Germanicus Dupondius minted by Caligula

I have always liked the following Dupondius:



This is a rather nice, but certainly not an exceptional, example of this dupondius minted by Caligula to honor his father, Germanicus. It is unusual in that the inscriptional lettering is entirely horizontal. I do not see this coin featured very often. Please post pics of your own examples.

 

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I've always liked that type too & I am not one for memorial ancients much.

My only Germanicus


Germanicus, with Divus Augustus (15 B.C. - 19 A.D.)
AR Drachm
CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea
O:GERMANICVS CES TI AVGV COS II PM, bare head of Germanicus right.
R: DIVVS AVGV-STVS, radiate head of Augustus left.
3.23g
16.5mm
RPC I 3623a; cf. Sydenham, Caesarea 50; RIC I 61; BMCRE 106

The date of this issue remains uncertain. RPC places it late in Tiberius' reign, circa 33/4 AD, while the traditional dating, adopted by RIC and Sydenham, place's it in the first year of Caligula's reign, 37/8 AD.

 

This is certainly not the prettiest of coins, and the engraver clearly did not pay attention in his classes on the fine art of letter carving. However, I do like it as a link to the early history of the Empire.

Germanicus, father of Gaius (Caligula), died 19 AD, Æ As, struck AD 37-38 under Caligula, 37-41 AD
Obv: GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVGVST F DIVI AVG N, bare head of Germanicus left
Rev: C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, legend around large S C
Ref: RIC I (second edition) 35 (Gaius)
Note: Gaius was the youngest and only surviving son of Germanicus and Agrippina. He became emperor at only 25 years of age, and lacking experience, he emphasizes his dynastic right to lead.

 

This is not a very good example, but, it is a Germanicus like the one above.

 

Mine was cheaper because some previous owner painted 47 on it. I'm OK with that.

 

I could go with that. Otherwise a very nice example.

 

Doesn’t bother me one bit - I like it.

 

GERMANICUS, AS
Rome, 40-41 (struck under Caligula)
10,10 g - 28 mm
S 1822 - C 4 - RIC 50 (Caligula)
GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N, Bare head left
C CAESAR DIVI AVG PRON AVG PM TR P IMP PP, around large S C




GERMANICUS, AS
Rome, 42 (struck under Claudius)
10,84 g - 28 mm
S 1904 - C 9 - RIC 106 (Claudius)
GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N, Bare head right
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM PM TR P IMP PP, around large S C

 

Some nice Germanicuses in this thread. How's about a Provincial? I rather like the "Julio-Claudian" portrait on this one:


Germanicus Æ 16
Roman Prov. - Sardes, Lydia
(d. 19 A.D., c. 19-41 A.D.)
Mnaseas, magistrate.
ΓEΡMANIKOΣ KAIΣAΡ, Bare head left /ΣAΡΔIANΩN MNAΣEAΣ, Athena standing left, holding patera, resting hand on shield; spear behind to right.
RPC 2993; BMC 113.
(3.26 grams / 16 mm)

 

Great coin @jamesicus !

I do not have a dupondius of Germanicus, but I do have an as struck under Claudius.

Germanicus
AE As

Date: AD 42-43, struck under Claudius
Obv: GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N, bare head right.
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P around large SC.
Diameter: 29mm
Weight: 9.70 grams
Mint: Rome
RIC I 106 (Claudius)
Ex: CNG, Benito Collection

 

My only, humble example was minted by Claudius:

Germanicus
Grandson of Augustus
Bronze As
Rome mint, A.D. 50-54
Obv: GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP PP, encircling SC
RIC (Claudius) 106
29mm, 10.5g.

 

Such a wonderful type!

In Imperials I have only this As of Germanicus from a large mixed lot.


Germanicus
assassinated October 10, 19 AD
struck 42/43 AD under Claudius, Rome mint
AE As, 30mm
Obv: bare head right; GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P around large SC
Ref: RIC I 106 (Claudius); Sear5 #1905; Cohen 9; BMC 241

 

Herr G:


RI Germanicus AE As 27mm struck under Caligula- S-C

 

Nice coin @jamesicus! And that's your hand writing?

Also not a dupondius, but an As. I don't think the dupondius is very scarce, but the As is more common. Also, I think the dupondius is the more wanted coin, in comparison with the As. I undertand that, because it's a very interesting design.

Not how the letters on the obverse seem to be cropped together more at the end. As if the die maker realised he was running out of space.

 

Thank you @Limes. I wrote the description in my version of a 16th century Chancery cursive hand that I was actually not very fond of and have seldom used since. That was about thirty years ago - I no longer own the coin, and haven’t for many years, but this was the only photo I could find of it in my archives. It was part of a failed project of mine to make a more attractive (eye catching) display of featured coins at a local coin show. It didn’t work very well - it took too long to make up the cards and they took up too much space:



To the coin: I have always liked this Dupondius very much and was hoping CT members here would post their examples of it. I love to see coins that show evidence of circulation and use (naturally patinated) - to me they are true historical artifacts - if I want to see photos of pristine (uncirculated) examples I can view plates in books.

Doug has posted an example that has a much nicer depiction of the quadriga with Germanicus than mine.

 

Beautiful example! I have always wanted one, but haven't been able to justify it to myself just yet since I have been focusing on portraits mostly.

My examples:

I have this one as a lifetime issue from Sardes in Lydia, although that is somewhat up for debate as Mnaseas appears on these coins of Germanicus, coins of Nero, and pseudo-autonomous civic issues, but not on coins of Caligula or Claudius, indicating perhaps two different magistrates of the same name? Germanicus is tricky to hunt a lifetime portrait for - as he was given extensive posthumous honors, often without changes to titulature.


This one is definitely posthumous, minted by Caligula - I bought it for the cheap portrait of Agrippina I
(Aezanis, Phrygia)


An an imperial As or Dupondius, minted by Claudius

 

Mine, the one that looks like a blank, was in a batch of uncleaned coins. I thought it was just a blank too, or very worn coin. But, thanks to the good folks here on CT, it was identified as a Germanicus.

 

Hi @jamesicus.

Here's my example of the dupondius. It's not as nice an example as the other specimens, but at least it's battle-scarred.

 

Oh no, I really like your coin @Ignoramus Maximus!