Still working on my pics, but would have had trouble no matter which camera I used for this one, being a bit shiny. I picked this up today at the local shop. I think it's unlisted, other than one Martin has(a die match I believe), I can't find any other info other than Syrian mint and being a bit rare. I almost gota large AE of Ptolemy instead but glad I went with this. IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Draped bust right; FORTVN REDVC, Fortuna standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia Heres Martins: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-78556 It was also my b-day a couple weaks ago and my sister got me a couple coins, Valentinian, and some Islamic? coin. The Ae is very glossy and show nice detail in hand. I haven't begun to try and id the silver yet, which way is up? It's about 12-13 mm. It's nice to get any ancient as a gift.
The Syrian Domna is a nice example of how wild things got at the mint during that period. It is unusual enough that masculine reverses got paired with Julia obverses on occassion but there are so many different examples it looks like they were trying to make things complicated for numismatists centuries later. RIC lists a page and a half of variations on the Fortuna reverses for Septimius and we keep finding examples where another die got used with Julia. My theory is that every night the mint secured the obverse and reverse dies separately to make it harder for someone to make coins after hours. Then, every morning they would be repaired with no attention paid to which dies were used together the previous day. It is the only way I can explain the large number of pairings. This theory would suggest that Randy's coin and Martin's were made on the same day. It is a nice find. I doubt the worldwide census of these is just two but I would not be surprised if it is a single digit number. I do not have this one but I'll show my Julia with Fortuna seated. My reverse, like Randy's, is a known design but not listed with the exact spelling. In this case FORTVN REDVC is spelled LORTVN REDVC. Someday someone will do a die study of the Eastern Severans but it will be a huge task considering the number of dies and number of spellings, misspellings and oddities. The only similar (or worse) situation I know of is the mess we call the coins of Pescennius Niger. His coins are rare but finding two that used the same dies is not easy. There must have been a lot of coins circulating in the East during the civil wars of 193-195. Were they mostly melted down or are there millions waiting for someone to find them?
I think that this is from the same reverse die as the Domna - Fortuna standing above:- There are a few seated varieties.... FORTVN REDVC This one is either FORTVN REDVD dot or FORTVN REDVCI An even more odd FORT AVG (no longer in my collection - SIGH).... Martin
I only have one Julia Domna to toss into the mix (ummm, and it's an antoninianus, from Rome) ... not exactly "on-topic" but I thought I'd let her out for a quick viewing ... Julia Domna. Augusta, AR Antoninianus Rome mint AD 193-217 Struck under Caracalla AD 215-217 Diameter: 23 mm Weight: 5.76 grams Obverse: Draped bust right, wearing stephane, set on crescent Reverse: LVNA LVCIFERA, Luna, with fold of drapery floating around and above head, driving biga of horses left Reference: RIC IV 379a (Caracalla); RSC 106a
Notice also that Fortuna varies in ways other than legend and whether she sits or stands. Most have a cornucopia and rudder but my seated one has a long palm instead of a rudder. Of course she also stands with the palm. Besides the rudder and palm options we see a branch with or without fruit (berries???) and one with a round thing (fruit, baseball??). Sometimes we get the Fortuna legend with a figure usually considered to be Pietas sacrificing over a lighted altar. I see no reason that we might not find any of these variations used with a Julia obverse. This huge array of minor variations is part of the appeal of collecting this series. There may be types that now exist in only one copy and there are certainly variations that once existed but are now lost to time. A collector will also have to decide just how minor a variation is too minor to be of interest. I'd be interested in knowing how many entries would be in a new RIC recording all minute variations that are known today (tomorrow may be different). 1000? 5000? More? This collection specialty will require that we get use to the idea that we will never have the complete set. Some of the bigger collections have been broken up with some of their highlights ending up in other big collections but I have to wonder if Randy's coin is a fresh find or something that somehow made the rounds to a shop in Arizona after being split from one of the disbursed groups. Some of you have referred to collecting ancient coins as the "Darkside". Be warned that there are a few thousand specialties that are so dimly known as to make the mainstream Darkside look brilliant. Eastern Severans is just one.
Jealous for sure, the domna would be welcome to my collection anyday. I was hoping to get one in a trade with Curtis but the one he offered was way too rough portrait wise & I know I couldnt live with it. I always enjoy these kind of threads because Martin & Doug. It's always fun to see their knowledge in this area of ancients. I have no idea what the silver is, indian of some sort?
nice julias everyone...i don't have her in silver with fortuna. happy b-day RG! did you figure out what that islamic coin is?
Thanks all. I would learn towards "fresh find" rather than form an old collection because of the condition. If its not and obv. die match with Martins, any idea what is above her head on both coins? As for the little silver, I did have it upside down lol. I was able to get an i.d. on forvm. Ottoman akche Suleiman 1 "Kanuni" 926/1520/---974/1566/ http://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=2164&page=1
Agree. It still is small compared to the chunk out of the IIC obverse die I showed earlier in this thread.
