My first Sestertius

Now that I have one dupondius (the Augustus-Agrippa/crocodile "COL NEM" coin), I thought that I should have one sestertius as well. (And I should really keep it at one -- I spend enough money on other kinds of Roman coins as it is!)

The one I decided to buy -- from our own @Victor_Clark -- fits right in with my collection of antoniniani of Philip I and his family with animal reverses; see https://www.cointalk.com/threads/animals-on-philip-i-coins-including-saecvlares-avgg-coins.355236/ , and this photo I posted in that thread of all of them together:



Here's the description:

Philip I AE Sestertius, 248 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG / Stag walking right, SAECVLARES AVGG; S C in exergue. RIC IV-3 160a (p. 89), Sear RCV III 9012. 27x29 mm., 16 g. (Games commemorating 1,000th anniversary of founding of Rome.)



A very majestic-looking animal!

 

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Beautiful coin, @DonnaML ... that reverse really stands out! Very nice.

 

Thanks! That reverse really struck me when I was looking at sestertii, and I knew right away that this was the coin I was going to buy.

 

Beautiful addition!!.. I am not a betting man but something tells me this will not end up being your only sestertius!

 

Honestly, this was MY first Sestertius... purdy ruddy, but, my style:


RR
Anon
AR Sestertius
211-208 BCE
Roma IIS behind (Mark of value - 2 Asses and a Semis)
Dioscuri
S 46 Cr 44-7

I did not have the heart to do it, but I caved. I upgraded (BUT, kept the original!)


Roman Republic
AR Sestertius
After 211 BCE
12mm 1.0g
Rome mint
Roma r IIS behind (Mark of value - 2 Asses and a Semis)-
Dioscuri riding stars above in ex ROMA
Sear 46 Craw 44-7 RSC 4

 

Lovely! Very nice example.

Here's the rest of the family:


Otacilia Severa, AD 244-249.
Roman AE sestertius, 27.7 mm, 14.33 gm.
Rome, AD 245-247.
Obv: MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: PIETAS AVGVSTAE SC, Pietas standing left, right hand raised, holding incense box in left hand.
Refs: RIC 208a; Cohen 46; Hunter 23; RCV 9168.


Philip II as Caesar under Philip I, AD 244-247.
Roman Æ sestertius, 19.61 g, 28.3 mm, 11 h.
Rome, AD 245-246.
Obv: M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENT S C, Philip II in military dress, standing left, holding globe and resting on spear.
Refs: RIC 256a; Cohen 49; RCV 9249; Hunter 14.

 

When were the first sestertii issued in the large size we're used to seeing?

 

Congratulations, Donna - once I bought a sestertius for the first time, I became rather obsessed. Lots and lots of junky ones, but I can't seem to get enough. I think I need an intervention.

Yours is very nice. I have a similar, not-so-nice one - and rather light weight. I have a half-baked, unsupported theory that these SAECVLARES issues run light, this based on looking at a few online. The theory being that since they were distributed during the big 1000th anniversary celebrations, everybody was too drunk to notice that the money was undersized:

Philip I the Arab Æ Sestertius
(248 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / SAECVLARES AVGG, SC in ex., Antelope walking left.
RIC 161a; Cohen 190.
(13.59 grams / 28 mm)

Here's his son with an elk, or a goat, or some other mammal:


Philip II Æ Sestertius
(248 A.D.)
Rome Mint
3rd Officina; 9th emission
IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / SAECVLARES AVGG, elk (or goat?) walking left, SC in exergue.
RIC 264a; Cohen 73.
(13.36 grams / 25 mm)

 

Famous last words...

There's something about a nicely toned hunk of Imperial AE, that'll make even the coldest of hearts swoon.

 

Without looking it up, I can tell you that if the sestertii exactly parallel the antoniniani, it's a moose -- a/k/a a North European elk, since "elk" is what moose are called in Europe. Not the same animal as a North American elk!

 

I believe under Augustus with his AE Coin Reforms. The Denarius was retariffed at 16 Asses in approx 141 BCE. In essence, the New Sestertius was 4 asses, Dupondius 2 Asses, As, Semis, Quadrans... I believe dropping all the other lower denoms (Uncia, etc.)

 

Beautiful coin @DonnaML! I have been looking at @Victor_Clark 's inventory for a long time, waiting for something that would fit in FFIVN and my collection. Especially since he is a Navy Vet and I am "almost" a Navy Vet He does have wonderful stuff though, as evidenced by your great pick up.
Congratulations!

 

Thank you. I think it's important to mention when I buy a coin from one of the members here. According to my order history at VCoins, I've bought five coins from @Victor_Clark since December, plus another one a couple of years ago. And I'm happy with all of them.

 

I agree 100%

 

Donna's coin was part of a group I got. Here's the original auction photo.

 

Nice group!

 

That is a great menagerie. I really like the hippo on the left and the lion on the right.

 

Nice choice! I really like this reverse type - it must look great on a sestertius - and will hopefully get as nice an example one of these days. I especially love the reverse of yours.

My first sestertius, and still a favorite:


ANTONINUS PIUS
Orichalcum Sestertius. 27.24g, 32mm. Rome mint, AD 158-159. RIC III 1002; Cohen 620. O: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII, laureate head right. R: PIETATI AVG COS IIII, Pietas standing facing, head left, globe extended in right, child in left arm, flanked by a child on each side at her feet; S - C across field.

 

You are certainly on a buying spree DonnaML Just give it some time, I bet more setertii will join your first. It's a very nice looking sestertius, great reverse in particular. I like the way the bronze colour comes to the surface on the stag. An example of wear that in my opinion makes the coin more beautiful.

Here's my coin of Philippus I arabs. It commemorates the big party in Rome held for its 1000th birthday. The party was so intense that the, most likely, intoxicated die-makers misspelled Senatus Consulto and had some trouble with the flan


I don't have that many sestertii in my collection. They are sure impressive, and I would like to add more. Here's my favorite, even though it received a bit of plastic chirgury:

 

@DonnaML.....Great looking coin, a nice choice!....
I also purchased my first ever Sestertius quite recently about 9 months ago and remember the WOW factor when I first held it in my hand in comparison to my usual 3 1/2 gram Denarii......Careful these can be very addictive......I now have two, you can see where this is heading
Antoninus Pius.....RICIII#1031
Marcus Aurelius...RICIII#997