This is a great group and I especially enjoyed reading your point of interest with each. That Trajan is very cool. I’d also love to see your other coins of the dynasty. Might give me some ideas on the ones I don’t have yet. In fact I think I’ll post a few not shown yet myself. Love this set of bronzes! You may call them “low end” but I have noticed you have a knack for finding interesting coins that punch above their weight in terms of interest per dollar. Good stuff.
Thank Doug that means a lot. Great set of coins and commentaries, as always. I have had my eye out for a nice Hadrian with ship reverse and yours is a nice example. As I branch out more into other denominations I might try to cover this type with a middle Bronze. There are no shortages of interesting sub-collections possible within the Nerva Antonine dynasty.
Thank you hotwheelsearl Thanks TypeCoin Fantastic group photo. Thanks for sharing Nemo. I agree. The sharp portraits make him look like a venerable old Senator. Your example is excellent.
That’s a beautiful and envious set Curtisimo ! My favourite is Aelius. Still looking for a nice example. As most of the contributors like the Commodus coin best, this seems to be a good moment to show my coin of this type (again) Commodus, denarius Rome mint, 191-192 A.D. 2,53 g. 17 mm. Obv. L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL, head right wearing lionskin headdress. Rev. HER-CVL RO-MAN AV-GV either side of club of Hercules, all in wreath. RIC 251.
I would have voted twice for Commodus....Hadrian is my second choice (thank you Secret Santa !!! ) Here's my selection, thanks to Trajan Decius : Nerva : Trajan : Hadrian : Antoninus Pius : Marcus Aurelius : Commodus : Q
All of your coins are splendid @Curtisimo, congratulations on such a fine subcollection. The Commodus denarius really stands out. Amazing specimen of the type! Your chosing of the coins is well considered. One can imagine that if you'd like to further your subcollection however, you could look for a Nerva with clasped hands reverse type, which symbolizes the the good terms between the senate and army, accomplished via de adoption of Trajan. Also, Antoninius Pius has some very interesting reverse types. An obvious one is the types with the young Marcus Aurelius on the reverse. It's of course also a matter of how much one can and is willing to spend. The more popular the type, the higher the price obviously. Below you can find my subcollection of the adoptive emperors. I, too, lack a Nerva denarius refering to the adoption of Trajan, and for now settled with a lovely portrait obverse with the Libertas reverse (refering to Nerva's intention to restore civil liberties curtailed by the reign of Domitian). About my Commodus, I fell in love with the portrait of this one. I do have the same type as yours, but in much lesser grade. I'd love to upgrade it one day, but these types are scarce and tend to generate a very high premium... Well, maybe one day ...
WOW, Great set and CONGRATS assembling the collection, @Curtisimo ! NICE! Here is my Dog's Breakfast: NERVA RI Nerva AE Dupondius 96-98 CE LIBERTAS PVBLICA -pileus TIF TRAJAN RI AE As Trajan CE 98-117 26mm 11.0g Rome Laureate Draped - SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS Victory R wreath palm S-C RIC 675 HADRIAN RI Hadrian AR Quinarius 1.3g, 14mm Rome, AD 119-122 cuirassed laureate COS III Victory seated wreath palm RIC 108a AELIUS RI Aelius Caesar 138 CE AE As 26mm Rome mint Fortuna-Spes cornucopia and rudder ANTONINUS PIUS RI Antoninus Pius 138-161 CE BI Tetradrachm Alexandria Egypt Dikaiosyne Scale MARCUS AURELIUS RI MARCUS AURELIUS AR Denarius as Caesar TR POT VI COS II - Genius stg at altar hldg standard LUCIUS VERUS RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AR Denarius Providentia globe cornucopiae RIC 253 COMMODUS RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius 17.7mm 2.42g Apollo Plectrum Lyre RIC 218 RSC 25 BMCRE 292 Scarce Type
Fantastic coins Al. I always enjoy looking at selections from your collection. Your coins always have great style (especially the portraits!) and the large diameter tetradrachms you seem to favor really allow a nice canvas for the die cutter to show his skill. Thanks for sharing and for the nice words! These are all great Ryan! You were really good at choosing circulated coins with just the right amount of detail to have some nice eye appeal. Your Nerva especially is nice because you get a very strong portrait outline that accentuates his unique profile (*cough* big nose *cough*). Your Marcus Aurelius bronze is also great, and great style too. On coins of Marcus and Lucius it seems (to me) you can judge the style by the detail in the bottom tip of the beard. Some of the engravers spent a lot of time detailing the individual locks of beard and that usually transfers into attention to detail in other parts of the portrait. These are all great Bing. I especially like that Dacia Capta reveres on your Trajan.
Great set of Sestertii Justin. I especially like your Trajan, Commodus and Divi A-Pi with the funeral monument. One with that reverse type of each of the dynasty members who had it struck for them is on my list. Great set Donna! I especially like your Trajan for the interesting reverse (Trajan struck a lot of great reverse types didn't he!). I also like the youthful Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. I would be very interested to see your bronzes you might substitute as well. I do collect the occasional bronze in this dynasty and will probably start picking up more as time goes on. Thank you Everett! Great group there Randy! I especially like the Hadrian and Commodus.
Great coins @Curtisimo !!! Indeed, you have definitely reached a milestone in my eyes. I'm certainly not there yet.......at least not for the Nerva-Antonines I especially like your denarii of Antoninus and Commodus. They are well struck and have beautiful toning!
Congratulations on completing your set of the adoptive emperors! You've chosen some very interesting and historical reverse types. I love collecting the coins of this period.
Yes, Trajan had a lot of great reverses. Including among his provincials, like this one: In terms of bronzes, I might have posted my Antoninus Pius as with an elephant reverse, which I posted the other day in my "elephant coins" thread. Or my Marcus Aurelius sestertius showing him raising Italia on the reverse: And I certainly would have posted my Hadrian dupondius with Virtus on the reverse, complete with her foot on helmet, bare right breast, and rather suggestive parazonium:
That’s a great set, @Curtisimo! Since I’m a little late to this thread, I’ll mix it up and share my favorite Nerva-Antonine provincials. Nerva, Antioch, circa 96-98, AE “As” (25.5mm., 14.34g). Laureate head right/ Rev. Large S C; below, Θ ; all within wreath Trajan, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm (24.4mm., 12.72g). 116-117 AD, Radiate bust r., with aegis, in front, star./ Rev. Dikaiosyne standing facing, head l., holding scales and cornucopia;in l. field, LK. RPC 4916. Hadrian, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm (24 mm, 12.68 g), 137/8 AD. Laureate head r./ Rev. Pronoia standing front, head to l., holding Phoenix in her right hand and scepter in her left. RPC III 6252. Hadrian, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm, 136-137 AD (24.5mm., 13.20g). Laureate head of Hadrian r./ Rev. Demeter wearing peplos standing l. holding corn-ears and sceptre. Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, Laodicea ad Mare, AE Diassarion (25 mm, 9.08 g), Laureate head of Marcus Aurelius r./ Rev. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Lucius Verus r., RPC IV 9010. Commodus, Alexandria, BI Tetradrachm,(24.2mm., 10.19g), 183-184 A.D., Laureate head of Commodus r./ Rev. Commodus, in priestly attire, standing l. before bust of Serapis set on low cippus, sacrificing and dropping incense over lighted altar, L-K-Δ. RPC 16005. From the Dattari Collection.
Thank you Z. You have acquired some beautiful and interesting types in this time period as well. I love the young Hadrian / Oceanus and the Marcus Aurelius referencing Germania!
That is an incredible example of Commodus as Hercules, Marsman! I never fail to be amazed when you show a coin from your Trajan Decius CONSECRATIO collection. Truly an amazing accomplishment to put together a complete set of excellent examples. Thanks for posting these Q! Thank you for the compliment Limes . I will return it full heartedly in admiration of your sub-collection of these emperors. Thanks for sharing! I especially like your Armenia reverse Lucius Verus. That is one of the types I was on the lookout for but ended up going with the VIC PAR. I will still be on the lookout for one of these. I also like your A-Pi with young Marcus. As you suggest that is another that is on my want list. Are you actively going for all the members of the dynasty as well or are you sticking to the emperors?
Thanks! Gotta break it up into two because there's a lot more than 10... Plotina, wife of Trajan (Gordos-Julia because imperial Plotinas are extremely hard to find!) Divus Trajan Pater (Portraits exist but are very rare) Marciana, sister of Trajan Matidia, niece of Trajan and mother of Sabina Sabina, wife of Hadrian Faustina I, wife of Antoninus Pius
It's statements like this that make you the second funniest coin talker Aaand you forgot to mention the excellent old cabinet toning Anyway, I skipped the coin assessment earlier and just took it now... HOW DARE THEM! Yes, I'd crushed on your bat Smit crazy Commodus. But that Nerva Stone cold masterpiece!!! How did it not get more votes Ps, here's my MA and Comedian denarius to complete the circle:
Antoninus Pius with grandchildren Lucilla(?) And Aelius(?) Faustina II, wife of Marcus Aurelius, with babies! (I forget which these are) Faustina II with infant Commodus and Titus Antoninus Lucilla wife of Lucius Verus Commodus and Annius Verus Caesars (Tarsus, cilicia) Crispina, wife of Commodus Annia Faustina, great-grand niece of Marcus Aurelius and 3rd wife of Elagabalus Gordian III, claimed to be great-great grandson of Aelius Caesar