Last year I got a batch of about 50 Roman bronze coins. Here are a few attractive coins that I could not locate in my Sear book. It would be nice to know the ruler and the coin # in my Sear book. This one with sand patina is 18 mm. coin #1
You make it sound like its a sin Bing...... I am not right often..........best I make the most of this run of 'luck'
I'll agree that it does not seem to be as much of a sin as it did a short time ago. I also agree with the string of names as provided but really wish people who can't ID coins that look like those would buy slightly better coins that they might be able to learn to identify. To identify these six YOC is falling back on experience gained from handling several hundred thousand coins (or is it several hundred thousand???). For example, the three coins of Constantius II can be identified even if you don't read a single letter of legend. If you do not know how, I suggest buying one better coin instead of six like these.
Don't know how many I have handled, almost certainly not as many as you Doug........but I hope that I am now gaining something other than profit from each encounter with a coin.
My Roman AE education began last May with these 54 coins and a Sear book. It seemed like a good way to begin learning about these little Roman bronze coins. After a bit of work, I had the majority of them attributed with ruler, dates, and some details listed on the back of each coin label. I mentioned in recent thread that there were still a half dozen coins not attributed & YOC asked that I post them. I guess it’s too late to post them one at a time. Thanks for giving me the rulers for these six. Now I have a place to renew looking-up these last coins. It would be nice to know how you-all came up with [Gratian, Gratian, Constans, Constantius II, Constantius II, Constantius II]. All six were not obvious to me. So the first coin is Gratian..... Here is the label: GRATIAN A.D. 367-383 Obv: diad., dr. and cuir bust r. DNGRATIAN VSAVGGAVG (Dominvs Noster Gratianus Augusti Gener Augustus) Rev: Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm branch SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE. OF/S to left, I/R to right (Lugdunum mint). Other: Similar to Sear 4143. Son of Valentinian I and Severa, Gratian was given the rank of Augustus in A.D. 367 at age seven. This coin was minted in Lugdunum (Lyons France) which coincidentally is also where Gratian was murdered at age 23. Five more to go.
I would suggest labeling the coin as OF I and SR across the field. OF I refers to the workshop or Officina number one that made the coin. There is a bit of conjecture about the meaning of SR (perhaps Saeculi Romanorum?). This coin is very unusual in that it has the OF while most officina numbered coins assume you know the number is the officina and don't label it. Below is a coin of Valens similarly labeled OF II. RIC vol IX page 36 speculates that AVGGAVG on the obverse means Augustus of the Augusti pointing out that Gratian is related to the senior Augusti. Previous elevations of a kid to power were made first to the rank of Caesar rather than full Augustus. I do not see your Gener idea as at all unreasonable. Where did you get it? In either case it is a first outing for a new idea in raising a junior to full Augustus and is a coin I need to find for my collection (although I will need one with a bold obverse legend). Yours is a very educational coin.
Sear page 349 stated that Gratian was given the rank of Augustus at the age of 7. I got the D N GRATIANVS AVG G AVG from the coin and the listing in my single Sear book page 349 #4143. "Dominvs Noster Gratianus Augusti Gener Augustus" came from the website www.tesorillo.com which I visited for the first time today. Here is the page: http://www.tesorillo.com/aes/102/102i.htm
Doug, you mentioned that there was a way for us to list our interests and coins we desire should another member find one for us........I think? is this simply a want list?
There is nothing formal I know of but certain people know me well enough to know what I am seeking and tip me off when they see one they don't want. I'm not talking about coins that are readily available if you have the money but coins that are simply not available often enough, usually because no one cares about them. Many of the coins highest on my want list should sell for under $100 and some wants are very general. You were aware that I would like that Postumus on Faustina overstrike but I was just not as interested as the eventual buyer. For example, I want a Septimius Severus Legionary LEG XXII PRI with the obverse die that I don't have but I don't want another of the die I have (three of) unless it is dirt cheap. Weird? ...and proud of it. How many people do you know that can identify Septimius' dies well enough that they might help me?
None. Not weird...specialised is probably more accurate and less offensive. If I see any of the LEG XXII PRI coins, I may just give you the heads up and you can do the 'specialist' bit.
