Saturday Night Free For All

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Orange Julius, Dec 1, 2019.

  1. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    I think I might have the sestertius version of that denarius:

    Faustina II - Sest. VENUS nicer Jul 2019 (0).jpg
    Faustina II Æ Sestertius
    (145-161 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    FAVSTINAE AVG [PII A]VG FIL, draped bust right / [VENVS] S [C], Venus standing left holding an apple & rudder about which a dolphin is coiled.
    RIC 1388B.
    (19.51 grams / 31 x 28 mm)

    I have a second one that is even more worn - I find it less attractive in general, but the dolphin is better-preserved and it is a bit heavier:

    Faustina II - Sest. VENVS ugly July 2019 (0).jpg
    Faustina II Æ Sestertius
    (145-161 A.D.)
    Rome Mint

    [FAVSTINAE] AVG [PII AVG FIL], draped bust right / [V]E[NVS] S C, Venus standing left holding an apple & rudder about which a dolphin is coiled.
    RIC 1388B.
    (22.64 grams / 29 x 26 mm)
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    It's a free for all! I love a Faustina's rugrats coin and this is my latest!

    Antoninus Pius PIETATI AVG COS IIII Fecunditas Sestertius.jpg Antoninus Pius, AD 138-161.
    Roman orichalcum sestertius, 23.52 g, 33 mm.
    Rome, December 159 - December 160.
    Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIII, laureate head, right.
    Rev: PIETATI AVG COS IIII, Pietas, standing facing, head left, holding globe in extended right hand and child on left arm; on either side of her, small girl standing, raising one hand.
    Refs: RIC 1031; BMCRE 2088-90; Cohen 621; Strack 1192; RCV 4205.
    Notes: Likely commemorates the birth of Fadilla to Faustina II; the children at the goddess' feet are thought to represent Faustina III and Lucilla. RIC 1002/BMCRE 2062 are misdescribed by Mattingly in both RIC3 and BMCRE4. It is extremely doubtful that any specimens read TR P XXII on obv., but actually read TR P XXIII with the final "I" being merged with the neck truncation.
     
  4. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Going through the auction season this October has been quite the ordeal. I have seen a lot of fanastic coins and I have been lucky enough to pick up a few. Still it is nice to go through my boxes and find some coins that I still like
    M Marcus Philippus Ar Denarius 57 BC Obv Head of Ancus Marcus Rv, Equestrian statue right on aqueduct of five arches Crawford 425/ 1 3.99 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen 425-d.jpg
     
  5. Malleus Maleficarum

    Malleus Maleficarum Well-Known Member

    On my Saturday, I decided to take a picture of this.

    ANCIENT GREECE
    Sicily, Syracuse (425-345 BC). Silver decadrachm from the master engraver Evainète.
    Av. Quadriga galloping to the left led by a charioteer, above, victory flying to the right and crowning the charioteer. At the exergue, a breastplate and a shield between two cnemids, an Attic helmet on the right, a spear behind. Rv. Head of Arethusa on the left, crowned with reed leaves, hair adorned with ears, surrounded by four dolphins (signature ΕΥΑΙ off flank). 1897 Syracuse, NY Token. Strearns Bicycle Co.
    DSC00451.jpg DSC00454.jpg
     
  6. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Yup, as you highlighted to me on my RIC 1031:

    Antoninus Pius - Sestertius Pietas 1st new 020.jpg
    ANTONINUS PIUS
    AE Sestertius. 27.24g, 32mm. Rome mint, AD 158-159. RIC III 1031; Cohen 621. O: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXIII (last I on neck truncation), 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.
     
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  7. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I was happy to receive in the mail this lovely Gordie III fourrée that copies an Antioch mint issue.

    Gordian III - Fourree ex McAlee Victory 4120.JPG GORDIAN III
    Fourrée Antoninianus. 4.5g, 22.5mm. Copying Antioch mint, 2nd series, 2nd issue, AD 242-244. Cf. Bland, Gordian III 83; cf. RIC IV 218; cf. RSC 375a (for official issue). O: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. R: VICTORIA AVGVSTI, Victory advancing right, holding wreath and palm frond over shoulder.
    Ex Richard McAlee Collection
     
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  8. Broucheion

    Broucheion Well-Known Member

    Hi @Malleus Maleficarum,

    A little more information on the Stearns' Bicycle Shop Tokens

    I will quote in full two postings to the Moneta-L list from the late Marvin Tameanko that I saved because they finally explained to me where this odd item comes from.

    [Personal note: When I was a boy of around 8 or 9, I found my example in a grassy area in front of the apartment I lived in. Excited, I showed it to my father, who was generally knowledgeable about history and could read ancient Greek. He immediately saw the date and explained that this must be a modern reproduction of a coin he knew as 'the most beautiful Greek coin'. I'm sure the thrill, even if it was an imitation only, shaped my future collecting habit. You might even see my initials scratched into the obverse. I've learned since.]

    upload_2020-10-25_2-4-45.png upload_2020-10-25_2-4-20.png


    To: "Moneta-L" <Moneta-L@Egroups.com>
    From: "tameanko" <tameanko@idirect.com>
    Date: Sat, 9 Sep 2000 19:05:55 -0400
    Subject: [Moneta-L] Re: Copies of Syracusan decadrachms

    Dear Listfellows, (am I the first to use this term?)

    Mark Little inqiuired [sic] about the above copies and they are well known to most old-time collectors because they were mass produced as tourist souvenirs in Europe starting just after the 1st World War. I have seen many of them in dealers' junk boxes at coin shows and, over the years, purchased 8 of them. Some of them are cast from the British Museum electrotypes and are quite good. They were made in Pot Metal (White Metal) which is a copper alloy heavily leaded to make a good casting material. They appear as silver at first but after a few years the copper takes over giving them a brown color. Often too much lead was used in the alloy and this crystallizes at the edges of the coin and crumbles into dust. The most famous of these copies was the 1920's Stearns' Bicycle Shop token made in Gold plated, low grade silver and copper examples and given as 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in bicycle races sponsored by this company of Syracuse, New York. (Get the connection?) These medals or tokens have the name Stearns in pseudo-Greek letters on the reverse and the date in Roman numerals below. A photo of one can be seen in my article on Syracusan Decadrachm copies in the Celator, July, 1990.

    Regards,
    Marvin Tameanko


    To: "Moneta-L" <Moneta-L@Egroups.com>
    From: "tameanko" <tameanko@idirect.com>
    Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2000 11:42:54 -0400
    Subject: [Moneta-L] RE: More on copies of decadrachms of Syracuse

    Dear List,

    Several people have asked me off-list for more information on the above so I wish to add the following to my previous note. The decadrachm of Syracuse was probably the most copied of all the ancient Greek coins. Many were made from other copies or copied copies with the quality of the casting deteriorating through each generation. Some were made in tin, zinc, copper alloys or so-called "white brass" , others were made in copper and then silver plated. I have examples of each of these. I also have one that is an electrotype but not made by the British Museum who marked the edges of their copies with BM or some other letters. My Stearns copy is in a good style of the artist/engraver Kimon type, perhaps having been made from a British Museum electrotype or an original coin. The date on the Stearns copies in Roman numerals is 1897, when they were first made as advertising tokens for the business maybe given out with each purchase of a bicycle. My example is made of white brass with a light silver plating. I recently saw a Stearns copy at a coin show on sale for $100.

    Regards,
    Marvin Tameanko
    Thanks to Mr. Tameanko. RIP.

    - Broucheion
     

    Attached Files:

  9. Orange Julius

    Orange Julius Well-Known Member

    While not a nice coin... I've always liked this one. It was pierced at sometime in the past (probably in antiquity) by a old-style square nail. The protruding metal was then worn down over time. While I could get a nicer one.... I'll probably stick with this one for $27 and a hint at an interesting history.

    Anyone have coins they like in spite of their inperfections?
    MnAciliusGlabrioCr442-1a.JPG
    Mn. Acilius Glabrio (49 B.C.) AR Denarius
    O: SALVTIS behind, laureate head of Salus right, wearing earring and necklace; hair in knot, falling down neck.
    R: MN. ACILIVS III. VIR. VALETV, Valetudo (Salus) standing left, holding serpent, resting elbow on column.
    Crawford 442/1a
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2020
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  10. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    By now, I've taken "real" pictures of a couple of coins from Tauler y Fau that were in the mail for about seven months but finally arrived (I showed the whole lot here).

    Among these coins is this Gordian sestertius, which has an interesting and unusual legend in the accusative case:
    Rom – Gordian III, Sesterz, Mars.png
    Gordian III, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 244 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; bust of Gordian III, draped, cuirassed and laureate, r. Rev: MARTEM PROPVGNATOREM, Mars, helmeted, in military attire, hastening r., holding transverse spear in r. hand and shield in l. hand; in fields flanking, SC. 30mm, 23.58g. Ref: RIC IV Gordian III 333.
     
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  11. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I like the type and love the hole. Great buy!

    Today I just photographed the latest addition to my collection of holey coins, a neat little provincial of Marcus Aurelius with Zeus-Ammon on the reverse. It's an interesting issue, not naming the city it was struck at, and RIC has them listed as
    "Small bronze coins struck at Caesarea in Cappadocia" largely on account of their "peculiar fabric and the rev. type."

    A. Kindler ("The Coinage of Bostra") and RPC attribute these instead to Bostra in Arabia, where the Legio III Cyrenaica were stationed at the time. The Legion had Zeus-Ammon as its patron deity, and local finds in the region also turned up specimens of an earlier issue of Antoninus Pius with a similar reverse and the legend LEG III CYR. The most likely explanation seems to be that these were struck specifically for use by the Legion and not the city. Perhaps my example below was pierced and worn as a talisman either by a soldier of the legion or a local (girl? ;)) it had been given to.

    Marcus Aurelius - Bostra AE17 Holed Zeus Ammon 4155.JPG MARCUS AURELIUS
    AE17 (Holed). 1.85g, 16.6mm. ARABIA PETRAEA, Legio III Cyrenaica stationed at Bostra, circa AD 161-180. RIC IV Online temp #7143; RIC III 1253 (Caesarea); Sydenham, Caesarea 349 (same). O: M ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right. R: COS III, laureate head of Zeus-Ammon right.
     
  12. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    For this Saturday, I can show a recently arrived Magnentius that I haven't fully posted yet:
    Rom – Magnetius, Gloria Romanorum, Reiter, Lugdunum.png
    Magnentius, Roman Empire, centenionalis, bronze, 350–353 AD, Lugdunum mint. Obv: DN MAGNENTIVS PF AVG, draped and cuirassed bust of Magnentius right, A behind. Rev: GLORIA ROMANORVM, rider galloping r., spearing barbarian with r. hand; below horse, shield and broken spear; barbarian kneeling, extending arms in front of horse; in exergue, RPLG. 20mm, 2,61g. Ref: RIC VIII Lugdunum 115.
     
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  13. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    An addition to my Sassanian collection...
    One of the more difficult rulers to find on a budget...
    Sassanian Drachm of Valkash 484 - 488 C.E.
    Obverse: Bust of King Valkash to right, wearing mural crown with korymbos set on crescent, ribbon on left shoulder, flames on right
    Reverse: Fire altar with ribbons and head of Valkash to right on shaft, flanked by two attendants, star and crescent flanking flames.
    Mint LYH Rev-Ardashir Khuzistan.
    sas 6.jpg
     
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  14. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Just came in todays mail.

    I have too many coins of Nero, but I couldn't help myself with picking up this snack as it features Agrippina Junior, someone I don't have on any coins.

    Plus I was surprised to see it was sold twice on CNG.

    Once for over $200 before fees & later $69 before fees.

    I paid less. The coin is a bit rough but I needed her & this is actually a rarer year for the type as well.

    [​IMG]
    Nero (54 - 68 A.D.)
    Egypt, Alexandria
    Billon Tetradrachm
    O: NE KΛAY KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEΡ AYTO, laureate head right.
    R: AΓPIΠΠINA, draped bust of Agrippina Junior right. LE . Dated RY 5 (AD 58/9)
    11.84g
    26mm
    RPC I 5231; Köln -; Milne 167; Emmett 107

    Ex. CNG Electronic Auction #76, Lot 33
    Ex. CNG Electronic Auction #157, Lot 108
    Ex T. R. McIntosh Collection
     
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  15. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    I guess this serves as kind of a general acquisition thread, so here's a coin that just arrived from our own @Victor_Clark. I'm posting it here, but reserve the right to post it again if there's ever a new lion coin thread!

    Divus Maximian (issued under Constantine I), AE Half Follis, 317-318 AD, Rome Mint (1st Officina). Obv. Laureate, veiled head of Maximian right, DIVO MAXIMIANO SEN FORT IMP / Rev. Lion advancing right, MEMORIAE AETERNAE; in exergue, R P [Rome, 1st Officina]. RIC VII Rome 123 (p. 311), Sear RCV IV 16403, Cohen (Maximian) 400. 14x15 mm., 1.8 g.

    Divus Maximianus Half Follis Lion Reverse jpg version.jpg

    A very tiny lion - but cute!
     
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  16. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Lately I have been working on my NAC lots. I enjoy monitoring the auctions and noticed that this guy appeared to be in my range and got it.
    Marcus Aurelius Av Aureus 165-166 AD Obv. Head right laureate. Rv Felicitas standing facing head left. maurelisaur1.jpg Okay so far so good. It is an RIC 153 and is the plate coin in Calico No 1899. The weird thing was that it was listed as being part of the Adda collection and thus should be in the book Faces of Power. It is.... sort of. The obverse was plated as No 276 however there was a malfunction as the reverse is actually from another coin Yikes As you can see my obverse download (3).jpg but another coins reverse. So I guess what I have is a coin which is plated one and a half times. Top photo by W. Hansen Second photo courtesy of NAC
     
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  17. +VGO.DVCKS

    +VGO.DVCKS Well-Known Member

    @Terence Cheesman, I only wish I could follow historiography, in this or that context, the way you follow its numismatic equivalent.
     
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  18. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Faustina Filia Fest!

    Picked up four today at auction.

    1. This sestertius where Concordia does not lean on a column should go nicely with the one I have where she leans on a column:

    Faustina Jr AVGVSTI PII FIL S C Concordia sestertius no column Zeus.jpg
    With column:

    Faustina Jr AVGVSTI PII FIL S C Concordia sestertius with column Timeline.jpg
    2. This Concordia seated denarius depicts Faustina with her later hairstyle. It should go nicely with the other varieties of this coin in my collection:

    Faustina Jr CONCORDIA seated denarius later hairstyle Zeus.jpg
    Later coiffure but left-facing:

    Faustina Jr CONCORDIA seated denarius left-facing bust.jpg
    Earlier coiffure:

    Faustina Jr CONCORDIA seated denarius.jpg
    3. This dupondius of Venus standing with an apple and scepter joins a denarius in my collection:

    Faustina Jr VENVS S C apple and scepter sestertius Zeus.jpg
    The denarius with the same reverse but issued later:

    Faustina Jr VENVS apple and scepter denarius.jpg

    4. This SALVTI AVGVSTAE seated sestertius joins a well-worn dupondius in my collection. This was also issued with a bare-headed bust.

    Faustina Jr SALVTI AVGVSTAE S C seated sestertius diademed bust Zeus.jpg
    The dupondius:

    Faustina Jr SALVTI AVGVSTAE S C seated dupondius.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2020
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  19. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    After Constantius II, Valens had some of the most copious coinage minted in his name, including siliquae. Here is a specimen that I think it's interesting:

    sil2-1.jpg
    VALENS (364-378)
    AR17mm 1.91g silver siliqua, minted at Antioch, cca. 369-370.
    DN VALENS - PF AVG; pearl-diademed draped cuirassed bust r.
    VOT / X /MVLT / XX inside a wreath
    ANT•• in exergue
    RIC IX Antioch 34b3, S.

    Notes: This issue dates to the end of the 360s, and was issued for the 10 year vota suscepta, marking the anticipation of 10 years of rule by Valentinian and Valens, after a successful vota recepta of 5 years in office (368/9). There were two groups of siliquae struck starting with 367 (the accession of Gratian) or perhaps 369 (the quinquennalia of Valens and Valentinian) and this specimen is part of the first, minted likely just after the quinquennalia celebration. The two groups -- the first one marking both the first 5 years of rule by the senior emperors, Gratian becoming Augustus and the anticipation of his own quinquennalia (cca. 369-372) and the second, struck for the senior emperors's actual decennalia (373-4), both comprise a rather large output of silver coinage, probably struck continuously throughout the period of cca. 367/9-374. Such large and complex emissions lasting consecutively for more than 5 years could be put in relation with the fact that Valens spent much of the period between 370 and 377 in Antioch, making the city his center of power and main mint.

    This privy mark is noted as scarce though (RIC IX p. 280) and was only used for silver coinage in his name. It is likely possibly with the first Gratian issue or struck soon after the terminus post quem of 367/9, while Valens was still campaigning against the Goths on the Lower Danube or was at Constantinople. This could explain the scarcity of this particular variation relative to the later ones.
     
  20. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    I just picked up this coin and it was delivered today. Yes, it could be considered to be less desirable than others of the type (MAA 57) due to the flan, but for me that was what sold it... Many of this type have the remnants of the sprue extending beyond the circle, but this is much different. It's quite an irregular and mangle-y example of a cast flan, but the striker must've thought it was still worthy of circulation and hammered away. And for it to have then lasted until today and not removed from circulation and melted down into something else. To me, it is equally fascinating and special. You can get more "perfect" examples of this type, but try finding one like this!
    [​IMG]
     
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  21. Justin Lee

    Justin Lee I learn by doing

    Great new coins! Very fitting and appropriate for your collection! I only have this FII denarius with Venus & apple, but a rudder with dolphin instead (it was hard to capture due to its luster).
    [​IMG]
    Faustina II, Wife of Marcus Aurelius
    AR Denarius, Struck under Antioninus Pius 145-161 AD, Rome mint

    Obverse: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL, Bust of Faustina the Younger, band of pearls round head, with hair waived and coiled on back of head, draped, right.
    Reverse: VENVS, Venus, draped, standing left, holding apple in right hand and rudder set on dolphin, which coils round it, in left.
    References: RIC III 517c

    [​IMG]
     
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