A 388 gram Cast Bronze Piece from Latium

A couple of nice sized cast bronze pieces arrived this month. One is massive = 1443 grams. The other is only large = 388 grams. I have a second piece that is about the size of the smaller one = 375 grams. The latest piece is top right.

Left = 1442 grams; 152 x 97 x 39 mm
Top R = 388 grams; 54 x 52 x 25 mm
Bottom R = 375 grams; 64 x 58 x 22 mm
All of these weigh more than my coin scale can register. See the new scale I bought below.
Also note that the top right piece was my first $ transfer with TransferWise. The transfer went ok and for less than my bank charges for a wire transfer. I chose to use my credit card instead of linking my bank to a new company and this cost an extra $10.

The two pieces on the right look like they were broken from a larger plate of metal. Most of the sides are rough (brittle fractures). The new piece has a side that is mostly smooth. The older piece has only a short smooth side (where the lower right piece points to 7PM).





The right piece has a larger smooth side I assume must have been the side of the mold. All three pieces have relatively smoother tops and a bit less regular bottoms.

These sided are irregular like they were broken. I think I can see one or two chisel marks where some of the breaks started.
Crude bronze was used from the time Rome was founded, 753 BC, and earlier (I have seen referenced stating 1000 BC and earlier). These pieces were dated 6th to 4th century BC.


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You can see a bit more here:
rrdenarius.blogspot.com

 

Cool stuff!

 

WOW, GENE!!! CONGRATS! Nice ! LOL, those are all MONSTERS! I really like those!

I saw someone post about Transfer Wise recently. I saved it and am considering for the future. I am glad your experience was successful.

I have an Aes Formatum to toss in, but is PALTRY compared to the Horses you brought to the table!


ITALIA Aes Formatum AE Bronze Ax Head ca 5th-4th C BCE sextans size 44.8mm 56g

 

What am i seeing here. Is it young metal???

 

Please explain what are these hunks of bronze. Did someone discover an ancient junk yard? Are they some form of currency?

 

All three pieces are cast bronze from the Roman Republic or Central Italy and are dated 600 to 400 BC. These pieces have been called Pre-Money by some.

 

Aes Rude if I am not mistaken.

here's mine

 

The pieces were used by Romans before they started producing coins about 300 BC.

 

I have some Aes Rude... pocket change for the time:


Italia Aes Rude - bronze ca 5th-4th Century BCE 29.7mm 32.4g
Maybe considered a little more than an Uncia in value... 1/12 As

 

If I'm not mistaken (Gene, please correct me if I'm wrong!), @Kentucky 's piece appears to be aes formatum, in the shape of an astragalos or knuckle bone. The astragalos/knuckle bone was a common motif in early Roman bronze coinage. It is later used as a primary device on several issues of AE aes grave unciae.

 

@Carausius Yes, the end of @Kentucky 's piece looks like a cast knucklebone / Astragalos mold that had problems. You can see mine from different angles below. I do not have an end shot.





Have you seen the BM's painted astragalos? It is impressive!

 

Thats very cool!

 

Coincidentally, I saw it in person earlier this month! I did some research at the BM Department of Coins and Medals. I can't say enough about the helpful staff in the BM research room!

 

Learned somthin new. Thanks.

 

BM? British Museum? I bet that is one huge treasure trove...I am learning also, which is not unusual on this forum. Knuckle bones, cool.

 

Knuckle Bones as an UNCIA:


RR Aes Grave Uncia 269-240 BCE Astragalus knuckle-bones

 

@Cheech9712 - you can read more about cast bronze on my blog. I wrote a summary in 2015 and have added more since then. It is mostly a rambling blog.
http://rrdenarius.blogspot.com/2015/
One of my favorite pieces is my avitar, a silver knucklebone.

 

Yeah, that has always been an unbelievable WOW!!! for me. I want one!

 

Just read that now, that's great! Am I reading that right the Signatum sold for $125 million? If so I'm holding on to my Formatvm. Holy cow or should I say chicken.