Circumstances have allowed me to buy a lot of coins this year. Fortunately for my marriage, they have been inexpensive. It was hard to narrow down my list of favorites because there were so many to choose from, but also because I didn't want to bore you all with one coin of Faustina after another! So here's my list, with only a few Faustinas. 10. This is one of my favorite because it was part of a group lot of seven folles of the Tetrarchy, providing several days of entertainment and education as I researched and catalogued them. I like this one in particular because the die engraver depicted the act of pouring a libation: Constantius I, Caesar, 293-305. Roman billon follis, 9.83 g, 26.3 mm, 5 h. Antioch, AD 300-301. Obv: FL VAL CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right. Rev: GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera from which liquid flows, and cornucopiae; K/B-V//ANT. Refs: RIC vi, p. 620, 55a; Cohen 89; RCV 14069. Notes: The K in the left field probably refers to the retariffing of the follis at 20 denarii communes, while the V in the right field may refer to the revised valuation of the follis at 5 to the silver argentius (Harl, Kenneth W. "Marks of Value on Tetrarchic Nummi and Diocletian's Monetary Policy." Phoenix, vol. 39, no. 3, 1985, pp. 263–270, citing C.H.V. Sutherland, "Denarius and Sestertius in Diocletian's Currency Reform," JRS 51 (1961), pp. 93-97). 9. I like this little diassarion of Septimius Severus because it inspired me to delve into its mythological connections. Moreover, I bought it as a companion piece to a similar coin of his wife, Julia Domna, with a mirror-image reverse type. Septimius Severus, AD 193-211. Roman provincial Æ 18.6 mm, 4.37 g, 7 h. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211. Obv: ΑV Κ CΕΠΤΙ CΕΥΗΡΟC Π, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: MAPKIA-NOΠOΛITΩ-N, Herakles standing left, wrestling the Nemean lion. Refs: AMNG I 585 v.; Varbanov 710; Moushmov 397; H&J 6.14.14.5-6; Mionnet Suppl. 2, 126. 8. I like this one because it inspired me to dip my toe into the ocean of Greek bronze coinage at a bargain price. I learned a bit about Apameia in Phrygia in the process and also learned a new term: Maeander pattern. Phrygia, Apameia, ca. 88-40 BC. Greek Æ 23 mm, 7.71 g. Magistrate Philokratos son of Aristos. Obv: Bust of Athena to right, wearing aegis and crested Corinthian helmet decorated with griffin. Rev: AΠAMEΩN / ΦIΛOKPATOY APIΣΤΕOY, Eagle alighting right above Maeander pattern; to l. and r., eight-pointed star above piloi of the Dioskouroi. Refs: BMC 25.87, 105-108; SNG Cop 168-69. 7. Anonymous quandrantes are under-appreciated, in my opinion, but I like them. I like the ones with mythological themes and this one inspired me to look into the significance of the dove as one of Venus' attributes. Anonymous--Domitian to Antoninus Pius. Roman Æ quadrans, 12.9 mm, 2.37 g, 4 h Rome, A.D. 81-161. Obv: Bust of Venus, diademed, draped, right. Rev: S-C, dove standing right. Ref: RIC II, p. 218, 24; BMCRE --; Cohen VIII, p. 268, 10. 6. I have always liked the Dionysus and panther type on coins, so I snatched up this one of Septimius Severus featuring LIBERO PATRI. It inspired me to delve into the significance of Liber in Roman religion and to learn the subtle differences between the Roman Liber and the Greek Dionysus. Septimius Severus, AD 193-211. Roman AR Denarius, 3.22 g, 16.5 mm, 11 h. Rome Mint, AD 194. Obv: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP III, laureate head, right. Rev: LIBERO PATRI, Liber standing facing, head left, cloak over left shoulder, holding oenochoe and thyrsus; at feet left, panther standing left, catching drips from the jug. Refs: RIC 32; BMCRE 64-65; Cohen 301; RCV 6307; Hill 84. 5. This workaday little provincial of Caracalla has enigmatic iconography on its reverse. Is the figure Genius, Eros, or Thanatos? The coin sparked an interesting dive into Greco-Roman iconography that raised more questions than it answered. Caracalla, AD 198-217. Roman provincial AE 17.1 mm, 3.44 g, 12 h. Thrace, Hadrianopolis, AD 198-217. Obv: AVT K M AVP CE ANTΩNEINOC, laureate head, right. Rev: AΔΡIANOΠOΛEITΩN, Nude Eros-Thanatos standing right, left leg crossed over right, leaning with right hand and left elbow on inverted lit torch. Refs: Varbanov 3526; Jurukova, Hadrianople 390.2; CN 5217; Moushmov 2615; cf. SNG Cop 271. Notes: Reverse die match to CN 5217 specimen (Nacionalen Arheologičeski Institut s Muzej, Sofia, no. 1566). 4. When I saw this one up for auction, I said to myself, "Faustina II? With THAT hairstyle?" because it depicted the empress with a looped ponytail, similar to the empresses of the first century who preceded her. After a bit of research into the coinage of Dioshieron for Faustina II, it became clear that at first, the die-engraver had no idea what she looked like and gave her a generic portrait. Faustina II, AD 147-175/6. Roman provincial Æ 17.1 mm, 3.04 g, 7 h. Lydia, Dioshieron, Magistrate L. Iouli. Mithres (Grammateus), AD 147-161. Obv: ΦAVCTЄINA CЄBACTH, bare-headed and draped bust right, hair in a top-knot and looped ponytail. Rev: ЄΠI MIΘPOV ΔIOCIЄPЄITΩN, Asklepios standing left, holding serpent-entwined staff. Refs: RPC IV.2, 1236 (temp); BMC 22.76, 12; SNG Cop 116; SNG Turkey 240-41; Waddington 4963. Notes: Double-die match to Paris specimen (BNF) and Ashmolean specimen. 3. One of my favorites is this provincial from Thessalonica issued to commemorate the Pythian games. It inspired me to learn all about the Pythian games and I learned that its reverse depicts one of the prizes awarded to the victorious athletes -- apples from the sacred sanctuary of Apollo. Several other members of CT participated in the thread, which was very entertaining and informative. Gordian III, AD 238-244. Roman provincial Æ 25.6 mm, 10.61 g, 2 h. Macedon, Thessalonica, AD 238-244. Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓΟΡΔIANOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: ΘЄCCAΛΟΝΙΚЄΩΝ ΝЄ, tripod surmounted by five apples; Π-V/Θ-Ι/Α across field. Refs: Touratsoglou, Thessaloniki 80; Varbanov 4523; Moushmov 6815. 2. This interesting denarius of Faustina I is unusual in style and bears the previously-unattested reverse legend PIETATI AVG. This coin raised many questions, which I still haven't answered, but I've concluded its an unofficial imitation issue. Faustina I, AD 138-140. Unofficial imitative issue?, 3.19 g, 17.6 mm, 6 h. Ca. AD 140-160? Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: PIETATI(?) AVG, Pietas, veiled and draped, standing left, dropping incense from right hand onto lighted altar and holding box in left hand. Refs: Cf. BMC p. 67, † note, RSC 234b, CRE 113 and Strack 462 (Budapest), all of which read PIETAS AVG. 1. This little provincial may not look like much, but it may be the only example of its type! Since it had been unattested in the numismatic literature, it took some help from fellow CT members and a bunch of online research in order to properly attribute it. Not only was it the most interesting and entertaining project I've done so far this year, but I submitted my findings to RPC and it's now listed! Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman provincial Æ 5.84 g, 22.0 mm, 7 h. Bithynia-Pontus, Apamea. Obv: FAUST[INAC AUG], draped bust of Faustina II, right. Rev: UЄNU[S ... C]ICA dd, Venus seated right, head left, on dolphin swimming left, resting right arm on dolphin, uncertain object in left hand. Refs: RPC IV, 11815 (temporary); Waddington RG --; BMC --; Sear --; Mionnet Suppl 5 --; Lindgren --; Wiczay --. Notes: The exemplar of RPC IV 11815. Obverse die match to RPC IV.1 4729.
Great coins all. I’m slowly adding to my collection of Tetrarchic folles. They can still be had in VF or EF condition fairly reasonably. Yours is a particularly nice example.
Nice first half of the year there, RC. I like your "expanding horizons" approach to collecting - new areas, new knowledge. As for that quadrans, that is a real cutie. I got one by "accident" in a lot a while back and it has always been one of my favorites - so Greek-looking (or Roman Republican), but firmly in the middle of the High Imperial era. My efforts at photography have not been successful, but here it is, Venus and the chicken: Anonymous Æ Quadrans Issued in period of Domitian to Antoninus Pius (c. 81-161 A.D.) Rome Mint Diademed and draped bust of Venus right / Dove standing right, SC in exergue. RIC 24; Cohen 10. (2.43 grams / 13 mm)
Great collection, @Roman Collector ! I would have any in my collection. I especially like the reverse on the Phrygia! Cool eagle, cool maeander ... just an intriguing reverse!
Solid top 10 @Roman Collector ! How many didn't make the cut? I bet they are still pretty solid coins as well
Great stuff RC! Some real gems. I really love these Apameia types. Athena is majestic, the bird is glorious, Dioscurri caps but the maze design under the bird always draws my eyes. I wonder what is being communicated:
Maeander I just get lost in in the Maeanders that everyone has posted... RI Augustus 27BC-AD14 Æ20 5.5g 12h Apameia Phrygia Magistrate Attalos c 15BC Two corn-ears above maeander pattern RPC I, 3125 SCARCE
