The Victoriatus - A long awaited coin

Nice OP victoriatus. Here's a raw one I don't mind holding in hand


Minted circa 211-206 BC
Head of Jupiter right
Victory and trophy. ROMA at exergue, linked V and B in field
3.11 gr
Ref : RCV #51

Q

 

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Fun fact!

The coin was known as a tropaikon (due to the trophy on the reverse) among Greek speakers.

 

Nice one! Yours is a VB issue and mine is a Q issue. I’ve seen them without any letters too. There are some very rare ones with a Q on the shield as well.

 

In fact, the victoriatus and the contemporary quinarius had the same amount of silver, so intrinsically they were of equal value. They had different purpose though about which we can only speculate, and were used in different regions of Italy and its environs. Hoards of Victoriati rarely contain denarii or quinari, and vice versa. Here are a few Victoriati from my collection:

RRC 44/1 - Trophy with skirt and tripod base


RRC 93/1 - MP symbol Trophy with Greaves and no base


RRC 97/1a - Luceria - Trophy with well defined skirt

RRC 98A/1b Luceria LT monogram - Trophy with greaves and no skirt

 

I love the reverse of these coins.

To me it looks like the "trophy" is a spoila opima.

The "spoila opima" was highest possible honor. It even surpassed the beaks of enemy warships.

The "spoila opima" was the spoils of an enemy General slain in one on one combat by a Roman general.

It was only awarded twice.

The reverse on this coin looks like the spoils of an enemy General with a shield and helmet so it makes me wonder if that's what the "trophy" is.

 

This thread is not very old, so I venture that all participants are still interested in the topic.
Last week I received a lot I had bought from Italy and I found this miraculous HALF VICTORIATUS. 1.30 gram and 14/17 mms diameter. The style looks rather early with the hair not really parted. Victoria wings show a myriad of dots in the upper parts and the wreath consists of dot as well. I cannot link this reverse to a known Crawford number and I don't own the catalog.
Who can help?

Frans

 

Unfortunately not a victoriatus or half victoriatus but a much later quinarius, Crawford 345/2 like this

 

I see, the treatment of the hair is very similar indeed! I would never have found out! Thank you!