This coin came to me via the recent Roma Numismatics XVIII sale and showed up today. It's an anonymous denarius from the Crawford 53/2 series which Crawford used to describe most anonymous denarii with a visor with lines that end in a peak or point versus the earlier splayed or blunt end visor form, like on this denarius. Since the publication of Crawford, much work has been done to further subdivide the styles of these denarii and, where appropriate, connect them with the issues with symbols that are similar stylistically and as a consequence much more is known about these. Much of this work has been done by Steve Brinkman(our own @Fugio1 ) and Pierluigi Debernardi and is published on Steve's website here. This website is more and more commonly cited and I highly recommend anyone here interested in these coins read it and bookmark it as it is one of the most valuable sites on the web for identifying these types. More recently, Brinkman and Debernardi have published "A New Arrangement for RRC 53/2" in Revue Numismatique 2018(vol 175) which provides a further refinement to the arrangement of the coins that Crawford placed into the 53/2 group with a new grouping scheme along with further evidence provided by a much larger sample size. As few people have access to this new paper I've cited both website and paper groups herein. This coin fits into website group 6 which equals RN 2018 group D2, a scarcer and slightly later group, struck circa 207-206 B.C. at a somewhat higher weight standard and with higher purity silver than some of the earlier groups(note this example's massive 4.30g weight). As the website points out, this group is somewhat connected stylistically with one stylistic subgroup of the "spearhead" denarii, 88/2b, and so is probably still a field mint issue from Apulia or Campania but perhaps one of the final ones. The next group cited by the paper is thought to be a distinctly later emission based on the hard cutoff in many of the hoards and may represent the transition to the Rome mint. Roman Republic AR Denarius(4.30g, 20mm, 9h), anonymous, circa 207-206 B.C., Apulian or Campanian mint. Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, X / The Dioscuri galloping right; below, ROMA in linear frame. Crawford 53/2 and plate X, 17; Brinkman & Debernardi website 53/2 group 6 = Revue Numismatique 175(2018) group D2 Ex Collection of Z.P., Austria, Roma Numismatics Auction XVIII, 29 September 2019, lot 794, ex Italo Vecchi Auction 10, March 24-25 1998, lot 531 Before I leave, here's the coin as it appeared in Vecchi 10 in March 1998. As you can see, this coin has very uniform dark toning across the entire coin, suggesting a much older provenance which I'm still hunting for. I've got a tip to search a handful of lists from some old Italian firms and will be hunting those down soon and hoping I can add another link to the provenance chain. As always, feel free to share anything relevant
Nice visored helmet, @red_spork ! It’s such a beautifully classic image, you would think that there would be more of them. Here are my 2 peaked visor coins.
Super find, @red_spork ! I enjoy these early Denarii Reform coins: RR Anon 190 BCE AR den 20.9mm 3.7g Rome Hd Roma R X - Dioscuri riding spears, stars ROMA tablet [EDIT} Cr 53-2 x20
Nice one - I have one from this "53" series. After I got it (unattributed) I remember I spent a lot of time looking at helmets and capes to get the attribution (which doesn't mean I got it right). You are right: Steve Brinkman's site is an excellent source for these Here's my worn, off-center example: Roman Republic Denarius Anonymous Issue (c. 206-195 B.C.) Helmeted head of Roma right; with "peaked visor," X to left / The Dioscuri on horseback with "flag cape," ROMA under nearly exergual line. Cr 53/2; Brinkman Group 5 (3.63 grams / 19 mm)
As usual, amazing coins Phil! The corn-ear crooked staff has to be my favorite, great well rendered symbols and excellent style
Love it! Welcome to the 53/2 club! Anonymous. Ca 210-206 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.86 g, 3h). Uncertain Apulian mint. Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right; X (mark of value) behind. Reverse: The Dioscuri, each holding spear, on horseback right; two stars above; ROMA in exergue. Reference: Crawford 53/2 Provenance: CNG Electronic auction 408 (25 October 2017), lot 368, from the Andrew McCabe Collection. Ex Vecchi 13 (4 September 1998), lot 631. Anonymous. Ca 210-206 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 4.65 g, 1h). Uncertain Apulian mint. Obverse: Helmeted head of Roma right; X (mark of value) behind. Reverse: The Dioscuri, each holding spear, on horseback right; two stars above; ROMA in exergue. Reference: Crawford 53/2 Provenance: CNG Electronic auction 433 (28 November 2018), lot 240. Ex Freeman And Sear Mail Bid Sale 8 (5 February 2003), lot 356.
The coin illustrated is from a later period and is an anonymous version of the coin types with rostrum tridens (second series), star or rudder. So, 190s BC rather than 211-208 BC. See these two coins for style, just like your coin: Brinkman and Debernardi http://stevebrinkman.ancients.info/anonymous/ here number your type as "Cr.53/2" but note its absence from any second Punic war hoards as well as its clear relation to the coins of 190BC, specially star, rostrum tridens and rudder http://stevebrinkman.ancients.info/anonymous/#H53-2-X-20
Really superb example with a great pedigree @red_spork. I looked up the Vecchi 10 reference and was interested to see three examples of this 53/2 variation with the obverse visor curved downward. All are in similar condition, perhaps from the same hoard? This variation is not rare but it is far from common, especially in this condition, and it is unusual to see more than a single example in a sale. Here is mine:
I've got a couple 53/2's, along with their Brinkman groupings, I think. Happy to be corrected as I find them not so easy to discern sometimes. Group 8 Group 4
