Hi friends Here's my first purchase for 2018. For ages I wanted to add a quadrigatus to my collection. If one needs excuses, I felt my she-wolf didrachm looked a bit bored at being alone for such a long time I would have prefered one with a better condition, although this one is decent, but on the other hand was attracted to this one by its good style and nice toning. Plus the price seemed right enough to get the plunge. By the time of the 2nd punic war, the pre-denarius currencies were at an end, with the denarius being introduced in 211 BC. The quadrigati come in several varieties, depending on their aloy, neck truncation on obverse, incuse or raised ROMA on reverse and many other detais that puzzle me, to be honest. Anyway, here it is Republic, Didrachm (Quadrigatus) Rome or other italian mint, c 215-211 BC Laureate janiform head of Dioscuri ROMA in relief in linear frame at exergue, Jupiter, holding thunderbolt in right hand and scepter in left, in fast quadriga driven right by Victory. 6,69 gr - 20-21 mm Ref : RCV #33, RSC # 24 Post anything you find relevant (pre denarius, quadrigatus, Janus, bacon...) Q
A quadrigatus has always been on my list. Congrats on such a great looking coin! Here's one of mine I haven't really looked at in a while. About 100 years after yours was minted. Beardless laureate Janiform head of the Dioscuri XVI monogram below right chin, control letter R below left chin C FONT (NT in monogram) galley left ROMA below Rome 114-113 BC Sear 167, RRC 290/1 3.88g Ex-Calgary Coin This type honors the naval exploits of Publius Fonteius Capito, who was praetor in Sardinia in 169 BC. The obverse relates to the origin of the Fonteia gens, which claimed as its founder Fontus, the son of Janus, in whose honor the Fontinalia was held on October 13.
Ditto! MN. FONTEIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS FONTEIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: Jugate heads of the Dioscuri REVERSE: Galley under oar Struck at Rome 108-109 BC 3.9g, 20mm Cr.307/1, Fonteia 7
Nice Quadrigatus, @Cucumbor ! I've been studying Crawford's arrangement of the Quadrigati lately for the simple purpose of being able to differentiate the often minor style differences among the Crawford numbers. Your's falls within the overly-broad umbrella of Crawford 28/1. I say overly-broad because I'm convinced Crawford 28 actually covers two, distinct issues that should be separately numbered. I call them 28a and 28b. Yours is the later, 28b type. The 28b issue is identifiable by it's lower relief, poorer style, wide neck truncation, and relief legend in a partial-trapezoidal frame. These 28b Quadrigati, based on style and fabric, are likely from an Apulian mint. The obverse style has similarities to Roman bronzes of known Apulian origin, and the flans often contain tabs or edge pinches relating to Apulian flan production techniques. A few of my Quadrigati, below. 1. Crawford 28"b"/1 (same as yours): 2. Crawford 29/1 - notable for its V-neck truncation and relief inscription on a trapezoidal tablet: 3. Crawford 30/1 - notable for large, single, bushy sideburns, various neck truncation styles and Victory being further back on the chariot: 4. Crawford 31/1 - two distinct types of this as well - one with pellet beneath V-neck and partially-incuse or incuse inscripion (as mine below) and the other without pellet and relief inscription, both are in low-relief with 4-tendril sideburns:
Thanks @Carausius for the clarification. I was suspecting Crawford's classification to be a bit confusing : after I have tried to understand it, everytime I see a specimen and tell to myself "try to guess the Crawford # on that one"....I fail Q
Many dealers fail also. I see so many misattributed Quadrigati in catalogues and online. It takes considerable, dedicated study of Crawford's text and plates to understand the differences. I spent almost a month of evenings developing a chart of the types.
Carausius a/k/a The Quadrigati Whisperer! Nice explanation. This is my latest quad from Triton, a sassy Crawford 29.
Super Quad @Cucumbor ! That is a super way to start 2018. The Quadrigatus is among my favorite coins... QUADRIGATUS - DIDRACHM: (Didrachm have quadriga racing RIGHT) RR Anon AR Quadrigatus Janus 225-215 BCE Cr 28-3 Sear 31 High Silver Content... RR Anon AR Quadrigatus 215-213 Janus Roma Relief tablet Sear 32 Cr 29-3 [EDIT Crawford 28] Appearance of lessening Silver content... RR Anon 225-214 BCE BILLON Quadrigatus Janus-Jupiter galloping quadriga r 18.2mm 4.1g Cr 28-3 Sear 33 Ouch! Times were really tough...Low Silver content... Billon Here area a couple QUADRIGATUS DRACHM Versions: (Drachm have quadriga racing LEFT) RR Anon AR Drachm Half Quadrigatus 225-212 BCE 3.1g 18mm Janus dotted border Jupiter in Quadriga LEFT Victory ROMA Cr 28-4 Sear 35 SCARCE RR Anon Quadrigatus AR Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Cr 29-4 [EDIT Crawford 28-4] Sear 35 Scarce
@Alegandron , great group but a few attribution corrections needed, IMHO: 1. Your second coin is a Crawford 28, not a 29. A 29 would be better style, higher relief, single sideburn and have a trapezoidal inscription border (yours is only partial-trapezoid). See this picture of Crawford's plate for a close style match to your coin: 2. I think both your drachms are Crawford 28s. Both have two, distinct sideburns (a bit worn) characteristic of this issue. The Crawford 29 drachms have basically a single sideburn, like the Crawford 29 Quadrigati (see my and @Carthago examples of 29 Quads above).
THANK YOU for the clarifications! I wrestle with this every time I try to attribute them... one detail here, a feature there, etc. This really helps me, especially some of the key differention features that you focus upon. For funzies, I have another RR Drachm that I captured: RR Anon Ca 240 BCE AR Drachm 16mm 3.0g Rome Helmet Hd Mars r - Horse’s hd sickle Cr 25-2 Syd 25 RSC 34a Rare
