New Sestertius of Elagabalus

Julius-G => that's a sweet new OP-Elagabalus (congrats)

Elagabalus, AR Tetradrachm



Elagabalus, AR Denarius

 

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Here's mine, gifted to me by our very own @Sallent .

'Twas my first denarius.

 

It's great seeing that coin again. I'm glad you like it. It is a bread and butter denarius: good style and honest wear.

 

Have been trying to find the "forgotten" reference for this Elagabalus sestertius, struck apparently in Ephesus, 218 - 222 AD.
The reference I found here http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/4877/
says RPC 4877 (temporary) and type reference is Karwiese 687.

I am very confused, since it has been temporary for at least one year and that
doesn't seem to change. Maybe they forgot that the reference was temporary or maybe they are not even sure it is Elagabalus? (he doesn't look like the ones on this thread - he could also be Caracalla..)
Do you guys know for how long lasts the "temporary" and what exactly does it mean? Uncertain?

33 mm, 18.56 g
Ob.: [AY]T K M AYP ANTΩNЄINOC CЄ B laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus, to r.
Rv.: ЄΦЄCIΩN Δ NЄΩKOPΩN Tyche standing facing, looking l., holding patera and cornucopia

 

As am I!

 

"Temporary" means the numbering of coins in that volume of RPC has not yet been finalized. In other words, it's the number that is temporary, not the details of the coin's attribution.

 

interesting, with a loud message, nice patina..coin signed by history..

 

I rather like the sestertii of Elagabalus - the fine craftsmanship of the latter part of Caracalla’s reign could still be seen although whoever did the gorgeous sestertii of Caracalla’s final issues was gone - or so it appears to me. I am trying to collect one of each of the 35 types RIC lists for Elagabalus - not enough time for me to complete it but I’m just over a third of the way there.

I have tried the same thing with Caracalla and Septimius. What I have found is odd - the common types for each emperor are not simply common but incredibly common, while the not so common types are simply never for sale. As an example I have mentioned before, Septimius Severus “Securitas” very common for Caracalla but almost never offered for sale for Septimius despite rated only as scarce - I am lucky to have a single worn example. Yet Septimius’s “Africa” type listed as rare is very common.

In fact, I thought that collecting sestertii of only the Severan’s would be fun and interesting but I have found it to be an almost impossible task to get less common types even if inefOnce you have the more common types then it becomes almost an impossibility to get more - I have not bought a coin for my collection in months.

Of course some of that may be due to the far fewer coins for sale in the last year. We seem to be in a period diametrically opposite to the early 2000’s. I keep hearing that fewer and fewer people collect ancient coins but you would never know it from prices and supply - where the heck are all those coins that were sold the last 20 years?
Gone? Hoarded by dealers.

I have a friend who has about 20,000 ancient coins of all grades and types - I have suggested he sell some of them but no luck thus far - selling a single one is an impossibility for him.

but where are the thousands and thousands of other coins that came in from Eastern Europe?