I posted a week or two ago about coins that got my son and me interested in collecting ancients. The coin he chose was a Caracalla denarius. He chose it because the image on the coin is about the same age as my son is currently. It really interested him to read about Caracalla and how he was a ruler of the empire when he was the same age as my son. A few days ago a letter arrived in the mail with this denarius of Geta to add to his collection. "If he likes Caracalla then he needs Geta" was the letter attached to it. He, understandably, was over-the-top excited. His description of the coin is "Marvelous". He was also very excited to sit down with me and read the history of Geta. After reading a bit about him, we decided that Geta was a much better person than Caracalla and that it was a shame that he died instead of his brother. He told me that if he becomes the president he promises not to kill his little sister. I have to say, I'm quite happy with that response haha. He also now likes Geta more because their birthdays are very close, 7 March for Geta and 5 March for my son, albeit 1,822 years apart lol. He has really been interested in these coins depicting kids his age on them so I think that we will perhaps focus his collection that way, at least for now. We can get new coins as he gets older that depict people that were approximately his age when they were minted. Thanks for looking. And thanks again to the person who sent my son this coin! Geta as Caesar P SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES, draped bust right FELICITAS TEMPOR, Felicitas standing left left, holding cauduceus & cornucopiae
How wonderful!! CT-members are THE BEST! Here's a Geta at the age of 13: Geta as Caesar. AR denarius, 3.24 gm, 18.3 mm. Rome, AD 202. Obv: P SEPT GETA CAES PONT, bare-headed and draped bust, r. Rev: SECVRIT IMPERII, Securitas enthroned l., hoding globe. Refs: RIC-20; BMC-240; Cohen-183; Sear-7200; Hill-553.
I suppose I have to include among my favorite coins of Geta this one from which his image was scraped away in accordance with the decree by Caracalla that images of Geta be destroyed. Coins of Stratonicaea showed two members of the Severan family face to face. Those on which Geta remains intact are rare. Not all parts of the empire must have been quite so efficient in following the decree. Many/most of these coins bear one or more countermarks. This has a helmeted head in an oval in the middle and ΘΕΟΥ under the bust(s). Stratonicaea, Caria, Caracalla (Geta removed) AE34 / Hekate stg.
We read about the "damnatio memoriae" on his wiki page and were wondering how so many coins survived. I'm guessing that every day people didn't care too much about it and were more worried about their daily lives and having coins that were easily identifiable as legitimate.
Nice and congrats. Here is my young head. Geta (209 - 211 A.D.) AR Denarius O: L SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES, draped bust right. R: FELICITAS TEMPOR, Felicitas standing left holding caduceus and cornucopia. Laodicea, 198 - 200 A.D. 2.7g 18mm RIC IV 95, RSC III 44, BMCRE V 144
I suspect many coins that survive had already been buried away before the edict and were not removed from hiding until after.
Nice Getas everyone. I've owned two. This is my current one: And here is one that I gifted for Secret Santa last year to someone in this forum, though I don't remember whom it was now.
Geta, as Caesar, Denarius, Rome, AD 200-202. Obv. P SEPT GETA - CAES PONT, draped and cuirassed bust r.. Rev. VICT AETERN, Victory flying l., holding in both hands wreath over shield on low base. RIC 23. Geta, as Caesar, Denarius, Rome, AD 197-209. Obv. GETA CAES PONTIF, draped bust right. Rev. MINERVA, Minerva, helmeted, standing left, holding hand on shield and spear. RIC 25.
Nice coins everybody - and good to hear some younger folks are getting involved. That obliterated portrait of Doug's is spectacular. I have a not-so-spectacular Geta denarius with a big cut across his face. Could it be a damnatio memoriae? Or just random damage? I suppose I'll never know.
I am partial to young Geta myself, here is one of each (young & older) Geta, AD 209-211 Hybrid denarius (AR; 18-19mm; 2.68g; 6h) Obv.: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT; Laureate head of Geta to right. Rev.: PONTIF – COS II; Genius standing front, head left, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar, left, and holding corn-ears in left hand. Reference: cf. BMCRE V p. 365, 49 and p. 227 (hybrid reverses Septimius Severus)); cf. C. 139. From the Doug Smith Collection; ex A.K. Collection Lot 623, P31 When I get my hand back I'll unpack my camera set up and get my own photos
Just for comparison here is portrait of the mature Geta I scored long ago on a Tet from Antioch, Syria, 14.45 gm, McAlee #719. It's a common coin with an unusually nice strike.
