My Top 10 Denarii of 2019

My focus is the Severan Dynasty. I'm counting down in chronological order by ruler since it's hard to put them in order from best to worst:

10. Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Rome, 193 CE.

17mm, 2.87g, 12h. BMCRE W7, Hill 20 (R4), RIC 2, RSC 256. Obv: IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG; head laureate r. Rx: LEG – I – AD–IVT; legionary eagle on low perch l., between 2 standards / TRP COS in exergue. Very rare; 1 in Reka Devnia. Toned VF.

Ex Phil Peck Collection.

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9. Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Emesa, 194–5 CE.

17mm, 3.41g, 7h. BMCRE 390 var (obv. legend error), RIC 416 var (same)., RSC 628 var (same). Obv: IMP CAE L SEP SE - V PERT VG [sic, A omitted] C[OS II]; head laureate r. Rx: SAECVL FELICIT; Crescent and 7 stars. Extremely rare. VF.

From Harlan J. Berk: “A scarce reverse type (11 specimens in Reka Devnia hoard), unpublished in combination with this erroneous obverse legend, omitting the A of AVG. This legend error is known to C. Clay on only four other denarii, all from the same obverse die as the new SAECVL FELICIT coin, but with reverse types VICT AVG, Victory advancing left (Paris, Vienna, Clay), and VICT AVG, Victory seated left (BMC 402A, the legend error overlooked in the catalogue description.”

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8. Julia Domna. AR denarius, Laodicea ad Mare, 196–202 CE.
19mm, 3.46g, 6h. BMCRE S31 and S600, RIC S639 (C), RSC 72. Obv: IVLIA – AVGVSTA; draped bust r. Rx: HIL–A–RITAS; Hilaritas standing left, holding palm and cornucopia. Toned; good VF.

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7. Caracalla. AR denarius, Rome, 211 CE.

18mm, 3.14g, 12h. BMCRE G1 note, Hill 1275 (S2) var., RIC 189 note (citing Mazzini), RSC 84a. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS – AVG BRIT; head laureate r. Rx: FORT RED PM TR P – XIIII COS III P P; Fortuna standing half-l., holding cornucopia and leaning on reversed rudder. Good VF.

A very rare variant of the type without a wheel at the feet of Fortuna; 1 in Reka Devnia.

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6. Caracalla. AR denarius, Rome, 216 CE.
19mm, 3.21g, 5h. BMCRE 155–6, Hill 1535 (C), RIC 275a, RSC 337. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM; man’s laureate head r. Rx: P M TR P XVIIII – COS IIII P P; Jupiter, naked except for cloak on shoulder, standing half-r., looking back l., holding thunderbolt and long scepter. EF.

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5. Plautilla. AR denarius, Rome, 202–5 CE.
19mm, 3.43g, 6h. BMCRE 406-10, Hill 575B (C), RIC 362 (S), RSC 21. Obv: PLAVTILLAE – AVGVSTAE; draped bust r., with hair in nearly vertical waves and drawn into large bun at back. Rx: PROPAGO • IMPERI; Caracalla and Plautilla standing, hand in hand, the former holds roll. VF.

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4. Geta. AR denarius, Rome, 211 CE.
20mm, 3.07g, 6h. BMCRE G8–9, Hill 1263 (R4 but should be R), RIC 77 note, RSC 62a. Obv: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT; man’s laureate head r., bearded. Rx: FORT RED TR P III; COS II P P in exergue; Fortuna reclining r., elbow on wheel and holding cornucopia. Scarce type; 15 in Reka Devnia. Near EF.

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3. Macrinus. AR denarius, 2nd emission, Rome, c. March 218 CE.
19mm, 3.45g, 5h. BMCRE 45–6, RIC 27, RSC 51. Obv: IMP CM OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG; bust laureate, draped and cuirassed r., seen half from back. Rx: P M TR P COS P P; Macrinus seated l. on curule chair, holding globe and court (short) scepter. FDC.

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2. Elagabalus. AR denarius, Rome, 218–22 CE.

20mm, 2.85g, 6h. BMCRE 235, RIC 161, RSC 300a, Thirion 317 (C). Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; laureate and draped bust r. Rx: VICTOR–I–A AVG; Victory flying l., holding diadem in both hands; small shield to either side, star in field r. EF.

Ex Johannes Stelzhammer Collection.

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1. Julia Maesa. AR denarius, Eastern, 218–22 CE.

20mm, 3.23g, 1h. BMCRE 295, RIC 256, RSC 20 and 21. Obv: IVLIA MAESA AVG; draped and diademed bust r. Rx: I–V–NO; Juno, standing half-l., holding patera and scepter, peacock at feet. Rare; 6 in Reka Devnia. Lightly toned; EF.

 

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Very nice and choice group. Well centered with full legends.
I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, so 3,4,5 are my picks.

 

great coins, my favorites -
the eagle and standards reverse and

 

10 wonderful coins! My favorite is your number 10, so well centered as yours you don't see legionary denarii often. Moreover, the coin is very rare. Simply can say that you had a good year.

 

benhur767, Lovely acquisitions ! On pure aesthetics I like #5 & 3. The reverse on the Macrinus denarius is sensational . For rarity, the legionary denarius of Severus #10 wins the prize .

 

Nice beauties @benhur767! My favorites are no. 10 and no. 3.

 

Splendid group of Severan denarii!

The Jupiter reverse on your Caracalla denarius (#6) is especially outstanding, as is the bearded portrait of Geta (#4).

(By the way, I also very much like your avatar. Those Septimius Severus denarii with a Neptune reverse aren't easy to find in good condition and style.)

 

As a fan of Legionaries, I have to go with the excellent #10. Each LEG I version is RD1.
I ITAL missing the I. It probably was erased by the wing???

I ITAL

I ADIVT

I MIN

 

Great coins! My favorites are the crescent and stars issue of Septimius Severus and the Maesa with the diademed bust. The Macrinus is exceptional, too.

 

Splendid Severans! My favourites are the bookends, and the marriage issue in the middle.

 

I like all of them, @benhur767 ! The images are sharp and centered. Plautilla is my favorite.

 

All are nice, but my favorite is the Macrinus. Wonderful detail!

 

Wow! I'm thinking one thing you especially like is a well struck, finely detailed reverse from fresh dies. #5 jumped out at me as especially impressive in this regard.

 

I agree. It is a beautiful group with consistent high quality. I like them all. For me the best would be the Septimius Severus legion 1 (#10), which is hard to find, and 5, 4, and 3 which are excellent examples. Maybe most would not care about the reverse of the Geta, but I have a web page on FORTVNA REDVX

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/Fortuna/

and that would fit in nicely.

Have a great 2020!

 

I always found it interesting that Geta coins of the time he was issuing in parallel to his father and brother tend to be different types and, often, just a bit more interesting compared to the other two. I would love to know what input each person exercised over the type selection for their coins. In the beginning both boys had the same types but as their hatred grew it seems like they insisted on the other not being allowed to use 'their' types. I really (!) would like to be that fly on the wall that got to hear what Septimius and Domna had to say about the way their boys were growing into men. When Septimius told them to get along with each other, had he no clue whatsoever that the end would play out as it did?

Septimius at 'Emesa' really had a good variation of Fortuna Redux types:




Of course, guys like me can get carried away with nit-pick details. The one below is the only one I have seen with cross supports under the chair.

 

In addition to being Severan, there's something else these have in common: great style! What a nicely matched group of coins! That makes it extremely difficult to pick favorites. The Macrinus, Geta, Plautilla, Maesa, and Domna are all tied for first .

 

Thank you for your comments @Valentinian ! I agree, the style of the figure on the reverse is clunky and not as pleasing as the other coins in the group. Positives: The portrait clearly shows the beginnings of the forked beard in imitation of his father; it's well struck for the type; this variety with COS II PP in exergue is much less common than COS II PP around with blank exergue.

 

Thank you for your comments @TIF ! I think the Plautilla is perhaps the most exceptional compared to her typical portraits. And the Maesa portrait from this particular die has an almost delicate quality to it compared to her typical portraits.

 

Thank you for your comments, @dougsmit ! This is a fascinating story and really fires the imagination. I'd like to be the another fly on the wall in the Severan household.

I love the idiosyncratic style of these Eastern types. The coin with the left-facing portrait looks like a real rarity!

 

Thanks for your comments @Severus Alexander Yes, you have me pinned down