Marc Antony Denarius - Correct Size and Weight?

Hi Everyone,

I bought the denarius pictured below from a dealer on www.vcoins.com. Since the coin was shipped from England, I had to wait two looong weeks for it to arrive. Now that I have it in hand, I"m wondering about the size. The style seems okay, but it looks slightly undersized at 16mm x 17mm and 3.82g.

Now I know Antony probably struck millions of these while wintering at Petrae and had to stretch his metal supply as far as he could, but I haven't handled enough of these to tell if an undersized flan is common in this series. What do the rest of you think?

Thanks,

Joe

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I don't know much about these coins, but yours is heavier than the one in my collection:

Silver Denarius
Traveling legionary mint
Obv: ANT AVG / IIIVIR RPC - Galley
Rev: LEG XIX - Legionary eagle between two standards
17mm, 3.4g.

 

I own several of these legionary denarii. The weight and the size vary substantially in this series. I have a couple that are 20mm and some that are 16mm, with many in 17mm to 18mm range. Weight-wise, mine weigh from 2.9g to 3.8g. There obviously was a standard, but I don't believe there was consistent QC when these were struck. The fabric of your coin looks normal for this issue. Here is mine from the same legion:

MARCUS ANTONIUS
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley, thyrsos behind prow
REVERSE: LEG XI, eagle between standards
Patrae 32-31 BC
3.05g, 16mm
RSC 27

 

Your coin is fine, everything is well within the very wide tolerances of the issue..

 

Just to reinforce the point of variations, I bought this one because it was just a bit odd - wide and thin. Professionally done coins of the Republic were struck so many to the pound with less emphasis on keeping every one exactly like every other one. Add to that the fact that Antony was running a high stress operation and it is no wonder we get variations. The most interesting part to me is that his relatively poor alloy meant people spent his coins and saved ones with better silver resulting these denarii still circulated centuries later. We see a lot of them worn almost smooth.

 

Thanks everyone for your input. The dealer was Den of Antiquity and they seem like an honest shop, but I was a little taken aback by the small size of the flan. I'm used to later denarii that are a little larger in diameter. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

Weights in grains (but converted to grams) of Marc Antony legionary denarii sampled by John Yonge Akerman: 3.43, 3.82, 3.50, 3.63, 3.43, 3.63, 3.82, 3.50, 3.63.

Average 3.60 grams.

 

My Legio X


RImp Marc Antony 32-31 BCE AR Legio X Equestris - Caesar Denarius B bankers mark Eagle Galley Standards 3.6g 18mm

 

I know this might not be of interest to many, but this "alternative" history of Marc Antony is a short, but thought-provoking read. The essay by Professor Josiah Ober "Not by a Nose: The Triumph of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium 33 BC" is worth a read by any fan of Marc Anthony.

http://web.stanford.edu/group/dispersed_author/docs/NotbyANose_Ober.pdf



Our view of Mark Antony has been definitely been shaped by Octavian (the eventual victor) with the aid of writers such as Plutarch.

Great coins. Embrace the history.

 

The OP coin looks fine to me.

Here is mine

Mark Antony. Denarius, (18.16 mm 3.45g). Mint moving with Antony, 32-31 BC.

Obv: ANT AVG III VIR R P C Galley right.

Rev: LEG XII ANTIQVAE Legionary eagle between two standards.

Crawford 544/9. Sydenham 1231. Sear, Imperators 363. SRCV I (2000) 1480 RSC 40

 

Hi I actually got one today, it is 17mm x 19mm and weight = 3.01 grams it is very smooth and I believe cleaned as it was sold as a metal detecting find I think, (must check again) but was listed as unknown coin but I knew it's meant to be a denarius of Mark Antony so took the chance, I see a small chip in the metal on the side revealing the same looking metal silver inside although possibly coated in more silver!?
I'm not an expert so if I can get an opinion if its believed to be real or fake I'd be grateful. Also on a couple of spaces it looks although corrosion has taken place making me think it was either dug up and cleaned or if fake then possibly burned?
Thanks for any answers

 

I cannot see much from your photos, @Danielprice . But welcome to CT Ancients.


Roman Imperatorial
Marcus Antonius
AR Denarius
32-31 BCE
Legio III Ship Eagle Standards
Sear 1479 Craw 544-15

 

CT answers seem to be in your favor great.

 

@Danielprice welcome to CT Ancients. I think your coin looks like this one -

coin from Roma auction 9, their description:
Marc Antony Legionary AR Denarius. Praetorian galley to right / CHORTIS SPECVLATORVM, One of the rarest of the legionary denarii

Your coin:

 

This one is 18mm, 3.75g:



Mark Antony, 44-30 BC,
Trriumvir and Imperator.
AR Denarius, 18mm, 3.75g, 12h; Patrae (?) mint, 32-31 BC.
Obv.: ANT●AVG / III●VIR●R●P●C; Galley right with rowers, mast with banners at prow.
Rev.: LEG – VII; Aquila (legionary eagle) between two legionary standards.
Reference: Crawford 544/20.
From the Sallent Collection, ex-FORVM

 

I’ve bought some some coins from Den of Antiquity and traded several and they have all been good over the years. they have a reputation over here of being pricey but worry free.

 

Thank you for reviving this interesting thread. I vaguely remember reading that the Antony denarii were found in later hoards scattered throughout the Empire. Maybe I’m mistaken, but if true, I’m surprised that these coins were still prized and may have circulated years after his defeat at the Battle of Actium.

If I understood Doug correctly, they had a lower quality of silver. They may have been kept, therefore, as much for sentimental reasons as a circulating coin. Maybe their later use would have been more accepted in the eastern part of the Empire were Antony was more popular.

I’m surprised that the Antony coinage would have been allowed to circulate freely after his defeat. That said, Augustus never invoked damnatio memoriae against Antony, which may explain a possible later widespread acceptance of his coinage despite his being deemed “an enemy of the state.”

https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1044&context=discentesjournal

 

OP coin looks good. I have also bought from Den of Antiquity without issue and consider them to be a reputable seller.

Congrats to @Danielprice for snagging what looks to be a pretty significant coin! A great start for your budding collection! From the details that one looks to be beat up, but genuine as well.

 

Ditto. However, they have gotten a little pricy since I first purchased from them.

 

Here is a Roman coin hoard found in Wales in 2015 that (reportedly) contained at least one Marc Antony denarius. The latest coin in the hoard was of Marcus Aurelius (reign 160-180 AD), more than a century after Antony’s death.

This hoard supports the theory that Antony denarii circulated in the Empire long after his ignominious death.




https://www.dailymail.co.uk/science...money-issued-Marc-Antony-2-000-years-ago.html