Here are my top 10. 10. Caracalla. AR denarius, Rome, 208 CE; 18mm, 2.87g, 6h. BMCRE S574–5, RIC 108, RSC 510. Obv: ANTONINVS – PIVS AVG; youth’s laureate head r. Rx: PONTIF TR P XI – COS III around, PROF in exergue; Caracalla, in military attire, on horse walking r., holding spear; before him, foeman kneeling r., raising r. hand. Fine style with old collection toning; VF. ------------------------ 9. Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Rome, 210 CE; 19mm, 3.09g, 11h. BMCRE 26, Hill 1149 (S2), RIC 234, RSC 543. Obv: SEVERVS – PIVS AVG; head laureate r. Rx: P M TR P XVIII – COS III P P; Neptune, naked but for cloak from shoulder, standing half-l., foot on rock, holding trident and resting r. hand on knee. Good EF. ------------------------ 8. Elagabalus. AR denarius, Rome, 221 CE; 18mm, 2.78g, 7h. BMCRE 262, RIC 51, RSC 204, Thirion 185 (R). Obv: IMP ANTONINVS – PIVS AVG; laureate bust r., draped, seen from the front, with “horn” over forehead, bearded. Rx: P M TR P IIII CO–S III P P; Elagabalus, laureate and in Syrian priestly dress, standing l. holding patera above altar in r. hand and club upwards in l. hand; before him and placed between the altar and the emperor, a standard; behind him a decorated spear; star in field l. Rare variant with standard before and spear behind the emperor; 0 in Reka Devnia. For an illustrated example, see BMCRE 340 (misattributed to Antioch), pl. 93, no. 6. ------------------------ 7. Elagabalus. AR denarius, Rome, 221–2 CE; 20mm, 3.05g, 6h. BMCRE 225 note var (two stars)., RIC 131 var (same)., RSC 246 var (same), Thirion 304 (R3). Obv: IMP ANTONINVS – PIVS AVG; laureate bust r., draped, seen from the front, with horn over forehead, incipient beard. Rx: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB; Elagabalus standing r., sacrificing out of patera over lighted altar, holding club or rod (cypress?) upright; two stars, one each in fields l. and r. MS. ------------------------ 6. Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Rome, 210–1 CE; 19mm, 3.25g, 2h. BMCRE G57, CRB 44, Hill 1139 (R), RIC 336, RSC 730. Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT; head laureate r. Rx: VICTORIAE B–RIT; Victory, half-naked, standing front, head r., holding palm in r. hand, attaching round shield to palm tree. Rare; 0 in Reka Devnia. Toned; near EF. From the Frederick S. Knobloch Collection. ------------------------ 5. Septimius Severus. Æ as, Rome, 208 CE; 26mm, 8.94g, 1 h. BMCRE —, C —, Hill —, RIC —. Obv: SEVERVS – PIVS AVG; head laureate r. Rx: P M TR P XVI COS III P P / S - C in exergue; Jupiter standing front, head to r., holding thunderbolt in his r. hand and scepter with his l. Somewhat rough, otherwise, good F. Extremely rare; unpublished in the standard references and possibly unique. ------------------------ 4. Septimius Severus. AR denarius (posthumous issue), Rome, struck under Caracalla 211(?) CE; 19mm, 3.36g, 11h. BMCRE C21–3, RSC 84, Hill 1232 (R), RIC 191c (Caracalla) (S). Obv: DIVO SEVERO PIO; bare head r. Rx: CONSECRATIO; eagle standing front on globe, looking l. Scarce; 10 in Reka Devnia. EF. ------------------------ 3. Septimius Severus. AR denarius, Rome, 193 CE; 18mm, 3.33g, 1h. BMCRE 8, Hill 22 (R3), RIC 5, RSC 260. Obv: IMP CAE L SEP S–EV PERT AVG; head laureate r. Rx: LEG II ADIVT; legionary eagle on low perch l., between 2 standards / TRP COS in exergue. Rare; 4 in Reka Devnia. VF. ------------------------ 2. Annia Faustina. Egypt, 221 CE. Potin tetradrachm, Alexandria, dated RY 5 of Elagabalus (222 CE). 23mm, 11.98g, 11h. Köln 2385, Dattari (Savio) 4193, K&G 59.6. Obv: ANNIA – ΦAYCTINA – [CEBA]; draped bust r. Rx: conjoined busts of Helios and Selene; L Є (date) before. Dark brown patina; VF. ------------------------ 1. Caracalla. Thrace, Serdica, c. 211 CE. Æ29, 17.35g. Varbanov 2233 var (bust). Obv: AYT K M AY CEV ANTΩNEINΟC; man’s laureate head r., bearded. Rx: OYΛΠIAC CEPΔI / KHC in exergue; Geta standing r. and Caracalla standing l. [?], each holding parazonium and reversed spear, with a foot on a kneeling captive; between, trophy on shaft. Very rare variety with head only rather than bust. Near EF.
Here are the top 10 in the form of a virtual tray. I like to be able to see the coins to scale next to each other. Click the image to enlarge (you might need to scroll horizontally to view them all).
Great group!!! Any full legend legionary gets my vote even if it is not the most rare one. RD4 ties it for second most common. I am sad to see so many Severans and no Eastern mint denarii but I should be glad not everyone likes them.
The legionary is amazing and as perfect an example as I’ve seen, but the Annia Faustina is my favorite. I rounded off my poll picks with the posthumous issue, which I thought was outstanding as well. You had a great year!
@dougsmit Thank you for your comments! I bought several Eastern-mint Severan denarii this year. I will plan to include some of them in a "runners-up" post.
Those are some great coins @benhur767 congrats on a great year. That CONSECRATIO Septimius Severus is a gorgeous coin and I love the reverse of your Caracalla denarius.
I too like them all but voted for: #9 Septimius Severus, denarius. Neptune #7 Elagabalus, denarius. SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB, Emperor sacrificing #4 Septimius Severus, denarius. CONSECRATIO, eagle on globe Great job!!
Well done @benhur767 . I really do not collect in this area, but they are all excellent examples! Nice captures. I do still need to snare an Annia Faustina. That is a tough one to get. Nice!
Great ten, looks like you had a great year. I especially like your Septimius Severus silver. Congrats.
