Acquired a Coin I've Always Wanted

Ever since I started collecting ancient coins over a decade ago, I've admired the early Roman silver didrachm colloquially known as a quadrigatus. The artistry and history always appealed to me, having been struck initially around 225 B.C., and in large quantities around 218 B.C., the time that the Romans declared war on Carthage.

These are large silver coins (22mm or so) showing a Janiform head that most modern literature describes as the Dioscuri portrayed in a slightly unusual manner, rather than the god Janus as in earlier coin literature. They are referred to as "didrachms" since their weight was six scruples, which corresponded to the weight of a Greek didrachm. They're also referred to as "anonymous" Roman silver. The name "quadrigatus" comes from the quadriga (four-horse chariot) on the reverse.

I've bid on a number of these coins over the years, but until now had always been outbid on the higher quality examples. While not uncommon coins, the artistry of these coins runs the gamut from adequate to "good style." Also, I wanted a reverse that had the reverse ROMA incuse in a raised tablet, rather than the usual lettering style.



Anonymous ca. 225 - 214 BC
AR Didrachm - Quadrigatus 22mm, 6.65 g., 5h Rome mint
Crawford 28/3 Sydenham 64a
Laureate head of Janus; curved truncation. Rev. Jupiter hurling thunderbolt w. right hand, holding scepter in left hand, in quadriga r. driven by Victory; ROMA in exergue incuse on solid tablet. Ex Gasvoda collection.

My coin illustrates (what I consider) good portrait style on the obverse and a fairly full reverse scene, with only a slight portion of Jupiter's winged thunderbolt falling off the flan.

A decade or so after these coins started to be minted, the Roman Republic would standardize on the silver denarius, a coin of approximately half the weight, and this coin ceased to be struck.

Feel free to post examples of Roman coinage from this pre-denarius period!

 

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It has everything you could hope for in the type: great style, centering, strike, surfaces, preservation, and toning. Congratulations!!

 

An exquisite coin indeed!

 

Outstanding!

 

Absolutely amazing, great coin in mint condition, congratulations.
I have always find the Rome republican coins equally artistic as the classical Greek coins.

 

Wow. That is absolutely stunning.

 

I always wanted one of those but they are out of my bracket. If I were shopping for something pre-denarius, it would be aes grave. I am happy to see it and thank you for sharing.

 

What a striking coin. No pun intended. Beautiful.

 

IdesOfMarch01, Nice score! I agree, your example is definitely a "high-end" for the type. These coins are not rare but the best examples sell in the 5K to 10K range. I believe the bulk of these were used to pay Roman soldiers & mercenaries who were fighting Hannibal in the 2nd Punic War.

 

Very, very nice.

 

Great coin @IdesOfMarch01 - visually it looks to be almost perfect.

 

That's a great great example @IdesOfMarch01 !
Not sure I'll dare posting mine, which yours puts to shame


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


My only other pre denarius is more on the good style side :


Republic, Didrachm Rome mint c. 269-266 BC
No legend, Diademed head of young Hercules right, with club and lion's skin over shoulder
ROMANO, She wolf right, suckling Romulus and Remus
7.29 gr
Ref : RCV # 24, RSC # 8


Q

 

Congratulations for finding such a nice example of an iconic type! It fits impeccably well alongside the rest of your collection.

 

Stunning!

 

Very Nice @IdesOfMarch01 !

I believe we have the same Crawford #. I agree, I wanted the incused ROMA on tablet also.


RR Anon AR Heavy Denarius Quadrigatus Didrachm 225-215 BCE Cr 28-3 S 31
Early-issue during 2nd Punic War (purer silver)

And here is a HALF-Quadrigatus


RR Anon AR Heavy Quinarius Quadrigatus Drachm 216-214 BCE Janus ROMA Jupiter Victory Quadriga LEFT Cr 29-4 S 35

 

Like you, I have always wanted one of these, yours is an absolutely stunning example!

 

Very Nice @IdesOfMarch01 !

I believe we have the same Crawford #. I agree, I wanted the incused ROMA on tablet also.

View attachment 875889
RR Anon AR Heavy Denarius Quadrigatus Didrachm 225-215 BCE Cr 28-3 S 31
Early-issue during 2nd Punic War (purer silver)

And here is a HALF-Quadrigatus

View attachment 875894

 

@IdesOfMarch01 it is a excellwnt example, well struck, fairly well centered and in good style. The surfaces are also uniformly excellent, and that's often the hardest box to check on these I saw multiple examples at NYINC last weekend and nearly all had some surface issues - corrosion spots, porosity, etc.

Below are examples of three other series of Quadrigati, Crawford 29, Crawford 30 and the rarest of all, Crawford 42:

 

Beautifull coin, great new addition to your collection. Great way to start off 2019! Money well spent
John