Featured The Thunderstruck One: Marcus Aurelius Carus

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by ancient coin hunter, Apr 14, 2019.

  1. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Some seriously cool coins! Carus is one of the older residents of my Roman collection; I got him pretty cheap when Solidus was on ebay and ran no reserve auctions. Could probably use an upgrade, but it's nice enough I can't justify $50-100 for one with silver in

    Carus Clementia Fel Temp.jpg

    After the struck by lightning bit, my second favorite fun fact is that Carus is one of only two Roman emperors usually shown as balding on coins and official depictions - the other being Gordian II.

    I collect by title (Caesar, Augustus, Divus) so I'm on the lookout for a reasonably priced DIVO CARO.

    I do have this one which I understand to be quite a bit more rare...

    20171205_Divo-Numeriano-double-strike.jpg
    DIVO NVMERIANO, struck (twice!) by Diocletian
     
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  3. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Great double strike @Finn235 ! I'd like to have one of those, plus it looks like it is a rare coin to boot.
     
  4. EDDOP

    EDDOP Well-Known Member

    About AVGGG, Carinus and Numerian as co-emporer in februari 283. After Carinus defeated the German tribes in februari-march in the west he became Augustus in March 283. Numerian however not before Carus died in August 283.
    No AVGGG coins for Numerian as Augustus are known. Carinus nobc.jpg Carinus aug.jpg
     
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  5. Johnnie Black

    Johnnie Black Neither Gentleman Nor Scholar

    Picked this up at a recent show. Was glad to find a bald Carus finally.
    4F388A12-7A4D-4E80-9B96-84D7D1B4E743.png
    Carus AE Antoninianus.
    Rome mint, 282-283 AD.
    IMP CARVS P F AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right / AETERNIT IMPERI, Sol walking left, holding right hand high in salute and whip.
    MM:KAA
    RIC 36, Cohen 10
     
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  6. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Nice coin @Johnnie Black ! Eternal Emperor (or Empire). Must have seemed that way at the time.
     
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  7. Shea19

    Shea19 Well-Known Member

    Just picked up my first Carus from an auction a few weeks ago.

    8D581292-F426-4C1F-BEC7-CD115C2E2DA5.jpeg
    Carus, Antoninianus, (23 mm, 4.15 g), 283, Lugdunum
    IMP C M AVR CARUS AVG, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Carus to Right/ Rev. PAX AUGG, Pax standing front, holding branch in her right hand and long transverse scepter with her left, B in left field. RIC 13
    Ex Leu Numismatik
     
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  8. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Diocletian??? Why would Diocletian strike this? Traditionally it is given to Carinus. Does anyone have a Nigrinian?
     
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  9. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Seems like it probably was struck under Carinus. However, Diocles (later Diocletian) vowed to avenge Numerian's death by blaming the Praetorian Prefect Arius Aper for his death and then plunging his sword into the unfortunate man's side in front of the assembled army of Numerian. He then was acclaimed Augustus. Would Diocletian have reason to consecrate Numerian's memory as a way of establishing legitimacy?
     
  10. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    That is the explanation I had read. The mint marks on these are all KA- something, which I had assumed to be Cyzicus, but it looks like it's Rome? Could be a toss up then - either Carinus honoring his dead brother, or Diocletian attempting to establish legitimacy with the Senate and Romans. Unfortunately we don't know, because all records of Carinus' rule were expunged by Diocletian and replaced with the smear campaign that frames him as a tyrannical, debauched womanizer.
     
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  11. TJC

    TJC Well-Known Member

    Great coins everyone!
    Here a Carus.

    CarusO_339-1.jpg CarusR339.jpg
     
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  12. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    KA is not a city mark but the Greek translation of XXI or one part silver and 20 parts base metal. K=20, A=1.
    gamma KA
    rs3090bb1245.jpg

    KA gamma Why the inconsistency, I do not know.
    rs3080b02042alg.JPG
     
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  13. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    CARUS

    upload_2019-4-20_8-7-14.jpeg
    Carus. Consecration piece, struck 283-284. 6.65 grams.
    Sear 3.12406. Emmett 3995
    Sear Greek Imperial 4777
    flaming altar. Greek for "CONSECRATIO" (very unusual for Alexandria).
    Ex: @Valentinian
     
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  14. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    MAGNIA URBICA

    upload_2019-4-20_8-12-2.png
    RI Magnia Urbica 285 CE silvered Ant AE 23mm 3.4g cresent - Venus helmet scepter shield RIC 343 Rare
     
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  15. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    I've never seen a Consecration piece from Alexandria (that I can recall) @Alegandron ! Pretty impressive. Must be quite rare.
     
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  16. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Thank you. I find only 3 listed on ACSearch and a couple on Wildwinds. However, that only means not many were sold through auctions. I got it from Warren Esty a few years ago, and thought it was pretty cool myself.
     
  17. Julius Germanicus

    Julius Germanicus Well-Known Member

    I only have one coin from this dynasty, but it is the rarest in my collection and probably has the best pedigree:

    Bildschirmfoto 2019-04-20 um 21.28.44.png

    IMP C AVR (sic, for IMP C M AVR) NVMERIANVS AVG - Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Numerian right, viewed from behind
    MONETA AVGG - The three Monetae standing facing side by side, their heads turned to left, each holding scales and cornucopiae and with pile of metal at her feet (the cornucopiae held by the central figure curved to the right)
    Bronze Medallion, Rome mint, August 283 aD
    32,55 mm / 20,86 gr
    Cohen (Médailles Impériales VI) 32 (this coin); Gnecchi (I Medaglioni Romani II) p. 123, 9 (this coin)
    from the collections of Claude Camille Rollin (1813-1883), Eduard Friedrich Weber (1830-1907), Clarence S. Bement (1843-1923), and Paul Tinchant (1893-1981);
    in Rollin&Feuardent 1880 Fixed price list, Nr. 1205; Auctions Jacob Hirsch 10.05.1909 (Consul Weber) Nr.2424; Naville VIII 25.06.1924 (C.S. Bement) Nr. 1428; Schulman 243, 08.10.1966 (Richard J. Graham) Nr. 2507
     
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  18. Valentinian

    Valentinian Well-Known Member

    Wow! What a wonderful piece! Also, the pedigree is amazingly long and distinguished.
     
  19. EDDOP

    EDDOP Well-Known Member

    Diocletian??? Why would Diocletian strike this? Traditionally it is given to Carinus. Does anyone have a Nigrinian?
    I have a Nigrinian "dangerous" fake specimen even offered by well known auction houses, so take care. Genuine Nigrinian coins are overprized in my opinion most specimen are not rare but scarce. A Numerian consecratio is harder to find. nigrinian fake.jpg
     
  20. EDDOP

    EDDOP Well-Known Member

    A very nice medaillion, I do have 8 specimen in my picture-collection.
    More Carus consecratio from Alexandria same as Alegrandon with and without star (emmett 3995) 3995.jpg 3998.jpg 3998 var.jpg , also a eagle specimen(emmett 3998). A eagle specimen with wreath in beak is very unusual and unique.
     
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  21. Julius Germanicus

    Julius Germanicus Well-Known Member

    There is a total of 13 Medallions of Numerianus from the Rome Mint (Gnecchi 7-10) known according to the database for the upcoming revised edition of RIC.
    All of these share one single obverse die, but the reverse dies sometimes show the central Moneta looking left and sometimes facing. Mine is a unique variety, the only survivor from it´s reverse die.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2019
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