in ex
Struck at Cappadocia, Caesarea, Year 4=A.D. 240-241
2.96g, 18.6mm
Sydenham 603d

 

I see the attraction!

This is another example of other posters causing me to spend money. I hadn't really been drawn to the type before but so many of you have posted them and written about them-- now I really really want one (or two or three) too!

 

Nice, I always like these.

I will just share the commodus.


Commodus (177 - 192 A.D.)
AR Didrachm
Caesaria, Cappadocia
O: AYT M AYP KOMO ANTωNI, laureate head right.
R: YΠATOC ∆ ΠAT ΠA-TPI, Mt. Argaeus surmounted by star.
Cos IV, struck 183-185 AD.
21mm
3.96g
Metcalf 155f; Sydenham 372a

 

yeeeeehaaaaa!! ... let's all climb Mount Argaeus!!

=> c'mon Tranquillina ... race ya to the top!!





icerain => congrats on scoring that OP-winner

 

This is one of my favourite Cappadocian types. Fantastic coins everyone!

 

Who would want coins from Caesarea? Me.
Year two coins of Septimius with the Nike reverse show the date as R for B but the mountain has a proper B.
There are also nice bronzes from Caesarea (also year 2).


Did I understand we were not to post Domna? Bad me. Year 5.


From the same year 5 is Caracalla as Caesar. This is a silver coin but very black in tone.


Finally, I know it is not Severan but I liked the same coin that started this thread. Unlike the Septimius family issues with date in exergue, the Commodus finishes the encircling Pat Patri legend with TPI upside down. All three of us have coins dated Upatos 4 but my delta ended up on the left of the star while both icerain and mat have the delta on the right side. Commodus did not include the city name on the coins.


I have a friend locally who collects nothing but Caesarea. He has some very different things. All we have shown here are common but there are some of his that he got 50 years ago and says he has not seen since. It is a worthy specialty.

 

This is how I get most of my coins too. Seeing other people's coins. We're all bad influences.

 

For the record, there are Caesarea drachms in the name of Pescennius Niger and a few denarii attributed to that mint. The coins of real note have the denarius obverse die used with a drachm reverse.
https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=251902
Those requiring high grade coins will not bid on that one but might the one below.
https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=282618
I'll be satisfied with either.

 

Me too. They're a bit too much though, I can't see myself spending that much on coins. But then again when I started I said the same thing about $200 and up coins.

 

I agonized over the purchase of a denarius for $13.50 when I was in high school. I still have that coin but some of you might not pay $13.50 for it today. That same year I bought several denarii for $2 (going rate for pickout pot where I was then). My first $200+ coin came in 1989. I still have it, too.

 

Here's one for your pile on!


Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE27, 14.5g, 12h; Caesarea Cappadocia, year 13 (of the rule of Septimius Severus), AD 204/5.
Obv.: AY KAI M AYP ANTΩNINOC; Laureate head right.
Rev.: MHTPOΠ KAICAPEI; Agalma of Mt. Argaeus, star over summit // ETIΓ (year 13)

 

This isn't too old for your thread, I hope.

Ariarathes V, Cappadocian Kingdom
AR drachm
Obv: Diademed head of Ariarathes V right
Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ AΡIAΡAΘOY EYΣEBOYΣ, Athena standing left, holding Nike & resting hand on grounded shield, HDI monogram in outer left field, PAFI monogram in inner left field, regnal year GL (33) in exergue
Mint: Eusebeia
Date: 130 BC
Ref: SG 7286

 

This one is of Septimius Severus (193-211) struck year B (ETB in exergue), 194.

18-17 mm.
AV Λ CEΠ CEOYHPOC (Autocrater(?) L. Sep Severus)
MHTPOΠ KAICAPI (Metrop[olis] Caesari[a])
Sydenham CCC 389, page 96. BMC Cappadocia 220, page 73.
Sear Greek Imperial --, SNG Copenhagen VII 256.

 

Very nice!

 

Nice one! I do like the Commodus portraits on these didrachms.

I have Uncle Lucius. I love the detail of the little leaping deer on the left rock at the base of the mountain. The right rock has a tree.


LUCIUS VERUS
AR Didrachm. 6.64g, 21.4mm. CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea, AD 161-166 (Cos 2). Metcalf 131d; RPC Online Vol. 4, #7030. O: AYTOKP OYHPOC CEBACTOC, cuirassed bust right, viewed from behind. R: YΠATOC B, Mount Argaeus with two large rocks at its base, left rock decorated with a deer leaping left, right rock with a tree; on summit, Helios standing left, holding globe and long sceptre.

 

Wonderful posts!

I finally snagged this drachm last year after seeing so many cool examples of Mount Argaeus posted here on CT:

 

i've always thought the reverse was cool, especially wen the mountain in on a little pedestal. ...neat altar.

here's an elagabalus/argaeus combo.

 

Reminds me of this double dactyl by the mysterious and pseudonymous poet, Senex Caecilius

Unworthy Son

Higgledy-Piggledy
Son of Aurelius,
Commodus died on a
Far new year's eve;
Poisoned then strangled, he
Antiheroically
Got his comeuppance and
Then took his leave.

 

I note with dismay that Senex Caecilius is not available on Amazon. I guess we should just be glad we can get some of his stuff here .