Hi! I am new to this chapter of coin talk. I usually collect mint errors. I came across this roman (?) brockage coin. It seems to be a denar. I would like to know more about the coin. I have looked through D Sears catalog but cant see any other similar coin. Thank You in advance for any feedback!!. Martin from Gothenburg in Sweden
The obverse looks similar to: CN. BLASIO C. F. ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS CORNELIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Scipio Africanus the Elder right., CN. BLASIO CN.F. before, palm behind REVERSE: Juno, Jupiter being crowned by Minerva; monogram in field, ROMA in ex Struck at Rome 112-111 BC 3.8g, 18mm Crawford 296/1; Cornelia 19 If correct, yours has a different control mark behind the bust
I think Bing is correct. The figure on the obverse (Mars, per Crawford, although some speculate Scipio Africanus) is stylistically distinctive on these denarii of Roman Republic moneyer Blasio. In Roman Republican Coinage, Crawford lists a dozen different symbols behind the bust and a star is one of them. With the star, his catalog number is 296/1b. Brockages are abundant in Roman Republican denarii and they are generally of the obverse, presumably because the coin stuck in the hammer die (the reverse), causing a brockage of the next coin struck. There are 5 such brockages of Blasio denarii in ACsearch.
Congrats on the great coin! It's one of my favorite obverses in Roman Republic coinage. And that's saying something. I would (hypothetically((literally))) kill for a brockage of the type. Here's my Blascipio:
Thanks Bing and others! Very interesting. So it seems that the price of 43 GBP on Ebay was quite resaonable. Found in North Yorkshire, GB.
