Thought I'd share some recent photos I took of my three T. Carisius denarii that are in my collection. Many of you have probably seen all three before at some point. But I like these kind of angled photos as they really show relief and toning in a far better way. I hope you enjoy them T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.61 g). Rome mint. Obverse: Head of Roma right, wearing ornate helmet; ROMA behind. Reverse: Scepter, cornucopia on globe, and rudder; T • CARISI below; all within laurel wreath. Reference: Crawford 464/3c Provenance: Triton XXII (9 January 2019), lot 912. From the Alan J. Harlan Collection, purchased from Freeman & Sear. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 33 (5 April 2006), lot 339. T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.74 g). Rome mint. Obverse: Head of Juno Moneta right; MONETA downwards in left field. Reverse: Implements for coining money: anvil die with garlanded punch die above (or possibly a cap of Vulcan), tongs and hammer on either side; T•CARISIVS above; all within laurel wreath. Reference: Crawford 464/2 Provenance: Jesus Vico S.A, Auction 150 (1 March 2018), lot 414. Ex Herrero (25 March 1993), lot 78. T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.80 g). Rome mint. Obverse: Head of Sibyl Herophile right, hair elaborately decorated with jewels and enclosed in a sling, tied with bands. Reverse: Sphinx seated right; T • CARISIVS above, III • VIR in exergue. Reference: Crawford 464/1 Provenance: Ex Aureo & Calicó Auction 319 – Alba Longa, vol. I (7 November 2018), lot 223, Ex Sotheby's "Greek and Roman coins" (28 October 1993), lot 1385.
Lovely trio! My favorite is the middle with the coining tools on it. Seems like an ideal coin for a coin collector to have!
Thank you Yes, the middle one is a very popular type for those reasons. But a more likely theory is that the punch-die above the anvil is actually the cap of Vulcan. So more likely an allusion to Vulcan and his metal working tools rather than an exact depiction of tools used to specifically mint coins
I especially like the top coin Michael; as good as I've ever seen for the type. There's an extensive discussion of the Vulcan cap/punch die conundrum in this thread from a couple of years ago: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/juno-moneta-die-anvil-tongs-hammer.298102/#post-2768351
Thank's Phil! Yes, I did not stumble upon a single specimen or other die that come with this quality and fine style for the type while doing some quiet extensive research prior to Triton XXII. So it felt like unique/beautiful enough for me to go after after even though the type itself bears no historical significance to my knowledge. But I really love the way Roma is depicted here. Quiet strange almost every die in this series is of much inferior style and much more crudely engraved many times. An interesting discussion indeed concerning the Moneta type in the forum post you linked.
Great set - love the colors! T. Carisius, 46 BC, AR Denarius, Rome mint Obv: Head of Juno Moneta right; MONETA to left Rev: Implements for coining money: anvil die with garlanded punch die above, tongs and hammer on either side; all within laurel wreath. Ref: Crawford 464/2; CRI 70; Sydenham 982b; Carisia 1b Size: 18mm, 3.83 gm
