My new "12 Caesars" acquisition.

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Dafydd, Jun 29, 2017.

  1. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    I am on the road to forming my first 12 Caesars collection and this Galba Denarius arrived today. I would appreciate any comments. I spent several hours searching for this as a potential fake on Forum and elsewhere and the seller seemed to have a broad range of coins that seemed OK so I took a chance after some earlier mishaps have made me far more cautious. I have shown the coin on another thread to compare size with another coin but the original listing image is far better than mine and I would hope that I will not cause a problem by showing this after paying for the coin.
    Size is 18mm and weight is 3.01 gms.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. IdesOfMarch01

    IdesOfMarch01 Well-Known Member

    This particular type of Galba denarius is readily available -- my cursory search on ACSEARCH found over 140 of these coins -- and the above coin doesn't immediately shout "forgery." The surfaces appear normal, centering is typical of this type, and the portrait seems within the range of examples listed on ACSEARCH.

    A small warning sign might be the weight, which at 3.01g. is low for this type; most of the ACSEARCH examples are over 3.2g., although I did find one sold by Pegasi in 2012 that weighed 2.85g. So the weight alone wouldn't disqualify it.

    Auction prices for Galba denarii in this condition seem to fall in the $200 - $400 range, so if you bought it from a reputable dealer for a price in that range, you're probably OK.

    One other thought: does the flan crack at 12 o'clock on the obverse and 6 o'clock on the reverse go all the way through the flan? A true flan crack (if it's the same one on obverse and reverse) should go through the flan; if not, it might be a fake of some sort.

    Otherwise it seems like a nice coin and a good start to your 12 Caesars set.
     
  4. Eduard

    Eduard Supporter**

    Very good comments by IdeaOfMarch, and I agree with his assessment that the in-photo first impression of the coin is good. I have seen a few fakes of this coin, and
    at first sight this example seems legit.
    I have had 2 examples of this coin with cracks on them, so this is not unusual on this type.

    It is a common coin (as they come), but also in demand. Here is my current example to compare. Same type as yours, approx. same condition:

    The wear pattern on the hair on both examples is similar - typical of coins that have circulated so this is reassuring.

    A nice coin all in all.

    Galba denarius-wreath-obv - 1.jpg Galba denarius-wreath-rev - 1.jpg
     
  5. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    A nice start to your 12 Caesars. Here is my Galba.

    GALBA new.jpg
     
  6. gregarious

    gregarious E Pluribus Unum

    the coin looks good and the weight sounds about right. i concur with Ides on the flan crack. you might get it certified by a 3rd party for your own piece of mind. a nice coin to start a 12 Caesars collection with. Galba silver denarius 001.JPG Galba silver denarius 002.JPG
     
  7. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

  8. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    All nice coins and thanks for sharing. My first Nero turned up today so another one for the collection. Same dealer. I would have liked a better reverse but the obverse was a nice portrait to my eyes.
    NERO AR. Denarius. Rome. 66-67ce. 17-19mm. 3.33g. 6h.
    obv. IMP NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS- laureate, bearded head right.
    rev. JVPPITER CVSTOS- Jupiter seated left, holding thunderbolt sceptre.
    RIC 64

    NeroA.JPG NeroB.JPG
     
  9. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Nice additions! Good luck on making your set.
     
  10. alde

    alde Always Learning

    Ithe looks good to my eye. Here is my only Galba Galba AR Denarius RIC 66.jpg
     
  11. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Great 1st Seutonius 12 (12 Caesars) capture!

    I have couple Galbas to share...

    I like Quinarii, so I found one for Galba to complement my ruddy AE Sestertius. :)
    RI GALBA AR Quinarius Lugdunum mint laureate r Victory globe stdng left 15mm 1.5g SCARCE.JPG
    RI GALBA AR Quinarius Lugdunum mint laureate r Victory globe stdng left 15mm 1.5g SCARCE

    RI Galba AE Sestertius SPQR - O.B - CIV.SER in Wreath.jpg
    RI Galba AE Sestertius SPQR - O.B - CIV.SER in Wreath
     
  12. IdesOfMarch01

    IdesOfMarch01 Well-Known Member

    It would be cool if you managed to get all 12 in silver... is this what you're planning?
     
  13. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    Very Nice pick-ups @Dafydd !!

    Although I have all in Silver, I mixed it up, as the years passed by, with a few Imperial and Provincial bronzes as well.:)
     
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  14. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    Well IdesofMarch01 that is my ambition but Claudius will cost me some heartache and Otho will also make me wince. I'm conscious that I am in the position of the old Bull and the young Bull at the top of the hill and if you understand my meaning I am the young Bull. My secret weapon is three gold solidus I acquired in trades that don't interest me so I will try and sell or trade them for my Claudius and Otho and I still seek a Julius Caesar. My problem is that my focus has wandered because this is such a huge and tempting field to what I am used to. In my previous numismatic experience grade and rarity were everything but since entering the dark side, no more or at least not as much.
    I am bemused by a 1921 Morgan dollar recently selling for tens of thousands of dollars because of a rainbow tone when I have bought two ( by accident at Heritage ) in 63+ condition for $50 each. Yes they are pretty but they are all the same and have no life to them compared to an ancient coin. I know this is a huge debate so won't enter it but the challenge of finding a good ancient at the right price is more fun and engaging.
    I once spent an hour with an imaginary bank account buying Morgan Dollars and realised that if I had the money I could fulfil my ambitions within an hour.
    I met a billionaire at a gun show at Reno last year and he said that money proved a curse to him as before he was rich he saved up to buy things and took pleasure in the achievement. Now he could buy anything so spent his time looking for rarities instead and price wasn't the main factor ,the search was. He hadn't seen my 17th Century stuff before so it made his day.
    I wish I had his problems but to answer IdesofMarch questions, yes I would like to achieve my 12 in silver, maybe I won't first time but I will certainly get a lot of pleasure getting there!
     
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  15. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Claudius and Otho are not the only hurdles. A denarius of Gaius (Caligula) will also cause some angst. When I got mine it was the most expensive coin I ever purchased. Do not let that discourage you however, the search is a lot of fun. I really enjoyed putting together my set of the 12. It does not matter how you do it so long as the journey is fun.

    Also, keep in mind that it is never really done. I finished mine a year and a half ago and I am still upgrading individual coins and probably will for many years to come.
     
  16. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    Good point Orfew and I take your point. It's not always the destination that matters but the journey. I am a bit preoccupied with the 4 Caesars at the moment so Otho is my next target which will be more obtainable than Gaius. This will be a wonderful "Bono Eventus" for me on that day. I am looking at an Otho on Ebay at the moment which is a detector find and I have made an offer that was declined but the asking price is above what I have seen at auction so I hope that time will reduce the price.
     
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  17. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Caligula was my most expensive of the 12. I didn't have too much trouble getting Otho, and only a little more trouble with Claudius. Good luck @Dafydd
     
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  18. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    NeroA.JPG NeroB.JPG VespasianA.JPG VespasianB.JPG TitusA.JPG TitusB.JPG Well I had a packet from Naville Auctions today with my first Julius Caesar but appropriate to this thread my first Titus, another Nero and Vespasian. All bronze or brass except the Vespasian. I'm straying from my answer to Ides of March but I had bid low and hadn't expected these coins. I'll show the Julius Caesar on another thread. I photographed these on the back cover of Roman Silver Coins and it was too glossy. The coins are better than my photography. I have bought Mark Goodman's book on coin photography and hope to improve.
    Coin 1. Semis Nero RIC 233 RCV 1980 18.24 mm 4.69 g.
    Coin 2. Denarius Vespasian Circa 76 AD RIC 772 19.5 mm 3.58 g
    Coin 3 Dispondius Titus Circa 77-78 AD RIC Vespasian 1253 29.5 mm 12.32g
     
  19. Julius Germanicus

    Julius Germanicus Well-Known Member

    Beautiful OP Galba Sestertius with nice style and characteristic expression! If you can keep that standard, it will be a great set!

    I have the 12 Caesars in Bronze (I like my coins BIG). Here is my Galba (at 37,06 mm diameter my largest Sestertius):
    Bildschirmfoto 2017-07-21 um 11.00.35.png
    Bildschirmfoto 2017-07-21 um 11.00.48.png
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2017
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  20. Dafydd

    Dafydd Supporter! Supporter

    I'm beginning to like big coins myself, I was particularly impressed with the heft of the Titus Dupondius and it's looking lonely in the tray......
     
  21. IdesOfMarch01

    IdesOfMarch01 Well-Known Member

    I encourage you to include bronzes, especially sestertii, in your collection.

    It wasn't until I had completed my 12 Caesars in gold and silver that I decided to expand into bronzes as well. I hadn't really viewed or touched many of these larger coins, but after receiving my first auction win (below) and handling it for a few days, it was a revelation. The tactile sense of these coins, in addition to larger size that allows more detailed artistry, is very different from gold and silver. You won't regret it.

    4b - Caligula AE sestertius.jpg


    GAIUS (CALIGULA) 37 - 41 A.D.
    AE Sestertius (28.01 g.) Rome c. 37 - 38 A.D. RIC 32
    C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT Laureate head l. Rev. ADLOCVT Gaius, bare headed and togate, standing l. on platform, r. hand extended to five soldiers with shields and parazonia, rearmost pair carrying an aquila; in exergue, COH. Ex. Luc Girard
     
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