September 23, 63 BCE Gaius Octavius , later called Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus , and still later Caesar Augustus was born. He was founder of the Roman Empire at age 19. Celebrate his birthday by posting some of his coins.
Gorgeous coins, @octavius ... RI Augustus oak crown Agrippa rostral crown L AE Dupondius 26mm 12.6g Type III 9-3 BCE Nemausus chained Croc wreaths RIC I 158
Eye candy, @octavius, @Alegandron, and @Bing! This one is a favorite ... Augustus, 27 BC - AD 14. Roman provincial AE 23. Macedon, Amphipolis, 10.25 g, 23.3 mm, 1 h. Obv: ΚΑΙΣΑΡ ΘΕΟΥ ΥΙΟΣ, bare-head, right. Rev: ΑΜΦΙΠΟΛΙΕΙΤΩΝ, Artemis Tauropolos with inflated veil, riding on bull galloping right. Refs: BMC 5, p. 52, 73; Sear Greek Imperial 29. ... because it's an obverse die match to this one in the British Museum, based upon a line-drawing, of all things! And this one is a favorite because it's an ex- @Bing ! Augustus, 27 BC - AD 14. Roman Æ as, 8.41 g, 26.1 mm, 10 h. Lugdunum, 10 BC - 6 BC. Obv: CAESAR PONT MAX, laureate head, right. Rev: ROM ET AVG, altar of Roma and Augustus, flanked by two columns, each surmounted by a statue of Victory. Refs: RIC 230; BMCRE 549-556; Cohen 240; RCV 1690; CBN 1634. And this one's a favorite because it's a crocodile!! Augustus with Agrippa, 27 BC - AD 14. Roman Æ as, 12.99 g, 26.3 mm, 4 h. Nemausus, after 16/15 BC. Obv: IMP/DIVI F, heads back to back of Augustus, right, bare, and Agrippa, left, wearing rostral crown. Rev: COL-NEM to left and right of palm shoot, its tip to right, behind chained crocodile; two wreaths above palm tip. Refs: RIC 155; RPC 523; Cohen 7; AMC 411; RCV 1729. Notes: Sear (p. 338) notes this initial revival of the Nemausian series on a lighter weight standard is probably to be associated with Augustus' visit to Gaul in 16 BC.
LOL, Crocs are COOL! Personally, I also like it because it celebrates the REAL Augustus... Agrippa. AR OCTAVIAN RImp Marc Antony & Octavian AR Quinarius 1.58g Military Mint Gaul 39BCE Concordia r Hands clasped caduceus Cr-529-4b Sear 1575 Syd-1195 RImp Octavian 32-31 BCE AR Den Rome mint Bare CAESAR DIVI F Mercury lyre RIC 257 Sear 1550 RImp Octavian AR Quinarius 29-28 BCE Asia Recepta Victory Cista Snakes S 1568 RImp Antony-Octavian AR Denarius 41 BCE 3.65g 18.7mm Military mint Syria star Craw 528-2a Sear 1507 Imitating Octavian-M. Porcius Cato AR quinarius 13.89 mm 1.29g imitating Octavian r blundered legend - Victory seated r patera Cr 343-462
Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.36 g, 11h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 2 BC-AD 12. Laureate head right / Caius and Lucius Caesars standing facing, two shields and two spears between them; above, on left, simpulum right, and on right, lituus left. RIC I 207; Lyon 82; RSC 43.
Augustus, Roman Empire AR Denarius Obv: CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, laureate head right. Rev: C L CAESARES AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT, Gaius and Lucius Caesars standing facing, shields and spears between them; simpulum and lituus above; X below. Ref: RIC I 212; Lyon 86; RSC 43d. (no in-hand photos yet)
This modest piece is the only Augustus I have owned thus far. (I'd love an Octavian in silver someday.) @octavius- every one of those you posted in the OP is a stunner! I found it interesting that the moneyer's name on this coin is the same as that of the emperor Otho, who would briefly rule 76 years later. Was the moneyer M. Salvius Otho an ancestor of the emperor Otho, I wonder? It seems likely to me.
Good idea for a thread on that very day, and gorgeous coins Happy B'day Octavianus/Augustus ! As Octavianus : Mark Antony and Octavian, Denarius - minted in Asia minor c.41 BC M ANT IMP AVG III RPCM BARBAT QP, Bare head of Mark Antony right CAESAR IMP PONT III VIR RPC, Bare head of Octavian right 3.62 gr Ref : HCRI # 243, RCV #1504, Cohen #8 Lepidus and Octavian, Denarius - minted in Italy, 42 BC LEPIDVS PONT MAX III V R P C, bare head of Lepidus right (NT and MA in monograms) C CAESAR IMPIII VIR R P C, bare head of Octavian right (MP in monogram) 3.78 gr Ref : HCRI # 140, RCV # 1523, Cohen # 2 Octavian, Denarius - Italian mint, possibly Rome, 31-30 BC Anepigraph, bare head of Octavian left CAESAR - DIVI F, Victory standing right on globe, holding wreath 3.84 gr Ref : HCRI # 408, RCV # 1552v, Cohen # 66, RIC # 255 Octavian & Agrippa, AE Dupondius - Arausio mint (Orange), 30-29 BC (Colonia Firma Julia Secundanorum Arausio) IMP DIVI F (IMPerator DIVI Filii), bare heads of Augustus (right) and Agrippa (left), back to back Prow of galley right, ram's head (?) enclosed in a medaillion above 17.61 gr - 28 mm. Ref : RPC # 533 Q
As Augustus Augustus, Denarius - Colonia Patricia mint ? ca. 19-18 BC CAESARI AVGVSTO, laureate head right SP - QR on either side of a domed terastyle temple, in which is a chariot with aquila. 3,66 gr Ref : RSC # 279, RIC # 119 Augustus, Denarius - Lyon mint, c.12 BC AUGUSTUS DIVI F, Bare head of Augustus right IMP X, Bull butting right 3.77 gr Ref : RCV #1610, Cohen #137 Augustus & Agrippa, AE halved dupondius - Nemausus, after 10 BC 3rd type [IM]P [DI]VI F , Laureate head of Augustus right [COL NEM], Crocodile chained to palm tree 6.70 gr Ref : RCV #1730, Cohen # 10 Augustus, As, 7 BC CAESAR AVGVST PONT MAX TRBUNIC POT, Bare head of Augustus left M SALVIVS OTHO III VIR AAA FF, around SC 11.18 gr Ref : RCV # 1685 var, Cohen # 516 Augustus, Denarius - Rome mint, 2 BC CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, Laureate head of Augustus right AVGVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT, Caius and Lucius holding shields and spears 3,65 gr Ref : RCV # 1597, Cohen # 43, RIC # 207 Augustus and Rhoemetalkes, Bronze - Semi autonomous coinage of Thracia, c. 11 BC - AD12 KAISAROS SEBASTOU, Bust of Augustus right BASILEWS ROIMHTALKOU, Busts of Rhoemetalkes and his wife right 9.82 gr Ref : Sear #5396 Augustus & Agrippa, AE Dupondius - Nemausus mint, after AD 10 4th type IMP DIVI F PP, Laureate heads of Augustus and Agrippa back to back COL NEM, Crocodile chained to palm tree 12.84 gr Ref : RCV #1731, Cohen #8 Augustus, Posthumous as - struck under the reign of Tiberius DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER, Radiate head of Augustus left PROVIDENT, Altar, S C in field 11.02 gr Ref : Cohen #228, RCV #1789, RIC I # 81 Augustus, Antoninianus - Rome mint AD 250/251 under the regn of Trajan Decius DIVO AVGVSTO radiate head right CONSECRATIO Large altar 3.06 gr Ref : RIC IV # 78, Cohen # 578, RCV # 9459 in qblay's catalog : AU22/P189 Augustus, Antoninianus - Rome mint AD 250/251 under the regn of Trajan Decius DIVO AVGVSTO radiate head right CONSECRATIO Eagle facing with spred wings and head left 3.10 gr Ref : RIC IV # 77, Cohen # 577, RCV # 9458 in qblay's catalog : AU27/A045 Q
Roman Spain, Uncertain Northwestern mint. Augustus, 27 BC-AD 14. Æ As (29mm, 11.79g). 'Moneta castrensis'. mint in north-western Spain. Probably struck before 23 BC. Obv: IMP AVG DIVI F; Bare head left; palm in left field; winged caduceus in right. Uncertain countermark over ear. Rev: Celt-Iberian shield. Ref: RPC I, 4; SNG Copenhagen 414; ACIP 3302a.
AUGUSTUS RI Augustus 27BC-AD14 Æ20 5.5g 12h Apameia Phrygia Magistrate Attalos c 15BC Two corn-ears above maeander pattern RPC I, 3125 SCARCE R Alexandria Livia, wife of Augustus Diobol CE 1-2 Æ 23.5mm 7.46g. Rev. Athena holding Nike Sheild ex Dattari-Savio Pl. 3 60-this coin RPC pag. 692-5-this coin RARE Octavian as Augustus LEFT-Sinister 27 BC–14 AD Quinarius Emerita 25-23 AR 13.5mm 1.79g - P CARISI LEG Victory trophy C 387. RIC 1b SCARCE
AUGUSTUS RI Augustus 27 BCE-14CE AE As or Semis Spain Celsa Mint 29mm 5.0g Laureate Augustus - Bull RPC271 Cut in ancient times to make change RI Augustus DIVUS under Tiberius 22-23 CE Radiate Alter Left
My favorite Augustus is this Lugdunum as later countermarked by Tiberius. Augustus had a lot of trouble finding an heir who could outlive him. We ended up with Tiberius. I might have preferred Germanicus and that should have given us Caligula so, perhaps, the difference is not all that much. Had Caligula grown to adulthood under Germanicus, would he have turned out better? We will never know.