I was recently scrolling through recent listings on MA-Shops when I happened upon the following coin. While the seller had cataloged it as a standard Rome mint anonymous victoriatus, I quickly recognized the style to be closer to that of the Cr. 92/1a "CROT" series victoriatus, a rare issue that is traditionally thought to have been minted at a military mint near the city of Croton in Southern Italy. When I looked closer, however, I found quite a surprise: the usual "CROT" on the reverse was nowhere to be seen. I didn't remember having ever seen a similar example in any of the auction catalogs I have and after searching specifically for the type I still didn't see one in any of the big RR sales, so I consulted the Anonymous Victoriati identification guide, which confirmed what I had been thinking and before much longer had placed an order. While the stylistic similarities such as the bust of Jupiter, the long, slender figure of Victory and in particular, the rendering of Victory's wings suggest that the dies for this issue were very likely cut by the engraver of many of the dies of the signed "CROT" issue, there is one difference between the two issues that I haven't quite come up with a satisfying explanation of, and that is the differences in the trophy between the two issues. The fully-anonymous examples, like mine, always have a trophy featuring a skirt below the shield, whereas the signed "CROT" issues consistently have a trophy with greaves below the shield. The best explanation I can come up with is that maybe these coins are simply two separate issues where a second set of dies had to be cut months or years after the first set and the same engraver was used but a different coin was his prototype. Most likely there's no way of knowing but it is interesting to think about. Roman Republic AR Victoriatus(3.12g). Anonymous(style of "CROT" series). ca. 211-208 B.C. Uncertain mint(traditionally, Croton). Laureate head of Jupiter right. Border of dots / Victory standing right, crowning trophy with wreath. ROMA in exergue. Line border. Crawford 92/1b Please share anything relevant!
Congratulations. I didn't know there was a difference in this issue and now I do. And because I do, I will have to keep a watch out for one.
Interesting coin and comments. The anonymous victoriati and denarii take some serious patience to attempt to unravel. I'm not remotely close. The website you mention is very helpful for collectors attempting to mount that challenge.
They certainly take some patience. I am not yet as experienced with the denarii but I've found I can usually ID at least the mint for victoriati based on obverse style alone because they tend to have a pretty great variation in style. I've posted a "virtual tray" of some obvserses of victoriati in my collection below. Maybe you can see what I mean:
Cool find!! Once again, there's not a day that goes by that I don't learn something new. Like Bing, now I have to have one of 'Croton' LOL
Crawford 83/1a "Spearhead-up" series, circa 211-210 B.C., Apulian mint Cr. 53/1 Fully-anonymous, after 211 B.C., Rome mint Cr. 70/1 Fully-anonymous, circa 211-208 B.C., Sicilian mint Cr. 93/1a "MP" series, circa 211-208 B.C., uncertain mint traditionally thought to be Metapontum. Cr. 106/1 "Staff" reverse series, circa 209-208 B.C., Central Italian/Etrurian mint Cr. 159/1 "Fly" series, circa 179-170 B.C., Rome mint
Sweet!! => redspork, congrats on grabbing that great OP-example!! I happen to have a pretty cool example as well ... Roman Republic, Anonymous AR Victoriatus (Rome mint) Date: After 211 BC Diameter: 17.9 mm Weight: 2.9 grams Obverse: Laureate head of Jupiter Reverse: Victory standing right, crowning trophy References: Crawford 53/1 Characteristics: Good style, perfect centering and high grade … It was voted best of type in Forvm galleries in 2014 From the Professor James R. Eaton Collection
