After getting nothing for a few weeks, the USPS and DHL ganged up on me today and dropped off three new coins. Each was special to me for a reason not many would understand but that is the great part of the hobby. I need to like my selections even if no one else does. First is a AE23 Triassarion of Julia Domna from Callatus. This has the reverse of the mounted Dioscuri and has added interest in the gamma marking the denomination on the reverse. The coin is quite dark and not an easy photo. If you shoot the coin, you see nothing but shooting the glare from it looks unnatural. This image is a compromise bringing out detail without overemphasizing the rough spot on the right horse. Callatis was in Moesia Inferior on the coast of the Black Sea south of Tomis. acsearch shows two of these, both rougher, so I feel fortunate to have this one from a city I had to look up to locate. Second but a coin that is very welcome in my collection is a Septimius Severus AE30 from Amasia, Pontus year 208 (ET CH) of the era of Amasia or 206/7 AD. Sear (SGI 2155) shows a really nice one and rates it as rather common but it is a type showing Caracalla and Geta shaking hands which is a mini-mini specialty of mine. What hole? Oh you mean the hole that shows wear possibly from being on a metal loop or chain for a while making it out of round. I can live with that. I may be able to upgrade the coin but it is hard to upgrade an interesting hole. Finally is a near duplicate to a coin I had but this one is a date I have wanted since I learned it existed. This Tiberius as with rudder on globe reverse is dated TR POT XXXIIX or 38 using the double subtractive method you do not see every day. I would have preferred a coin with full legends on both sides but the 38 is clear and the surfaces acceptable. This coin was delivered FOUR DAYS after the Spanish auction in which it appeared closed. The tracking showed DHL took it from Spain to Brussels to Cincinnati and then to me. Considering the fact that certain other sellers and certain other carriers have not reopened yet, I was amazed. If there were no Covid delays, would this have arrived before the sale closed? My other one is a TR POT 37 expressed boringly as XXXVII. Maybe I'll get lucky and find someone who wants to trade a better 38 for both of these. Not likely but one can dream. Until today I liked the 37 but the date upgrade dimmed its glory. I have missed three coin shows since this all started and now have spent about what I would have had the shows operated normally. I paid too much for Tiberius and too much for DHL 'Rocket Mail' and too much for currency exchange. I save not driving to shows. I'm OK with that.
All three are attractive and interesting.. congrats! Your "compromise" photo of the Domna is as nice a shot as I can imagine for a coin with a dark patina. And the Tiberius is definitely a keeper, even if you had to pay abit of extra to the various necessary middlemen. It's been 11 days now since I won the coins below and I've yet to receive them, so I can safely assume I'm not getting the 'Rocket Mail' treatment for them. I'll share them anyway since both show Caracalla shaking hands with someone, though unlike your Amasia, it's not with Geta. First one from Augusta Traiana (Thrace) is a marriage commemorative, and has him holding hands with Plautilla. The second and more interesting one is from Prusias ad Hypium (Bithynia), and there Caracalla is on the left, getting a firm handshake from dad, while Geta is shown quite clearly in smaller stature and being ignored on Septimius's right.
I'm presently on the hunt for one of those -- rudder/globe(or the issue minted in Lugdunum). It's a balance between price and a desired level of details. It will complete my (personal) variation of "The 12 Caesars". "The Twelve Longest Serving Emperors Of The First Three Dynasties" series. The premise being: The Emperors with the longest reigns also had the greatest (positive and/or negative)impact on the Empire in the first two centuries A.D. Either of those two of yours would fit the bill. Nice coins.
Good for you that the coins arrived! And Great coins they are. I admire your eye for detail. A beauty @dougsmit! Just a type of coin i am looking for of Tiberius. Unfortunately i dont have a better one to trade ;-) I had learned a different way to use Roman numbers. For example, 18 would be XVIII. 19 would be XIX, where i had to subtract. Had i known this coin, I would have gotten a better grade for Latin in high school....
Congratulations for the coin. I did not know you are into Domna provincials too. I am probably one of the few on this forum who ever been to Callatis.
Very interesting coins, @dougsmit ! I too found a triassarion of Julia Domna -- from Anchialus -- marked with a gamma, a variant of the coin that had not described in the standard references. Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman provincial triassarion, 10.88 gm, 26.8 mm, 7 h. Thrace, Anchialos, AD 193-211. Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ-ΔΟΜΝΑ C, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: ΑΓΧΙΑΛ-ЄΩΝ, Demeter seated left, holding grain ears and scepter; Γ (mark of value = 3) in exergue. Refs: AMNG II (Strack) 503 var.; Varbanov II 297 var.; Moushmov 2840 var. I also have a triassarion of Julia Domna from nearby Tomis: Julia Domna AD 193-217. Roman provincial AE triassarion, 8.75 gm, 24.4 mm, 6 h. Moesia Inferior, Tomis, AD 193-211. Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ CE, bare-headed and draped bust, r. Rev: ΜΗΤ ΠΟΝ ΤΟΜΕΩC, Nike advancing l., holding wreath and palm, retrograde Γ (=3) to left. Refs: Varbanov 4857; AMNG 2811. Notes: Die match to lot 307, A Tkalek AG Antike Numismatik Auktion 41, 24 Oct 2003, which is the coin at Wildwinds: http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/julia_domna/_tomis_Varbanov_4857.jpg
Nice haul! I'd like to have a coin showing Caracalla and Geta shaking hands. It's such a "wishful thinking" scene . I'll refrain from posting a Monty Python meme I like the Domna simply because it's a Domna and provincial. The double subtractive date on the Tiberius certainly adds to the cool factor. Here's a "shaking hands" reverse showing Elagabalus and one of his wives. Given its date of issue, the wife would likely be Aquilia Severa or Annia Faustina. EGYPT, Alexandria. Elagabalus tetradrachm, 24 mm, 13.27 gm regnal year 4 Obv: laureate head right Rev: Elagabalus standing right and empress (Aquilia Severa or Annia Faustina) standing left, each holding scepter, clasping right hands; L ∆ across field Ref: Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 4098; K&G 56.43; Emmett 2929.4 (R4)
Also, I attended not a coin show but a coin conference on May 30th. Virtually attended... my first Zoom experience. The Bronx Coin Club and the Ancient Numismatic Society of Washington DC hosted Dr. Dr. Jonas Emmanuel Flueck (executive director of the auction house “Lugdunum GmbH” (Switzerland); a former treasurer at the IAPN; the general secretary of the Association of Swiss Professional Numismatists; and the founder of Ex-Numis) for a presentation and discussion on the use of computer technology to find old sales provenances for ancient coins. I disabled my outgoing video because I didn't want to be on camera for a hour or so, worrying about fidgeting or other such things . It was an interesting experience and has potential for virtual coin club meetings and other coin-related stuff.
Nice new additions, Doug. It so happens I just got a Tiberius as with the odd XXXIIX date - it was an earlier post of yours that helped me figure it out - until then, I'd never heard of the "subtractive" dating method. This is the caduceus version, and is way, way worse than yours: For those who have trouble reading "crud": Tiberius Æ As (36-37 A.D.) Rome Mint [TI C]AESAR DIVI AVG F A[VGVST IM]P VIII, laureate head left / PONTIF MAXIM TRIBVN [POTEST XX]XIIX S-C, vertical winged caduceus. RIC 65; BMC 120. (11.06 grams / 29 x 27 mm)
I had a similar day yesterday: two packages arrived contining a total of five coins. It felt like a coin show day minus the camaraderie, gossip and drinks. I will share the acquisitions on CT eventually. First, I'm enjoying our time alone, researching them and discovering unknown provenances. Indeed, I'm glad the previous owner stopped wearing it before that hole was irreparably damaged!
No you would have failed. Old school Latin teachers would not accept IIII as acceptable for four even if they were standing under a clock on the wall that used that form. Very few would have even suspected XXXIIX was ever appropriate. Trivia: What emperor issued coins during the same year using both VIIII and IX? The above two coins have information that shows which was made first. Did anyone else wonder about that question?
I participated in a Zoom meeting for the Washington DC club (ANSW) as a guest at their virtual meeting. I wonder if I will be invited back. I was an active member 20 years ago but few people remain from those days. I will point out that the camera shy do have the option of changing their camera feed to one showing a small place on their desk where coins are placed. This allows showing each other and discussing our coins rather than our faces. Has anyone tried this? I have resisted buying one of those toy USB cams but I can see that might be a good tool for these times.
All are great, that XXXIIX duplicatelooks great! Nice catch. I have a camera that I can use as a webcam, but no way to mount it for use so I just use the built in camera on my $100 laptop for class.
