A short-lived emperor: Macrinus

@Orielensis exceptional style on your short bearded coin. Here is a long bearded Macrinus in my collection. I still want to find a short bearded Macrinus.

 

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Coins of Thrace and Moesia have a rich variety of reverses. Many gods and personifications are used. In some cases, one can recognize famous statues and many others probably represent lost works of art.

Only have two quite worn provincials, though it was really fun attributing them. This one has a beautiful toning, almost like orichalcum, but it's not :

Æ Tetrassarion, Moesia Inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum, 217 - 218 AD
29 x 28 mm, 10.606 g

Ref.ick, Behrend: Die antiken Münzen Nord-Griechenlands. 1. Die antiken Münzen von Dacien und Moesien. 1. Halbbd, AMNG I 1, No. 1736 (city goddess) or Demeter No.1734.1, p.444

Obv.: AVT K M OΠEΛΛI CEVH MAKPINOC (Aut[okrator] K(aisar) M[arkos] Opel[ius] Seve[rus] Macrinus), hieratic laureate bust of Macrinus with short beard to r.

Rev.: ΥΠ CΤΑTIOY ΛΟΝΓΙΝΟΥ NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠPOC ICTPΩ (Consular legate Statius Longinus, issued by the people of Nikopolis, at the river Ictro), Tyche enthroned to left, with mural crown, holding ears of corn and scepter.

Statius Longinus was the first governor of Moesia Inferior to issue coins for Macrinus, and he used the Nikopolis mint exclusively.

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Nice addition @Orielensis. I particularly like the reverse on your denarius : very skillful engraving, much better than my own example


Macrinus, Denarius - Rome mint AD 217
IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG, Laureate bust of Macrinus right
IOVI CONSERVATORI, Jupiter standing holding thunderbolt and sceptre, protecting a small figure of Macrinus
2.76 gr
Ref : Cohen #37, RCV #7337


My other coins of this (very short) dynasty :


Diadumenian, Denarius - Rome mint, AD 217-218
M OPEL ANT DIADVMENIAN CAES, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
SPES PVBLICA, Spes walking left, holding a flower and her dress
3,23 gr, 21 mm
Ref : Cohen # 21, RIC # 117



Macrinus, Bronze - Nicopolis
AVT KM .... H MAKRINOC, Laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right
V M AGRIPPA NIKOPOLITWNPROC IC TR, Tyche standing left, holding cornucopia and rudder
14.26 gr
Ref : ANMG #1710



Macrinus, Tetradrachm - Antioch, C 217-218 AD
AYG K M OP SE MAKRINOS SEB, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right
DHMARX EXYPATO, Eagle facing, holding wreath in beak, standing on thigh. D E in upper field
12.76 gr
Ref : Sear #2948, Prieur # 246_055



Diadumenian, Tetradrachm - Hierapolis
AVT K M OTTEA ANTONEINOC, Radiate and draped bust of diadumenian right
DHMAP X EX VTTAT (OC), Eagle facing, head right, holding wreath in beak, lion between legs
11,44 gr
Ref : Prieur #947_050, Sear #315

Q

 

Orielensis, Great score on the Macrinus denarius ! The reverse on the coin is hilarious . The mint engraver made it quite clear who was number one on this coin. The engraving of Jupiter is exceptional . The best coin of Macrinus in my collection has been posted a number of times, but will post again for your thread.


Cyrrhestica - Beroea, Macrinus, AD 217-218, Billon Tetradrachm: 14.80 gm, 26 mm, 6 h. Prieur 890

 

Wow. I'm too busy to read much of anything for a few days and I feel like I'm already 50 threads behind!

I have three relevant coins.

Macrinus AR Denarius 217 AD, Obv. Laureate head right, IMP C M OPEL MACRINVS AVG / Rev. Securitas standing, facing, leaning on a column, head left, holding a scepter, PONTIF MAX TR P COS PP. RIC IV-2 24, RSC III 62, Sear RCV II 7347. 19 mm., 1.58 g.

I guess this one counts as a short beard, right?



Macrinus and Diadumenian Caesar, AE Pentassarion [5 Assaria], 217-218 AD, Marcianopolis Mint, Moesia Inferior (Pontianus, consular legate). Obv. Confronted heads of Macrinus, laureate, right, and Diadumenian, bareheaded, left, [AVT K OΠE]Λ CEV MAKPEINOC K M OΠEΛ ANTΩNEINOC [bracketed portion off flan][ = Imperator, Caesar, Opellius Augustus Macrinus, Caesar Marcus Opellius Antoninus ] / Rev. Hermes standing facing, head left, holding purse in extended right hand and caduceus in left hand; chlamys hanging over left arm; E [mark of value for “5”] in right field, VΠ Macrinus ΠONTIANOV MAP-KIANOΠOΛEITΩN (ΩN ligate) [ = Consular Legate Pontianus, (coin) of the people of Markianopolis]. AMNG I/I 740 [Pick, Behrendt, Die antiken Münzen von Dacien und Moesien, Die antiken Münzen Nord-Griechenlands Vol. I/I (Berlin, 1898) at pp. 240-241]; BMC 3 Thrace 35 [R.S. Poole, ed. A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 3, The Tauric Chersonese, Sarmatia, Dacia, Moesia, Thrace, etc. (London, 1877) at p. 32]; Hristova & Jekov 6.24.10.3 [Nina Hristova & Gospodin Jekov, The Local Coinage of the Roman Empire - Moesia Inferior, I - III c. A.D., MARCIANOPOLIS (Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria 2006)]; Varbanov (Eng.) Vol. I, 1192 var. (E to left) [Ivan Varbanov, Greek Imperial Coins And Their Values, Volume I: Dacia, Moesia Superior & Moesia Inferior (English Edition) (Bourgas, Bulgaria, 2005)]; Diadumenian.com /marcianopolis5.html, No. Mar5.33d. 25 mm, 12.89 g. Ex: Dr. Paul Rynearson (ca. 2003); Ex: Kirk Davis, Cat # 75, Fall 2020, Lot 62. (Coin is double die match to Lot 696, CNG Triton XII Auction, Jan. 5, 2009.)



Diadumenian Caesar, AE Tetrassarion (4 Assaria), 218 AD (May-8 June), Nicopolis ad Istrum [Nikyup, Bulgaria] Mint, Moesia Inferior, Statius Longinus, Consular Legate. Obv. Bareheaded bust of Diadumenian right, draped and armored, seen from behind, M OPEL DIADOV-MENIANOC K (OV ligate) [ = Marcus Opellius Diadumenianus, Caesar] / Rev. Artemis, wearing short chiton, walking right, holding bow in left hand and drawing arrow from quiver in right hand, hound jumping behind her left foot, VΠ CTA ΛONΓINOV NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠPOC I / CTPΩ in exergue [ = Consular legate Longinus, (Governor) of the residents of Nikopolis on the (river) Istros]. AMNG I/I 1843 [Pick, Behrendt, Die antiken Münzen von Dacien und Moesien, Die antiken Münzen Nord-Griechenlands Vol. I/I (Berlin, 1898) at p. 467]; Varbanov I 3743 [Varbanov, Ivan, Greek Imperial Coins And Their Values, Volume I: Dacia, Moesia Superior & Moesia Inferior (English Edition) (Bourgas, Bulgaria, 2005) at p. 308]; Hristova-Hoeft-Jekov 8.25.13.3 [Hristova, H., H.-J. Hoeft, & G. Jekov. The Coins of Moesia Inferior 1st - 3rd c. AD: Nicopolis ad Istrum (Blagoevgrad, 2015)].

 

Donna, Thee great coins ! The 4 Assaria from Nicopolis ad Istrum is stunning with that jade-like patina . The action scene on the reverse of Diana hunting is outstanding .

 

Thanks! Artemis's arrow caught me right in the eye and transfixed me, so I knew I had to have the coin.

 

Donna,

I would consider your denarius to have a long beard, or possibly medium to long.

Short beards are really short, as on your second coin of Macrinus and Diadumenian.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I really wasn't sure.

 

Here's one of my favorite portraits of Macrinus:

Macrinus, Gabala Syria
Obv: Laureate and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Tyche seated left, holding rudder and cornucopiae

 

Macrinus Ar Tetradrachm Carrhae 217-218 AD Obv Bust right radiate draped and cuirassed seen from back. |Rv Eagle standing facing head right crescent below. Prieur 836 12.92 grms 25 mm

 

I always thought Macrinus had one of the more distinguished busts especially with the long beard.

Lydia, Gordus Julia. Macrinus Æ29. Cult statue of Kore.
Obv: AVT K M OΠЄ CЄO MAKPЄINOC / Laureate and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: ЄΠ AIΛ ZΩCIMOV APX A TO B IOVΛIA / ΓOPΔHNΩN / Facing statue of Kore between poppy and grain ears.
Magistrate Ail. Zosimou, first archon for the second time.
Cf. BMC 41 (for a different type of Macrinus from this magistrate).


or with bulbous nose...

Pamphylia, Magydus. Macrinus AE24. Aphrodite
Obv: Macrinus bust r.
Rev: Aphrodite semi-nude, standing facing, head right, smoothing hair, bird at feet.
SNG Paris 311.

 

@Brian Bucklan, here is another from Gabala for you.

 

I agree

I agree - his denarii are gorgeous!

 

Thanks for the kind words, everyone!

I'm positively surprised to see how many different coins of Macrinus the CT community can assemble despite this emeperor's short reign. Especially the provincial coins posted by Donna, Q, Bing, Doug, and others are a fascinating numismatic field.

 

Hi,
i have bought this in Bulgaria.
Is there any chance to be genuine?
https://1drv.ms/f/c/664dfd9987b3cb0e/EoZPbaH-riVDr4mxGBDuzHsBOiARW7VnpIIof62Zkxg5qA
Thank you.

 

No, it is a modern fake

 

Thanks!
May i ask please what gave it away?
Except the obvious - Bulgaria

 

compare it with a genuine example...there are lots of differences. The letter forms are wrong, too thin compared to genuine. The engraving is clumsy; look at the eye of the fake and compare to the genuine. Compare the beaded border with the genuine; part of it is separate dots. Compare the flans-- they are completely different. I could list more problems; but the biggest problem is the terrible style. It is obviously fake. It is best to become familiar with genuine coin types and then you can more easily spot fakes; rather than looking at fakes and wondering why it is fake.