Win #4 was a lot of 5 denarii. Total price was $71 USD, or $14.20 per coin. That's not a bad price for denarii. Unfortunately, their states of preservation is overall rather lacking, and they were all limes and/or fourree coins, which was kind of disappointing. I know there is a good collector base for limes and fourrees, but these were pretty rough. This one is a pretty cool type, but it's broken and ugly. Geta billon Limes Denarius Obv: GETACAES PONTCOS. Bare head right. Rev: VOTA PVBLICA. Geta standing left, sacrificing over tripod. 18mm 2.0g RIC 38b Another really cool type. However, marred by bronze disease in the exposed core. Septimius Severus fouree denarius Obv: LSEVSEPTPERTAVGIMPVI. Laureate head right. Rev: ARABADIAB COSIIPP. Victory advancing left, holding wreath and trophy. 16mm 2.6g RIC 63a Commodus denarii are always cool, but exposed core encrustations really bring this down. Commodus fourree denarius Obv: MCOMMODV SANTONINVSAVG. Laureate head right. Rev: TRPVIIMPIIIICOSIIIPP. Providentia standing left, holding wand over globe. 17mm 2.4g RIC 19 This Julia Domna is an enigma as I cannot find a single example of a standing Concordia reverse on Wildwinds, as least no Imperial issues. Julia Domna billon limes denarius Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA. Bare head right. Rev: CONCORDIA AVG. Concordia standing left, holding scepter and wreath(?) 17mm 1.9g RIC ?? Lastly is a sad-looking Caracalla. Another enigma here, as I could not find a single FORTVNA REDVX example of any sort on Wildwinds. Caracalla plated fourree denarius Obv: ANTONINVS PIVSAVG. Laureate head right. Rev: FORTVNA REDVX. Fortuna seated left. 17mm 2.2g RIC?? Despite my initial disdain for these coins, I really can't complain at such a low price point. I'm simply not really too interested in low quality limes or exposed fourree coins.
You're right; there are no official imperial issues for Julia Domna depicting Concordia standing. That's not a wreath in her hand, though, it's a patera. You may read about Concordia and her attributes in my post here.
That's a nice assortment at a price that's hard to beat. I've only purchased one group lot of Roman imperial coins from Roma, my other e-sale wins were Byzantine group lots, which have mostly proven to be interesting, varied and worthy of hours of research. I still have many in need of attribution (sheer sloth on my part).
The quality might be below par (however, not junk!) - but the price is certainly NOT to something to complain about. Congratulations.
Interesting! The style seems entirely too fine to be unofficial, and I was under the impression that limes issues were made from imperial workshops. Could this be a mule?
I agree! That Arab Adiab 7Sev would cost over 4 times as much in better conditioned, good silver. I'll won't complain
Julia Domna: that Concordia rev. (CONCORDIA - AVGG) is properly of Plautilla, e.g. BMC pl. 38.4. Ancient counterfeits often combined obverses and reverses incorrectly.
The so-called "limes denarii" are best described as contemporary cast counterfeits in base metal. The style is good because the molds were made from official coins. The term "limes denarius" is believed to have been born on eBay as a misunderstanding of limesfalsa, which had been used in the literature to refer to a specific group of cast copies of early imperial bronzes (only). What are the "limes denarii" then? The prevailing theory seems to be that once the official denarii became more debased in the Severan era, counterfeiters discovered that copies cast in high-tin bronze looked silvery enough when new and were easier to produce than plated coins. An interesting group imho.
I appreciate how you share your disappointments, @hotwheelsearl I buy lots of lots on eBay and my "strategy" (if I can call it that) is to make sure there is at least one coin in the batch that I will definitely like. Whenever I buy a batch without at least one I like, I usually end up regretting the purchase, or at least feeling meh about it. That being said, I think from your lot that Julia Domna mystery coin should make you happy. These "unofficial" and muled issues are interesting, and if you do some digging, you might find some more information on it. Furthermore, your example is rather attractive for these; from what I've seen, these can be pretty ugly. Curtis Clay has already remarked on your coin. I cannot add anything, but here are two Domna odd-jobs that I have, with what little I know about them: Julia Domna Æ (?) Denarius (c. 196-211 A.D.) Unknown / Unofficial Mint IVLIA D AVGVSTA draped bust right / FIDES PVBLICA, Fides standing right, holding corn-ears and basket of fruit. RIC IV -; BMCRE -; RSC III - (Unofficial issue; see notes) (2.46 grams / 16 mm) "This coin combines the obverse of a Julia Domna denarius with reverse of a Caracalla denarius. The style is not official. It is an ancient counterfeit. The core is probably base metal." www.forumancientcoins.com Note: Per OCRE, there are eight FIDES PVBLICA types for Caracalla: RIC 8, 19, 24Aa, 24Ab, 24a, 24b, 330A and 334. Here's another: Julia Domna Æ (?) Denarius (c. 196-211 A.D.) Unknown Mint IVLIA AVGVSTA bust right / IMP[ERII FELI]CITAS, standing female facing, head right, holding grain or thunderbolt (?) in left hand, column or altar to right (?) Unattributed "Limes" or barbaric imitation - see back of flip. (3.36 grams / 18 mm) "...reverse type is IMPERII FELICITAS. It clearly begins IMPER and ends in CITAS. However, the goddess here clearly holds a branch, whereas Felicitas holds a caduceus on the only Severan issue with this reverse type, a denarius of Caracalla, RIC 9 (Rome), RIC 331 (Eastern mint). That type depicts Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus in right hand and child on left arm." (@Roman Collector Coin Talk) https://www.cointalk.com/threads/julia-domna-a-very-ugly-denarius-id-help-please.331780/
Unofficial mules including fourrees and base metal 'solids' are common enough that I am tempted to say it is almost as unusual to find a 100% correct pairing. My favorite is this Septimius / Caracalla.
Just ran across this on Twitter, a note about a site in the UK with substantial evidence of counterfeiting of denarii in the early 3rd century. There is also a link to download an academic paper. https://www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/dirty-money-lingwell-gates-roman-coin-moulds/
