Lucius Verus at last

Lucius Verus, the glamorous playboy and party animal of the Antonines. I've been looking for an affordable Verus sestertius for quite awhile. This one was misidentified by the seller as a Marcus Aurelius/Aequitas RIC 969. I think it's a Verus/Hilaritas RIC 1476c, a much scarcer coin. (Let me know if you think that's wrong.) It's very worn but the portrait bust really struck me as being sublime even with much of it's detail obscured.

I wanted to give a shout out to the folks here who helped me by confirming my suspicions about this coin. Much thanks!

 

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Cool, this cat has been on my list for two years now. Really want the sestertius flavored LV, even had one purchased but the seller "misplaced" it. Bummer.

I have his LV's dad!

 

Pretty coin!

 

Here is the only kind I could afford- hefty and I think it is stable?

 

I think its Aequitas on the reverse , looks more like scales then a palmleave.

Here's my Lucius Verus / Fortuna:

 

Unfortunately for me, I have long associated portraits of Lucius Verus with the faun, Tummus, from the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The association is firmly stuck in my mind and might explain why I have never bought any of his coins!

Peter

 

Congrats finding that Lucius Verus Sestertius @Macromius !

Couple of Liucius Verus, none being Quarter-Den:


RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AE As 24mm Mars w Trophy


RI Lucius Verus 161-169 CE AR Denarius Providentia glob cornucopiae RIC 253

 

Nice bronze!


Lucius Verus (161 - 169)
AR Denarius
O: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX Laureate head right.
R:TR P VII IMP IIII COS III Aequitas standing facing, head left, holding scales and cornucopia.
Rome
RIC 576 (Aurelius), RSC 297
18.5mm
3.3g


Lucius Verus (161 - 169)
Caesarea, Cappadocia
AR Didrachm
O: AYTOKR OYHPOC CEBACTOC Bare-headed and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind.
R: YPA TOS B ,Mt. Argaeus surmounted by Helios standing left.
Struck 161-166 A.D. (as COS II)
Caesarea, Cappadocia Mint
6.3g
20mm
Metcalf, Caesarea 131d; Sydenham, Caesarea

 

Nice AE. It sure does look like LV. I just picked up a matched set a few months ago. A nice dupondius and sestertius with the same reverse type, grade and color. They just seem to belong together.

 

Great coin you have! You're probably right that it is Aequitas. I'm attaching a photo of the same coin as mine only in a higher grade. (not my photo) Looks very much like a palm leaf/branch to me unless that coin is just flawed. Maybe different versions were made.

@alde: Amazing coins Albert!! Way better than mine.

 

Does this look like a genuine Lucius Verus?
It measures 22 MM and weighs 7.89 Grams

 

That's probably a provincial coin. It's small and underweight to be an as and its reverse doesn't have an SC such as would be found on an imperial issue.

It could be Marcus Aurelius or Commodus, too.

 

Thank You Roman Collector

 

That's a lovely coin. The second century -- until the death of Commodus, anyway -- was a stable and prosperous period and there was a LOT of commerce going on. Sestertii often circulated for decades. Hence, most are very worn. Yours is a typical example and with a very nice patina and a lot of eye-appeal.

I don't have any bronzes of Lucius Verus. All I have is silver, such as this one where he has a big nose!


Lucius Verus, AD 161-169
Roman AR Denarius; 17 mm, 3.36g, 6h
Rome, AD 168
Obv: L VERVS AVG ARM PARTH MAX, laureate head right
Rev: FORT RED TR P VIII IMP V COS III, Fortuna seated left, holding rudder and cornucopiae
Refs: RIC 586; BMC 477; Cohen 111; RCV 5350; MIR 170.

 

Definitely Verus! While worn, it is a strong portrait and a good coin for a ruler that should be collected as large sestertii. Read 4,7 below
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/historia_augusta/lucius_verus*.html
It was his wont also to hurl large coins into the cook-shops and therewith smash the cups.

 

@Mike Margolis I'm no expert. Your coin could be Verus but could just just as easily be Commodus. That's Tyche and Orontes (The swimmer below) on the reverse.

@Roman Collector I like realistic portraits but I also like portraits that lean towards caricature. I like the big nose on your Denarius. Verus definitely had the bigger Antonine schnoz.

@dougsmit Thanks for the useful link! I can just imagine him smashing cups with large coins. What a delinquent. I wonder if he ever "hurled" coins with his own face on them.

 

Thanks for the info Macromius.

 

Wonderful posts!!

While I'm currently chasing a 'provincial' of Verus, I noticed I still have these old photos of two of my budget examples....

 

@Mike Margolis

Your coin is from Samosata similar to this one from RPC.


Region Commagene
City Samosata
Reign Marcus Aurelius
Person Lucius Verus (Augustus)
Issue Marcus and Verus, co-emperors
Date 161-169
Obverse inscription ] [ΑΥΡ]ΗΛ ΟΥΗΡ[
Obverse design laureate-headed bust of Lucius Verus wearing cuirass and paludamentum, r.
Reverse inscription Φ СΑΜ ΙƐΡ ΑСΥ ΑΥΤ ΜΗΤΡ ΚΟ ƐΤ Ϟ(?)
Reverse design turreted Tyche seated on rock, l., holding poppy and two ears of corn, resting arm on rock, resting foot on swimming river-god (Euphrates)