Featured "Restored" Legionary Denarius of Mark Antony

A legionary denarius of Mark Antony is one of the many ancient coins I would love to have. But examples in really nice condition are too expensive for me, and the one time I bought what I thought was a decent example, from a reputable dealer, it turned out to be a fake -- one of many fake legionary denarii that flood the market. (Fortunately, the dealer gave me a refund.)

So at least for the time being, I'm settling for this "restored" Mark Antony legionary denarius, issued by Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus two centuries after the original. It's certainly not in what I'd call excellent condition (the galley oars can no longer be individually distinguished), but it otherwise shows a lot of detail, and the price was probably considerably less than half of what an original in equivalent condition would have cost me. Plus, there isn't the same concern about purchasing a fake!

Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, AR Denarius [Restored Issue of Mark Antony Legionary Denarius Leg. VI, probably issued for 200th anniversary of Battle of Actium], 168-169 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Praetorian galley moving left over waves with four crew members, ANTONIVS AVGVR around from 8 o’clock, IIIVIR R P C across below galley / Rev. Legionary eagle (aquila) facing left between two standards, ANTONINVS ET VERVS AVG REST [ = Restituit] around from 8 o’clock, LEG - VI across lower field. RIC III M. Aurelius 443 (at p. 248), RSC I Mark Antony 83 (ill. at p. 127), Sear RCV II 5236 (ill. at p. 341), BMCRE 500. 19 mm., 2.86 g.



*See Sear RCV II at p. 340: “Issue of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus restoring the ‘Legionary’ Coinage of Mark Antony. The reasons for this remarkable restoration remain obscure. Mattingly (BMCRE, p. cxxiii) suggests that Legio VI Ferrata, which had fought for Antony at Philippi in 42 BC, may have played a leading role in the Parthian War of AD 164, the exceptional commemoration of this achievement on the coinage being prompted both by the the legion’s long and distinguished history and the similarity of the names ‘Antonius” and ‘Antoninus.” The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Actium [in 31 BC] perhaps provides a more obvious reason for the issue.” (Emphasis added.)

See also https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Restitutions for a discussion of restored coinage in general, defining it as “a name given to pieces of money copied from other pieces struck in the past,” from the verb restituo. This type of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus is the only restoration coinage mentioned in Numiswiki that was issued later than the restored Republican coinage issued by Trajan, and the earlier restored issues minted under Titus, Domitian, and Nerva. (The “Divi” issues of Trajan Decius were intended to commemorate a number of previous emperors, but are not copied from specific coins of those emperors.)

The original “LEG VI” Mark Antony legionary denarius on which this restoration issue was modeled is Crawford 544/19; see also Sear Roman Imperators 356 at p. 232. Notable differences from the restored coin’s design include the fact that the galley on the obverse and the eagle on the reverse of the original both face right (as opposed to facing left on my coin) [N.B.: there are some examples of the restored issue that do show the eagle facing right], and that the obverse inscription on the original reads “ANT AVG,” whereas on this coin those abbreviations are fully spelled out as “ANTONIVS AVGVR,” presumably to avoid confusion. (Had the original obverse inscription been used on this coin, it would likely have been misread by most people as “ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS” -- a potential ambiguity not present when the original was issued 200 years earlier.)

Please post your "restoration" issues, whether this one or the restored coins issued by Titus, Domitian, Nerva, or Trajan. (Unlike this restoration issue, most of the others -- especially Trajan's restored issues of Roman Republican coinage -- seem to be more scarce and expensive than the originals, rather than less.)

 

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Amazing .....

 

Very nicely done Donna. I am looking for an Antony as well

 

...that's a purdy neat coin Donna!

 

Nice snare, @DonnaML . Great Denarius.

Bummer, I do not have an Antony VI Legio Republic issue.

Here is a Restoration you called for...


DRUSUS (Died AD 23). Restoration issue struck under Titus (AD 80). As. Rome.
Obv: DRVSVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N.
Bare head left.
Rev: IMP T CAES DIVI VESP F AVG REST.
S C; legend around.
RIC II² 437 (Titus).

 

Very cool coin! I love that Aurelius and Verus paid homage to their past like this. And yours is an excellent example!
Hoping @Bing pops by with his beauties!
I recently bought my best MA legion V:

 

I agree, but don't you think it's rather strange that to commemorate Actium they would "restore" a coin of Mark Antony -- the loser in that battle -- rather than of Octavian?

 

Nice coin, congratulations!

But it somehow feels strange and un-Roman: to commemorate a legion that had not only lost, but, also fought on the 'wrong' side.

As luck would have it, my only legionary coin happens to be the very LEG VI.
But the pic is not very good:

 

Right!? It makes me love it all the more that they would celebrate him. Like when Caesar was celebrating his extremely polarizing deceased uncle in law, Marius, many folks still cheered and booed loudly when he did. I think it's very fascinating and cool that, despite winning our losing, they still saw through to the fact that he was an extraordinary human.
Here's a little quiny of the winner and loser making up... before they disagreed again

Marc Antony & Octavian
AR Quinarius. Military mint moving with Octavian, 39 BC. Head of Concordia right, wearing diadem and veil, III VIR R P C around / Two hands clasped around caduceus, M ANTON C CAESAR around. Crawford 529/4b

 

Yes Donna, there are many Fakes of this coin floating around, I personally have come across several everyday on ebay there are many inexperienced shoppers there who will hear a big name at a price that they can afford and spring for it.
I find this to be the biggest issue with coins that have well recognized names,
the better known they are the more counterfeited they are it seems, most all come
from eastern Europe & china, however they are so prevalent now in many American hands that one can never tell until one has it in their own hand..!
Best advice is, always always make sure you get a iron clad return policy when buying any coin, this is the one good thing I have to say for Ebay, they will make sure that you get you money back if the seller is reluctant to do so, as long as it is returned in a timely manner.

 

@DonnaML that's an awesome restitution denarius much sought by collectors. I think it is very interesting that they don't have a portrait.
Usually these denarii are quite worn, your's is very well preserved.

I understand that Verus lacked military experience and leadership; his main interest were luxury and amenities, so Marcus provided him with the best generals of his time (Statius Priscus and Avidius Cassius). Verus was strategically wise to accept the decisions of those who had the military experience.
The victory over the Parthians was in 166 AD, and was celebrated with a great triumphal procession in Rome on October 12th, 166. It is quite possible that this restitution denarii were issued to commemorate this celebration instead of the 200th anniversary of the battle of Actium, but who am I to contradict Mattingly... and furthermore, Lucius Verus died in January 169, leaving Marcus Aurelius as the sole ruler making me think that they were issued before Verus' death.

 

..i was after a Marc Antony coin for a spell and came across this lil ole thang . .Marc Anthony denarius, battle of Philippi, mobile military mint, bust right obv. Sol in temple rev., 16mm, 2.94gms

 

MARCUS ANTHONY RESTITUTION
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANTONIVS AVGVR III VIR R P C, Galley left.
REVERSE: ANTONINVS ET VERVS AVG REST, legionary eagle between two standards, LEG VI between
Struck at Rome, 168AD
3.81g, 20mm
RIC III 443 (Marcus Aurelius) ; BMCRE 500


MARCUS ANTONIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley, thyrsos behind prow
REVERSE: LEG VI, eagle between standards
Patrae 32-31 BC
3.3g, 16mm
RSC 27

 

Some great coins here. I learn more every day.

 

Not of this coin, I think. But definitely as to the original legionary denarii.

 

Neat coin Donna. Congrats.

 

Yes, the one you are showing is quite different from the, let's say run of the mill Antony legionary denari, which was quite interesting that it too went counterfeit,
but my advice still remains the same I would think...

 

As a fan of restored coins struck by the Flavians I can see the appeal of your latest acquisition. Nicely done!

Here is a restored Marc Antony reverse struck by Vespasian.


Vespasian
AR Denarius, 3.39g
Rome Mint, 77-78 AD
Obv: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: COS VIII; Prow r. : above, star of eight rays
RIC 941 (C). BMC 210. RSC 136. BNC 186.
Acquired from Glenn W. Woods, November 2003. Ex unspecified CNG MBS.

 

I find your coin very interesting Donna, I have yet to acquire a type of my own. Congratulations!

I'm wondering about this explanation. Celebrating a victory over fellow Romans was, to say the least, not appreciated. Octavian erected an arch in the Forum dedicated to Actium, but he changed the arch to celebrate the 'victory' over the Parthens and the return of the standards. So why celebrate the victory over a fellow Roman, 200 years later?

In any case, here's my legionary denarius. Interestingly, simultaneous to the issuing of the legionary denarii, Octavian issued the 'divi f' series. Both were means of propaganda.

 

Here's one...worn but it probably circulated for a long time....