Marti Classical Numismatics and patinas

Greetings! If you go to VCoins and look at their sestertius offerings, you may notice some consistency of color. (You can use the "Search in this store" feature for "sestertius".) To me, a significant percentage of these coins seem to have an attractive but somewhat unusual olive green/brown color.

The only three ways I can account for this is 1) all of these coins came from the same locale (unlikely), 2) a photographic peculiarity (possible), 3) the coins have been repatinated or improved in the same way.

I've bought one sestertius from them that did not have this color. Service was impeccable and the coin is very nice, though gentle but extensive smoothing was not mentioned.

I am very tempted by many of their coins, but am concerned about the uniformity of appearance. Any thoughts about this would be greatly appreciated.

 

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interesting can you post some pictures , so whe can see the patina

 

Hi! Rather than "borrow" their pictures, I'll post a link to the results of a search for sestertii on the site. Notice how many coins have that olive brown patina.

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/ma...rchDateType=0&store_order_by=&solditems=False

 

I am not seeing anything strange in colorations. The colors shown look appropriate for the metal and eras to my eyes.

 

If one were to go through my catalog, they might find many with the same coloring. I have looked thru the listings of this dealer on Vcoins and see nothing at all to raise my alarm

 

Thanks for the input. It's the uniformity that concerns me rather than the color per se, but perhaps there's no reason for concern. Maybe just their photographic technique that lends unusual consistency compared to other dealers.

 

I've purchased from him many times....Never noticed anything odd about any of them especially concerning the patina.

 

Great to hear, because I definitely like their coins. Thank you!

 

Yes, that will usually lend itself to making color appear more uniform.

 

I think most sestertii turn dark like those. Some have a lovely green patina and that deserves a premium, because, as you can see from those and other sestertii on vcoins, most don't have a lovely color. I do not regard those surfaces (on the page you linked to) as anywhere near uniform. Dark, yes. But from a single type of conservation treatment, no.

Most sestertii have dark surfaces. I am pleased to have this worn, but yellowish, Lucius Verus:



31 mm. Sestertius
Lucius Verus, 161-169, struck 161-162.
IMP CAES L AVREL VERVS AVG
FORT RED in exergue
TR POT II COS II
S C low in fields
RIC 1391. BMC 1027v.
ex Coliseum Coin Exchange list #2, lot 262, in 1981.

It is unusual for its close-to-original color. If it were dark like most sestertii, it would be worth less to me.

 

the same coin! the one cames from a auction house, the other from the vcoins dealer- difference photo making style

 

Thanks all for your thoughts. I should have said that I have been collecting sestertii with some intensity for almost 30 years. I have seen a few coins with this sort of olive-yellowish-greenish-brownish patina, but the fact that it is a bit unusual is shown by the fact that I can always recognize a new offering from this dealer on VCoins without even looking at the dealer name. I prefer dark patinas, and especially dark green patinas, but I was just unaccustomed to this particular shade of green. However, after reading these comments, I really think it is a photography issue.

 

P. S. I didn't mean to imply that all of the sestertii on this site have this appearance. Maybe 25% or so, which was still more than I expected.

 

My current Julio-Claudian sestertii:


RIC Vol. I, CAIUS (CALIGULA), SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 51, 40-41AD,(35mm, 26.2gm)

Obverse depiction: Personification of Pietas, seated left.
Obverse Inscription: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG PM TRP IIII PP In exergue: PIETAS

Reverse depiction: Caligula standing left holding patera over altar - attendants (victimarius) on either side holding bull for sacrifice - hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus festooned with garlands in background.
Reverse Horizontal Inscription: {small lettering} DIVO AVG and below: S C (left and right)



RIC Vol. I, NERO, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 356, 66-67AD, (36mm, 24.8gm)
BMCRE Vol. I, NERO, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 114, 66-67AD

Obverse depiction: Nero, laureate head facing right
Inscription: IMP NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GERM PM TRP XIII PP
Reverse depiction: Personification of Roma seated left on cuirass
resting elbow on shield and holding spear, helmet behind.
Inscription: ROMA in exergue S C left and right



Sestertius, RIC, Vol. I, Tiberius, No. 68, AD 36-37 (35mm, 22.6gm)
Cataloged in Wildwinds under Augustus - Sear 1784

Coin obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate, togate, holding laurel branch in r. hand and long sceptre in l., seated on throne, placed on a car, drawn l. by four elephants, each bearing a mahout on its neck. The side of the car is ornamented with shields.
Inscription across top in three lines DIVO AVGVSTO SPQR

Coin reverse depiction: Large, centered S C
Inscription clockwise from top: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST PM TR POT XXXIIX



RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 112, 50-54AD (36mm, 28.2gm)

Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP
Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath.
Inscription in four lines:
EX SC
P P
OB CIVES
SERVATOS
(within wreath)



BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 157, Plate 35-7 42-43AD (38mm, 28.9gm) reverse inscription same as No. 157 except legend ends in IMP




RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 109, AD 42-43 (38mm, 28.0gm)

Obverse depiction: Nero Claudius Drusus (father of Claudius), bare head facing left.
Inscription: NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP

Reverse depiction: Claudius seated left on curule chair holding olive branch, panoply of weapons and armor beneath.
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP - S C in exergue

I lightened up the above pic of the Claudius RIC No 109 sestertius to show the details better. Here is a more natural photo of that coin:


BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 157, Plate 35-7 42-43AD (38mm, 28.9gm)

It was a real coincidence that I found both of the above coins- one of the joys of collecting Ancient coins!


RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 99 41-50 AD, (36mm, 25.3gm)

Obverse depiction: Claudius, bare neck laureate bust, facing right.

Inscription clockwise from bottom: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP

Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes holding flower in right hand and demurely raising skirt with left hand.
Inscription clockwise from bottom: SPES AVGVSTA - S C (exergue)



RIC 1, (second edition) Gaius/Caligula, Dupondius, No. 56

Obverse depiction: Radiate bust of Augustus.
Obverse Inscription: DIVVS AVGVSTVS, S. C (left and right)

Reverse depiction: monument of Caligula seated on a curule chair holding an olive branch in right hand.
Inscription: CONSENSV SENAT ET EQ ORDIN P Q R
Note: This legend is unique.

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



CLAUDIUS SESTERTIUS, TITUS RESTORATION ISSUE, 80-81 AD (34.5mm, 23.12 gm) BMCRE Volume II, Rome, Titus No. 297 (pl. 56.1)

1. RIC Volume II (1962 Edition), Rome, Titus, No. 234
   RIC Volume II, Part 1 (second edition), Titus, No. 472 (Sear No. 2601)
   
   Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
   Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP
   Reverse depiction: Personification of Spes holding flower
   in right hand and demurely raising skirt with left hand
   Inscription: IMP T VESP AVG REST - S C (left and right)
   
   Clickable links:
   
   Sear Roman Coins and their Values (RCV 2000 Edition) Number 2601 (via Wildwinds Claudius)
   
   Sale: CNG, Triton XII, Lot: 555 (5 January 2009) - this coin

James

 

Marvelous coins! Thanks for showing them off.

 

I have purchased only one sestertius from Marti, this one of Julia Mamaea.

This is Marti's photo:


This is my photo:


Julia Mamaea, AD 222-235.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 21.15 g, 29.5 mm, 1 h.
Rome, 6th emission, AD 226.
Obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed and draped bust, right.
Rev: VESTA S C, Vesta standing left, holding Palladium and scepter.
Refs: RIC 708; BMCRE 389-91; Cohen 83; RCV 8236.

 

Thanks. Rather confirms that this is a photography issue.

 

Thank you Jasper.

 

The pleasing “mustard yellow” or dark olive orichalcum (“brass”, zinc, alloy from which the sestertii planchets were cast) is frequently evident in the surface patina coloration of (especially early) sestertii. (I struggled with that description).

I have purchased several fine sestertii from Marti - all have very been nicely patinated.

James

 

Bronze coins can be very difficult to photograph and often do not react well to being photographed with artificial light. Back in January 2020 at the NYINC I saw this coin at a dealers table
He did not have any other information on the coin other than what it was and price but I was able to track it down to this picture taken of the coin in 2017. Overall this image make the coin look green. However the description states that it is a "mahogany brown". Most likely the camera was fixed with artificial light. I chose not to buy it at the time but around September of 2020 I contacted the dealer again and got this picture. Taken with an I phone hand held again with artificial light. Now the coin has something of a metallic copper tone on the obverse and a very mottled reverse. I remembered I liked the coin and undismayed at the image decided to press on. I could clearly identify this image with that taken in 2017. Finally I got the coin and it looks more like this photo.

This picture which was taken by my friend W. Hansen was done in natural light on a slightly overcast day with a handheld camera. This is much closer to the actual appearance of the coin. The coin is actually a very dark brown and the mottling near the base of the spear on the reverse is much less pronounced on the actual coin. I do not believe that any of these pictures were meant to deceive. It is just very difficult to take a true and accurate picture of an aes coin.
Titus Ae Sestertius 72-73 AD Obv, Head right laureate. Rv Mars advancing right with spear at the ready and carrying a trophy over his shoulder RIC 500 (Vespasian) 26.92 grms 32 mm Photo by W. Hansen