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<p>[QUOTE="dougsmit, post: 2944477, member: 19463"]RR bronzes strike me as the opposite of the denarii. The silver includes many interesting types for the most part in one size (I know there are a few halves and quarters but most are denarii) while the bronzes usually have that same prow reverse and denominations identified by the head on the obverse. The bronzes seem to have changed standards on a reqular basis so it is quite possible to find a one-third (triens) smaller than a one-quarter (quadrans) etc. As a result you really need to watch the sizes and weights when buying copper if you are to know what you will be getting. This, added to the overstrikes, various mints and ever changing workmanship makes the appeal of the bronzes completely different from that of the denarii. </p><p><br /></p><p>My favorite RR bronze came to me from our own JA auction on Coin Talk which means none of you wanted it enough to outbid me. I am not famous as a high bidder. It is a quadrans (three dot) with moneyer name C NVMITORI above the ubiquitous prow. The obverse is a head right wearing a lion skin headdress as appropriate for the Hercules of the standard quadrans but (what makes the coin interesting to me) the facial features of Hercules on this issue are quite unlike most and are most probably taken from the appearance of the moneyer or some specific person. Are all these coin dies in this style? Some are equipped with better noses than others. I found this one appealing. We expect Romans to have 'Roman' noses. Most would have preferred a higher grade and a generic Hercules face. That is why I won the lot. </p><p><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=numitorius+quadrans&category=1-2&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1&currency=usd&thesaurus=1&order=4&company=" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=numitorius+quadrans&category=1-2&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1&currency=usd&thesaurus=1&order=4&company=" rel="nofollow">https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=numitorius+quadrans&category=1-2&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1&currency=usd&thesaurus=1&order=4&company=</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]717624[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>My question is why the moneyer used this face on quadrantes but his other denominations seem to have little resemblance to this one. Was his semis face an uncle and his triens a brother? How common was it to show personalized features on RR bronzes? Is this a portrait or did the diecutter just think Hercules needed a lean and angular face? When the man on the Roman street saw this coin, would he have thought anything about that face other than just 'Hercules'? Did Romans take note of the fact that not every coin was exactly like every other one or is that just something I see because I have spent so many repetitious modern coins?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="dougsmit, post: 2944477, member: 19463"]RR bronzes strike me as the opposite of the denarii. The silver includes many interesting types for the most part in one size (I know there are a few halves and quarters but most are denarii) while the bronzes usually have that same prow reverse and denominations identified by the head on the obverse. The bronzes seem to have changed standards on a reqular basis so it is quite possible to find a one-third (triens) smaller than a one-quarter (quadrans) etc. As a result you really need to watch the sizes and weights when buying copper if you are to know what you will be getting. This, added to the overstrikes, various mints and ever changing workmanship makes the appeal of the bronzes completely different from that of the denarii. My favorite RR bronze came to me from our own JA auction on Coin Talk which means none of you wanted it enough to outbid me. I am not famous as a high bidder. It is a quadrans (three dot) with moneyer name C NVMITORI above the ubiquitous prow. The obverse is a head right wearing a lion skin headdress as appropriate for the Hercules of the standard quadrans but (what makes the coin interesting to me) the facial features of Hercules on this issue are quite unlike most and are most probably taken from the appearance of the moneyer or some specific person. Are all these coin dies in this style? Some are equipped with better noses than others. I found this one appealing. We expect Romans to have 'Roman' noses. Most would have preferred a higher grade and a generic Hercules face. That is why I won the lot. [url]https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=numitorius+quadrans&category=1-2&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&images=1¤cy=usd&thesaurus=1&order=4&company=[/url] [ATTACH=full]717624[/ATTACH] My question is why the moneyer used this face on quadrantes but his other denominations seem to have little resemblance to this one. Was his semis face an uncle and his triens a brother? How common was it to show personalized features on RR bronzes? Is this a portrait or did the diecutter just think Hercules needed a lean and angular face? When the man on the Roman street saw this coin, would he have thought anything about that face other than just 'Hercules'? Did Romans take note of the fact that not every coin was exactly like every other one or is that just something I see because I have spent so many repetitious modern coins?[/QUOTE]
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