Ancients need help identifying please

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by bullnuke, Mar 18, 2010.

  1. bullnuke

    bullnuke Junior Member

    A buddy from work had these coins given to him by an old family friend. Knowing I dabble in coins he asked my help in identifying them. I easily IDed the 1787 5 kopek and the 1789 8 reales but I am having no luck with the other 9. I have posted the first 2 here and will post the others in a new threads as I can only attach 5 files per thread. Any data on what they are and where I can find historical info on them would be greatly appreciated.

    Kie
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. Gao

    Gao Member

    The first is a Byzantine trachy of some sort (or perhaps a Bulgarian imitation or one of the Latin Empire). This would give you an age range of 1092-1300 AD or so. Probably later than earlier.

    The second is a bit easier to figure out. It's an antoninianus depicting the Roman Emperor Trebonianus Gallus dating from 251-253 AD. The obverse reads "IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG" and depicts the emperor wearing a radiate crown (this is a denomination mark), draped and cuirassed bust right. The reverse reads "LIBERTAS PVBLICA" and has Libertas, the personification of liberty, holding a scepter and pileus, the cap of a freed slave. I'm not entirely sure what the correct RIC number would be for this, since I found a couple that match this on Wildwinds that appear to differ based only on mint, and I can't tell which this is. Maybe someone else will come along and be able to get you a specific number.
     
  4. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    The silver antoninianus is Trebonianus Gallus Roman Emperor 251-253 AD Libertas Publica reverse. Silver coins were getting pretty debased by this time and they often look worse than this one when it comes to workmanship so this is a decent coin. RIC 70 Cohen 68 Milan mint

    The other is Byzantine cup shaped Scyphate/Trachy and not one of the better made ones. I usually associate these really degraded ones with the Latin rulers of the 13th Century which often copied earlier styles and looks this weak but I'm no expert in these. This one has been ravenged in cleaning and is shown upside down here.
     
  5. bullnuke

    bullnuke Junior Member

    Gao, dougsmit,
    Thanks for the quick replies. Is wildwinds easy to access and use. Before I relented and posted the photos I went buggy looking at pictures trying to ID these guys.

    Kie
     
  6. Gao

    Gao Member

    Wildwinds is pretty useful as long as you can make out parts of the legend to search with. It's better if you can figure out the emperor. The vast majority of what it covers is Roman coinage, so it's not going to help you much with the Byzantine coin there or anything else non-Roman. Another helpful resource is the Roman Coin Legend Search, which is great for getting a starting point for what you have based on even small bits of a legend. This gallery of Roman Emperor portraits may also be useful (just keep in mind that you may need to go several pages before you get to guys like Trebonianus Gallus).
     
  7. bullnuke

    bullnuke Junior Member

    Thanks for the info. Will search the sites tommorrow after work and post my triumph or defeat tommorrow night.
     
  8. Bart9349

    Bart9349 Junior Member

    Even as as non-coin collector, I enjoy the history behind these coins. Luckily, we have some passionate Ancient collectors on this site who are very willing to share their vast knowledge. :bow:

    Here's a similar, but much poorer example from Wildwinds:

    http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear/s2785.html#RIC_0037

    It's surprising that the Western Empire was able to shake off the chaos of the "Third Century crisis" and last for more than another two hundred years. (The Eastern Empire, of course, lasted for another 1200 years in the form of the Byzantine Empire.)

    Thanks again for sharing your passion,

    guy
     
  9. bullnuke

    bullnuke Junior Member

    Ithink I figured out one of the coins. It is a Constantius II minted 325-326AD at the Antioch mint the obverse says FL IVL CONSTSNTIVS NOB C the reverse says PROVIDEN TIAE CAESS. I belive it is RIC VII 66. Any lessons greatly appreciated:). I realise the reverse is upside down.

    Will post more of the coins in my next post
    Kie
     

    Attached Files:

  10. bullnuke

    bullnuke Junior Member

    So after spending three days trying to figure out what my co-worker has, and maybe identifying one of the coins, pending replies from the experts. I am ready to admit defeat and post 2 more of the coins. Any help identifying will be greatly appreciated. These 2 coins are probably my favorites from this batch.

    Kie
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Siberian Man

    Siberian Man Senior Member

    Antoninien (251-252 b.c.), silver, 3,34 g., 21 mm.
     
  12. Eyestrain

    Eyestrain Junior Member

    In the new posting, the first coin is a Roman Republic Denarius Serratus (Serrated Denarius) issued by the moneyer C. Licinius L.f. Macer in 84 BC. It depicts a diademed bust of Apollo brandishing a thunderbolt on the obverse. The reverse features Minerva with shield and spear, driving a quadriga. The moneyer's name appears in the exergue.

    Here's an interesting historical note from David R. Sear about the moneyer, "This moneyer was noted as an annalist who wrote a history of Rome in sixteen books, now existing only in fragments. He served as a praetor in 68 BC but committed suicide several years later, having been accused of extortion during his provincial governorship." Details about many republican moneyers is scant, so compared to some of them, this is a wealth of personal information.

    The second coin is a bronze issue of Constantine I from about 315-316 AD. The obverse depicts a laureate bust of Constantine, draped and cuirassed, with the legend IMPCONSTANTINVSPFAVG (Imperator Constantinus Pius Felix Augustus). The reverse shows the sun god, Sol raising his right hand and holding a globe in his left, with a chlamys hanging over his shoulder and arm. The legend reads SOLI INVICTO COMITI, which would translate as The Sun, Invincible Companion. The exergue appears to read RP (Roma Prima), meaning the coin was struck in the first workshop of the Rome mint.

    As for your Constantius II coin, you're quite right. I would add the following details: The obverse legend expands to read Flavius Julius Constantius Nobilissimus (Most Noble) Caesar. The reverse legend, Providentiae Caesares refers to the Foresight of the Caesars. The exergue reads Delta SIS followed by a double-crescent symbol. This means it was struck in the fourth workshop of the Siscia mint. The double-crescent is a series mark that was common among Siscia's campgate designs in this period. The issue date I have for this particular coin is 328-329 AD, but that's from my own notes gleaned from online research. I'll readily admit I lack some of the necessary books to pinpoint the precised dates for the many many varieties of 4th century bronzes that are out there. In other words, my years may be a little off.

    Eyestrain

    Incidentally, this is my first post here after weeks of silent lurking. I've enjoyed the tone of discussion on cointalk.com and felt compelled to weigh in.
     
  13. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector


    welcome to CT :)
     
  14. bullnuke

    bullnuke Junior Member

    Eyestrain
    Welcome to cointalk, I've found this to be a very informative and enjoyable forum, I am sure you will enjoy it here. Thanks for the info on the coins, that is exactly the kind of information I was hoping to receive.

    Kie
     
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