I have been studying Livys' Early History of Rome on and off for a year, at times trying hard not to fall asleep after reading 300 pages straight about what 150+ consuls did and which obscure tribes were fought for hundreds of years along and rather difficult ancient Roman names and terminology. But my interest has always kept me going. The most interesting were the first few "books" with the creation legend, the tribal villages of Alba Longa and Rome, followed by the Monarchy with its rather extremely violent and brute history until the end of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus in 509 BC. But I am getting carried away. I purchased my first City Commemorative on Vcoins and it is important to me for 3 specific reasons: 1. It was minted in Trier, todays Germany, which is about 30 minutes from where I was born (Outside of Koblenz, Germany) 2. The good ancient depiction of a wolf (considering the 20$ price, at least) 3. The timeless legend of the origin of Rome City Commemorative. Urbs Roma. Time of Constantine the Great. Trier Mint, 332 AD I do not know if there was any text on the left legend that is missing. Like I said, I purchased this affordable beauty mainly for the Trier Mintmark (Other Trier mintmarks started at about 2 times the price). If anybody has any more information on it or would like to contribute their Trier mintmarks I would be thrilled. - Tobias Sunday reading..which would put most people to sleep
The URBS ROMA coins were issued along with the Constantinopolis type to commemorate the old and new Capitals when Constantine made the move. Each mint city has a different style and issued coins of the type for several years making it possible to assemble quite a number of variations. Yours was from the second (S) workshop at Trier; below is a coin from workshop 1 (prima) TR.P
I still need to acquire the Roman Republic version of this coin. A decent addition and a good price. Here is my favorite of the wolf -twins. Kingdom of the Ostrogoths Rome, Italy (s.493-526 AD) AE Follis (40 Nummi) 23 mm x 10.19 grams Obverse: INVICT-A ROMA Helmeted bust of Roma right. Reverse: She-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, XL above Ref: COI 82a, BMC 24 Prov.ex. J.C. Collection 2014 Note: Very Rare.
Here's one from beyond the frontier. My smallest "Roman" coin: AE 8mm 0.50g. Helena imitative? (The portrait could also be Fausta.)
Wolf lovers wanting the Republican might like the denarius of Sextus Pompeius Fostlus which shows not only the wolf and twins but the shepherd Faustulus who 'rescued' the boys. My example is average or better for this issue. Desirable ones will include the legend at reverse left completely off flan on my coin. This one, even with the spelling error, is as good as I have seen (and only VF). https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=57748
Great now the cost of demand is gonna jack the price tag up. Thanks @Ajax & @Bing cool coins, oh yeah Doug to
Here are the wolf and twins from an earlier Roman Republican bronze. The coin is an AE Sextans of the semi-libral reduction, struck 217-215 BC. Crawford 39/3. Obv: She-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus; two pellets (value mark) below. Rev: Eagle with flower in beak: two pellets (value mark) behind; ROMA before.. The coin was struck in the midst of the Second Punic War, while Hannibal was marauding the countryside of Italy. It's imagry, together with the images on the other coins in this series, was clearly pro-Roman, and projected the divine favor in the founding of Rome. The semi-libral reduction was a reduction in the weight of the Roman As, the base unit of currency, from one Roman pound of bronze to a half-pound of bronze. The reduction was likely triggered by financial panic and raw material shortages following massive defeats of Rome against Hannibal in the early years of the war. The semi-libral reduction reduced the size and weight of the coins, facilitating struck coins and leading to the elimination of aes grave (cast bronze coins). EDIT: Shortly after posting this, I pulled some old auction catalogues off the shelf for perusal. I found my Sextans in the first catalogue I opened! Ex Sternberg XXII (1989), Lot 173.
Time of Constantine, 330-333 AD AE, follis, 17mm, 2.2g; 6h; Trier, AD 333-334 Obv.: VRBS ROMA; helmeted bust of Roma wearing imperial mantle left Rev.: She-wolf standing left, with Romulus and Remus suckling beneath, two stars above, wreath between In Ex.: TRS
