Every woman's dream: balding and with a neck beard and unibrow

Marcus Aurelius Carus was more secure in his physical appearance than his distant predecessor, Otho, and didn't feel the need for a toupee or much in the way of "man-scaping." I have no idea if he was a ladies-man or not, but he did marry (the name of his wife is unknown) and he had at least three children, a daughter named Aurelia Paulina, and two sons, Carinus and Numerian, both of whom were associated with his principate and issued coins.

A new acquisition. Post your Carus coins or anything else you deem relevant!


Carus, AD 282-283.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 3.57 g, 21 mm, 6 h.
Antioch, AD 282.
Obv: IMP C M AVR CARVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: VIRTVS AVGG, emperor standing right, holding parazonium and receiving Victory on globe from Carinus (or Jupiter) standing left, holding scepter; A//XXI .
Refs: RIC 124C; Cohen 116; RCV 12188.

 

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Bald is beautiful!! Yours highlights that feature very well.

 

Nothing wrong with bald . Neck beards, on the other hand... an effective repellent


EGYPT, Alexandria. Carus
undated, but struck apparently struck posthumously by his son Carinus in CE 283/4
tetradrachm, 19 mm, 7.7 gm, 12h
Obv: ΘEωKAPωCEB; Laureate head right.
Rev: AΦIEPωCIC; lit altar decorated with crossed palms, star in upper left field.
Ref: Emmett 3995.2, R2
ex JBGood
ex Keith Emmett Collection
ex Empire Coins, July 1982

 

I am yet to get a coin with bald Carus on it, but it's on my list! Nice catch!

 

From Wikipedia:
In the sphere of civil affairs, Carus is remembered principally for the final suppression of the authority of the senate, which had been partially restored under Tacitus and Probus. He declined to accept their ratification of his election, informing them of the fact by a haughty and distant dispatch.

Perhaps there were women in that day that considered a man strong enough to tell the Senate where to go more appealing than a fellow with a fancy wig (Otho) or Rome's finest collection of wardrobe (look at all the different clothes on coins of Probus).


Virtus and Victoria seem fine but perhaps he should have issued more coins honoring the big guy who threw lightning bolts??? I don't have one of his but they exist like these for his sons.
Carinus


Numerian


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Impressive flan on that Numerian. I like the Carus also and you don't see a Tripolis Carinus every day, either.

Does anybody have an early Carus issue spelled "KARVS"?

 

Carus (282- 285 A.D.)
Ӕ Antoninianus
O: IMP C M AVR CARVS P F AVG; Radiate and cuirassed bust right.
R: VIRTVS AVGG; Soldier standing left, leaning on shield and holding spear. In ex. ΓKA
Rome Mint
23mm
3.7g
RIC V(b) Rome 45


Carus (282- 285 A.D.)
Egypt, Alexandria
Potin Tetradrachm
O: A K MA KAΡOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
R: Dikaiosyne standing left holding scales and cornucopiae, LA to left.
20mm
6.99g
Sear RCV (2005) 12197; Milne 4660.

 

Here are my coins of Carus, and his sons Carinus and Numerian.

 

Continued

 

By this time portraits at Alexandria were usually pretty generic. This one seems to be a bit more carefully rendered and does show bald in front of his laurel.

Carus
Billon Tetradrachm
Obv:– A K MA KAPOC CEB, Laureate, draped bust right
Rev:– Dikaiosyne (Aequitas) standing facing, head left, scales in right hand, cornucopiae in left
Mint: Alexandria - LA - A.D. 282/283 (Year 1)
Emmett 3996; Milne 4660-1; Curtis 1897-1902; BMC 2441; K 1161
Weight 6.39g. 17.99mm.

 

Carus is one of the not-so-rare emperors I don't have a coin from - yet. No haste! But here are his square-jawed sons, all Alexandrian tetradrachms. They have their hair, and Carinus a neck beard.

 

Bald is sexy!



So sexy it hurts!

 

I can well understand that, dear Lady, but I tend to let my 'neck hair' grow at times.........until the wife reminds me I ain't Santa Clause.........

 

haha..that guy sounds like Elmer Fudd...

 

Balding is sexy? Awesome! I've been getting super sexy over the last 15 years then.

I only have one Carus, it is better than my pic makes it out to be, but still not a great coin.



Now my Carninus is pretty sweet...



...and so is my Numerian.

 

Nice one RC


Carus, Antoninianus - Lugdunum mint, 4th officina, AD 282
IMP C M AVR CARVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
SALVS AVG, Salus standing right, feeding a snake. D in left field
3.78 gr
Carus, antoninien, Ref : Cohen # 74, RIC # 16, Bastien # 464, RCV -



Carus, Posthumous antoninianus - Lugdunum mint, 2nd officina, AD 284-285
DIVO CARO PIO, Radiate head of Carus right
CONSECRATIO, Eagle facing, II at exergue
3.50 gr
Ref : Cohen #18, RCV #12394



Numerianus, Antoninianus - Ticinium mint, 5th officina, 2nd emission, Dec AD 282
M AVR NVMERIANVS NOB C, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Numerianus, seen from behind
PRINCIPI IVVENTUT, Prince of youth standing left, holding baton and sceptre. VXXI at exergue
3,35 gr, 23 mm
Ref : RCV #12219, Cohen #76, RIC vol V #366



Carinus, Antoninianus - Rome mint, 2nd officina, 5th emission, Nov AD 284
IMP CARINVS PF AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Carinus right
IOVI VI - CTORI, Jupiter standing left, holding victory and sceptre. Eagle at feet. KAB at exergue
4,25 gr, 22 mm
Ref : RCV #12348, Cohen #45, RIC vol V #257

Q

 

Nice coin RC.
Carus (282-283). Antoninianus. Siscia. Obv. IMP C MAVRCARVS P F AVG, radiate cuirassed bust of Carus to right. Rev. RESTITVT ORBIS /II */ XXI, Female standing right, presenting wreath to emperor standing left, holding globe and spear. RIC 106.

Carus (282-283). Antoninianus. Rome. Obv. IMP CARVS P F AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right. Rev. VIRTVS AVGG, KAΓ, Virtus standing left, holding spear and resting hand on shield. RIC 46.

Carus (282-283). Antoninianus. Rome. Obv: DIVO CARO, radiate head right. Rev: CONSECRATIO, KA A. Eagle standing facing with open wings. RIC 47.

Carus (282-283). Antoninianus. Siscia. Obv: DIVO CARO PARTHICO, radiate head right. Rev: CONSECRATIO AVG / XXIA, Burning altar. RIC 111.

 

Mine looks a little grumpy, likely because of either hair loss, corrosion, or a thunderstorm brewing up:

Carus, Roman Empire, Antoninianus, 282/3 AD, Cyzicus mint. Obv: IMP C M AVR CARVS PF AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: CLEMENTIA TEMP, Carus (left) receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter (right), B in exergue. 21mm, 4.08g. Ref: RIC V-2 Cyzicus, 118c.

 

Well, unlike many of my friends, I've reached my mid-30s with a head full of nice thick hair.


Beauty shot of Sallent's hair

That's not to say that will always be the case, as I have family members on both sides of the family that have gone partially bald, and family members that still have a very thick hairline (with hardly any sign of thining) even in their 80s, as is the case of my paternal grandfather (so it could really go either way).

However, the odds are stacked against all men. By the age of 70, over 70% of men have noticeable thinning or partial baldness. Which is why I have embraced the "Bald is beautiful" mantra. If you can't beat it, join it. I think if I ever do start to noticeably bald, I'll probably just cut all my hair off instead of spending effort and money trying to delay or hide the inevitable.

 

Here's Carus with Jupiter on reverse. It was struck in Cyzicus.