Janus, Looking Ahead and Behind

JANUS - AS!


RR Atili Saran AE As 148 BC Janus ROMA Prow S 399 Cr 214-2a



RR Anon AE As after 211 BC Janus I Prow Cr 56-2 Sear 627



RR Anon AE As 211-206 BC sextantal Janus Prow Anchor S 628 Cr 50-3



RImp Pompey 42-38 BC AE As Janus Prow Magnus S 1394 Cr 479-1

 

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16 As


RR
M Furius LF Philus
AR Denarius
119 BCE
Janus
Trophy Carnyx
Cr 281-1 Sear 156


16 Aaaa... What th' Heck???


RR
M Furius
ERROR DOUBLE-STRIKE
AR Denarius
119 BCE
Janus x 2
Trophy Carnyx
S 156 Cr 281-1

 

Here's my Commodus sestertius showing Janus in a temple/shrine, as in the OP (if not as nice):


Commodus Æ Sestertius
(186 A.D.)
Rome Mint
M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT, laureate head right / [P M TR P XI IMP VII] around, COS V PP below, domed distyle temple w. Janus standing facing, holding sceptre, SC across fields.
RIC 460; Cohen 489; Sear 5780.
(24.77 grams / 30 mm)
eBay April 2019

 

I thought I would share this Janus as I really like the patina.




Janus Bifrons As HGC 2, 1690. Uncertain mint in Sicily, late 2nd century BC. 5,3 g - 22,5 mm. Ex AETERNITAS NUMISMATICS SPAIN . MA SHOPS. This turned up only five days from ordering from Spain! I had expected a delay.




ANONYMOUS. As (169-158 BC). Rome.

Obv: Laureate head of bearded Janus; I (mark of value) above.
Rev: ROMA.
Prow of galley right; I (mark of value) above.
Crawford 56/2.
Condition: Very fine.
Weight: 29.35 g.
Diameter: 35 mm. Ex Numismatik Neumann Auction 87 Lot 411

 

Mine came from CNG in 2016 (note date suggests early 2nd century):
376, Lot: 338.
SICILY, Uncertain mint. Circa 200-190 BC. Æ As (22mm, 5.32 g, 8h). Laureate head of bearded Janus; I (mark of value) above / NA/SO in two lines within wreath. BAR Issue 37; CNS 71 (Panormus); HGC 2, 1690. VF, dark green-brown patina, minor roughness.

From the RBW Collection. Ex Artemide Aste 19.1E (20 October 2012), lot 85.


https://www.italythisway.com/places/articles/naso-history.php
I found interest in this link regarding the Sicilian town Naso referred to as having been founded in medieval times a thousand years after this coin. However they mention the founders being 'Nasidians' leaving us to wonder where they originated. Nasidius is listed as a Sicilian family name. Like yours, mine remains cataloged as 'Uncertain, Sicily'.

 

A couple of people have already beat me to it, but this was the first Roman Republic coin that I purchased. I saw it at a Baltimore show a few years ago and liked it.

 

That's interesting thank you. I noticed the mention of Messina in the link you sent and that the region is renowned for earthquakes. I researched the 19th Century Earthquake Disaster quite extensively many years ago as I had a group of medals to a Naval officer who assisted in the disaster relief. The Italians struck the medal and it was issued to foreign nationals. I also learnt that mid 2nd Century the Romans suspended the taxation of citizens of the region for 10 years because of a Volcanic Eruption at Etna that caused extensive damage.
Your coin has a very similar patina to mine and it makes me wonder if it was made from the same batch of metal or these were part of a hoard.
I like your coin.

 

That is a beautiful coin @johnmilton and I can appreciate why you were attracted to it.
I am possibly the worlds expert on underbidding on these coins. I have had more unsuccessful bids on this coin than any other over several years. Each time I think I have one, it eludes me and its not for putting in lowball bids either. There was a number of Quadrigatus in an auction last year that CT members might remember, I forget which Auction House, and I bid really high on one and a spread of bids on others and didn't win one. I am nervous about spread bidding as in another field I once ended up with four of the same item as no one else bid on them. It joins a list of my "must haves" but there is a satisfaction in being patient and occasionally being lucky.
To my mind, the search is almost as satisfying as the acquisition and I have proved that you really can act in haste and repent at leisure with some of my less prudent purchases. We have a saying here that if you want a policemen or bus you can never find one but when they arrive, they will arrive ten at a time!

 

@John Anthony

Your Geta denarius with Janus reverse is a very nice example, but I think this is only a scarce type, not very rare, as indicated for example by the Reka Devnia hoard specimen counts, 14 in Sofia, plus 5 in Varna.

 

M FURIUS Lf PHILUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Laureate head of Janus; M•FOVRI•L•F around
REVERSE: Roma standing left erecting trophy, gallic arms around, ROMA to right, PHLI in ex.
Struck at Rome, 119 BC
3.81g, 18.35mm
Crawford 281/1, Syd 529, BMCRR (Italy) 555, Furia 18

 

Here is one, that was sold to me as JANUS...

(I knew that it was not a Janus As... but had to learn what it was all about.)


RR Anon AE Sextans-Hieron II Overstrike 214-212 BCE S1211 Cr69-6

This was sold as a Roman Republic Janus Head... none were ever this small. It turns out to be an overstrike of a Roman Sextans over a Syracuse Hieron II.

A) Sicily, Syracuse, Hieron II, 275-215 BCE AE head of Poseidon left, rev. IEP-ÙNOÓ, trident flanked by dolphins, Ó[?] below (SNG Morcom 828 var.), dark green patina.
Obv. Diademed head of Poseidon left.
Rev. IEPΩNOΣ, Ornamented trident head flanked by two dolphins; below, N.

OVERSTRUCK by:

B) Anonymous AE-Sextans, Sicily, 211-208 BC.
Head of Mercury right wearing winged petasos; • • above. Rev. Prow of galley right; grain ear above, IC before, ROMA below.
Crawford 69/6b; Sydenham 310d; BMCRR 280.

19mm / 5.3g

 

There are actually some tiny ones from Southeast Italy that are in this size range. Anywhere from about 2-6 grams. Many are imitations but some are no doubt official as the style is spot on for the full weight issues. This is not mine but was in NAC 92. I have an example from similar or possibly the same dies but need to photograph it:

Description from NAC:
Reduced as, Canusium (?) 211-207, Æ 4.72 g. Laureate head of Janus; above, mark of value set horizontally. Rev. Prow r.; above mark of value, before P and below, ROMA. Sydenham –. Crawford 99/10.

Extremely Rare. Brown-green patina and very fine

This coin has an indistinct P mintmark before the prow and it shares an obverse die with Crawford pl.XIX,14. Its obverse style is akin to Crawford pl.XIX,12,13 and its reverse style is akin to Crawford pl.XIX,13. Andrew McCabe at the International Numismatic Congress in Taormina 2015 demonstrated that Crawford 99 types with P mintmark were likely minted in Canusium – rather than Luceria as previously assumed. Most, if not all, lightweight asses in official styles appear stylistically related to the P or CA series, rather than the L series.

 

A few Janiform favorites:

Roman Republic AR didrachm or Quadrigatus(6.74g), grain-ear(corn-ear) series, 214-212 BC, Sicilian mint. Laureate, Janiform head of Dioscuri. Border of dots / Jupiter in quadriga right, driven by Victory - Jupiter holds sceptre in left hand and hurls thunderbolt with right hand; below, grain-ear; in linear frame, ROMA. Line border. Crawford 42/1; BMCRR Romano-Campanian 108; Hersh 17b(this coin), dies O12/R11.

Purchased from Martina Dieterle, 3 November 2021, ex Numismatica Ars Classica Auction 52, 7th October 2009, lot 768, RBW Collection(though not noted), ex Münzen und Medaillen fixed price list 491, August 1986, lot 31


Roman Republic Æ As(28.81g), "VAL" series(Valerius?), 169-158 BC. Laureate head of Janus; above, I / Prow of galley right; VAL monogram above; I before; ROMA below. Crawford 191/1


Roman Republic AR Denarius(19mm, 3.86g). Marcus Furius Lucii filius Philus, moneyer, 119 BC, Rome mint. Laureate head of Janus;around, M·FOVRI·L·F, Border of dots. / Roma (wearing Corinthian helmet) standing left, holding sceptre in left hand and crowning trophy with right hand; above, star; behind, ROMA upwards; the trophy is surmounted by a helmet in the form of a boar's head and flanked by a carnyx and shield on each side; in exergue, (PHI)LI. Crawford 281/1, Sydenham 529; RSC Furia 18; BMCRR (Italy) 555; Russo RBW 1105.

Ex Roma Numismatics Auction XVIII, 29 September 2019, lot 822, ex Numismatica Ars Classica Auction 114, 6 May 2019, lot 1283, ex RVP Collection, CNG e-Auction 309, 21 August 2013, lot 204.


Roman Republic Æ As(27mm, 11.12g, 4h), D. Junius Silanus, moneyer, 91 BC, Rome mint. Laureate head of bearded Janus; I above/Prow of galley right; D•SILANVS•L•[F]. Below, ROMA. Crawford 337/5

Ex Andrew McCabe Collection, CNG E-Auction 436, 1/23/2019, ex Artemide Capodanno, 1/1/2010

 

VERY cool!