This is my latest wolf and twins, issued some 200 years after the more common Late Roman wolf and twins. This was also the last gasp of the Roman Senate, as they were briefly given the right to strike coinage. Ostrogoths, Municipal Coinage Æ 40 Nummi. Rome, AD 526-534. INVICTA ROMA, draped bust of Roma to right, wearing crested helmet, pendant earring and necklace / She-wolf standing to left, head turned back to watch the two infants Romulus and Remus suckling; XL (mark of value) above, •||||• in exergue. MEC 1, 93-5. 13.39g, 25mm, 1h. If you have some wolf and twins or more municipal Ostrogoths, post them.
Never seen one of these before, news to me. Wonderful addition, Victor. And the portrait is typical of that time period too. What I am surprised about is the weight, heavy!
Yes, the municipal coinage is chunky. Here is another example Ostrogoths, Pseudo-Autonomous Æ Nummus (24mm 11.3g 12h). Struck during the reigns of Theodoric and Athalaric in Rome, circa AD 493-553. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted bust of Roma right / Eagle with raised wings standing left, head right; XL upwards to left; •Δ• in exergue. COI 76b; MEC 101; BMC Vandals 14; MIB I 74a; Demo 42. even the 20 nummi or half folles are large, just reduced weight. OSTROGOTHS. A.D. 493- 553. 20 Nummi or Half Follis (23x24mm 6.5gm) Municipal issue. Rome mint. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted and draped bust of Roma right. REV: Palm tree; to left and right, eagle standing outward, heads facing inward; in ex. •XX•. COI 83 (Athalaric); MEC 110. Yes it is very ironic. ROMA even wrote that in their description-- "with the ironic obverse inscription INVICTA ROMA"
I also have an example from Athalaric. Mine has an S-C on reverse showing that the Senate had permission to strike coinage. Athalaric. A.D. 526- 534 Æ Decanummium (18mm 2.1gm) Rome mint. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Roma right. D N ATHALRICVS S-C, Athalaric in military attire, standing right and holding spear, X (mark of value) in field. COI 85; MIB 77; MEC 132. this coin sold in 1920 for $4.50. Yes, Ostrogothic coinage can be very expensive, mainly because they are not very common. Metlich (The Coinage of Ostrogothic Italy) estimates that the total value of copper coins known is less in value than three solidi (one solidus = 20 lbs of copper). The amount of copper coins struck from a pound of copper varied according to the unit and the ruler, but let's start with a 10 nummi at 1/100 of a pound, so one hundred coins were struck from one pound of bronze. This value varied though, according to the ruler- for instance Theodoric struck on 1/60 and 1/100 while Athalaric had some 1/70 and Theodahad had 1/80. So, accordingly, around 6,000 bronze coins (at 1/100 ratio, though many were struck at less, like the 40 nummi) of the Ostrogoths are in collections now.
interesting coin! It looks like the XL are struck over other letters. Is IIII a mint worker / official number?
Ok, remember you asked for this, lol. This coin is so bad, the wolf and twins is about the only thing that is identifiable.
High-grade Ostorgothic bronze coins can get very pricey . The 2nd 40 nummi coin you posted is unusually nice for the type . I have one choice solidus in my collection pictured below .
I don’t own any Ostrogothic municipal coinage. I do have a humble Vrbs Roma: VRBS ROMA A.D. 330-3 18mm 2.9g VRBS ROMA; Roma, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak. REV. She-wolf standing left with twins (Romulus and Remus); above, two stars. In ex. •SMHE RIC VII Heraclea 119 Ex. Victor Clark on Vcoins
Tempting It seems there was not as much interest in Ostrogothic coinage in 1920. $4.50 in 1920 adjusted to 2022 is $66.38...and I paid significantly more than that.
Curious Victor: I’ve seen that you have gravitated pretty strongly to fifth century / “barbaric“ coinage of late. What accounts for this interest? Did you run out of Constantine reverse types to collect?
No, I am still actively collecting Constantine coins, but I tend to focus on certain issues, like VLPP from Siscia and his coinage from London and Constantinople. I had another auction win along with the Ostrogothic wolf and twins. Constantine's first issue and Ex Rauceby Hoard Constantine I A.D. 306 28mm 9.1g CONSTANTINVS NOBILI C; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, tower on head, loins draped, r. holding patera, l. cornucopiae. RIC VI London 66; LMCC 4.04.009
Yeah, Ostrogothic coinage after the last Western Roman Empire are very interesting and important. In the carnage of the fall of the west, they actually invent the 40 denomination that Anastasius would later adopt and completely reform "roman" coinage for centuries later.
Sorry folks. Bringing up the rear again. But I was a couple of days late in looking at the post and knowing how crappy my pics are from my dinky cell, I decided to take it down to the (Akron Summit County Public Library) (ASPCL) "Tech Zone" people who do incredible things and they used their digital camera. The story on this coin is: "Constantine Roma", should be circa 330. l.3 g. 18 mm. It was my very first uncleaned coin, very heavily encrusted. Cleaned for weeks and purchased in a group all for about $1 apiece. The others were pretty much cull coins but this one made my day.
I just got another Ostrogothic wolf and twins OSTROGOTHS. Athalaric. Municipal Coinage. 526-534. Æ 20 Nummi – Half Follis (21mm, 4.31 g). Rome mint. [Helmeted and draped bust of Roma right] / She-wolf standing left, head right, suckling twins; above, Christogram between two stars; · X · X · in exergue. COI 84b; MIB 71c; MEC 1, 99. The obverse has been filed down, but it would have been the same as the first one I posted-- helmeted bust of Roma with INVICTA ROMA legend. I collect modified coins and have another Ostrogothic coin that was also filed down Theoderic. Æ Decanummium Converted to Weight (17mm 2.9 gm). Municipal issue. Ravenna mint. Struck A.D. 493-518. FELIX RAVENNA; Draped bust of Ravenna right, wearing mural crown / [Ravenna monogram in wreath; X (mark of value) at point of wreath ties]. COI 78a; MEC 145-9. converted to a two tremissis weight with the reverse removed and blank surface inscribed IS (16) in series of points to denote weight. I suspect that the wolf and twins was used as a solidus weight. These usually weigh around 4.4- 4.5g. The filed down wolf and twins coin comes in at 4.3g, probably the lowest weight that a solidus would have been accepted.