Marcus Aurelius Caesar denarius (with Antoninus Pius)

Great coin. The earliest version of the type, it seems.

 

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Just to show how difficult it is to find nice examples of this type, this coin is being auctioned in a couple of days with a starting bid higher than the price I paid for mine, even though I don't think its condition is all that great.

 

Donna,

I don't see any picture of the upcoming sale coin?

 

Thanks, @ambr0zie. And everyone else. Your comment made me start thinking about my top 10 for 2021, especially because right now I've sort of promised myself that I'm done buying for the year, except perhaps for one more Roman Republican coin I've already bid on in an auction that takes place next week. Of course, that's the kind of promise I tend to break! But I can already tell that just like last year, I'm going to have to cheat by compiling two different lists, one for Roman Republican coins and one for everything else.

I can already promise that the Antoninus Pius-Marcus Aurelius denarius is going to make my "everything else" list. And there are some other "everything else" candidates I'm already considering, including these (in no particular order):





















A Roman Republican top 10 list is going to be a lot harder to put together, given that I already have about 18 worthy candidates.

 

Do you see it now?

 

Yes, I see it now.

Also a very decent specimen, despite the pit on Antoninus' cheek.

 

Yes, the obverse is quite nice despite that pit, but I am really not fond of the surface of Marcus Aurelius's face, which is why I decided not to bid on the coin even before I saw the @PeteB example.

 

Clicking for the enlargement does bring out many minor faults on the Marcus side.

 

Good luck with the new RR and hope you will post it here as I think your posts about RR coins, including writeups, made me want to study this area also.

As for promises, you know better. I hope, at least now, that I will not buy any more coins in 2021.
Already broke this promise twice, even if it's not generally a habit. First because a Julia Titi dupondius in my price range was too tempting and second because an Aspendos stater was also ... tempting.
And of course, I can't limit myself to 1 coin/auction, even if I don't buy coins in high grades, the invoices are still kinda fat.

 

Nice coins all around! Here is my example. What do you think of the flat mark interrupting the obverse border? Test cut or die flaw?

 

I agree with your observation, Donna. I think your coin has very fine portraits on both sides.

 

Not a test cut. Die fault or flan flaw.

 

..me also Donna..ifn Santa Clause is to come to town.

 

...just take a group pic...thats what i do..

 

Nice pickup Donna

Here is my Marcus Aurelius (yeah I know I’ve shared it before but I love Marcus Aurelius and I wanted to participate but I only have one of him).




Marcus Aurelius, as Augustus (AD 161-180). AR denarius (19mm, 3.37 gm, 11h). NGC AU 5/5 - 4/5.Rome, AD 168-169. M ANTONINVS AVG ARM-PARTH MAX, laureate head of Marcus Aurelius right / FORT RED TR P XXIII•IMP V, Fortuna seated left, rudder in right hand, cornucopia in left; COS III in exergue. RIC III 205.


& I don’t have Antoninus Pius on the same coin so here is a coin of mine of him on one of his own coins xD:




Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161). AR denarius (18mm, 3.55 gm, 11h).NGC Choice XF 5/5 - 4/5. Rome, AD 158-159. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XXII, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right / VOTA SVSCE-PTA DEC III, Antoninus Pius, veiled, standing facing, head left, with patera in outstretched right hand over lit tripod; COS IIII in exergue. RIC III 294b.

 

This coin, my current avatar, probably is one of the best Roman portraits in my collection. Antoninus Pius had some truly skilled engravers working for him:

Marcus Aurelius (as Caesar), Roman Empire, denarius, 140–144 AD, Rome mint. Obv: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS; head of Marcus Aurelius, bare, r. Rev: IVVENTAS, Iuventas (youth) standing l., dropping incense in candelabrum and holding patera. 17.5mm, 3.16g. Ref: RIC III Antoninus Pius 423a.

 

I have one of this type, also purchased from Akropolis Ancient Coins earlier this year. Mine is not as nice as yours, with some surface roughness and a gouge through poor Marcus's mouth, but I like it very much nonetheless. Thank you for sharing, I didn't know there were so many variations.

 

@DonnaML . My friend, that is a superb double portrait! I have dealt with @PeteB a number of times and he is 2 things. First, he is one of the top 3 out of many dealers I have bought from. Secondly, he is a lovely person to interact with.

 

I completely agree!