Elagabalus Sestertius RIC 348 Weight: 25.4 grams Size: 31mm Obverse Inscription: IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINUS PIUS AVG Reverse Inscription: FORTUNAE REDVCI In my last post I discussed a decreasing tolerance for sestertii with common reverses. Of course that was firmly tongue in cheek - an admittedly meaningless statement. And, I am able to show just how meaningless it is by presenting a real beauty with a common reverse, bought from a VCOINS dealer, with the purchase subsidized through the sale of coins on consignment. I have purchased other very beautiful coins from the dealer who sold this, and I check his site religiously. Typically, Fortuna is a common reverse on Roman Imperial sestertii - among the most common. For example, for Caracalla ACSEARCH lists 403 coins with a Fortuna reverse of all imperial types, with 70 on sestertii. NOTE: such numbers would mean incredible prices for US coins with such low mintage. On of MANY reasons why I collect ancient coins. But Fortuna is a VERY rare reverse for Elagabalus imperial sestertii - ACSEARCH shows five examples, including my coin. Banti, perhaps not the most accurate means by which to determine rarity, but relied on by many dealers, notes just three examples, RIC describes this coin as scarce, which is also interesting. Why would Elagabalus strike so few of this type? It could be that Fortuna is used in a military context and this emperor was not known for anything military. Or perhaps some other reasons? One other point - I do understand why Tiber patina is such a desirable feature of bronzes - there are features of the design that are just more clear with this type of surface, as illustrated by the few sestertii I have with Tiber patina. I had previously mentioned that I collect the sestertii of Elagabalus. Through searching high and low for affordable examples over the past ten years, I have managed to put together a collection of 12 different examples - out of 35 different types for Elagabalus. Elagabalus sestertii are relatively rare, with mild demand. However, over the last year few examples have been offered for sale. This is unusual and reflects - actually I am uncertain what it means. If you have or know of an Elagabalus sestertii with a Salus, Mars, Liberalitas, or Adventus reverse please let me know! I would like to add more but once again I am out of time. Three postings done, three more to go. I definitely welcome comments from other collectors - there are no clubs devoted to ancient coins in the NYC metro area, so COINTALK is one of the few outlets for the hobby - for reasons I have never been able to ascertain, we do not even have a magazine!
Wow that portrait is absolutely incredible! That looks so good, especially with that nice tone and patina
Great looking coin, Blake! I agree that the tiber patina of it suits it ant its details well! It's such a wonderful rendering on the reverse. I've recently got a new Elagabalus sestertius (I'm beginning to get addicted to those of his). It is RIC 334,but I'm not sure what the references say about its scarcity, though I only find 2 examples on ACSearch. It is late in his reign, his last year (PM TR P V COS IIII P P), so makes it more historically interesting to ME. Plus, it is a sestertius with his horn, which I don't see as often than on denarii. In August, I had gotten my first Elagabalus sestertius with what I can only assume is a relatively common reverse... VICTORIA ANTONINI AVG, Victory right, RIC 377. It's a bit earlier in his reign than my other, and has a bit more detail on both sides. I like that it calls out his "family" name on the reverse to bind him closer to AntPi.
Terrific write-up and stunning coin. I have no sestertii of Elagabalus, but I do have this as with the ADVENTVS reverse. In keeping with the information you are providing, although the condition is poor, the quality of its fabric is high - round flan, good strike, and it weighs 11.75 grams which is pretty good for a late as: Elagabalus Æ As (c. 219-220 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate draped bust right / ADVENTVS AVGVSTI, SC below, emperor on horseback left, holding baton. RIC 341; Cohen 7; BMC 365. (11.75 grams / 25 mm)
Blake, Nice FORTVNAE REDVCI sestertius! I have a plaster cast of the same coin made at Spink's in the 1970s. All Elagabalus sestertii of the second half of 219, and two types of early in 220, are rare. Specimens represented in my admittedly very incomplete collection of plaster casts: FORTVNAE REDVCI 8 spec., 4 rev. dies. Yours is easily the finest of the eight. ADVENTVS AVGVSTI 5 spec., 1 rev. die PAX AVGVSTI 9 spec., 4 rev. dies TR P II Sol standing 2 spec., 1 rev. die LIBERALITAS AVGVSTI II 3 spec., 2 rev. dies LIBERAL AVG II Platform scene 2 spec., 1 rev. die TR P III Quadriga 13 spec., 2 rev. dies TR P III Emperor on curule chair 5 spec., 2 rev. dies. By the Mars and Salus sestertii you need do you mean MARS VICTOR and SALVS ANTONINI AVG? Those types belong to Elagabalus' first issue, 218-219, and are not especially rare if I remember correctly. Will check my casts again this evening.
Curtis - thanks so much for the response =all of this goes into a loose leaf folder on the coinage of the Severans. Of the rare coins you list the only one I have other than Fortuna is Pax - I will put that up on this site as well. Through collecting the coins of just a few emperors I now have an appreciation for just how rare the rare issues are and how common the others are. The example I give is Septimius Severus, Securitas RIC 719 -about three examples on ACSEARCH, while AFRICA is fairly common - although I have not compared the different types. Or 3 Moneta - seemingly common for IMP III (RIC 670), difficult to find for IMP IIII. RIC 678. It just seems like the same types come up again and again - of course this could be a function of the way the market works and how coins are discovered. But, for example, it sure seems like a lot of Caracalla Securitas (I THINK RIC 511 or 512) have come to market lately - no idea why. I had little appreciation for how rare Elagabalus's later issues are - completing a set may require another lifetime. Blake
Thanks I just purchased the Elagabalus Salus Antonini sestertius and Pontif Max dupondius sold by Lanz. There are only a few other example of Salus on the acsearch database. Then again Elagabalus is a popular emperor. Some years back I purchased an Elagabalus Sestertius with Pax reverse - it had previously been sold by CNG. I had a worn Pax sestertius some 15 years ago but regrettably sold it. I’ll post all three coins when I get the two from Lanz. Blake
Sorry it took a long time to respond - these are both beautiful sestertii! As to scarcity, I can put it like this - I do not think there s such a thing as a "common" sestertius of Elagabalus - you simply do not see many sestertius of Elagabalus for sale, although I find the prices to be overall reasonable. The coins are beautiful too and this may be as a result of the very fine celators who were working at the mint under Caracalla still there. BTW I hope the spots on the Victory sestertius are not bronze disease - if so please get treatment right away. The Victory sestertius is quite nice - what color is the patina? I just purchased a very rare and worn "LIBERALITAS AUGUSTI II" sestertius of Elagabalus on ebay which I am going to post when I receive it. Although the coin is extremely rare there are have been two for sale recently - a nice example that went on a European auction for 440 pounds (beyond my budget) and mine. There were some differences though which I will discuss as well. I also bought one with a Salus reverse. Still searching for Elagabalus with "Adventus" reverse, platform scene, "MARS VICTOR" and quadriga. Has to be worn, affordable examples - going to be a long wait I think....
In fact all my Elagabalus Imperial bronzes tend to be poor as is illustrated by the last one I bought. AE As Obv:– IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:– PONTIF MAX TR P II COS II PP SC below, Roma seated left, holding Victory and sceptre, round shield at side Minted in Rome, 219 AD Reference– RIC 295. Cohen 232. 11.11gms. 26.72mm. 180 degrees
Really nice sest of Elagabalus. I doubt that my own two sest of him and a halfway-decent provincial medallion will help your picture-set much, but I like them all -- especially the 30.2gm one (2nd pic), unusually heavy for him.
On the contrary having a photograph your first coin is important to what I am trying to put together - a database of Elagabalus' rare sestertii. You are correct about the size and weight of his sestertii - the 14 examples I have cobbled together over 15 years range in weight from 18.6 to 26.6 grams. I could not find a single example of your Liberalitas type in the ACSEARCH database - I am going to seek other examples elsewhere. The reverse is especially nice - could you post the weight and size? Blake
Thanks for the concern, Blake. I don't believe it to be BD at all, but just further residue (aka crud) that was on the coin when I received it that still remains after I gave it a cleaning. Before (seller's photo): The patina is a very dark brown to black.
Curtis - Lat week I posted a sestertius of Septimius Severus on this site with the same reverse as RIC 483(a), and Geta RIC 186. I was unable to find the Septimius in RIC, thought perhaps you were aware of other examples. I also just got in an Elagabalus sestertius RIC 354 which I am going to post. Blake