HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARCUS AURELIUS!! Born: 26 April 121 AD Reigned : 8 March 161 - 17 March 180 AD Marcus Aurelius was the last of the Five Good Emperors who ruled the Roman Empire in the 2nd century AD. Emperor Hadrian took a shine to the serious young boy, nicknaming him Verissimus ('the truthful'), and when he was ailing, had his heir Antoninus Pius adopt Aurelius as his own son, with the intention that he should eventually rule the empire. Celebrated even during his lifetime as a philosopher-king, the image of Aurelius as a p̶o̶n̶t̶i̶f̶i̶c̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶b̶l̶o̶w̶h̶a̶r̶d̶ noble-minded intellectual is the one that most strongly persists today. His literary legacy, Meditations, is in my humble opinion, the most brilliant philosophical treatise ever written on just getting on with your life without being an a*hole (or giving a whit about those who are). It's apparently Bill Clinton's favorite book. Here's one of my favorite quotes from it : "The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." - Marcus Aurelius As a bonus, here's another quote from a fellow Stoic thinker and Clinton favorite. It could easily have come from Aurelius himself, and I think he would have appreciated it. "The only currency I value is the coin of the spirit." - Kinky Friedman Uhm, now that I look at it, maybe that second quote isn't wholly appropriate given that this is a coin forum . To recity that, here are my favorite Marcus Aurelius coins... please post yours! MARCUS AURELIUS, AE As, RIC 1192. MARCUS AURELIUS, AR Denarius, RIC 363.
I have a sub-collection of Mars that I just add the occasional coin to every now and again. It doesn't have any real focus or pattern just me adding a random Mars coin when I feel like it. This Mars coin arrived this week and I didn't have an excuse to share it until I saw this thread. Thanks. Marcus Aurelius, Sestertius Obv:– M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXV, Laureate head right Rev:– COS III. S-C, Mars walking right holding spear and trophy Minted in Rome. Dec. A.D. 173 – Jun. 174 Reference(s) – BMC 1385. RIC II Marcus Aurelius 992. C. 127 Martin
Huh, why do I only have one posthumous coin of this great emperor? Must rectify (also must reshoot this picture). MARCUS AURELIUS, CE 161-180 posthumous issue struck under Commodus in CE 180 sestertius; 27 mm, 22.8 gm. Rome Obv: DIVVS M ANTONINVS PIVS, bare head right Rev: CONSECRATIO / S-C, eagle with spread wings on globe, facing, head left Ref: RIC 656 (Commodus) With the missing letters and ugly obverse concretion, it's a strange coin. I bought it as an add-on in a Pecunem auction-- inexpensive, no other bidders, and the eagle made me laugh. It looks like a scrawny chicken standing on an egg.
Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willisinna? I love that coin and the picture even more! But you absolutely need to buy more Marky A coins.
My first coin, Given to me by my beloved wife! The year I graduated high school an older family friend mentioned Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and I ended up buying a copy to get more Philosophical....hopefully to look cool to older, smarter chicks. Years later, I was living in Fresno and at an antique store came across a well worn,bad metal, soft struck Denarius of Marcus Aurelius in one of those electric carousels with shelves. I could not believe something so old would not be in a museum..... being young these realizations come often and seem so profound....guess cause ya really don't stop and think on it. Ancient Money.....there can't be too many of those....right.....oh ya...duh. I wanted this coin so much, the price was $250 which seemed reasonable to me. My wife who was my girlfriend at the time said " Wow thats cool but, $250?? " As a full time student I tried to get the vendor to let me give him payments every two weeks however with such a valuable example you gotta play hard ball and so he refused. She said "well you birthday is coming and maybe we can get it or find a cheaper one." My birthday came and that weekend my future wife brought me this sweet,sweet coin. Marcus Aurelius Denarius - Armenia Reverse Imperial Portrait check! - Full Inscription check! - Good well circulated smooth Metal Check! - Historical propaganda reverse CHECK! I own rare coins - I own more valuable coins but, if I lost this one I would be bummed seriously - close to misplacing your wedding ring kinda fear. Anywho's gotta love the last hurah of the noble line of decent emperors..... One of these days I may have it mounted in a ring - it is more to me than just a uncommon ancient in circulated condition....it's the one that brought me into the amazing light of history...Excuse my impromptu cruddy pic - the others came later.
Wow, that's an enviable set of MA coins, Sev! And what a great story about your first coin acquisition.
I like the story Sev almost as much (but not quite) as I like your coins. And Z, those coins are great and I think at least scarce. MARCUS AURELIUS AE Sestertius OBVERSE: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARMATICVS, laureate head right REVERSE: TR P XXIX IMP VIII COS III S-C, Annona standing left, holding corn-ears & cornucopiae; modius with two corn-ears and poppy at her feet Struck at Rome, 175 AD 22.3g, 30mm RIC 1154 MARCUS AURELIUS AR Denarius OBVERSE: M ANTONINVS AVG IMP II - Bare head right REVERSE: PROV DEOR TR P XVII COS III, Providentia standing left, holding globe and cornucopiae Struck at Rome, 162-3 AD 2.6g, 17mm RIC 67 MARCUS AURELIUS AE Sestertius OBVERSE: AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS, bare head right REVERSE: IVVENTAS S C, Juventas, wearing a long robe, standing left, holding a patera, sprinkling incense on a candelabrum Struck at Rome, 140 AD 12.4g, 27mm RIC 1232, C 393, S4831
Nice, Severatus => man, that's a sweet personal coin-story (it's almost an impossible act to follow, my friend) Ummmm, but since this is all about Marcus Aurelius and his birthday, I've decided to toss-in one of my favourite coins ... => Happy Birthday MA, ya ol' gryphon you!! Marcus Aurelius AE Drachma (Alexandria)
Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180 A.D.) Æ18 Augusta Traiana, Thrace O: AV KAI M AVPH ANTONEINO, Cuirassed bust right. R: AVΓOVCTHC TPAIANHC, River-god reclining left, resting on inverted vase from which water flows. 18mm 4g RPC 10330 Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180 A.D.) AR Denarius O: M ANTONINVS AVG GERM SARM, Laureate head right. R: TR P XXX IMP VIII COS III, Roma standing left holding Victory and spear. 3.5g 19.38mm RIC 352; RSC 929a; BMC 669
Dang! I really need to nail down a good Marcus Aurelius Denarius. Here is my favorite quote that probably is meant for us Westerners. "At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: 'I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I'm going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?' — But it's nicer in here ... So you were born to feel 'nice'? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don't you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you're not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren't you running to do what your nature demands?" Great post Zumbly!
Its a MA party, great lookin' coins folks. Marcus Aurelius..156 - 157..AD.. As Caesar.. Ae, Seatertius.. 25mmx 30mm..18.84g