I'm not going to post a top 10 list for 2017, but I will share a few interesting, year-end acquisitions. First, some background: Following two devastating defeats by Hannibal in 218 and 217 BC, mounting defense costs and disrupted flow of raw materials took its toll on the Roman Republic. In response, from 217-215 BC, the Republic reduced its bronze coin weight standard from a nominally 1-pound As to a nominally 6-ounce As. I say "nominally" because the standards were really 10 and 5 ounces, respectfully, but that's unimportant. Further reductions would follow throughout the war with Hannibal. This initial, semi-libral reduction enabled striking of lower denomination bronze coins, in place of the low denomination Aes Grave that Rome mint had previously produced. Rome's mint continued to produce large denomination Aes Grave (As, Semis, Triens and Quadrans), along with the new, struck denominations. The largest series of semi-libral struck bronzes were standard "prow" types - Crawford 38 Series bronzes - consisting of Sextans, Uncia, Semuncia and Quartuncia. Inexplicably (I have a few theories that I'm still researching), there was a much smaller, collateral series of struck bronzes bearing unusual, interesting types - Crawford's 39 Series bronzes - and consisting of Triens, Quadrans, Sextans, Uncia and Semuncia. Towards the end of 2017, I happily bought two semi-libral struck bronzes and one "related" bronze. Note that these coins are pre-denarius Republican Bronzes and are therefore considered "coins of Italian type" and subject to U.S. import restriction via the MoU with Italy; thus, the below stated provenances are important. The first coin is an AE Sextans of the larger Crawford 38 series: Roman Republic Anonymous Semilibral Series, 217-215 BC AE Sextans (24.25 g; 31 mm) Obv: Mercury wearing petastus facing left. Two pellets (mark-of-value). Rev: Prow right; ROMA, above; two pellets (mark-of-value), below. Reference: Crawford 38/5; Sydenham 85 Provenance: Ex Burgan Numismatique Auction (17 Nov 2017), Lot 102; ex E. Page Auction, Hotel Drouot (1972). The second coin is a scarce AE Quadrans of the "collateral" Crawford 39 series, which completes my collection of this fascinating series: Roman Republic Anonymous Semilibral Series, 217-215 BC AE Quadrans (37.97g; 34mm) Obv: Hercules wearing boar-skin headdress right; three pellets (mark of value) behind. Rev: Bull leaping-over or crushing serpent: three pellets (mark of value), above; ROMA, below. Reference: Crawford 39/2; Sydenham 94 (R4); BMCRR (Romano-Campanian) 113- 115. Provenance: Ex Dr. W. Neussel Sen. (d. Dec. 1975) Collection [Peus Auction 420/421 (1 Nov 2017), Lot 65]. The imagery on this second coin is unusual in that the motif of bull leaping-over or crushing serpent had not previously appeared on Roman money. There were depictions of standing bulls on aes signatum currency bars earlier in the century, and there was a leaping bull on a Wheel Series Aes Grave Semis, but it lacks the serpent: Interestingly, the bronze types used on the collateral, semilibral Crawford 39 series largely disappear from subsequent Roman bronze coinage, EXCEPT for the leaping-bull and serpent quadrans. A mint in Sicily would carry-on this type on a much lighter, post-semilibral standard. My third coin is an overstrike of the above-mentioned Sicilian issue. It is an anonymous example of the Corn-Ear Series which is missing the Corn-Ear symbol above the bull on the reverse. This "no Corn-Ear" variety was first written-up by Roberto Russo in Essays Hersh. This particular coin is overstruck on an Hieron II imitative Ptolemaic AE, and the outline of Zeus's hair is clearly visible on the reverse. Roman Republic Mint In Sicily Corn-Ear Series (no corn ear), 214-212 BC AE Quadrans (16.76 grams; 29 mm) Obv: Hercules wearing boar-skin headdress right; three pellets (mark of value), behind. Rev: Bull leaping-over or crushing serpent: three pellets (mark of value), above; ROMA, below. Reference: Crawford 42/2var (no corn-ear); See R. Russo, "Unpublished Roman Republican bronze coins" (Essays Hersh, 1998), 29-30. Undertype: Hieron II, imitative Ptolemy II Obol, 285-246 BC. Provenance: Ex Agora Auction 70 (21 Nov 2017) Lot 194; ex RBW Collection duplicates (not in prior sales); ex P. Vecchi Auction 6 (14 Sep 1981) Lot 245. I hope you find these new coins interesting. Please post anything relevant!
Great coins @Carausius that AE Sextans is fantastic. I also love the historical context of these coins too.
Great coins, love that Sextans a coin that is on my radar, would be ecstatic to pick one up anywhere as nice as yours. At the moment I have a AE uncia, 217-215 BC. Helmeted head of Roma left, pellet behind. Reverse- ROMA, prow right, pellet below. Syd 86, Crawford 38/6, BMC 88. 24mm, 11.8g.
@Carausius , that is an excellent writeup. The second bull and snake coin almost makes the bull look playful (I've seen dogs jump like that a lot) while eyeing the snake. Neat!
Gorgeous examples @Carausius ! I really enjoy this time in Roman History... Massive changes made to accommodate and adapt to a decimating enemy. I have a few from this time period: RR Anon AE Quartuncia 217-215 BC Saturn Prow BRN Cr 38-8 Sear 624 RR Anon AE Uncia 217-215 BC Roma Attic Prow Cr 38-6 Sear 615 RR Anon AE Semuncia 217-215 Mercury Prow Sear 620 Craw 38-7 RR Anon AE Semuncia 217-215 BC Turreted Horseman Whip Roma Craw 39-5 Sear 619 RR Anon AE Sextans 217-215 BCE She-Wolf Twins Eagle Syd 95 Cr 39-3 Sear 609 Luceria AES Grave Anonymous 217-215 BCE Uncia 7.35g Frog-Corn Ear pellet retrograde L T-V 285 RR Anon AE 28mm 19.2g Quadrans - Sicily mint 214-212 BCE Hercules-Erymanthian boar headress - Bull ex RBW Craw 72-7 RR Anon 210 BCE AE 23 Quincunx 6.96g Apollo P behind Dioscuri Luceria 5 pellets Cr 99-4 Syd 309 S 910 Very Rare
Really amazing coins, some I had never seen before. Learn a lot on this forum I only have one coin with a "bull", strange for one born a "Taurus" I posted my bull on World site since its modern....1736. But, I have a slew of US obsolete banknotes depicting bulls Hannibal of course, one of the greatest generals in history, well portrayed by Victor Mature in the 1961 classic film.
