Here are some low-grade but beloved coins in my collection. They must have circulated for decades. I like to imagine they are impregnated with pagan altar smoke, gladiator blood, and olive oil. Post your coins that have seen their fair share of circulation! Macedonia, Amphipolis, ca. 187-131 BCE AE 21.4 mm 7.57 gm Obv: Head of Artemis Tauropolis, right Rev: ΑΜΦΙΠΟ-ΛΙΤΩΝ, bull bounding right Refs: SNG ANS-113; Lindgren Europe-933; BMC-35; SNG Cop-72 Nero, AD 54-68, and 1st wife, Claudia Octavia Roman provincial AE 24.6 mm, 8.60 g Crete, Cnossus, AD 54-62 Obv: NERO CLAV CAES AVG IMP LVPINO VOLVMINIO II, bare head of Nero right, scepter over left shoulder Rev: NERO CLAV CAES AVG IMP ET OCTAVIA AVGVSTI, bare head of Nero, left, star above, facing draped bust of Octavia, right, crescent above Refs: SGI 655; RPC 1005-6; Svoronos 95, 217 var; Cohen 313, 1-2 Faustina Sr, AD 138-141 Roman orichalcum Sestertius; 26.57 gm, 32.5 mm Rome, AD 147 Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right Rev: AETERNITAS SC, Aeternitas enthroned left, holding phoenix on globe and scepter Refs: RIC 1103Aa, RCV 4606; BMCRE 1482; Cohen 15 Crispina, AD 177-182 Roman orichalcum sestertius; 19.95 g, 28.1 mm Rome, AD 178-180 Obv: CRISPINA AVG IMP COMMODI AVG, bare-headed and draped bust, right Rev: SALVS SC, Salus seated left, feeding out of a patera a snake coiled around altar, left arm on side of chair Refs: RIC 672b; BMCRE 423; RCV 6009; Cohen 32; MIR 18 Didia Clara, daughter of Didius Julianus, Augusta, 193 CE Roman orichalcum sestertius;3 0.5 mm, 21.24 g Rome, April-June, 193 CE Obv: DIDIA CLARA AVG, Draped bust right, hair in bun behind Rev: HILAR TEMPOR SC (Legend worn). Hilaritas standing, head left, holding palm branch and cornucopia Refs: RIC 20; BMC 38; Cohen 4; Sear 6087
VESPASIAN AE3 OBVERSE: KAICAP OYECΠACIANOC TOMI, laureate head of Vespasian right REVERSE: TITOC KAICAP ΔOMITIANOC KAICAP, confronted busts of Titus (left) and Domitian Struck at Tomis, Moesia Inferior, 69-79AD 3.1g, 17mm RPC II 402
here are a couple of pretty darn smooth ones, but still kind of neat. hadrian drachm.... MA sestertius...
Hadrian AE drachm Alexandria - quadriga of elephants year 2 I have a less worn Julia Domna Venus sestertius but I like this one better because it has a better portrait die style and decent surfaces. This as of Claudius has a nice green patina and relatively clear obverse legend considering the wear. I have several of these Augustus and Agrippa dupondii of Nemausus but this one has wear (and uneven strike) rather than the boatload of other faults we usually see on these. No one collects late Roman coins with a lot of wear but I traded a CT regular a Commodus denarius for this one. I strongly prefer worn coins to those with corrosion or other roughness producing faults. For the money my favorite NGC grade would be Fine 5/5 5/5. I can not stand the thought of AU 1/5 1/5.
@Roman Collector ... I really like circulation wear! Exactly the same thoughts: where were these coins used in everyday life, passing from hand-to-hand-to-hand! Just money from everyday life... RR Servius Rullus 100 BCE AR Den Minerva Victory Biga S 207 Cr 328-1 RR L Julius 141 BCE AR Den Roma Dioscuri XVI RR Vibius Pansa 90 BCE AR Den Apollo Minerva Quadriga Sear 242 Cr 345-5 Social-Marsic War RR Lucilius Rufus 101 BCE Ar Den Roma Biga Marius Victories S 202 Cr 324-1 RR Rubrius Dossenius 87 BCE AR Den Jupiter Triumphal Quad S 258 Cr 348-1 RR Coelia Caldus 104 BCE AR Den Roma Biga S 196 Cr 318-1b RR Cornelius Letulus 76-75 BCE AR Den Questor Pompey Genius Globe Scepter Rudder S 323 Cr 393-1a RR Crepusius 82 BCE AR Den Apollo scepter Horseman spear Sear 283 Craw 361-1 RR C Vibius CF CN Pansa 48 BCE AR Denarius Pan Jupiter Anxurus Sear 420 Craw 449-1 RR Valerius Acisculus AR Denarius 45 BCE Apollo star Europa bull S 469 Cr 474-1
Claudius (41 - 54 A.D.) Attaleia, Pamphylia Æ 19 O: Bare head left. R: ΑΤΤΑΛΕΩΝ, helmeted head of Athena right. Attalea mint 4.44g Baydur 15, BMC 13 (plate 23, 8), Istanbul museum collection 7726 Ex. Heritage Auctions, Aug 9, 2012, #231232 Lot 62017, (part of) No thread is complete without one of these worn babies. Marc Antony (44 - 30 B.C.) AR Denarius O: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley right. R: LEG III Aquila between two signa; LEG III across lower field. Patrae mint 32-31 B.C . 3.14g 18mm Crawford 544/15; CRI 350; Sydenham 1217; RSC 28 P. Licinia Nerva (113-112 B.C.) AR Denarius O: Helmeted bust of Roma left, holding shield and spear over shoulder; crescent above, mark of value to left. R: Three citizens voting on comitium: one voter receives ballot from attendant below, another voter places ballot in cista; [P] on tablet above bar. Rome Mint 17mm 3.3g Crawford 292/1, Sydenham 548; Licinia 7
Got some Bronze circulation wear: RR AE As P.CORNELIUS P.F. BLASIO BC 169-158 35mm 42.5g S 703 Syd 370 Cr 189-1 RR Prv Macedon Amphipolis AE Semis 187-131 BC Zeus Prow giraffe shape SNG Cop 69 RR Anon AE Semuncia 217-215 BC Turreted Horseman Whip Roma 2 Cr 39-5 S 619 RR Anon AE Semis 211-207 BC Saturn S Prow ROMA S 766 Cr 56-3 RR Anon AE Double-Litra 275-270 BC Apollo Lion S 590 Cr 16-1a RR Anon AE Uncia 217-215 BC Roma Attic Prow Cr 38-6 S 615 RR Anon AE Litra 270-269 BCE S 592 Cr 17-1a RR Anon AE Sextans 217-215 BCE She-Wolf Twins Eagle Syd 95 Cr 39-3 S 609 RR Anon AE Triens 157-156 BC Minerva Prow RARE Cr 198B-3 S 989 RR Aes Grave AE Quadrans Dog 3 pellets Six spoked wheel 59.8g Craw 26-6a Th-Vecchi 34
This Athenian owl tet has circulation wear, a banker's mark and a test cut, attesting to the fact that it dutifully served its purpose in commerce...
Arkadia, Tegea 4.71g AE23 hemiobol 50-25 BC Obv Head of Aleos to right, wearing taenia; to left. Rev. On the left, Kepheos, nude but for helmet, holding spear and shield in his left hand and extending his right towards Athena, on the right, standing left, holding spear in her left hand and lock of the Medusa’s hair in her right; between them, Sterope standing right, holding vessel to receive the lock; above and below, monogram. BCD #1750.1 With an old ticket saying it was found at a Heraclean temple about 1km east of ancient Cleonae With another ticket saying it is ex BCD (but it doesn't match the three specimens in the BCD sale)
Here are three from my collection. First one is Hadrian (?) 2nd one is Maximian or Galerius (?) follis 3rd one is a great portrait of Justinian (not) Such is the life of an uncleaned hoard junkie!!!
