Just go with the flow (lines)

Thanks for the write-up Z very interesting, great flowing examples all.

 

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Plus 1.

 

Reference.
RIC 178d; C 393; Hill 343

Obv. HADRIANVS–AVGVSTVS
Laureate bust right, drapery on left shoulder.

Rev. COS–III
Pudicitia, veiled, seated left on throne pulling veil.

3.41 gr

 

How did I miss this thread when it first went around? Here's an Antonine dynasty coin with its share of flow lines. Click on it to see it in higher magnification:


Faustina II under Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-175
Roman AR denarius; 2.60 g, 17 mm
Rome, AD 161-175 Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right
Rev: LAETITIA, Laetitia standing left, holding wreath and scepter
Refs: RIC 700; BMCRE --; Cohen 147; RCV 5258 var; CRE 197.

 

Glad this thread was revived, it taught me something I didn’t know. Here’s a cool Marcus Aurelius I got the other day with lots of flow lines. Hard to get a good photo of it for some reason, it’s better in hand.

 

While flow lines on denarii from the Antonine period are quite common, I have seen only a handful of high grade sestertii with these features. Here is a Lucilla sestertius, with flow lines visible mostly around letters, but also on her forehead and nose. Flow lines are more discreet than on denarii and are better seen if clicked for magnification. The adjustment marks (?) on both obverse and reverse might mean that the coin was produced quite late in the dies' life.

 

Great post Z and great coins all

 

colourfull flowlines on these 2 coins:

 

@Alegandron - Does that mean you do not have any coins with flow lines? (I have wanted to tell you how much I enjoy seeing your coins whenever you post them. Your whole collection must be amazing!! Thank you.)

 

Thank you... I really have more pedestrian / circulated / used coins.

"Flow lines" remind me of what happens in injection molded plastics...plastic flows into the molds and do not completely blend, thereby showing "flow lines". It is more of a MATERIAL imperfection. (manufacturing background here).

For metal (silver), I view them more lovingly as "stretch marks"! Because, that is more the resultant process on the MOLDS... The molds are stressed, with the surface of the mold being stretched over time, with multiple strikings beyond the molds' intended usage life.

Most of my collection is from the BCE Period: Republican Rome, Greece, and Asia mainly AE). Generally, fewer coins were made. They appeared NOT to produce the monster-mass scale of coins as in the Roman Empire Period... so many of my Republic-era coins' molds do not appear as stretched as many of the Imperial molds.

I have a few STRETCH MARKS...

REPUBLIC:

RR Anon AR Denarius 115-114BCE Rome mint 19.52mm 3.82g ROMA X Seated r on shields spear birds she-wolf Romulus Remus Cr 287-1 S 164
Maybe some Stretching around Obv nose and mouth

IMPERIAL:


RI Lucilla AR denarius Juno seated flower child in swaddling clothes Seaby 36


RI Augustus AR Denarius struck 2 BC-14 AD Caius and Lucius Caesars stdg shield spear S 1578 NGC4276216-007
Looks like the REVERSE MOLD was heavily over-used

 

Even Septimius can play.

 

Inspired by @zumbly , I have magnified my Faustina II:

 

Some really cool additions, guys. Since this thread has been resurrected, here's an Aquilia Severa I bought some time back. I'm pretty sure the dramatic flow lines around the portrait had something to do with it.

 

Here's a Conder token that attracted me for the same reason (Lothian 131, 1790's)

 

Probably pushed me over the tipping point on this one, Victory looks more like a beaming angel.





Marcus Aurelius. AD 161-180. AR Denarius (19mm, 3.12 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck AD 166. Laureate head right / Victory standing right, holding palm frond and round shield inscribed VIC/PAR set on palm tree. RIC III 163; MIR 18, 141-4/30; RSC 878. EF, lightly toned.


Ex Davissons 22 (28 April 2005), lot 95.

 

Interesting thread!

 

Love those flow lines...


Burma, Beikthano, Pyu City States
(AD 200-350)
AR Full Unit (96 Ratti)
33 mm x 9.22 grams
Obverse: Sun rising over the ocean dots in between rays solid border around.
Reverse: Srivatsa, sun and moon above - uncertain ancillary symbols.
Ref: Wicks Class A early transitional type.
Note: Minty fresh
Prov: Old Private Collection, Tochigi, Japan

 

confused........I thought flow lines radiated outward like a water drop in a bucket of water.