Marius - 3rd Century Usurper

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by TJC, Aug 20, 2017.

  1. TJC

    TJC Well-Known Member

    I have finally filled the Marius slot! Kind of a milestone, he is the last of the usurpers for my 3rd Century Collection. I may search for a Laelianus someday...have to think some more about that. A Regalianus would be super cool to have but alas I haven't hit the lottery.
    BTW, I would to thank my wife for this very special B-day gift!!
    Also a thanks to Victor Clark whom my wife made the purchase from. Victor, my wife sends her thanks for being kind and communicative! We both appreciate you! Love the coin!!!
    Looks better in hand. My pics arent so good.

    If you got one share it!!!

    MariusMilitO1x375.jpg MariusMilitR1x375.jpg

    Marius AE Antoninianus. Cologne mint. IMP C MARIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped & cuirassed bust right / CONCORD MILIT above or beneath clasped hands. RIC 6; Cohen 4; Sear 11119
     
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  3. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    That coin has a lot of eye-appeal! What a nice gift!
     
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  4. Jwt708

    Jwt708 Well-Known Member

    Your wife is AWESOME! Great score.
     
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  5. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    That's a cool present TJC, HAPPY BDAY!
     
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  6. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Nice b-day coin. My wife has already bought my b-day present. She doesn't know it. I don't think I'll tell her.
     
  7. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Great coin and a wonderful present.
     
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  8. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Congrats @TJC ! EXCELLENT looking coin! And a wonderful gift from your wife!

    I have one, but your wife really has a great eye!

    RI Marius 269 Gallic Usurper BI Ant CONCORD MILIT Clasped Hands.jpg
    RI Marius 269 Gallic Usurper BI Ant CONCORD MILIT Clasped Hands
     
  9. Multatuli

    Multatuli Homo numismaticus

    Great coins! Unfortunately, I don't have any Marius' coins...It slipped through my hands twice. I will not let a third pass.
    Congrats twice: for the coin (an excellent eye-appeal) and for your wife (how I wish that my wife was like yours....)!
     
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  10. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Thats a nice example
     
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  11. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    Nice coin and cool gift. Coins I've had as gifts from my wife are very special to me. So will it be for you with this one


    [​IMG]
    Marius, Antoninianus Mint #2 : Köln or Mainz
    MP C M AVR MARIVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
    VICT - ORIA AVG, Victory walking left, holding wreath and palm
    3,2 gr
    Ref : RIC # 17, RCV # 11124, Cohen # 21 (20Fr), Schulzki 7a

    Q
     
  12. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Beautiful coin, TJC. Congratulations.
    Here's mine:
    [​IMG]
    Bronze Antoninianus
    Gallic Empire, unidentified mint
    Obv: IMP C M AVR MARIVS AVG
    Rev: VIRTVS AVG - Soldier with spear, leaning on shield
    RIC 19
    20mm, 3.4g
     
  13. Mikey Zee

    Mikey Zee Delenda Est Carthago

    Excellent examples from the OP on down!!! congrats on the coin and the super gift @TJC !!!

    Mine is far less spectacular and my only example (Trier Mint and Felicitas reverse):


    [​IMG]
     
  14. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Great coins all. I'm looking for an aemilian example but they are quite pricey.
     
  15. Carausius

    Carausius Brother, can you spare a sestertius?

    My example of the OP Marius type, but with MILITVM fully spelled-out. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never freed it from the slab. I've freed several others, but this was my first slabbed ancient coin. I guess I kinda liked it the first time...


    roman65obv.jpg roman65rev.jpg
     
  16. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    Yes, shame on you !!!

    :D Q
     
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  17. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Funny thing...two days ago I decided to complete a set of Gallic Empire rulers, and I've been shopping for a Marius. You guys are not helping, all those beautiful examples will drive the prices up on me as everyone will want one now.

    Great coins everyone of this obscure emperor who ruled for only 2-3 months in 269 CE. All samples shown here are winners in my book. Congratulations.
     
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  18. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    I can't help noticing how different his portrait looks on all the different examples posted.
     
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  19. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    I find his portraits quite distinctive, with a small round-ish nose pointing up and round cheeks : a cheeky usurper !!

    Q
     
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  20. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Well, in some he looks like Postumus, in some he looks like a portrait of Postumus which has been reworked on a die, and in some I suspect he looks like himself.

    You have to remember that when mint workers found out Postumus was dead and Marius was the new Emperor, they didn't know what Marius looked like, plus they had hundreds of dies of Postumus in the process of being engraved or already engraved. So it was expedient to simply carve Marius' name on them and use them up while they waited for an official portrait of Marius to be sent to them. In less finished dies the celators would have gotten creative and modified a portrait of Postumus to look more generic.

    As Marius didn't last, we have all those varieties, with Postumus portraits, modified portraits of Postumus, and more accurate portraits of Marius, represented in equal numbers on his coinage.

    Here is a coin of Maximinus Thrax which illustrates my point. The celator took a portrait of Alexander Severus and modified it to look more generic...but he had no idea M. Thrax had such a distinctive chin or eyebrow ridge as he didn't yet know what his new emperor looked like.

    Maximinus Thrax denarii.jpg
     
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  21. ro1974

    ro1974 Well-Known Member

    Nice B-day gift congratulations
     

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