RIC 832A ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR POT COS IIII S C - Pietas standing left, holding a fold of drapery in right hand, left hand raised 10.67g, 27mm, As This coin arrived encased in a thick layer of some sort of lacquer, and under that a great deal of dirt. However, as it was less than £10, was in generally good condition and had a nice patina I decided to add it to my collection. It has cleaned up nicely, but sadly there were a number of spots where the patina had been chipped before the lacquer was applied, and several other spots where the patina had been severely weakened on the reverse which came away with the lacquer during the acetone treatment. The manual cleaning improved the coin massively, and I've decided to stop at this point. RIC 421A M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG PIVS TR P VIIII IMP VI COS (III?) IIII P P S C Minerva advancing right with spear and shield 10.10g, 25mm I found this squat little undersized dupondius of Commodus irresistible, bearing the iconic reverse type commonly seen on the coins of Claudius. It's worn and the dumpy flan means half the legend is missing but I have a thing for fairly worn and smooth middle bronze coins, and I think the portrait is quite attractive. I am slightly puzzled by the reverse legend. These coins do have small variations of legend occasionally, and I can't tell if this one is actually a sloppily rendered COS III with uneven spacing, making it a coin of early 183 AD, or if the second I has somehow been obliterated in antiquity and any signs of it covered by the patina, which would place it later in the same year up to early 184 AD. Best of all, it was a billy bargain at £15. Show us your bargain purchases of 2020 so far.
Really nice pick ups!... congrats!! I like them both - especially that Commodus... a real bargain! I've grabbed a few inexpensive bargains thus far in 2020.. all sub $10 Bargain hunting is a lot of fun. Valerian I Antoninianus (c. 256-258 A.D.) IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS PF AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust rt. / RESTITVT ORIENTIS, Orient, turreted, right presenting wreath to Valerian, in military attire, left.
@Clavdivs Nice expressive portrait on that Constantius II, and yes I love a bit of bargain hunting. eBay is filled to the brim with rubbish, but there are plenty of interesting little finds if you're patient enough to look for them.
I like both of them, but especially the Commodus is a fantastic catch at this price. Two nice additions to your collection! Below are two 2020 bargains, both came at about $15. The first one is a denarius of Antoninus Pius as caesar, which is less common than his coins as augustus, and the second one a nice little Constantinian LRB from the London mint. Antoninus Pius (as Caesar), Roman Empire, AR denarius, 138 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP T AEL CAES ANTONINVS; head of Antoninus Pius, bare, r. Rev: TRIB POT COS; Pietas, veiled, draped, standing l., holding up r. hand over altar and l. hand on side. 18 mm, 3.54g. Ref: RIC II Hadrian 452A. Constantine the Great, Roman Empire, AE2, 316 AD, London mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS P AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol standing l., raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand; in fields, S–P; in exergue, MSL. 20.5mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC VII Londinium 76.
This is my kind of thread. Budget Antonine bronzes have become a kind of obsession lately. Great artwork, interesting personages, hefty, and sometimes they've turned wonderful colors over the centuries. These are all sestertii, all from the past month or two.
My latest Antonine cheapie! This would have gone for a much higher hammer price had it not been weakly struck. It's nicely patinated and I love the portrait. Faustina II, AD 147-175/6. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 27.25 g, 30.7 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 161-176. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Bust of Faustina II, draped, with band of pearls, right. Rev: VENVS VICTRIX S C, Venus standing facing, head left, holding Victory in extended right hand and resting left hand on shield set on helmet. Refs: RIC 1688; BMCRE 960-65; Cohen 283; RCV 5288; MIR 40-6/10b.
My best bargain is this Hadrian sestertius which was a steal at £12 with postage and this Domitian for £35 , I do like a large bronze
