Augustus denarius

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by VDB, Jan 16, 2019.

  1. VDB

    VDB Active Member

    45B4F1C1-B7E0-43E4-8D44-06A9DC8191DA.jpeg 4B7C605E-F2D8-485D-8411-E546E0C4C1F2.jpeg

    Picked up this beauty at the 2019 New York International Numismatic Convention in Manhattan. It’s my first of the Twele Caesars and I love it. Still very new to ancients, but have been making some slow progress through literature and online research.

    This very coin was a part of the Knobloch Collection which was auctioned in May of 1980. The obverse depicts a bare head of Augustus facing right with the legend that reads simply AVGVSTVS. The reverse is a laurel wreath intertwined with prows (corona rostrata) with ties at center. It was supposedly struck in 21 B.C.

    As soon as I brough this piece home I immediately went to the David Sear book to match it to a listing and could not find it. The dealer from which I purchased the piece listed it as RIC 105a, but that turned out to be inaccurate since the ANS catalogue lists 105a as Head of Augustus, laureate, right with a totally different reverse. My next step was to review the original Stacks catalogue from the 1980 auction. The lot was listed under number 11 and identified under RIC 57, which again did not match up anything I could find. I finally identified the coin as RIC 473 through the ANS online database. Now everything added up. Except the above mentioned errors.

    As I mentioned, I’m still a novice in this field of numismatics. Any feedback on my research is welcome. Did I miss something? Could I have done something differently? Do RIC numbers change over time?

    Also, would love to see other Augustus (or related) examples. Feel free to share!

    Hope everyone is having a great day!

    VZ
     
    Puckles, Ajax, dlhill132 and 23 others like this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. PeteB

    PeteB Well-Known Member

    Splendid research!
    Doesn't speak well of major auction firms!
     
    VDB likes this.
  4. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    That's a nice one, love the toning and portrait. Congrats.
     
    VDB likes this.
  5. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    WoWiE!!! Now folks, take note, that is how to start off a 12 Caesar's collection.
    Way to be @VDB! Welcome to the Augustus club. 11 to go:D
    Really groovy reverse:wideyed: and the portrait is fantastic. With that nice n cool tone.
    I really do love my only silver Augustus for it's glaring flaw...what the heck took that chunk out?? And the fact that it doesn't diminish from obv nor rev theme makes one wonder of it's intentionality.
    CollageMaker Plus_201882421837405.png

    Augustus
    Silver Denarius, 27 BC-CE 14. Lugdunum, 2 BC-AD
    12. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER
    PATRIAE, laureate head of Augustus right. Reverse:
    AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT around,
    CL CAESARES in exergue, Gaius and Lucius
    Caesars standing facing, each togate and resting a
    hand on one of two shields set on ground between
    them; behind shields, two crossed spears; above, on
    left, simpulum right, and on right, lituus left. RIC 207
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2019
  6. VDB

    VDB Active Member

    Wow, cool coin! Great details. Maybe someone needed change ‍♂️
     
    Ryro likes this.
  7. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    A very interesting reverse and a nice portrait @VDB. My Augustus does not have the ship prows on the reverse.
    Augustus 3.jpg
     
    Puckles, Alegandron, Ajax and 13 others like this.
  8. VDB

    VDB Active Member

    That’s a great example! Love the details.
     
  9. VDB

    VDB Active Member

    And I didn’t realize that these were ship prows. Just took a second look and there they were. I’ve read that this reverse was designed to indirectly commemorate the battle of Actium, but did not actually see it until now. Amazing! Thank you!!
     
    Orfew likes this.
  10. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    @VDB A truly wonderful coin with a nice provenance. Congrats on starting out with an excellent coin.

    I have consulted RIC (Roman Imperial Coins). It mentions that the coin was possibly minted at a North Peloponnesian mint. The description for the reverse of RIC 473 states: "No legend. Wreath intertwined with prows (corona rostrata), the ties arranged centrally."


    Here are my 2 silver coins of Augustus

    AUG new.jpg
    Augustus (27 BC-AD 14), Denarius, Uncertain Spanish mint (Colonia Patricia?), 17-16 BC, (19 mm 3.73 g).
    Obv: Bare head right
    Rev: Augustus, Capricorn right, holding globe attached to rudder between front hooves; cornucopia above its back.
    RIC I 126; RSC 21 SRCV (2000) 1592.
    Purchased October 28, 2016 from vcoins store London Coin Galleries Ltd.
    Augustus Cistophorus RIC 493 copy.jpg

    Augustus (27 BC-AD 14). AR cistophorus
    (25mm, 10.86 gm, 12h).
    NGC VG 5/5 - 2/5.
    Pergamum, ca. 27-26 BC.
    Obv: IMP •-CAE-SAR, bare head of Augustus right
    Rev: AVGVSTVS, Capricorn right, head left, bearing cornucopia on back; all within laurel wreath.
    RIC I 477. RPC 2211.
    Heritage Auctions August 30, 2018 Lot 231835
     
    Puckles, dlhill132, cmezner and 13 others like this.
  11. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    Great coin VDB of a type you rarely see. Caias.jpg
    Augustus, 8-7 BC, Gaius Caesar galloping right, AR Denarius, 18mm, 3.28gm, RIC 199, Sear 1596.
     
    Puckles, dlhill132, cmezner and 12 others like this.
  12. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    VDB, Nice addition of the Augustus denarius ;). I've only owned 3 nice portrait coins of Augustus, & one I really regret selling 6 years ago at a Heritage auction :(, pictured below. However I was happy with the price it sold for $2,415.00 :D.
    NGC 2420228-004 obv..jpg NGC 2420228-004 rev..jpg
     
  13. Carausius

    Carausius Brother, can you spare a sestertius?

    Yes, the revised edition of RIC, Vol 1 was published in 1984 - four years AFTER the Stack's sale of the Knobloch Collection of Roman Imperial coins.
     
    Paul M., Cucumbor and VDB like this.
  14. alde

    alde Always Learning

    Nice coin @VDB. Here's one to add to the thread.
    Octavian Denarius RIC1-265.jpg
     
  15. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    @VDB, that's a nice example of a cool type I would love to add to my trays !

    Some examples of mine, as Octavian and as Augustus :

    [​IMG]
    Octavian, Denarius Italian mint, possibly Rome, 31-30 BC
    Anepigraph, bare head of Octavian left
    CAESAR - DIVI F, Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath
    3.84 gr
    Ref : HCRI # 408, RCV # 1552v, Cohen # 66, RIC # 255


    [​IMG]
    Augustus, Denarius Colonia Patricia mint ? ca. 19-18 BC
    CAESARI AVGVSTO, laureate head right
    SP - QR on either side of a domed terastyle temple, in which is a chariot with aquila.
    3,66 gr
    Ref : RSC # 279, RIC # 119


    [​IMG]
    Augustus, Denarius - Lyon mint c.12 BC
    AUGUSTUS DIVI F, Bare head of Augustus right
    IMP X, Bull butting right
    3.77 gr
    Ref : RCV #1610, Cohen #137


    [​IMG]
    Augustus, Denarius - Rome mint, 2 BC
    CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, Laureate head of Augustus right
    AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT, Caius and Lucius holding shields and spears
    3,65 gr
    Ref : RCV # 1597, Cohen # 43, RIC # 207

    Q
     
  16. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

    What a cool design with all those prow's on the reverse , congrats VDB

    Mine is the same coin as Bing's , but with a left facing portrait:

    P1190071.JPG
     
    Puckles, dlhill132, cmezner and 10 others like this.
  17. Al Kowsky

    Al Kowsky Well-Known Member

    Cucumbor, Great group of denarii ! The butting bull reverse is beautifully done but my favorite is the 2nd coin with a superb portrait & exquisite reverse of an eagle on a chariot.
     
    Cucumbor likes this.
  18. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Welcome to the Dark Side, @VDB! Love the anepigraphic reverse of your Augustus with those ships prows worked into the wreath. Not a type you see every day.

    I have one to add to the pile...

    Augustus - Pegasus denarius.jpg
    AUGUSTUS
    AR Denarius. 3.64g, 19.9mm, Rome mint, 19-18 BC, P. Petronius Turpilianus, moneyer. RIC 297 (R2). O: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head right. R: P PETRON TVRPILIAN III VIR, Pegasus walking right.
     
  19. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Those are beautiful coins, Q !
     
    Cucumbor likes this.
  20. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    My sole Augustus denarius:

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Augustus - RIC Vol. I, 38b (17 BC) - Spain (Colonial)
     
  21. Agricantus

    Agricantus Allium aflatunense

    Way to start the XII Caesares!
     
    VDB likes this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page