My latest acquisition is a great example of the humblest of coins with a fairly bombastic message. Vespasian Æ Quadrans, 2.79g Rome Mint, 75 AD Obv: IMP VESPASIAN AVG; Rudder on globe Rev: P M TR P P P COS V; S C in field; Caduceus, winged RIC 736 (R). BMC 706. BNC 726. Acquired from The Time Machine, eBay, May 2020. The quadrans in the early imperial period typically lacked an imperial portrait. Tariffed at a quarter of an As, the denomination was possibly deemed too lowly by mint officials to warrant a portrait. They were struck haphazardly and functioned primarily as an urban low value coinage in Rome and central Italy. The quadrans was the typical fee for entry into the baths, a urinal, or for a tryst in a cheap brothel. Being of rather low value quadrantes were not typically hoarded and thus are relatively scarce today being virtually absent from site finds outside central and south-central Italy (in contrast, over 1,827 quadrantes have been found at Pompeii). The rudder on globe can be explained as a symbol of the 'rector orbis' and its pairing with the winged caduceus 'points to the commercial prosperity brought by good government' (BMC II, pp. li, and liii). The COS V issue is the first appearance of the type under Vespasian. I really enjoy this often over-looked denomination. I wager more of these were seen by the common folk than any denarius was. Feel free to post your 'humble' coins.
A problem with quadrantes is so many of them lack legend to assign them to a reign so we see listings allowing anything from Domitian to Antoninus Pius. I am unaware of more recent studies on that matter. Below are my two with reverse animals related related to the obverse deity. Minerva / owl Juno / peacock The coin I show below was sold to me as a semis and weighs 3.3g (light for a semis unless we allow for another factor). My coin is too patinated to tell but the literature suggests that it is brass rather than copper so the difference would be obvious when the coins were bright and shiny. Is that a tiny brass spot showing at obverse top? Mine is also assigned to the mint in Comagne rather than Rome leaving the question whether the coin was an Imperial or a Latin language Colonial. That last would explain the lack of SC on the reverse so it may be incorrect to even use the term semis here. Latin language Colonies were formed in the provinces by retired citizen soldiers and served to Romanize the regions. The practice was abandoned in later times probably because more of the soldiers were not Roman and settling them with honor would accomplish nothing to the benefit of the emperor.
Here's another quadrans from the Flavians, this one from Domitian. Domitian (Augustus) Coin: Bronze Quadrans IMP DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV - Bust of Apollo, draped, right; branch right S C - Raven perched right on laurel branch Exergue: SC Mint: Rome (90-91 AD) Wt./Size/Axis: 1.48g / 17mm / 12h References: RIC II 715 Cohen 527 BMC 453 Paris 484 Provenances: Savoca Coins Acquisition/Sale: Savoca Coins Internet Savoca 4th Blue #700 $0.00 07/19 Notes: Jul 14, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection
Great Quadrans, @David Atherton . I like the patina a lot. I have none from the Imperial period. ROME RR C Curiatius f Trigeminus 135 BCE Æ quadrans 18 mm 4.8g Rome Hd Hercules lionskin 3 plts - CCVR F ROMA prow Victory wreath 3 plts Cr 240-4a; Syd460b FRENTANI, Italia - kin of the Samnites Frentani - Larinum AE 18mm Quadrans 210-175 BCE Herakles - Centaur SNG COP 272
I like quadrances too. I’ll be looking for all the types posted here. Here are mine. All are purchased this year, and I havent sorted them out with images of their own yet: As Doug says; not all of these are easy to assign, but this should be 3xClaudius, 1xCaligula. RCV 1863, 1864, 1865 and 1803. Lot was sold as «Caligula AE». I’m always a little bit uncertain with these reduced Syria issues, but I am quite sure this is a semis. Almost as small as a quadrans, though. This one I have seen attributed to Trajan, Hadrian and Antoninus Pius, or just «anonymous issue from the early-mid part of the second century». I like the design with Mars and the cuirass, and it has quadrans size.
I find the designs of quadrans interesting - what was considered appropriate for this humble coin. These two are from the reign of Claudius - Claudius I Æ Quadrans. Rome, AD 41. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG, three-legged modius / PON M TR P IMP COS DES IT, around large S•C. RIC 84; BMCRE 179. 3.24g, 18mm, 6h. Claudius I Æ Quadrans. Rome, AD 41 . TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG, hand holding scales; below, P N R / PON M TR P IMP COS DES IT, around large S C. RIC 85; C. 71; BMCRE 174. 3.38g, 17mm, 6h.
Nice example, @David Atherton ! Yes, it was a humble coin, and the quadrans (Greek κοδράντης) is mentioned twice in the Bible, each time as the epitome of a low-value denomination. The two verses are: Mark 12:42 καὶ ἐλθοῦσα μία χήρα πτωχὴ ἔβαλεν λεπτὰ δύο, ὅ ἐστιν κοδράντης. "And one poor widow came and threw two leptons, which is a quadrans." Matthew 5:26 ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν ἕως ἂν ἀποδῷς τὸν ἔσχατον κοδράντην. "Truly I tell you, you will not come out from there until you have paid back the last quadrans." This one has been made even more humble by corrosion. I doesn't look good, but it's my only (possibly) Flavian quadrans. Here's Minerva and an owl: Anonymous--Domitian to Antoninus Pius Roman Æ quadrans, 14.9 mm, 2.51 g, 5 h Rome, A.D. 81-161 Obv: Helmeted and draped bust of Minerva right Rev: S-C, Owl standing left, head facing Ref: RIC II, p. 216, 8; BMCRE --; Cohen VIII, p. 268, 8; RCV --.
Very nice new quadrans, David! Domitian was the ancient He-Man, Master of the Universe... I wonder if he had a battle cat? I've got the Claudius modius type already already shared here so I'll skip posting that, and I have no Domitian/Flavian quadrans (though hope to catch some one day as I really like their motif). I do have a few earlier Augustus-es that haven't made their way in here yet: Augustus, Ruled 27 BC – 14 AD AE Quadrans, Struck 9 BC, Rome mint L. Aelius Lamia, P. Silius and Annius, moneyers Obverse: LAMIA · SILIVS · ANNIVS ·, simpulum and lituus. Reverse: III · VIR · A · A · A · F · F · around large S C. References: RIC 421 Augustus, Ruled 27 BC-14 AD AE Quadrans, Stuck 5 BC, Rome mint Apronius, Galus, Messalla, and Sisenna; triumvirate (meaning the three men in charge of preparing blanks and minting coins in gold, silver and bronze), although there are the four names inscribed on coin. Obverse: SISENNA MESSALLA IIIVIR, bowl-shaped, ornately decorated altar. Reverse: GALVS APRONIVS A A A F F, legend surrounding SC. References: RIC I 464 Size: 16mm, 2.9g Augustus, Ruled 27 BC-14 AD AE Quadrans, Stuck 5 BC, Rome mint Apronius, Galus, Messalla, and Sisenna; triumvirate, although there are the four names inscribed on coin. Obverse: MESSALLA APRONIVS IIIVIR, bowl-shaped, ornately decorated altar. Reverse: GALVS SISENNA A A A F F, legend surrounding SC. References: RIC I 453 Then I've got this 'humble' one from Trajan: Trajan, AE Quadrans Struck 114-117 AD, Rome mint Obverse: IMP CAES TRAIAN AVG GERM, Bust of Hercules, diademed, right, wearing lion-skin over shoulders. Reverse: Boar right with head down, SC in exergue. References: RIC II 702 Size: 15mm, 2.8g
QUADRANS (again): Roman Republic RR AE Quadrans 18mm 3.6g Rome 206-195 BC Hercules R wearing lions skin pellet behind - ROMA Prow of galley right 3 pellets Cr339-4a; Syd679c RR Anon AE 28mm 19.2g Quadrans - Sicily mint 214-212 BCE Hercules-Erymanthian boar headress - Bull ex RBW Craw 72-7 Scarce
Hey, ANYTIME you have an animal featured on a coin, it is ALWAYS good... No "humble" about it... AWESOME! Here is a DOG Quadrans... I wonder if anyone tried to pawn these off as a Quadrans during the Imperial Period? RR Aes Grave AE Quadrans 269-242 BCE Dog 3 pellets Six spoked wheel 59.8g Craw 24-6a Th-Vecchi 34 ex Sellwood
