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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;IdesOfMarch01, post: 1868355, member: 39084&quot;]When I initially started my 12 Caesars collection, I focused solely on aurei and denarii, ignoring bronzes for the first few years.&nbsp; However, when I completed these two denominations and started collecting sestertii and small bronzes (dupondii and asses) I found that I regretted not having started collecting them earlier.</p><p><br /></p><p>There are two outstanding features of collecting bronzes, especially sestertii: (1) the larger flan gives the engraver an opportunity to be much more artistic than the smaller aureus and denarius; and (2) the tactile sense of holding a 27g. bronze is amazing, even compared to an aureus.</p><p><br /></p><p>As an example of what I mean by (1) above, consider these two portrait coins of Galba:</p><p><br /></p><p>GALBA&nbsp; 68 - 69 A.D.</p><p>AR Denarius (3.71 gm.)&nbsp; Tarraco (?) April - late 68 A.D.</p><p>Laureate head of Galba, globe at point of bust / Virtus&nbsp; RIC 64</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]315099[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>GALBA&nbsp; 68 - 69 A.D.</p><p>AE Sestertius (28.10 g.)&nbsp; Rome late summer 68 AD</p><p>IMP SER SVLP GALBA - CAESAR AVG TR P&nbsp; Laureate and draped bust r.&nbsp; Rev. LIBERTAS - PUBLICA&nbsp; Libertas standing l., holding pileus and long scepter; S - C in field&nbsp; RIC 309</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]315102[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>While the portrait on the denarius is certainly very good style and very high quality, the portrait on the sestertius is, well, simply on another level.&nbsp; It feels great in your hand, too.</p><p><br /></p><p>The drawback to collecting bronzes is that they&#039;re all smoothed to a certain extent, and a very large percentage are tooled as well.&nbsp; Without the guidance of my dealer, who has 30 years&#039; experience in this field, I would not have started collecting them.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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