Anyone Have 5 Asses?

I am slowly building up an Etrurian collection from the pre-Denarius days. These coins are pretty difficult to capture, and are generally not easy to find.

The Etrurians were an interesting people whom had a small empire in Italia well before the Romans. In fact their culture dominated Rome with the first Roman Kings coming from the Etrurians. Rome began to dominate and conquer Etruria, until their culture was absorbed into Roman Italia.

Prior to Rome issuing Denarius style coinage for Italia, Etruria had a very unique coinage, which Rome probably relied on as a model for their coinage.

I recently captured an Extremely Rare AR One-As coin that is starting to fill in my Etrurian denominations collection. I have a One-As, 2-1/2 Asses (Sestertius style), 10-Asses (similar to a later Denarius), and a 20 Asses (similar to a Roman Didrachm) all in Silver. Additionally, I have an AE Sextans (2 Dots).

Nope, no Gold Etrurians (25 Asses)

There is a 5 Asses (similar to a Roman Quinarius) denomination which are very tough to get... Anyone have one? I do not have one... yet...

My most recent capture is the 1 As. EXTREMELY difficult to find, and I happened to LUCK into it, big-time. And, yeah, my landed cost was a bit big-time too... Worth it though, as it is described a EXTREMELY RARE, and yes, very few show up in Wildwinds, ACSearch, none at CNG, and other searches. This one is in a better condition that I have seen.


Etruria Populonia
AR 1 As 0.60g 10.0mm
after 211 BCE
Obv: Male Head Left
Rev: Plain Rev
Ref: Vecchi 3 68-70 HN Italy 181
Seller/Auction comment: EXTREMELY RARE

Here is Etruria... they are a difficult people to find out WHERE they originated. and here is the Wikipedia article if you are so inclined:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruria



Here are my present Etrurian coins prior to being absorbed into Roman currency:

ETRURIAN DENOMINATIONS:


Etruria, Populonia
3rd Century BC
Silver 20-Asses
8.1g, ovoid 16.6mm x 20mm
Obv: Facing head of Metus, hair bound with a diadem, X:X below
Rev blank
Sambon 47; HN Italy 152


Etruria Populonia
AR 10 Asses 20mm 4-21g
211-206 BC
Obv: Male Hd
Rev: Blank
die break


AR 5 Asses - NOPE!!! (Rats!)



Etruria, Populonia
2-½ asses , AR 0.85 g
3rd century BC
Obv: Radiate female head r.; behind, CII.
Rev: Blank.
Ref: EC 104 (misdescribed, Female head with an Attic helmet). Historia Numorum Italy 179.
NAC Comment: Of the highest rarity, apparently only the second specimen known. Dark patina and about very fine.
Ex: From the collection of E.E. Clain-Stefanelli



AR 1 As - extremely rare


Etruria or Umbria
Aes Grave
3rd C BCE
Sextans 23mm 25.15g
Obv: Club
Rev: 2 Dots
Ref: HN 54 Vecchi-Th 172

ANYONE HAVE 5 ASSES???

Please feel free to post any cool or unusual coins... I know not too many folks would even CONSIDER this odd collecting niche!

 

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Self-deleted

 

Nothing to share, but really cool and interesting side collection you have going on there!

 

I would title this thread " The Etrurians ".

 

WOW Alegandron I haven't seen any of them before, very nice.

 

Thank you! They have been tough to find.

 

Wow, that's an amazing assemblage already. I look forward to seeing the complete set some day!

 

There is a 5 as Medusa/blank type. I have seen pictures of it, but have never seen one in person. The 20 as piece can be found occasionally.


Etruria, Populonia (3rd Century BC), Silver 20 Asses, 8.34g.
Obverse: Facing head of Metus (Medusa), hair bound with a diadem, °XX° below, rev blank.
Reverse: usually blank, but this one has a faint brockage showing the XX and rim of another example.
EC Series 52.126 (1219) (O20; this coin although the photo doesn't match); HN Italy 142.
irregular flan, die-break on obverse as usual for this issue
ex Adolphe Menjou collection, Kreisberg & Schulman, New York, 25-26 January 1957, lot 2765/6 (part)
Baldwin, auction 98, May 2016, lot 551 (The Property of an Antiquary)

This coin was sold in the 1957 sale of the Adolphe Menjou collection. He was a Hollywood actor and the best-dressed man in America. It is doubtful it ever belonged to him though.

 

Man those are some great coins, I love the collection @Alegandron The Etruscans are one of the most fascinating peoples of ancient Europe.

I have only one Etruscan coin, a small bronze piece.

Bronze AE 15, uncertain inland mint, weight 3.144g, maximum diameter 15.1mm, dieaxis 315o
Obv: youthful head of Herakles right, wearing Nemean lion scalp headdress
Rev: dog leaping left, Etruscan letter (reversed C) below

 

I agree about the Etrurians being a fascinating people. At this point no one has truly identified where they came from, and why they were so different from the other Italians.

 

Excellent collection, Alegandron. Unfortunately no 5-asses here but I have a few Roman coins from Etruria or Umbria minted during the Second Punic War. Based on similarity of style I think at least a portion of the dies were likely cut by the same engravers who made the dies for the Minerva/Owl types from Populonia:

 

Fascinating stuff and beautiful coins. This hobby is awesome.

 

Looks like we have the same die break. Mine may had been struck after yours, as the die-break extra material seems greater in mine.

 

Wow im impressed. Gotta be only a few of those around. Go big or go homE RIGHT

 

I collect based on History (generally), and I have always been very intrigued by Etruria or Rasenna as they called themselves.

Yeah, it IS a GO BIG, and it is also BIG FUN too!

 

Great coin @Alegandron ! You have a growing Etruscan collection. It seems like there have been more of them on the market in the last year or two. I do not have any struck ones.
I do have a 5 As cake shown here for size comparison. It was probably from around Rome and could have been Etruscan. The As on the right is 269 grams.

 

I really enjoy your Aes collection! Thanks for posting.

 

Some great stuff!

 

.. i have 7...

 

LOL, I was thinking on the order of 5 Donkeys, but that will do!