Time to move on to L. L is for Libertas: Gordian III, AD 238-244 Roman Æ sestertius; 24.30 gm, 28.7 mm Rome, AD 240 Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right Rev: LIBERTAS AVG SC, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter Refs: RIC 318a; Cohen 153; RCV 8717; Hunter 147 Severus Alexander, AD 222-235 Roman Æ sestertius; 21.72 gm, 28.4 mm Rome, AD 229 Obv: IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, Laureate head right; slight drapery on left shoulder Rev: P M TR P VIII COS III P P S C, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and scepter Refs: RIC 492; BMCRE 570; Cohen 372; RCV 7996 Notes: Die break affects S on reverse
Lares Praestites (guardian deities) Roman Republic, L. Caesius 112-111 BCE AR denarius, 3.92 gm Obv: bust of Vejovis from behind, head turned left, holding a thunderbolt, legend AP; dotted border. Rev: Lares Praestites seated with heads left, dog between, bust of Vulcan above; legend LA-RE; dotted border. Ref: Crawford 298/1. Sydenham 564. RSC Caesia 1 Libertas Roman Republic, C. Egnatius Cn. f. Cn. n Maxsumus 75 BCE AR denarius, 19 mm, 3.82 gm Obv: bust of Cupid right, with bow and quiver over shoulder; behind, MAXSVMVS downwards Rev: distyle temple with figures of draped Jupiter and Libertas standing facing within; C EGNATIVS CN F below, CN N upwards to right, control to left Ref: Crawford 391/2; Sydenham 788 ex Andrew McCabe ex Vecchi Auction 15, 15 June 1999, lot 738
NERVA AE Dupondius OBVERSE: IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P COS III P P, radiate head right REVERSE: LIBERTAS PVBLICA S-C, Liberty standing left, holding pileus and sceptre Struck at Rome, 97 AD 13.2g, 27mm RIC 87
Imperial Rome Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D. (205 A.D.) Rome Mint, AR Denarius, 19.17mm x 3.3. grams Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate bust right, draped Rev.: LIBERALITAS AVGG V, Liberalitus standing left, holding abacus and cornucopia Ref.: RIC IV-1, 136b, p 232.
my only "L".. Libertas Severus Alexander AE Sestertius. IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate head right / P M TR P VIII COS III P P S-C, Libertas standing left holding pileus and sceptre. RIC IV 492. 229 AD 22.4g 31mm
Laetitia is appropriately happy on this denarius of Faustina Junior: Faustina II under Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-175 Roman AR denarius; 2.60 g, 17 mm Rome, AD 161-175 Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right Rev: LAETITIA, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter Refs: RIC 700; Cohen 147; RCV 5258 var.
L - LAKSHMI Sri Lanka 1st C BCE PB Lead 1/8th unit Lakshmi excavated in Anuradhapura RARE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi
No posts in > 24 hours, so let's move on to M. M is for Mars! Trajan, AD 98-117 Roman AR denarius; 2.95 gm, 20 mm Rome, AD 114-117 Obv: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC, laureate and draped bust, right Rev: P M TR P COS VI P P S P Q R, Mars walking right with spear and trophy Refs: RIC 337; BMCRE 536; Cohen 270; RCV --; Woytek 520v; Strack 230; BN 819.
L VALERIUS FLACCUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS VALERIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: Draped bust of Victory right, star under chin REVERSE: Mars walking left, carrying trophy; L. VALERI./ FLACCI. and a flamen's cap before and grain-ear behind Struck at Rome 108-109 BC 3.7g, 18mm Cr306/1, Syd 565, Valeria 11 TRAJAN AR Denarius OBVERSE: IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P, laureate bust right with aegis REVERSE: SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI, Mars standing front with spear & shield Struck at Rome, 106-111 AD 3.2g, 18mm RIC 162, C 378
M is for Minerva Diocletian, AD 284-304 Roman billon antoninianus, 4.21 gm, 24.6 mm Lugdunum, AD 291 Obv: IMP DIOCLETIANVS AVG, radiate, helmeted and cuirassed bust right Rev: PAX AVGG; star in left field; A in exergue Minerva standing left, holding olive branch and spear, leaning on shield Refs: RIC V(2)-63; Cohen 362.
M - MITHRA Bithynia Kios 250 BCE AE11 1.06g Laureate hd Mithra r Kantharos 2 grape bunches hanging K-I below within a wreath SNG Cop 382
Mercury ROMAN REPUBLIC, M. Piso M.f. Frugi 58 BCE (redated from Crawford's 61 BCE by Hersh and Walker, 1984) AR denarius, 20 mm, 3.94 gm Obv: terminal bust of Mercury right, wearing winged diadem; calix below chin; to left, star above wreath; dotted border Rev: M·PISO·M·F / FRVGI above secespita (sacrificial knife) and patera; all within laurel wreath Ref: Crawford 418/2b; Sydenham 825; Calpurnia 23 formerly slabbed, NGC XF, 4/5 strike, 4/5 surface Mars (Like many of you, I have bunches of Mars examples. This is my favorite although it's mostly because of the reverse ) Roman Republic moneyer L. Julius L. f. Caesar, 103 BC AR denarius, 17mm, 3.9 gm Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left; CAESAR; ・J above Rev: Venus Genetrix in chariot left, drawn by two Cupids; lyre to left; ・J above Ref: Crawford 320/1 Jencek E-auction 26, lot 58, 14 October 2014. Ex CNG XXXI lot 699, September 1994; ex RBW Collection
Medusa Moneyer issues of Imperatorial Rome, L. Plautius Plancus 47 BCE AR Denarius, 3.79 gm Obv: L. PLAVTIVS; facing mask of Medusa, serpents at either side of face; banker's mark on cheek Rev: PLANCVS; Aurora (or Victory?) flying right and conducting the four horses of the sun. Banker's mark in left field. Ref: Plautia 15b Sear 429, Cr453/1b; Syd 959a. formerly slabbed by NGC PONTOS, Amisos 85-65 BCE, time of Mithradates VI Eupator AE29, 19.5 gm Obv: helmeted head of Athena right; gryphon on helmet Rev: AMI-ΣOY; Perseus standing facing, holding harpa & Medusa's head; Medusa's body at his feet, blood gushing from neck; monograms in both fields Ref: SNG BM Black Sea 1166; Stancomb 684; SNG Copenhagen 137 (best guess) purchased from a local jewelry store May 2014; pre-cleaning picture is here.
Marsyas Alexandria Troas, time of Gallienus, c. AD 253-268 Autonomous civic issue, Æ23, 5.9g, 6h Obv: ALEX TRO CO, turreted and draped bust of Tyche right; to left, vexillum inscribed CO/AV in two lines Rev: COL AVG TROA, Marsyas standing right on pedestal, holding wineskin Refs: Bellinger A497; SNG Copenhagen 103; SNG von Aulock 1463.