Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;benhur767, post: 2951225, member: 36818&quot;]<b>Happy New Year! </b></p><p><br /></p><p>My top ten consists of just a fraction of the coins I acquired during 2017, many of which could have been included in the list for various reasons. I experienced the same difficulties as many others in deciding which coins to include and in what order. Ultimately I decided to include coins that might be of general interest to most members of this forum, either aesthetically or historically.</p><p><br /></p><p>After skimming the list it should be easy for anyone to see that my focus is the Severan era. Although the vast majority of coins in my collection are Severan imperial denarii, I occasionally stray from this narrow path and expand into other eras, denominations, or provinces. This variety seems to enrich the collection by providing context, and opportunities for comparison and contrast in terms of size, weight, color, iconography, and style.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here they are, individually in descending order, with image and description. All photographs were made by me:</p><p><br /></p><p>__________________________________</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>10.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]721004[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Antoninus Pius.</b> AR denarius, Rome mint, second issue, struck 139 CE; 18mm, 3.24g, 6h. BMCRE 78 note, RIC III 37 (S; citing A.S.F.N. 1884, p. 43) var. (bare head), RSC II 100c. Obv: IMP T AEL CAES HA–DR ANTONINVS; head laureate right. Rx: AVG PIVS P M TR – P COS – II P P; clasped hands holding caduceus and grain ears. Rare, this variant even more so with bust laureate rather than bare head; none in Reka Devnia. VF.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>From the estate of Thomas Bentley Cederlind.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>__________________________________</p><p><br /></p><p><b>9.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]721020[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Septimius Severus.</b> AR antoninianus (posthumous issue), Rome mint. Restitution issue commonly attributed to Trajan Decius, circa 249-51 CE; 21mm, 3.92g, 7h. BMCRE —, C (S. Sev.) 800 (4 Fr.), RSC 800 (Trajan Decius), RIC IV 96 (Trajan Decius) (R2). Obv: DIVO SEVERO PIO; radiate head right. Rx: CONSECRATIO; rectangular, lighted altar with four panels on front and two steps below. According to HJB: “The rarer reverse type for Divus Septimius: no specimens in Dorchester hoard, compared to two specimens with reverse Eagle. Joaquim Blay’s online die catalogue of Divi antoniniani of Trajan Decius contains 49 Eagle antoniniani of Septimius, but only 23 Altar antoniniani, including the present specimen. Septimius is one of the four key emperors in the Divi series; undervalued by Cohen at only four francs.” VF.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>From The Behnen Collection of Coins of Trajan Decius and His Family.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>__________________________________</p><p><br /></p><p><b>8.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]721023[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Caracalla.</b> AR antoninianus, Rome mint, struck 216 CE; 24mm, 3.88g, 12h. BMC 177 var (differing bust type)., RIC 283b, RSC 368. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM; radiate and draped bust right, seen from behind. Rx: P M TR P XVIIII COS IIII P P; Lion, radiate, advancing left, holding thunderbolt in his jaws. EF.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>From the Yves Gunzenreiner Collection.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>__________________________________</p><p><br /></p><p><b>7.</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]721026[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Elagabalus. </b>Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Emesa; 218–22 CE. Æ18. 4.77g. cf. BMC Greek (Galatia) 20, p. 240. Obv: laureate head right. Rx: eagle, wings spread, head left, wreath in beak, stands upon the Sacred Stone (baetyl) of Emesa. Rare. VF.</p><p><br /></p><p>__________________________________</p><p><br /></p><p><b>6.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]721027[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Caracalla and Julia Domna.</b> Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, minted under Legate (Governor) Quintilianus, ca. 213-ca. 216 CE. Æ Pentassarion (27mm, 11.35g, 6h). Quintilianus, legatus consularis. AMNG 684, Moushmov 487, Varbanov 1029. Obv: ANTΩNINOC AVΓOVCTOC IOVΛIA ΔOMNA; laureate head of Caracalla right, facing draped bust of Domna left. Rx: VΠ – KVNTIΛIANOV MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN; Caracalla on horse rearing right, preparing to hurl spear at fallen enemy to lower right; in field left, Є. VF.</p><p><br /></p><p>__________________________________</p><p><br /></p><p><b>5.</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]721028[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Elagabalus. </b>AR denarius, Eastern mint, struck 218–9 CE; 21mm, 3.92g, 12h. BMCRE 307 note, RIC 167, RSC 22. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rx: CONSVL – II P P; Aequitas standing left holding scales and cornucopia. Rare; only three specimens in the Reka Devnia hoard. EF.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>From the Peter Fischer Collection of Scales and Weights.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><i>__________________________________</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b>4.</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]721029[/ATTACH] </b></p><p><b>Geta (as Caesar).</b> AR denarius, Rome mint, struck early 209 CE; 19mm, 3.29g, 6h. BMCRE S584, RIC 59a, RSC 114a var (beardless). Obv: P SEPTIMIVS – GETA CAES; youth’s bare-headed draped bust right, with incipient beard. Rx: PONTIF COS II; Bonus Eventus (RSC says Genius) standing left, extending patera above lighted altar and holding three wheat ears. EF.</p><p><br /></p><p><u>Collector’s note:</u> Incipient beard with bare chin and no mustache is not described as such in the references, which simply describe Geta as bearded; but this transitional-style depiction is nonetheless common on dies for this issue. Not only is this transitional-style portrait — between beardless youth and fully-bearded adult — an intriguing historical document evidential of Geta’s rapidly-changing physical appearance during 209, but it also aids in establishing a more accurate chronology for these issues.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>__________________________________</i></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>3.</b></b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]721030[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Geta (as Caesar).</b> AR denarius, Rome mint, 202–9 CE; 19mm, 3.33g, 6h. BMCRE S451, Hill 762 (R4), RIC 37b (R3) var (obverse legend)., RSC 162a. Obv: P SEPTIMIVS GETA CAES; older boy’s or youth’s bare-headed draped bust right. Rx: PRINC IVVENT around, COS in exergue; Severus, Caracalla, and Geta (or perhaps Geta and two knights) galloping right; the leader turns his head back and throws out right hand in gesture of encouragement. Rare; only one in Reka Devnia. VF.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>__________________________________</i></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>2.</b></b></p><p><b><b>[ATTACH=full]721033[/ATTACH] </b></b></p><p><b>Caracalla.</b> Æ as, Rome mint, struck 209 CE; 29mm, 12.18g, 6h. C 467, Hill 1000, RIC IV 448a (S), Sear 7007. Obv: ANTONINVS – PIVS AVG; laureate head right. Rx: PONTIF TR P XII COS III / S | C in field; Victory standing right, left foot on helmet, inscribing shield set on palm. VF.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>From A Distinguished Collection of Roman Bronze Coins, the Property of a Gentleman, DNW 139 (London), 15 February 2017, lot 151.</i></p><p><i>Acquired from Spink (London), 15 April 1935, no. G3384.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><i>__________________________________</i></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b><b>1.</b></b></p><p><b><b>[ATTACH=full]721035[/ATTACH] </b></b></p><p><b><b>Geta (as Augustus).</b></b> Psidia, Antioch; 211 CE. Æ33. 24.03g. SNG BN 1163; Krzyźanowska dies XVII/28. Obv: IMP CAES P SEPT GETA AVG; laureate head right. Rx: VICT DD NN COL ANTIOCH / S | R (Victoria Dominorum Nostrorum Colonia Antiochia, or Victory colony of our masters Antioch)&nbsp; / Senatus Romanorum. Nike standing right, holding trophy. Very rare. VF[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in