Like most collectors, I try to add also coins with "non standard" reverses. Of course, all Roman Imperial coins reverses have a clear meaning, propaganda, or a deity a certain emperor is fond of, or celebrating a victory, nothing is just random, but for my personal tastes, a reverse escaping from the patterns is a good addition. Coins with animals, either normal or fantastic, are clear goals for me. And I find myself studying them with more pleasure and attention. First example that comes in my mind is the flying pig from Klazomenai. I was extremely happy for winning this coin back in February, and the slight centering issue doesn't bother me at all - it was a must have. Now, when discussing about surreal animals, the Capricorn is a straight forward example. Here is an excellent article on the Forvm NumisWiki section, from Dictionary of Roman Coins https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Capricornus This fabulous animal - half goat half fish - was a favorite for Augustus, being his zodiac sign. I knew the reason Augustus issued coins with capricorns but I was not aware that it is the image of Pan. Unfortunately I don't possess Imperial coins from Augustus with capricorns but this will be my medium-long term target - a denarius with a capricorn to represent Augustus in my 12 Caesars denarii set. However I have a provincial from Kyzikos and this is my favorite Augustus coin But not only Augustus preferred this symbol on the coins. From the mentioned article, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Hadrian and Antoninus Pius issued coins with capricorns (plus Gallienus) and also, earlier, Tiberius and Augustus, depicting 2 capricorns supporting the civic crown (or shield). Here is an nice Divus Vespasianus coin (not mine) - I think the portrait is very artistic and the conservation allows us to see the reverse details including the globe and shield This image, with 2 capricorns over globe supporting civic crown/shield, quickly became something I considered adding in my collection. In the last months I lost 2 Divus Vespasianus denarii. First one was a big mistake on my behalf as the coin was in an excellent condition, with the SC fully visible and decent wear. I had other goals in that auction so I didn't bid much on that particular coin and lost it. The hammer price was quite low - of course, one can never tell if I would have won it, but I should have tried. I remained with this type in mind and very soon after, another one appeared in an auction. Just a Fine, without details on globe and no SC on shield, but still a nice coin and I didn't want to make the same mistake. But the hammer price went up in the sky for the grade of the coin. BUT... 3rd time lucky. Divus Vespasian Denarius AR 19 mm, 2,71 g RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 357 OLD RIC II Titus 63 RSC Titus 497 Date Range: AD 80 - AD 81 Obv: DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Head of Divus Vespasian, laureate, right / Rev: Capricorns, left and right, back to back, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe, below Saw this in another auction, decided to have another go and BINGO. And with a decent price. This coin has nothing extremely special, the globe is worn and there are no traces of SC on the shield (one of the very interesting things about it, seeing SC on a denarius is not common at all). BUT I simply loved the portrait (not sure if Vespasian is holding a big one, as mentioned in the Follow the coin game thread or he simply listens to somebody telling a good joke). Also I was very interested in this coin type because of the message. By copying the Augustan design, the coin suggests that the felicity of the Roman Empire, under Vespasian and Titus, is similar to the one enjoyed in the Augustan age (found this out from the NumisWiki article citing Dictionary of Roman Coins) Definitely, Vespasian portraits are one of my favorites in ancient coinage. And he has the most expressive facial expressions. I don't see grumpiness - when I think about Vespasian, I see him like the old funny guy you would enjoy having a few beers with. So quite happy for adding a coin that was on my radar. Please post - coins depicting capricorns - Vespasian coins with expressive portraits (this would mean all Vespasian portraits for me) - coins with a propaganda message, subtle or not - coins you managed to buy after failed attempts - anything you feel relevant
Fun idea for a thread and nice coins, @ambr0zie! The capricorn was the emblem of the city of Parium in Mysia, so many of the coins from this town have a capricorn on the reverse. Cornelia Supera, wife of Aemelian, Augusta, 253 CE. Roman provincial Æ 20.5mm, 3.78 g, 7 h. Mysia, Parium, AD 253. Obv: G CORN SUPERA, diademed and draped bust right. Rev: C. G. I. H. P., Capricorn right, cornucopiae on back; globe between legs. Refs: RPC IX, 382; Sear GI 4408; SNG Von Aulock 7448. Notes: Sear describes as a star, but his exemplar in the British Museum depicts a globe with an equinoctial cross, giving it the appearance of a star.
Here's my version of your Divus Vespasian. It's in quite rough shape (and is duller in hand) but the complete obverse legend sold it for me. Unfortunately the wear is most significant around the eyes where most of the expression lies!
AWESOME win!!! Vespasian just had that old school mafioso look and your coin is a great example of it. Like he could be just one of the guys but if you crossed him, fahgetaboutit, you're done for! My fav coin of the man: Vespasian (AD 69-79), AR Denarius (19mm, 2.95g), struck AD 73. IMP CAES VESP AVG CENS , laureate headfacing right / PONTIF MAXIM , Nemesis advancing right, pointing a caduceus at a snake below. My only Capricorn is this strange Augustus and friends coin with a head on a box: Rhoemetalkes I with Augustus (Circa 11 BC-12 AD). Ae. Obv: ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ. Fasces and capricorn right. Rev: ΡΟΙΜΕΤΑΛΚΟΥ. Male head right above curule chair, decorated with monogram. RPC I 1705; Jurukova 168. Rare Condition: Near very fine. Weight: 2.86 g. Diameter: 16 mm. Ex Savoca
Nice Capricorns so far - I hope they keep showing up. Here's a Capricorn countermark for Parium: Claudius Æ 16 Macedon, Philippi / CM for Mysia, Parium (c. 41-54 A.D.) [TICLAV-AVG], bare head left / Two priests plowing right. RPC I 1660 ; SNG BN 1458 (3.29 grams / 15 mm) Countermark: Capricorn in 3 mm square, obv. Howgego 303 (16 pcs) (Parium). eBay May 2020 $6.50 Notes: "Howgego notes the capricorn was a standard type for Parium. The capricorn was a symbol of Augustus and was probably adopted as a symbol of the city after a Augustan refoundation of the colonia. Howgego notes that the Capricorn countermarks on the colonist plowing types may have indicated a devaluation of the coins." FORVM listing Somewhat confusing information online; some say host coin is from Philippi, with countermark for Parium. Some say host is from Parium with no reference to Philippi whatsoever. Here's another Capricorn countermark, which I have not been able to identify, as the host coin has some issues Roman Provincial? Æ 19 c. 1st Century A.D.? Host coin worn slick. Unidentified. Countermark: Capricorn in 6 mm circle. Possibly for Augustus? Unidentified. (4.04 grams / 19 mm) eBay Nov. 2019 This one is a bit odd - Philip I sestertius with Tranquillitas holding some creature that many interpret as being a Capricorn. I have two of them: Philip I Æ Sestertius (248 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / TRANQVILLITAS AVGG SC, Tranquillitas standing l., holding Capricorn (?) and sceptre. RIC 156; Sear 9019; Cohen 224. (15.61 grams / 27 x 24 mm) (15.30 grams / 25 mm) Here is my only other Capricorn, on a small AE from Tabae in Caria. The obverse figure was described by one source I found as having "Flavian features"(Numismatik Naumann Auction 51 Auction date: 5 March 2017 Lot number: 357): Caria, Tabae Æ 17 Pseudo-autonomous (time of Domitian, 81-96 A.D.) Orthrios, priest (or Orthrios Hieron, magistrate). ΔHMOC [TABHNΩ]N, Laureate head of Demos right, with Flavian features / ΔIA OP IЄ, Capricorn right. RPC II 1257; SNG Copen. 542-3; BMC 41-3. (2.65 grams / 17 mm ) eBay Oct. 2017
Great coins! @Ryro - never seen this Rhoemetalkes coin - intriguing design. Regarding the Divus Vespasian denarius with capricorns - does anyone know if the dot at the end of the obverse legend has any kind of meaning? Initially I thought it is something particular to a die but I see this dot after VESPASIANVS on all the examples.
TITUS Fouree Denarius OBVERSE: CAES VESPAS AVG TR P COS III, Laureate head right REVERSE: Foreparts of two capricorns springing in opposing directions, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe below Struck at Rome, 80/1AD 3.06g, 18mm RIC II 357 (Titus); RSC 497
I would love an Augustus capricorn, but they seem even more expensive than the usual Augustus denarius. I do have an example of the Divus Vespasian, and it's one of my favorite portraits of the old fellow: Divus Vespasian AR Denarius, 80 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS / Rev. Foreparts of two capricorns springing in opposite directions, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe below. RSC II Vespasian 497 (ill.), RIC II-1 Titus 357 (2007), old RIC II Titus 63 (1926), Sear RCV I Titus 2569 (ill.), BMCRE Titus 129. 17 mm., 2.84 g., 6 h. I have only one other capricorn coin, on which the beast looks like it's playing water polo, or dunking a basketball: Julia Paula (first wife of Elagabalus), AE 21, 219-220 AD, Mysia, Parium [Parion in Greek]. Obv. Draped and diademed bust right, IVLIA P-AVLA AVG / Rev. Capricorn right, holding globe between hooves, cornucopia above, CGIHP [Colonia Gemella Ivlia Hadriana Pariana -- colony founded by Julius Caesar] below. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. VI, 3858 (temporary); RPC Online at https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/3858; Lindgren & Kovacs 289 [Lindgren, H.C. & Kovacs, F.L., Ancient Bronze Coins of Asia Minor and the Levant (San Mateo, CA 1985). 21 mm., 5.67 g., 10 h. (Purchased from VAuctions, Pars Coins, Sale 354, Lot 195, Nov. 16, 2020.)
I only have one capricorn coin, and it's also my only legionary coin - this antoninianus of Carausius (the blue stuff isn't bronze disease, and is stuck rock hard to the surface. It's also not nearly as blue as the pictures make it look)
@DonnaML, that Divus Vespasian denarius puts mine to big, big shame. Congratulations. Really like the Julia Paula, she is one of the tougher ladies to find and having a coin with an out of the ordinary reverse is something. Very nice. I have seen interesting coins on this thread, with or without capricorns. Keep them coming!
Some, but not all, Legions honored on coins of Septimius Severus showed some, but not all, standards with small Capricorns. These vary greatly in quality of detail.
Thanks! My other Rhoemetalkes is the much more common "bromance" coin. Agrippa must have been ticked!
That is an amazing example with the SC intact. It did get me wondering. Is there any other detail on a coin so prevalently worn down to nothing as the inscribed SC on the shield of a Divus Vespasian?
I think it's very common for inscriptions (and other designs) on shields to be completely worn away -- presumably because of the high relief -- as on this coin, which should have a CL V for clipeus virtutis:
