Once upon a time there were 2 friends fans of Roman coins. One day they took a bet together :"lets try to gather the largest possible collection of Roman Emperors in bronze. Yeah in BIG bronze. But here is the challenge; we must not pay more than 25$ each...". We tried. It was a lot easier 15 years ago. And we didn't get any fleur de coin at this price. The time has passed and the challenge has been forgotten...until yesterday. I couldn't resist this Volusian Sestertius at what I believe is a very good price. I only had antoniniani of him, so it's gonna be a new member in the family. It is supposedly rated "R1" but a quick look at acsearch allowed me to find more than 80 examples! So here is my new baby bought for 24.95$. This one is for you, my old friend Patrick. May you rest in peace. Volusian Sestertius Rome 28mm 14.74g IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG / CONCORDIA AVGG Concordia holding Patera & Cornucopiae RIC 249a Please post your cheapest Big Bronzes.
Two well worn RR Asses, each under $25, C.SAX - 24 grams; anonymous - 29 grams. It is good to hold a few in your hand. Worn this much it is hard to cause problems.
Hadrian- Antioch. Large SC on reverse. AE 27. BMC 295. 14.7 g. I remember I paid less than 25 bucks, due to condition. Then at home, after little cleaning It looked so..so great to my eye.
I paid £10 uk for this coin as the seller had it listed as a forgery! Oh well his loss Hadrian sestertius , Rome 119AD , RIC II 3 ,244,
I like sestertii with some honest wear. These three were below $25: Antoninus Pius, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 153–155 AD, Rome mint. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PI[VS P P TR P XVII(I)]; laureate head of Antoninus Pius r. Rev: [LIBERTAS COS IIII]; Libertas standing r., holding pileus in extended r. hand and extending l. hand. 30mm, 22.34g. Ref: RIC II Antoninus Pius 916A or 928. Ex JAZ. Lucilla, Roman Empire, sestertius, 164–169 AD, Rome mint. Obv: LVCILLA AVGUSTA, bust of Lucilla, draped, r. Rev: [IVNO REGINAE], Iuno standing l. with patera and sceptre, peacock at feet l.; in fields, S-C. 30.5mm, 25.87g. Ref: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1751. Ex X6 collection. Severus Alexander, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 234 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG; bust of Severus Alexander, laureate, draped, r. Rev: P M TR P XIII COS III P P; Sol, radiate, walking l., raising r. hand and holding whip in l. hand; in fields flanking, SC. 31mm, 18.59g. Ref: RIC IV Severus Alexander 538c. Ex Leipziger Münzhandlung und Auktion (Heidrun Höhn), e-Live Auktion 12, lot 745.
These two sestertii of Gordy III and Faustina II are my favorite big cheap bronzes...some wear and tear, but still nice detail on the portraits. Both under $25.
+1. I like to think this one has some rugged charm to it, kind of like how Vespasian probably thought he was ruggedly good-looking. It was one of the junkier coins in a group lot of 1st-2nd century bronzes I picked up about 7 years ago for around EUR 10 each. VESPASIAN AE Sestertius. 19.7g, 32.5mm. Rome mint, AD 71 AD. RIC 127. O: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG P M T P P P COS III, laureate head right. R: VICTORIA AVGVSTI S C, Victory standing right, resting left foot on helmet, inscribing OB CIV SERV on shield attached to palm-tree. This other one was from a Frank Robinson cheap list a few years ago for $18.90. As Frank advertised in his description of it: "portrait has FULL LAUREL WREATH!!!” PHILIP II AE Sestertius. 16.56g, 26.6mm. Rome mint, AD 249. RIC IV 267. O: IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. R: LIBERALITAS AVGG III, The Philippi seated left on curule chairs, each extending hand; SC in exergue.
I have yet to obtain a Sestertius of any kind, they've always been over my maximum budget of $25, for any single coin of any kind. These are my largest, from least to most expensive. Augustus AE As Obv: Bare head right. CAESARAVGVSTVSTRIVNICPOTEST Rev: Large central SC. CGALLIVSLVPERCVSIIIVIRAAAFF Diameter: 27mm Ref: RIC 379 Cost: $10.67 Antoninus Pius AE Dupondius Obv: Radiate head right. ANTONINVSAVG PIVSPP Rev: Felicitas standing left holding caduceus and cornucopia. TRPOTCOSII (SC across fields) Diameter: 26.5mm (3mm thick) Ref: RIC 552A Cost: $12.62 Claudius I AE As Obv: Bare head left. TICLAVDIVSCAESARAVGPMTRIMP Rev: Minerva walking right holding shield and brandishing spear. TRPOTCOSII (SC across fields) Diameter: 30mm x 26mm (oblong) Ref: RIC 100 Cost: $18.70 Titus AE As Obv: Bare head left. IMPTCAESVESPAVGPMTRPCOSVIII Rev: Pax standing left. PAXAVGVST (SC across fields) Diameter: 25mm Ref: RIC 230 Cost: $21.70
That's a lovely coin for that price @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix and a apporpiate dedication to your friend. I'm sorry to say that I don't have bronzes in that price range.
Æ Drachm, Alexandria, 125 - 126 AD 32 x 32 mm, 14.152 g RPC III 5601 or 6017; Emmett 1014 Ob.: (ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙ ΤΡΑΙ - ΑΔΡΙΑ ϹƐΒ) laureate, draped, cuirassed bust to right Rev.: (L ΔΕ)ΚΑΤΟΥ Nilus reclining to l., holding papyrus reed in r. hand and cornucopia in l.; below, crocodile $10 at ANA 2019, Chicago
