March 13th: the MOMMY'S BOY on the throne.

Also this one from somewhere in Moesia, probably Markianopolis but I haven't been able to nail down an attribution yet. Probably never will, but...

 

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Quite a marble? rendering...do you know the sculptor's name...?

 

The nice thing with Severus Alexander is the availability of so many coins of good style and preservation for reasonable prices









Q

 

Military Diploma and Denarii issued by Severus Alexander
Dated by line 3, side 2, to 229-230 or 233-235: COS III, preceded by II, the last two digits of the TRIB POT number. He became COS III in 229, and remained this until his death in 235, so the possible years are 229 (TRIB POT VIII), 230 (VIIII), 233 (XII), 234 (XIII) and 235 (XIIII).

 

Great post,as always..

 

It seems hard to believe, but I have only one coin each of Severus Alexander and his wife. (I recently posted coins of his mother and grandmother in the Elagabalus thread, so I won't repeat them here.)

Severus Alexander AR Denarius. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG. / Rev. Fides standing left holding standard in each hand, FIDES MILITVM. RIC IV-2 139, RSC III 52, Sear RCV II 7864. 19 mm., 2.9 g.



Sallustia Orbiana (wife of Severus Alexander) AR Denarius 225-227 AD. Rome mint. Special marriage emission of Severus Alexander, AD 225. Obv: SALL BARBIA ORBIANA AVG, Draped bust right, wearing stephane/ Rev: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia seated left, holding patera and double cornucopiae. RIC IV-2 319 (Sev. Alexander); RSC III 1, BMCRE 287 (Sev. Alexander). 19 mm., 3.5 g.

 

I have a similar situation with this one (though in much poorer condition. The flan is about 27 mm, but the die diameter is about 24 mm, with a 14.70 grams weight - a big as. This has a draped bust and I am not entirely sure of the attribution because the reverse is so trashed:


Severus Alexander Æ As
(c. 222-231 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEX[ANDER AVG] laureate, draped, bust right / LIBERALITAS AVGVST SC, Liberalitas standing left, holding coin counter and cornucopiae.
RIC 569.
(14.70 grams / 27 x 25 mm)
eBay Feb. 2020 Lot @ $1.50

Here's another big as - 26mm flan, 22mm flan, almost 14 grams:

Severus Alexander Æ As
(231-235 A.D.)
Rome Mint
ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder / PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left by modius, holding corn-ears and cornucopiae. S-C across fields.
RIC 644b; Cohen 504.
(13.96 grams / 26 mm)

On the other hand, here is a very skimpy sestertius, I think. I just don't know - it only weighs 12.65 grams, but the die is so large, virtually all the obverse legend is missing, off-flan. The head is quite large too. My efforts at attribution below:


Severus Alexander Æ Sest.
(222-231 A.D.)
Rome Mint
[IMP CAES] M AVR [SEV ALEXANDER AVG], laureate, draped bust right / [PAX] AVGVSTI S-C, Pax, draped, running left, holding olive-branch and sceptre.
RIC 592c.
(12.65 grams / 27 mm)

 

I'm really enjoying this thread - Severus Alexander has slowly become one of my favorite emperors to collect.

My SA collection is small, but I did manage to find a type that I don't think has been included - although Bing has a similar one with Salus seated, his has different reverse legends.

This one was a Christmas present from my folks c. 1994. To show how far my standards have declined, back then the edge chip really bugged me (no, I did not say anything to them!). Nowadays I am perfectly fine with it - I love the pensive young portrait of Alexander, and the rendition of Salus is interesting and not struck from a worn die. The chip hardly interferes with anything - although I do worry that the coin is fragile since the core looks crystalized (possibly fourree, but I lean towards crystalized):


Severus Alexander Denarius
(222 A.D.)
Rome Mint
IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG, laureate, draped bust right / SALVS PVBLICA, Salus seated left, with patera, feeding serpent rising from altar.
RIC 178; Sear 7952.
(2.38 grams / 19 mm)

 

I agree, his Aurei/ Denari are avaliable in big numbers/ in MS/ and affordable. Also the portraits are beautifully executed in high relief.

 

The granny who was responsible for getting her grandsons on the throne,, Julia Maesa...

 

Two great posts, Mike! I think your ID on the first one is correct, though I think the legend should be LIBERALITAS AVGVSTI II (if RIC 269 is right). The young portrait fits better with the second rather than the third Liberalitas, and I think both Aequitas and Providentia/Annona (both of whom hold a cornucopia) are improbable on the basis of the reverse figure's leg position as well as the location of the S C.