The Eastern mints representations of the Roman Emperors/Empressess has always appealed to me, so decided to pick up a couple to sit alongside their Roman counterparts... Severus Alexander. 222-235 AD. AR Denarius (3.12 gm, 20mm). Antioch mint. Struck 222 AD. Obv.: IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate and draped bust right. Rev.: P M TR P COS P P, Fortuna standing left holding rudder on globe and cornucopiae; star in left field. RIC#267. gVF. This coin was obviously minted after March 222 so maybe there is some knock over from his predecessor Elagabalus but looking at Elagabalus' coins from 221 there is certainly a difference...Here's a Rome mint coin to compare.. Next is a sweet youthful portrait of Caracalla with an interesting reverse.. Caracalla. 198-217 AD. AR Denarius (2.82 gm, 19mm). Laodicea mint. Struck 200/1 AD. Obv.: ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev.: SAL GEN HVM, Salus standing left, holding serpent-entwined scepter, and raising kneeling figure personifying the human race. RIC 350; BMC 701; RSC 558a. gVF. Again to compare... Please feel free to post your East versus West portraits...I'd love to see them..
Awesome new coins! And I love seeing the juxtaposition of the two Here are my two kid Caracallas minted far from each other: Caracalla, Caesar 196-198 Denarius (Silver, 19 mm, 2.92 g, 12 h), Laodicea, 198. M AVR ANTON CAES PONTIF Bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla to right. Rev. SECVRITAS PERPETVA Securitas standing front, head left, holding inverted spear in left hand and resting with right on shield set on ground. BMC 459. Cohen 566. RIC 330. A scarce issue with an unusual bust type. Good very fine. Secret Saturlanlia gift. Caracalla 198-217 AD Silver Denarius (2.91 gm) Rome Mint Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG ; Laureate draped bust right. Rev: FELICITAS AVGG ; Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus & cornucopia. RIC IV 127 ; RSC 64
Thanks guys....Glad you like the new additions... @Ryro ....That's a really interesting Laodicea portrait...I've not seen one like that before! Good engraving skills... Love the toning on the Rome mint too Thanks for sharing.
Very nice new pickups and great post. I always like comparisons of the portrait styles of different mints. Gordian III had a noticeably different portrait style in the East…his coins from Antioch show him with a much larger and elongated head. Here is a common Rome-mint style portrait: And then one from Antioch with the larger head portrait style: Gordian III, AR Antoninianus (22mm, 4.97 g), Antioch mint. 1st series, AD 238-239. IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / AEQVITAS AVG, Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia. RIC IV 177a From the Richard McAlee Collection
I find these comparisons fascinating too. Though I think your two SA coins don't really count, given how much later the Rome mint denarius is. Unfortunately I don't have an early Rome mint denarius to show, but here's a dupondius: And here's another Antioch denarius from 222-223: Getting the dates comparable makes less of a difference for Gordie, but here are two from around the same time. First, Rome: Antioch: Generally, comparing portraits from the same time tends to make the differences less stark. Except maybe for Sep Sev, but I'm not the one to post those. (And then there's Alexandria!)
That is a truly nice eastern denarius of Severus Alexander! I like it very much. The Caracalla is fine, too, especially considering the reverse. There are only few Roman rulers to whom such a title is less fitting... Here is Septimius Severus from Rome and two eastern mints: Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 202–210 AD, Rome mint. Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG; head of Septimius Severus, laureate, r. Rev: VOTA SVSCEPTA XX; Septimius Severus, veiled, togate, standing l., sacrificing out of patera in r. hand over altar. 20mm, 3.76g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 308. Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 194–195 AD, Emesa (?) mint. Obv: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II; head of Septimius Severus, laureate, r. Rev: MONET AVG; Moneta, draped, standing l., holding scales in extended r. hand and cornucopiae in l. hand. 18mm, 3.32g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 411A. Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, denarius, 198–202 AD, Antioch mint (previously attributed to Laodicea ad mare). Obv: L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX, head of Septimius Severus, laureate, r. Rev: MARTI [VICTO]RI; Mars, helmeted, in military attire, standing r., resting r. hand on shield and holding reversed spear in l. hand. 19mm, 3.01g. Ref: RIC IV.1 Septimius Severus 508. And here is poor Geta: Geta, Roman Empire, denarius, 200–202 AD, Rome mint. Obv: P SEPT GETA CAES PONT; bust of Geta, bare-headed, draped, r. Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTUTIS; Geta, holding baton and sceptre, standing l. next to trophy r. 18mm, 3.40g. Ref: RIC IV Geta 18. Geta, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 198–200 AD, “Laodicea” mint (Antioch?). Obv: L SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES; bust of Geta, bare-headed, draped, r. Rev: SPEI PERPETVAE; Spes, draped, advancing l., holding flower in r. hand and raising skirt with l. hand. 20mm, 3.19g. RIC IV Geta 96. Ex Pecunem 10, lot 576.
Wonderful examples have been shown with very different mint styles! Here's my latest purchase with lovely toning.. Julia Domna. Augusta, 193-217 AD. AR Denarius (3.23 gm, 19mm). Laodicea mint. Struck under Septimius Severus, 198-202 AD. Obv.: IVLIA AVGVSTA... Draped bust right. Rev.: PVDICITIA... Pudicitia seated left, hand raised to breast. RIC IV #644 (Severus); RSC 168a To compare...
@Ryro I believe that your Caracalla - SECVRITAS PERPETVA is from Rome and not an eastern output. Here is my example of the type from Laodicea @Andres2 - I also believe that your VICTORIAE AVGG FEL is also from Rome. The Laodicea style is quite different. Here is my example of the type - ex Roger Bickford-Smith Collection, ex Barry Murphy Collection, ex Forvm Ancient Coins
That's interesting Martin thanks.........The Septimus Severus coin of @Andres2 does look like a Rome mint working from previous threads of yours having breakdowns of details related to specific mints.....@maridvnvm....Could you give us some details on @Ryro's Caracalla? As I said I hadn't seen anything like it and then after seeing your example it really does show a difference....What do I look for?...The eye/profile etc...Thanks Paul
