Although Marcus Aurelius gets all the credit and praise and Verus is kind of forgotten about (like not being included as one of the “Good Emperors” like Marcus Aurelius was), Lucius Verus served as co-Emperor with him so I decided to pick up his denarius as well. It seems like Marcus Aurelius also has way more coins of himself than there are of Lucius Verus although I’m not sure if that’s because he was more popular or just because Lucius Verus died before him so there was more time to make coins of Marcus Aurelius than himself. Lucius Verus (AD 161-169). AR denarius (18mm, 12h). NGC VF. Rome, December AD 161-December AD 162. IMP L AVREL VERVS AVG, bare head of Lucius Verus right / PROV-DEOR TR P II COS II, Providentia standing facing, head left, globe outward in right hand, cornucopia in left. RIC III (Marcus Aurelius) 482.
Nice one, one of the underrated emperors! This one depicts a mourning Armenia after his eastern campaigns. Just imagine if Verus didn't die and outlived Marcus Aurelius, and when Aurelius naturally dies in 180 AD, Verus becomes the sole emperor, and after Verus, his son Lucius takes the job, thus the incompetent Commodus never becomes the emperor, subsequently there'd be no Severan family drama, and who knows even the 3rd century crisis would've been averted!
One of the great "what ifs" of Roman history. Or just imagine if Germanicus had survived and when Tiberius died he became Emperor instead of Caligula. Now that would've been a blessing to the Roman Empire.
Very nice example! Same type as mine, although on mine the globe is shaped like a pineapple and the cornucopiae looks kind of like a headless crocodile. Lucius Verus AR Denarius 161-162 AD. Obv. Bare head right, IMP L AUREL VERVS AVG/ Rev. Providentia standing left holding globe and cornucopiae, PROV DEOR TR P II COS II. RIC III (Marcus Aurelius) 482, RSC II 155. 16 mm., 3.59 g. And here's a didrachm from Caesarea in Cappadocia, with Mt. Argaeus on the reverse: Lucius Verus AR Didrachm 161-166 AD, Caesarea, Cappadocia. Obv. Bare head right, ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΟΥΗΡΟϹ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ / Rev. Mt. Argaeus (or cult image of same), surmounted by statue of Helios standing three-quarters left with long scepter in left hand and globe in right; flames to left and right on sides of mountain; animal [deer?] bounding left at bottom far left of mountain in front of large rock; tree in front of large rock at bottom far right; smaller rock dotted with trees[?] at bottom center; ΥΠΑ-ΤΟϹ Β [= COS II]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Online Vol. IV.3 7027 (temp.) [rev. var.] (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/7027); Sydenham 352 [rev. var.] [Sydenham, E., The Coinage of Caesarea in Cappadocia (London 1933)]; Metcalf, Caesarea 131a [rev. var.] [Metcalf, W.E., The Silver Coinage of Cappadocia, Vespasian-Commodus. ANSNNM (American Numismatic Society, Numismatic Notes & Monographs) No. 166 (New York 1996)]; SNG von Aulock 6438 [rev. var.] [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 2: Caria, Lydia, Phrygia, Lycia, Pamphylia (Berlin 1962)]. 20 mm., 6.70 g., 6 h. PS: Not that I'm obligated to explain, but in the unlikely event that anyone's noticed that I've hardly been posting lately, I've been quite ill the last couple of weeks, and just haven't had the energy to write anything up. I'm several new Roman Republican coins behind, plus an interesting Alexandrian tetradrachm of Trajan that I ordered from France, with a quadriga of elephants on the reverse. Not in the greatest shape, but I couldn't resist. Maybe by the time it arrives, I'll be feeling better and will be able to post it soon thereafter. Meanwhile, I still try to "like" as many people's posts and comments as I can.
That’s a very nice new addition. Here’s my example of the same type, one of my favorite Imperial portraits in my collection. Lucius Verus, AR Denarius (17 mm, 3.08 g), Rome, 161-162. Bareheaded bust of Lucius Verus to right./Rev. Providentia standing front, holding globe in her right hand and cornucopia with her left. RIC 482 (Marcus Aurelius). Also, hoping you feel better soon Donna!
Very nice addition, @Gam3rBlake! An example of the types of AD 161-163 with the "all round legend." Here's a rather pedestrian denarius of the fellow with a big-nosed but well-preserved bust. Lucius Verus, AD 161-169. Roman AR Denarius, 17 mm, 3.36g, 6h. Rome, AD 168. Obv: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head right. Rev: FORT RED TR P VIII IMP V COS III, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopiae. Refs: RIC 586; BMC 477; Cohen 111; RCV 5350; MIR 170.
Very nice example! I noticed that they often made big nosed Emperor coins xD This Marcus Aurelius denarius has a giant nose too! It’s also very pointy. Like a cartoon.
Nice one! Denarii of Verus are common, but command significant premiums I'm high grade compared to the more famous dynasty members. I have two: A lovely lifetime denarius A grotty posthumous- he was deified by Marcus Aurelius following his premature death from the Antonine Plague
It seems this denarius is quite popular When I started collecting ancient coins I managed to buy 3 lots from an auction. Not all the coins were in best shape, but having 13 denarii that I could identify without doubt was a pleasant surprise. I also have this posthumous denarius, one of my favorite coins. Divus Lucius Verus AD 169. Rome Denarius AR 18 mm., 2,70 g. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 596B; RSC 55, BMC 503 Date: AD 169 Obverse Legend: DIVVS VERVS Type: Head of Lucius Verus, bare, right Reverse Legend: CONSECRATIO Type: Funeral pyre in four tiers, adorned with statues and garlands, quadriga on top
Is there room for an As? Bronze As Rome mint, A.D. 164-165 Obv: L VERVS AVG ARMENIACVS Rev: LIBERA AVG TR P V IMP II COS II - Liberalitas, standing, facing left, holding abacus and cornucopiae, between S and C RIC (Marcus Aurelius) 1416 24mm, 10.6g.
Silver coin (AR Denarius) minted at Rome during the reign of LUCIUS VERUS in 168 A.D. Obv. L.VERVS.AVG.ARM.PARTH.MAX.: laur. hd. r. Rev. TR.P.VIII.IMP.V.COS.III.: Aequitas seated l., holding scales and cornucopia. RCS #1544. RSCII #318 pg.232. RICIII #595 pg.261. BMC #481. DVM #23/3. RCSVII #5362.
Bronze coin (AE as) minted during the reign of LUCIUS VERUS in 163 A.D. Obv. L.VERVS.AVG.ARMENIACVS.: bare hd. r. Rev. TR.P.IIII.IMP.II.COS.III.S.C.: Victory walking l. RCS #1558. RICIII #1392. DVM #46/2.
