Recently purchased Caligula Dupondius & OCRE

My final purchase of the year is this dupondius minted by (Gaius) Caligula:



RIC 1, (second edition) Gaius/Caligula, No. 56.
Obverse: Radiate bust of Augustus
Reverse: Seated (on curule chair) monument of Augustus/Caligula ? (Added via edit: There is still a debate among collectors and scholars as to who it is) holding an olive branch ? in right hand.

Note: The reverse legend - CONSENSV SENAT ET EQ ORDIN P Q R - is unique.

The translation is:
“By consensus of the senate, the equestrian order, and the Roman people.”


It is actually an update of this same coin - but different issue:



I had been searching for a coin of this issue that featured a better Reverse depiction (which is often much worn) than my original coin and with nicer inscriptional lettering.

I have been using OCRE - a free and comprehensive online attribution/research tool for Roman Imperial coins - for the past year and I have found it to be a reliable and easy to use resource. OCRE is a joint project of the American Numismatic Society and the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University.

In my opinion one outstanding research feature is that there are usually a large number of coins described and photographed for each search.

Another excellent feature is that many of the photographs depict coins that are in much worn condition rather than those that are often featured in catalogs and research publications and that are usually in pristine or extremely fine condition. I think this will be a great boon for beginning collectors or those of limited means (AKA “ancient coin collecting cash”).

There is a wealth of information provided for each OCRE coin entry:

Mint Location and find spot (map)
General description of coin type
Coin axis
Coin diameter
Coin weight
Date of minting
Resizeable obverse and reverse photos (in color)

The descriptions and photos are from numerous prestigious collections including the American Numismatic Society, Fitzwilliam Museum, Harvard University, British Museum, Mainz museum …………… and so on.

Following is a link to the OCRE page relating to the Caligula Dupondius I feature here. There are 48 coin exemplars listed. If you are unfamiliar with OCRE, please visit this page and play around - especially with the coin photos - enlarge them and reduce them and cross-reference the information provided.

I am interested in the opinions of fellow CT’rs relating to the value of OCRE as a research and attribution facility.

http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.1(2).gai.56

 

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Nice update. I lack Caligula among few others in my collection of the 12 Caesars.

 

Great coin (Envious).
As for OCRE, I use regularly and cross ref with wildwinds, especially if I am in any doubt, which is usually the case. However, the best resource I have found is this esteemed place. Cointalk-ancients, for the win.

 

Great last purchase and a really nice upgrade!

I am still getting used to using OCRE. I prefer wildwinds but sometimes I can't find what I'm looking for there.

Thanks for sharing your last coin of 2020. Looking forward to seeing what 2021 brings you!

 

Thank you for that input @JulesUK.

 

And thank you for your input FF!

 

I echo your appreciation of OCRE. I do find it unusual that they don’t record coin size in terms of diameter in millimeters. At least not for some of the coins I have consulted. Have I just been unlucky? Or is there some kind of rationale for what seems to be a significant omission in an otherwise comprehensive research tool?

 

Very sharp and detailed specimen Mr. James. Here's my old example with the mysterious character on the reverse : who is he, Caligula or Augustus ?

 

Added comment, FF:

My wish list:
1. COVID-19 Vaccine shot ASAP
2. End of house quarantine for us - one year is far too long.
3. Hug my grandchildren and great-grandchildren
4. Recover a modicum of my memory

 

Thank you for your valued input, Gavin. I completely missed the manner in which coin size is recorded. I do not know the rationale for that. I will make inquiries.

 

A great update if you want to know !
As will be the vaccine towards Covid (one shouldn't be deprived of hugging their grand children and great grand children, life is too short)

Q

 

Thank you @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix (intriguing long name that) for posting that nice example. Notice that OCRE doesn’t go out on a limb either.

 

..that's a dan-D jamesicus....

 

I forgot to ask anyone who has such a coin to please post pics here - thank you.

 

Thank you Q (I always like to write that)

 

Excellent coin!

I would strongly wager that is Gaius portrayed on the reverse.

 

That's an extremely attractive coin, @jamesicus. Congratulations. Here's my only Caligula, the commonest type of as with a seated Vesta on the reverse (RIC I 38, Sear RCV I 1803, Cohen 27, BMCRE 46):

 

What a stellar example of that reverse type, James! (I do use OCRE quite a bit and find it very helpful. Some volumes of RIC seem to have better coverage in terms of images than others.)

 

Is that a die cud at the bottom of the neck or just a striking weakness?

 

Identity of the statue: see RIC p. 112, note 56. H.-M. von Kaenel in Schweizer Münzblätter, May 1978, p. 39, pointed out a VF specimen of this dupondius on which one could actually recognize Caligula's facial features on the statue.

But why connect this statue of Caligula with the portrait of Divus Augustus on the other side of the coin? Well, soon after his accession Caligula had dedicated the temple of Divus Augustus that had been voted in 14 AD but that Tiberius had not yet completed when he died in 37. I suggest that in connection with Caligula's dedication of the temple, the senators, knights, and people of Rome voted that the statue of Caligula depicted on the coin should be erected in the newly dedicated temple of Divus Augustus, thus explaining the placement of Augustus' portrait on the other side of the coin.