Anyone want to share their sestercii?

A large variety of different weight ‘Sestertius’ do go back to the Imperatorial period. The most beautiful large coins are often Bronze/leaded Bronze or Orichalcum. This metal triggers me, I citate a post about this metal:

In several ancient writings (especially in Plato’s Critias) a precious metal called orichalcum – second only to gold in value – is mentioned several times. The name derives from Greek and means “mountain copper” or “mountain metal.” Allegedly, the lost city of Atlantis was built mostly of orichalcum – which gave the city a ruddy or bronze-ish appearance.

But what exactly is orichalcum? Ancient texts never specifically say whether it is an alloy or a pure metal. Some texts mention mines running out of orichalcum which may explain why – if it was a pure metal – it is no longer around.

The sestertius and dupondius coins issued by the Roman Empire were supposed to be made of orichalcum, but are actually a bronze-copper alloy. Most historians agree that orichalcum was actually a copper alloy, possibly mixed with gold, tin, or zinc and brass.

Love the deep color of the Bronze and Orichalcum large Sestercii. Breathtaking examples are still being offered on auctions nowadays.

 

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Sure I can! Just take a look at the US silver 3 cent piece or the gold $0.25 cent piece.

They were both tiny and easy to lose and because of that they were so unpopular they stopped making them after a while.

People preferred to use a larger $0.25 silver coin that was easier to keep track of than a teeny tiny $0.25 gold piece that would blow away if you sneezed on it. (joke not literally)

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I don't think people at any time ever wanted to carry around big heavy cumbersome coins or super light, small, easy to lose coins.

That's crazy to see a 0.1g coin though.

 

I have a few, mostly from the third century CE



Q

 

Would like to add my two cents: do like this post 'Anyone want to share their sestercii'. The day before did I post a similar thread with the request to come forward for any 'Romulus and Remus' type coin. It was amazing to see how many people I reached with this post

Did see so many amazing Sestercii here by other collectors, once you have a nice and/or unique example in your hand you will feel impressed, the weight, the size, the legends, the material and all the details which the artist creating the die did try to assemble with so much LOVE and DEVOTION. It's just all about emotion, these Sestercii do still awake emotion with people. Something you will only realize once you have the opportunity to have one astonishing example in your hand, it does make you feel humble: how could people without laser technique create a die (at reverse) so perfect, so full of life, so realistic with such less advanced tools. Feel a deep admiration and respect for those who did create the dies and minted these coins 20 centuries ago.

 

Don't be overly modest, now -- that's way more than "a few," in my opinion! They look fantastic displayed that way.

 

Included one of my favorite Sestercii, a Antonius Pius bust withe the She-wolf and the Geminis at reverse, material is Orichalcum. For me this is a breathtaking example of a high end Imperial Sestertius. Hallucinating, highly desirable by collectors and therefore extremely difficult to acquire in this condition.

 

These recurring Sestertii threads are among my favorites on the Ancients' board.


Trajan. Æ Sestertius. Rome Mint. Struck AD 114-117. 33mm 26.24g.
O: IMP CAES TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P; Laureate and draped bust of Trajan right.
R: SENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS, S-C; Felicitas, draped, standing left, holding up caduceus in right hand and cornucopia in left.
RIC 671


Nero Claudius Drusus. Died 9 BC. Æ Sestertius. Rome mint. Struck under Claudius, AD 42-54. 36mm 28.05g.
O: NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP; Bare head left.
R: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, SC in exergue; Claudius seated left on curule chair, holding branch and scroll; below, weapons and armor on either side of globe.
RIC I 109 (Claudius)

 

Added:


RIC Vol. I, CAIUS (CALIGULA), SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 51, 40-41AD,(35mm, 26.2gm)

Obverse depiction: Personification of Pietas, seated left.
Obverse Inscription: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG PM TRP IIII PP In exergue: PIETAS

Reverse depiction: Caligula standing left holding patera over altar - attendants (victimarius) on either side holding bull for sacrifice - hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus festooned with garlands in background.
Reverse Horizontal Inscription: {small lettering} DIVO AVG and below: S C (left and right)




Obverse depiction: Personification of Pietas, seated left.
Obverse Inscription: C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG PM TRP IIII PP In exergue: PIETAS

Reverse depiction: Caligula standing left holding patera over altar - attendants (victimarius) on either side holding bull for sacrifice - hexastyle temple of Divus Augustus festooned with garlands in background.
Reverse Horizontal Inscription: {small lettering} DIVO AVG and below: S C (left and right)

James

 

That's Romulus and Remus under the she-wolf right?

It seems like Antoninus Pius was trying to associate himself with the legendary founders with that design.

 

Or perhaps he was commemorating the lead-up to his presiding over the celebration of the 900-year anniversary of the founding of Rome.

 

Here is my “other” Claudius RIC I, No. 112 Sestertius - not quite a duplicate - The inscriptional lettering is not as well defined or as clear as on my other specimen, but the patina coloration is much more intense


RIC Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 112, 50-54AD, (36mm, 28.2gm)

Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP PP

Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath
Inscription in four lines:
EX SC
P P
OB CIVES
SERVATOS
(within wreath)

James

 

I don't think there's any doubt that the coin was issued to commemorate the 900th anniversary, just as Philip I issued his own coins with the same theme a century later for the 1000th anniversary.

 

Here is my mother (Faustina Junior) and daughter (Lucilla) sestertius pair.

 

That is a totally awsome collection!!!

 

Note of Interest relating to sestertii:

After his conquest of Britain in AD 43, Claudius approved the use of countermarked sestertii (some dupondii and asses also) to extend the supply of money there. Substantial quantities of much worn and obsolete sestertii were shipped to Britain to be re-designated and used there.


BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 120, 41-45AD (38mm, 29.2gm)

Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP

Countermarked PROB (Probatum - temporarily accepted)

Mattingly note - Cmk. in oblong incuse in front of neck and face; end of legend obliterated

Reverse depiction: Civic Oak Wreath
Inscription in four lines:

EX SC
O B
C I V E S
SERVATOS
(within Civic Oak Wreath)



BMCRE, Vol. I, CLAUDIUS, SESTERTIUS, Rome, No. 123, 41-45AD (35mm, 22.3gm)

Obverse depiction: Claudius, laureate head facing right
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP

Countermark NCAPR in oblong incuse rectangle behind head (unknown mark on head)

Reverse depiction: Triumphal arch surmounted by equestrian statue of Nero Claudius Drusus
Inscription: NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMAN IMP

The countermark NCAPR was most frequently employed under Nero and is interpreted different ways by collectors and researchers, with the most popular and frequently used interpretations being Nero Caesar Augustus Probavit or Nero Caesar Augustus Populo Romano.



TYPICAL IMITATIVE CLAUDIUS SPES SESTERTIUS WITH DEVALUATION COUNTERMARK

Pangeri 85d, (29mm, 14.6gm)

Obverse countermark DV (denoting half value) on neck

This is a devaluation countermark indicating this coin is re-valued as a Dupondius (half value) due to its low weight. Note edge chisel mark on the obverse at approx. 3 o'clock which is always present on DV countermarked coins.



Agrippina Senior, Sestertius, RIC I (Claudius) No. 102, AD 42-54, 25.2 gm.

Obverse depiction: Agrippina, draped bust facing right, hair in long plait down back
Inscription: AGRIPPINA M F GERMANICI CAESARIS

Reverse depiction: Large SC
Inscription: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P

NCAPR in rectangular countermark above (by Vespasian?)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In his article "The Countermark PROB on Coins of Claudius I from Britain" (The Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 148 {1988}, pp. 53-61), Robert Kenyon records that after his conquest of Britain in 42AD (and maybe planned before) Claudius issued large quantities of early OB CIVES SERVATOS (without PP) and SPES Sestertii of 41AD (minted in Rome) for use in general commerce in Britain. All of this coinage was countermarked PROB (Probatum = approved) on the coin obverse.

In my experience surviving countermarked coins are usually much worn and in not very good condition, but they often have great historical association.

 

Just a marvelous collection of wonderful sestertii, IOM - thanks for posting them!

 

I see you DID find your missing Tiberius ! I doubt that we will ever see more handsome 12 Caesars sets than yours .

 

Yes, Romulus and Remus are under this She-wolf.

Looking at history do many Emperors flirt with this popular theme, do like the suggestion of being a commemorative coin especially struck for the 900 year existence of Rome. According to my information Rome was founded at April 21, 753 B.C. This matches pretty well within the timeframe!

Sestertius (Orichalcum, 31 mm, 28.19 g, 6 h), Rome, circa 141-143. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P Laureate head of Antoninus Pius to right. Rev. TR POT COS III / S C She-wolf standing to right, suckling the twins Remus and Romulus. BMC 1299. Cohen 769. RIC 631.

 

I'd not heard the Vespasian ID before. Nero was standard but someone came up with a coin after Nero bearing the mark and suggested Nerva. I would have to suspect that discovery coin was 'countermark added' in modern days but never saw the whole story on that. Interesting to me is the fact that the NCAPR tends (almost always) to be placed in the same place on the coin but that place varies by the type. My Nero Claudius Drusus is normal with the mark in right field behind the head.


However, my Claudius has the mark on the 'wrong' side since these are usually marked behind the head even though the space there is rather tight. It may be asking a lot to consider what was in the mind of the person who applied these countermarks. This discrepancy did not bother the generally trustworthy dealer from whom I got the coin but it does still bother me. I need to see 10,000 of these coins and find out how many show placement variations. Has anyone done a c/m die study on these? It is obvious there were several punches used in this issue but I never saw any count. Were there ten or a hundred? Are punch duplicates common or hard to find? How many of these exist today?

 

Added:




Sestertius, RIC, Vol. I, Tiberius, No. 68, AD 36-37 (35mm, 22.6gm)
Cataloged in Wildwinds under Augustus - Sear 1784

Coin obverse depiction: Augustus, radiate, togate, holding laurel branch in r. hand and long sceptre in l., seated on throne, placed on a car, drawn l. by four elephants, each bearing a mahout on its neck. The side of the car is ornamented with shields.
Inscription across top in three lines DIVO AVGVSTO SPQR

Coin reverse depiction: Large, centered S C
Inscription clockwise from top: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVST PM TR POT XXXIIX

James