I've finally got around to asking about this coin. I purchased a hybrid coin out of curiosity while purchasing another coin a few weeks back. The description read that the obverse is of RSCb 379b Antoninus Pius. The reverse is Fortuna but could be from Hadrian. I searched up and down Wildwinds with no luck on this coin. So I wanted to see what everyone’s opinion on this coin. Someone bashed in Antoninus Pius head. Diameter is 18.5mm and weight is 2.79 g Obv: ANTONINUS (AVG) PIUS PP COS (?) Rev: (F)ORTUNA AVG Fortuna appears to have the Glaive from the movie Krull in the Cornucopia. Pretty Cool. Whats everyone's take on this coin? Please post your Hybrids as well?
..looks like a fine denarius of ole Antone Pi...you may have a 1st or "one & only" ifn ya can't find one listed and get to have yours listed in the books as the type.. kool!...
I don't see any on ACsearch nor do I see it in RIC, although there is an entry which comes close (RIC III 322, which matches your coin's reverse). Doesn't look like your obverse legend is the same though. RIC III calls 322 "barbarous", with a footnote saying it is possible that it could be from a semi-official mint. My understanding of RIC and Imperial cataloging is scanty though, and perhaps there are more recent thoughts on the matter.
Mattingly in Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum (BMCRE) lists and illustrates a coin with this reverse and a similar obverse with the same inscription up to PP, but which concludes with "I" instead of "COS". This is listed in the section for "Various Irregular Issues" and given the number 1031. Seaby lists #1031 in Roman Silver Coins with the Cohen number 379b, but without COS on the obverse. However, he lists two obverse inscriptions (he labels as CIII and CIIII) ending in COS III and COS IIII. Your coin is broken where the Roman numeral would begin, so we cannot tell if it might be one of these. Unfortunately, neither of these seems to be paired with your reverse type. Based on his overall treatment of these features, Mattingly would class your coin as something other than a regular issue of an official Roman mint. As such any number of inscriptional variants are possible, but he would say were not regularly issued.
Thank you all for the information. I was actually thinking that this coin was of barbarous origin. However, it's a mystery. Thank you so much
Define "semi-official". Is that like sort-of pregnant? There are many less than official coins of Pius but I am not sure how were are to know whether the mints were sanctioned and operated by the central government or made by someone not connected with the Emperor but who was filling a need for circulating coinage. We assume fourrees were made to cheat and steal but solid coins that are out of the norms are harder to explain. I find them interesting but I know nothing. These are not plated.
There was no a lot of money to be made on solid silver coins. Most counterfeits are plated, underweight and/or debased. If it's good silver and about the right weight, chances are that it was made not to deceive anyone but to facilitate trade in areas where official coins were scarce.
this reverse is known on this Hadrian Hadrian Denarius Roma 134-38 AD Fortuna standing Reference. RIC II 244; BMCRE III 639; RSC II 768 Obv. HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P Bare head right. Rev. FORTVNA AVG. Fortuna standing facing, head left, rudder on globe in right hand, cornucopiae in left 3.56 gr
Hybrid denari are an interesting collect. I got this one from JA an ex Doug Smith. It's a JA photo to boot Geta, AD 209-211 Hybrid denarius (AR; 18-19mm; 2.68g; 6h) Obv.: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT; Laureate head of Geta to right. Rev.: PONTIF – COS II; Genius standing front, head left, sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar, left, and holding corn-ears in left hand. Reference: cf. BMCRE V p. 365, 49 and p. 227 (hybrid reverses Septimius Severus)); cf. C. 139. From the Doug Smith Collection; ex A.K. Collection Lot 623, P31
My new hybrid. Another - Lucius Verus / Marcus Aurelius RIC463-483 / RIC 120 Marcus Aurelius Probably Unofficial imitation.
Next Official hybrids / mules Sestertius RIC 1426 Lucius Verus / RIC 908-910 Marcus Aurelius Denar RIC 491 LuciusVerus / RIC 439, 440 Antoninus Pius
It's possible that it's official...? Denarius RIC 595 Lucius Verus / RIC 191 Marcus Aurelius (portrait) RIC 515 Lucius Verus / RIC 125 Marcus Aurelius
Next hybrids Unofficial denarii imitations RIC517 Lucius Verus / RIC775 Lucilla RIC 540 Lucius Verus / RIC 91-93 Marcus Aurelis (subaeratus)
A very interesting hybrid Vitelius / RIC 8,10,12 Otho http://www.britishmuseum.org/resear...=1213186&partId=1&searchText=vitellius&page=1
