Hopefully you guys aren't too tired of RR bronzes yet because I'm back with another one that I picked up as part of David Hendin(AmphoraCoins)'s eBay auction that ended Thursday. Of the small group of RR that were posted, this coin immediately stood out to me because it is rare to find bronzes that retain so much detail and come fully struck on a full flan and I knew I had to have it. Luckily, I was able to capture it by the skin of my teeth with a bid about 75 cents above the hammer price. The moneyer who signed his coins "CINA" is generally thought to be a member of the Cornelii Cinnae. If that name sounds familiar, it is because you've likely heard of the most well-known member of the family, four-time consul Lucius Cornelius Cinna, whom many authors simply refer to as Cinna. This coin was struck about three quarters of a century before the death of the infamous Cinna and so could not have been struck while he was moneyer, but the timing does line up with the career of his father who was consul in 127 B.C. and both Crawford and Greuber suggest this man is the most likely candidate for the moneyer of these types. Roman Republic Æ quadrans(8.34g, 20.4mm). CINA(L. Cornelius Cinna?) series, 169-158 B.C., Rome mint. Head of hercules right; behind ••• /Prow right; above, CINA; below, ROMA; before, •••. Crawford 178/4; Sydenham 368c; Babelon Cornelia 14 Ex RBW Collection via David Hendin, Amphora Coins, 6/8/2017, ex Tony Hardy Collection, CNG 61, lot 1174, 9/25/2002. Published on WildWinds. As always, please share anything relevant.
This coin is more interesting than you may realize. This coin has a wheat ear(many references refer to it as a corn-ear) above the prow. These types were struck circa 214-212 BC, not in Rome but in Sicily. Many of these are overstruck on Sicilian and Punic types and are likely related to the Roman siege of Syracuse.
Cool! I have never had any RR bronze, and have only seen a few examples in cases at the shows I infrequently attended a decade ago. Can't say I've ever held one.
Congratulations red_spork, I am definitely low on Republican and would like more. My only rr quadrans. Anonymous 90 BC AE Quadrans Obvs: Hercules right, three pellets behind Revs: ROMA below prow, three pellets above 15x17mm, 3.4g
I'm consumed with envy! I've struggled to buy Republican bronzes that I like. I find them hard to assess from pics, though yours looks fantastic. I have a minor sextans that I'm a but embarrassed by, and only one other - a fabulous Sextans, illustrated. C. 217-215, about 30mm, amazingly sharp. I overpaid for it, but where will I get another like it? Apologies for poor picture quality, which doesn't do justice. I really want to find it some worthy companions.
Wow. That really is an excellent sextans. This period had the largest of all the struck sextantes as well as some of the finest style of all, as yours shows. That's the kind of coin that's absolutely worth overpaying for.
Ummmm... NOPE! NEVER tire of the Republic, and Quadrans are always cool! A very recent one from @John Anthony ... RR Anon Æ Quadrans 18mm 3.6g Rome 206-195 BCE Hercules lions skin pellet - ROMA Prow 3 pellets Cr 339-4a Syd 679c Italia: The Frentani - Larinum AE 18mm 4g Quadrans 210-175 BCE Herakles - Centaur SNG COP 272 RR Anon AE 28mm 19.2g Quadrans - Sicily mint 214-212 BCE Hercules-Erymanthian boar headress - Bull ex RBW Craw 72-7 RR Aes Grave AE Quadrans 230 BCE Dog 3 pellets Six spoked wheel 59.8g Craw 26-6a Th-Vecchi 34
I got this rather corroded CINA as (Cr. 178/1) in the last Naville auction - ex. E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection:
