Recent Caracalla addition.

Just added this neat looking Denarius of Caracalla to my collection and thought I'd share it here...Imo it has a really nice portrait but what actually drew me to this coin was its reverse...

Caracalla. 198-217 AD. AR Denarius (3.50 gm, 20mm). Rome mint. Struck 207 AD.
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, aureate head right.
Rev.: PONTIF TRP X COS II, Caracalla standing facing, head right, holding reversed spear and parazonium; *at feet to left, river god reclining on urn right; to right, two bound captives seated left.* RIC 96; RSC 441. Nice VF.
22 specimens in the Reka Devnia hoard.

*In relation to the seated figures as described above, being the most common description I see, there seems to be some controversy about who is being portrayed?
Rivergods / captives in varying quantities!?...
One interesting theory is that the two river gods left/right of the Emperor actually represent the rivers Eden and Tyne which Hadrians wall follows and the closest seated figure is in fact female and represents Brittania...

On more detailed specimens it is clear that the outer figures left and right are not captives but are holding river reeds....

Interested in others perception of what's being depicted on the reverse?

And please feel free to post your coins of Caracalla....

 

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Here's an interesting page for those interested..
https://collectingancientcoins.co.u...s-severus-caracalla-and-geta-river-god-types/

 

I think these coins answers your question

 

I think Caracalla is the emperor that I dislike the most, but his coinage is actually pretty great. Nice reverse on that one, @Spaniard !

 

What a great Caracalla! LOVE that toning and portrait and the brutality of the reverse (clearly looks like captives to me) just reminds us... it's still Caracalla
It's very humanizing to see images of a maniac like Caracalla going through puberty
I dig those burns
Here's my young loon with some SERIOUS old cabinet toning:

 

Spaniard, Nice score ! Your coin has a lovely youthful portrait of Caracalla, an excellent provenance, & interesting research on your part . Pictured below are two of my favorite Caracalla Tets. from provincial mints. The 1st coin is the same age as your coin with a similar portrait, & the 2nd coin is from his 4th Consulship showing a more mature portrait.

 

Lousy portrait, but this Caracalla from Thrace is my only "mock countermark":


Caracalla Æ 28
(c. 212-217 A.D.)
Topirus, Thrace
AYT K M AYPH ANTΩNIN[OC], laureate head right / OYΛΠ[IAC TOΠI]POY, Tetrastyle temple with Herakles seated on a rock left, giving his hand to a woman standing right.
Moushmov 4981 (see notes).
(15.87 grams / 28 mm)
eBay Nov. 2021 $5.50
Pseudo-Countermark:
AMP monogram in 6 mm circle obverse. Howgego 604.
"Although seemingly a countermark, the monogram on the obverse of the present piece was in fact engraved on the original die, as is evidenced by the clear raised rim and the exact repetition of both location and design on other examples of the type...." Roma Numismatics

 

Here is my only Caracalla as adult denarius:

Caracalla AD 198-217. RomeDenarius AR 19 mm., 2,22 g.
Date Range: AD 210 - AD 213
RIC IV Caracalla 227 (denarius)
ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT, head of Caracalla, laureate, bearded, right
PROVIDENTIAE DEORVM, Providentia, draped, standing left, holding wand in right hand over globe and sceptre in left hand

 

@Andres2 ...Nice coins and thanks for clarifying that the seated figures are not in fact captives which can also be clearly seen on the more detailed example shown on the link..I do find the proposed timeline of Nicholas reed placing Caracalla in Britain in 207 , at least mid to late, interesting as there seems to be no fixed data as to his whereabouts at this time...I guess I'll write in both reverse options on my data base just in case..
@svessien ....That's a wonderful looking coin!...One of the nicest I've seen, with great detail especially the Lyre and olive branch sweet coin!
@Ryro ...Nice coin and yep lovely cabinet toning, really makes the detail zing out. As you said his coinage is interesting showing his youthful "Damian" like portraits right through his beard growing phase with a rich array of reverse depictions.
@Al Kowsky ...Thanks Al...They are beautiful coins...Provincial coins are on my want list and these tets are lovely in hand.
@Marsyas Mike ...What an interesting coin! I've not seen this before so thanks for posting and at $5.50 cool pick up.
@ambr0zie ...Nice bearded portrait and lovely toning..

Here's an Eastern mint type again 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.


I think we can all agree .."Long live Justin Martialis!"...Or at least Macrinus who was probably pulling the strings.

 

My latest Caracalla is this cool provincial!


Caracalla, AD 198-217.
Roman Provincial tetrassarion, 14.78 g, 29.6 mm, 1 h.
Thrace, Pautalia, c. AD 198-205.
Obv: AVT K M AVP ANTΩNEINOC, beardless, laureate head of Caracalla, right.
Rev: OYΛΠIAC ΠAV | TAΛIAC. Asklepios cradling serpent-entwined staff, reclining left, head right, on winged, coiled, and bearded Glykon flying right.
Refs: BMC 3.145,34; Ruzicka 612; Varbanov II 5008; Moushmov 4235, Mionnet Suppl. 2, p. 384, 1084; Vaillant n. Gr. 1074.

 

@Roman Collector ...Wow! What an interesting and different reverse depiction..Love the fact you can still see the facial details on Asklepios..Cool coin!..
Now I'm on the lookout for one of those..

 

Here is one of my Caracalla coins:
obv: ANTONINUS PIUS AVG GERM
rev: PM TRP XVIIII COS IIII PP
2.78 GR , 19.70 MM

 

I have many Caracallas, but due to my ineptitude at coin photography, I was only able to cobble together a few random examples.

The first; cool bust type but it was purchased for the patina.


Æ 27mm. (14.57 gm). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left, holding spear and shield / Ares standing left, holding shield and spear. Nice Fine, smooth dark green patina.

Second, ditto, purchased for the interesting toning.

ilver denarius, RIC IV 116a, RSC III 484, VF/F, Rome mint, weight 2.720g, maximum diameter 18.5mm, die axis 0o, 205 A.D.; obverse ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate head right; reverse PONTIF TR P XIII COS III, Concordia seated left, patera in right, double cornucopia in left; (ex: Forum)

*Perhaps the Denarius is mostly uncleaned?

The third and most recent: a throw-in with a recent order from London Ancient COins.


Caracalla (198-217). Cilicia, Tarsus. Æ (35mm, 13.29g, 6h). Laureate and cuirassed bust r., slight drapery. R/ Emperor standing l., togate, sacrificing over altar. Cf. SNG BnF 1527-8 (for rev. type). my grade aF/VG.

 

Very nice OP coin (great portrait and interesting reverse). I think it is remarkable how Caracalla aged on his coins, given that he died at only 29 years of age.

Here are some coins from my collection that show Caracalla ageing:

 

That's an excellent younger portrait of Caracalla, and a very interesting reverse type. I'm lacking a coin which shows the transition from boy to murderous thug.


CARACALLA
AR Denarius. 3.17g, 18.5mm. Rome mint, AD 201-202. RIC IV 120. O: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate and draped bust right. R: ADVENT AVGG, galley sailing left over waves, aquila at prow, two signa at stern; three oarsman on deck, officer in the middle saluting three seated imperial figures (Septimius Severus, Caracalla and Geta?).
Ex Stevex6 Collection, CNG E-Sale 352 (3 June 2015), lot 449; ex Dr. George Spradling Collection


CARACALLA
AR Denarius. 3.24g, 19mm. Rome mint, AD 215. RIC 254. O: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate head right. R: PM TR P XVIII COS IIII PP, Apollo standing left, holding laurel branch and lyre set on altar.
Ex Muschietti (Numismatica Walter Muschietti), purchased in 1956

 

@sky92880 ...That's a wonderful example with great detail....Lovely portrayal of Jupitor.
@nerosmyfavorite68 ...Wow some amazing colours there!..Particularly like the Denarius with its purple and orange hues...Nice idea collecting different patinas/tones.
@Tejas ...Thanks for the visual timeline a lovely selection you have in your collection. It's amazing how we have these polaroids showing an ageing Emperor definitely a fun line to collect...Another would be Maximinus Thrax with his growing nose and chin..Are there any others?
@zumbly ...Super coins!..I particularly like the galley reverse type, lovely detail!
Here's another from my collection showing a more stylized portrait with heavy frown, definitely not someone to annoy!
Caracalla. AD 198-217. AR Denarius (3,48g). Rome mint. Struck AD 212-213.
Ob..ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT, Laureate bearded head right.
Rev..MONETA AVG, Moneta draped standing left, holding scales and cornucopia.
RIC IV #224; RSC 165.

 

Has there ever been an angrier face on a coin than his?

 

Superb addition!

I assume this was part of the lengthy series of commemoratives to mark the success of Severus' Parthian campaign? Would be about the same time period as this one


The Severan boys are fascinating to collect, not only because of how cheap they are, but also how you can watch them age from little bullies to sadistic men

 

Several coins bearing his intimidating visage. Hollywood could not have done a better job type casting someone to play his person.

 

Very nice coins. The denarius 2 coins up from the bottom Sestertius is me if there's no Pizza Friday. Or, if I have to use FedEx.