Damnatio memoriae? But who didn't LOVE Agrippa.. it was the crocodile!!!

Do I love busted up coins because I am poor or am I poor because I love busted up coins???



I believe it was the noble sir Rodney of Dangerfield whom once said, "I never had a ten. But one night I did have five twos!"



I really do have a love for coins, people and things that have their scars and with stories. Don't get me wrong I love beauty as well. However, that's not this post.
How's this for scars?!

Their photo:

And mine:

GAUL, Nemausus. Augustus, with Agrippa. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ As Struck circa 9/8-3 BC. Heads of Agrippa and Augustus back to back, that of Agrippa wearing combined rostral crown and laurel wreath, that of Augustus wearing oak wreath; IMP above, DIVI F below / COL NEM, crocodile right chained to palm branch with short fronds; wreath with long ties above, palms branches below. Coin broken and seemingly has been intentionally defaced/Damnatio memoriae

But why? Why would anyone deface such a beautiful coin of these 2, slightly dubious, heroes.

I'd loved to read all your thoughts on why someone would deface this coin, is this a Damnatio memoriae aaand you know I would love to see all your examples of this type (anyone have other Damnatio memoriae of the type, "Calling Dr. @dougsmit !)!!!

 

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Occam's razor, I believe this poor coin was just caught up in a plowing field!

 

Har har. Funny explanation. Even had me googling what the heck, Occams razor, was...nice touch.
But that doesn't explain the patination within the gashes. There should be exposed metal.
Couldn't find any examples of what a coin would look like after being run over by a plow in a quick search.... but here's another "busted" one of mine that I'd bought expressly due to it being busted and somehow evaded the "plows" razor:

 

+1. That's a great scarred beauty. It reminds me of this Aspendos stater that I adopted earlier this year. As to what happened, it seems obvious to me... Freddy Krueger picked up the hobby, and someone told him it was okay to handle his coins.

 

What an interesting and enigmatic coin, @Ryro! Looks like damnatio memoriae to me, too.

I don't have a damnatio memoriae coin of any kind -- a problem I'll have to rectify -- but here's my crocodile!!


Augustus with Agrippa, 27 BC - AD 14.
Roman Æ as, 12.99 g, 26.3 mm, 4 h.
Nemausus, after 16/15 BC.
Obv: IMP/DIVI F, heads back to back of Augustus, right, bare, and Agrippa, left, wearing rostral crown.
Rev: COL-NEM to left and right of palm shoot, its tip to right, behind chained crocodile; two wreaths above palm tip.
Refs: RIC 155; RPC 523; Cohen 7; AMC 411; RCV 1729.
Notes: Sear (p. 338) notes this initial revival of the Nemausian series on a lighter weight standard is probably to be associated with Augustus' visit to Gaul in 16 BC.

 

...i saw a shirt somewhere that had 'COIN COLLECTING..THE ONLY HOBBY YOU CAN GO BANKRUPT DOING AND STILL HAVE MONEY" ><...how true...

 

LOL, @zumbly , and I like the beat up croc coin, @Ryro .

When I was a kid, I used to put copper cents, dimes, and nickels on the railroad track that ran the length of one of my friend’s family farm. We used the old rejected ties to make a fort / shelter to protect us when the train went by. We experimented how we placed the coins on the track. Some would fly. Some were flattened, some got scarred up.

Those original Roman Vias (roads) were made from stone, and their Bigas, Trigas, and Quadrigas could fly down those roads. Even the big oxcarts had some heavy weight.

My buddies and I were in a past life, and our As coin (you just bought it above!) flew out from under a fast biga when we placed it on the Via... messy scars on the coin. I must had dropped it somewhere. I want it back. I will pm you with my address.

No, I am not gonna trade this one.


RI Augustus oak crown Agrippa rostral crown L AE Dupondius 26mm 12.6g Type III 9-3 BCE Nemausus chained Croc wreaths RIC I 158