Reply to Thread

Message:: [QUOTE="Curtisimo, post: 3616530, member: 83845"]One of the great benefits provided by private collectors to the study of ancient coins is the attention paid to relatively common coins that are of humble preservation.  Large institutions, such as museums, have a hard enough task properly attributing and photographing their rare / high quality items and as such the low quality coins (like the ones below) would stand very little chance of being published individually online. However, to an individual collector these little slugs are beautiful pieces of history and well worth the time it takes to take high resolution photographs and post them on a forum or website.  My long term goal is to photograph all coins in my collection (not just my favorites!) and get them cataloged on my future website.  Below are five previously unattributed coins I received as Christmas presents from family which I just now have gotten around to looking into further.  Hopefully you all can get some enjoyment, as I have, out of looking over these ugly little misfits. ........................................ [ATTACH=full]968935[/ATTACH]Roman EmpireProbus (AD 276-282)AE Antoninianus, Siscia mint, 4th officinaDia.: 21 mmWt.: 3.1 gObv.: IMP C M AVR PROBVS P AVG; Radiate bust left, in imperial mantle holding eagle-tipped scepter.Rev.: SOL INVICTO; Sol driving quadriga left, holding whip and globe and raising hand; XXIQRef.: RIC V-b 774 Note: The lack of the F in the obverse legend differentiates this from RIC 767.  It is difficult to read the coin in the area of concern but on close inspection and with an extrapolation of the spacing of the existing letters I am reasonably confident that the obverse legend reads IMP C PROBVS P AVG. ........................................ [ATTACH=full]968936[/ATTACH]Roman EmpireAurelian (AD 270-275)AE Denarius, Rome mint, 1st officinaDia.: 18.5 mmWt.: 2.2 gObv.:IMP AVRELIANVS AVG; Laureate, draped bust right.Rev.: VICTORIA AVG; Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm, captive at food left. A in exergueRef.: RIC V-a 73 Note: If I am correct in identifying the mark in exergue on the reverse as an A this coin would be attributable to the 1st officina of the Rome mint as above.  If not, other mints / officina would need to be considered.  Based on a review of the style of the portrait in comparison with others struck at Rome (1st officina) I am comfortable with the above attribution until shown otherwise. ........................................ [ATTACH=full]968937[/ATTACH]Roman EmpireDivius Claudius GothicusAE Quinarius(?), possibly struck at irregular mint in GaulDia.: 17 mmWt.: 1.8 gObv.: DIVO CLAVDIO; Radiate head right.Rev.: CONSECRATIO; Eagle standing left, head right.Ref.: RIC V-a 266(var) Note:  This coin is considerably lighter than what would be expected of an antoninianus.  RIC mentions that small coins of the DIVO CLAVDIO / CONSECRATIO type were commonly struck at irregular mints in Gual where Claudius Gothicus was held in high regard.  RIC does not mention how these coins might have traded against the full weight antoninianus though it does mention that Cohen may have categorized some of these coins as quinarii. ........................................ [ATTACH=full]968938[/ATTACH]Roman EmpireAurelian (AD 270-275)Dia.: 18.2 mmWt.: 1.5 gObv.: Radiate, draped bust right.Rev.: IOVI CON-SER (?); Emperor standing right, (holding sceptre?), receiving globe from Jupiter, standing left holding sceptre. Note:  This is a difficult coin to attribute for several reasons.<ol> <li>The obverse legend is unreadable. AVRELIANVS AVG seems to be evident from the fragments of letters but I am unsure if there is and IMP at the beginning of the legend.</li> <li>The reverse legend seems to be IOVI CON-SER which would be consistent with the reverse image of Jupiter presenting the emperor with a globe.  However, what should be the “O” in CON at 12 o’clock on the reverse does not look much like an O to me.</li> <li>The mintmark is difficult to read.  The letter at the bottom right in the exergue is either a P or a D.  It is possible the the mintmark is *P which could possibly make this coin attributable to Siscia.  If I were pressed on a specific attribution I would go with Siscia mint RIC V-a 225A.</li> <li>The weight of the coin is very light.</li> </ol> ........................................ [ATTACH=full]968939[/ATTACH]Roman EmpireHelena (AD 325-330)AE3, Heraclea mint, struck ca. AD 324-328.Dia.: 19.8 mmWt.: 1.3 gObv.: FL HELENA AVGVSTA; Diademed, mantled bust right, wearing necklace.Rev.: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICE; Securitas standing left, lowering branch and raising hem of robe with right hand.Ref.: RIC VII Heraclea 95. Mintmark SMH Epsilon. Note:  This coin retained a great deal of its legend and as such was not difficult to identify in RIC (maybe a little more challenging than I thought... see below).  However, the weight is lower than other coins I was able to find.  I have seen this type referred to as a follis but I have chosen to refer to it as an AE3 until I can do some additional reading into the weight. ........................................ Well that is all I have for now.  Please post some of your humble examples that you had fun studying and researching.  Also, feel free to post your examples of any of the above emperors or empresses as well as provide any additional information or corrections to my attributions above. Thanks for reading![/QUOTE]

Create my FREE Account!

Log in or Sign up

Reply to Thread

Useful Searches