A REMARKABLE STORY of a ROMAN IMPERIAL SESTERTIUS This bronze coin of Plotina in the form of a Sestertius was carefully struck on a specially created large flan. After the premature death of Prof. Sarti in 1904 this coin was sold in the Prospero Sarti sale in 1906. It was described as ‘Magnifique’. The coin came from the Bolsena hoard that Sarti acquired encase and the hoard/collection was described ‘as having coins that were pieces of conservation meravigiosa (extraordinario, fantastic)’. This Sestertius has remained in the same condition as found in the 1890’s, over 100 years without be cleaned and in an untouched state. This is an extraordinary coin The sestertius was minted in c. 112 AD in honour of Pompeia PLOTINA, the wife of TRAJAN (emperor from 98 to 117). It is the finest examples of its type to survive from ancient times. Photographed coins shown in the catalogue is a rarity in itself in 1906 and not ‘plaster cast’ plates. There were two hundred of the finest coins from the hoard at Bolsena which consisted of approximately 4000 large bronze almost all of the imperial (high) empire. Contemporary to the time it was written in 1906 Rivista Italiana di Numismatica journal that mentioned the Proff. Sarti sale the Bolsena Hoard coins. The hoard was of Bronze, the period covered was from Augustus to Faustina a period of +/- 170 years from the beginning of the Roman Empire. From a report 1906 – ‘(Senior)Pei sighted some large bronzes and we do not believe even necessary to identify the individual coins, because in this sale the rarity of names showers was completely neglected, prevailing absolutely the modern theory that conservation not only goes on to everything, but the only element of judgment Great bronze Price sold for in Italian Lire Augustus 105, Livia I5o, Tiberlo 125, Drusus 170, Nero Drusus 130, Agrippina inadre 530, Caligola 120 and 410, Claudio 55 and 225, Nero, 10, 135, 150, 16o, 310, 410, Galba 86, 97, 150, i6o, 280, 310, Vitellius 205, 285, Vespasian 6o, 70, 75, 6o, Tito 8o, 210, Domitian 30, 50, 120, Nerva 120, 200, Trajano 50, 60, 110, 150, Plotina 650.1400, Adriano 40, 50, 130, Sabina 50, 120, 125, 150, Elio 150, Antoninus Pius, M. Aurelio, Faustina, 40, 50, 8o, etc. Etc. [We do not believe that no other sales in the Roman bronzes of beautiful conservation have been a much enthusiastic reception]. These coins as a hoard/collection acquired in total by Professor Prospero Sarti. It was written in translation from Italian ‘To the coins, chosen one by one and that were just a bit more than 200 was sold in addition a rich and beautiful hoard found a few years ago in Bolsena and constituted by c. 4000 large bronzes nearly all from the high empire. The Ing. Sarti bought them all en bloc but never had time to examine it, clean it and classify it as he died before being able to do so. In this hoard were coins of amazing conservation […] Many questions are raised by academics from were exactly was the ‘find spot of the hoard’ were they recorded to exactly how they were found in a pot, in a cave, wrapped in fabric, skins, or other materials had the outer wrapping decayed completely? ++, the exact type of area (we may consider) was it volcanic so they had kept their conservation. A larger questions is based on the total period span which is 175 years, how is it possible that the coins had so many individual rarities, why just BRONZES? Why such wonderful condition. The condition was so incredible piece by piece? Can we now question in fact of what is a hoard? Or was it a family collection? Or even a Museum of the period? This was a time capsule from the beginning of the Roman Empire, they were coins that date our history, no gold or silver but bronze. They are works of art showing not only the Emperors & Empresses but the fetes and achievements, the deities they worshipped the propaganda to the people of the Empire. The coin acquired at a sale was a freak of chance that the coin had for two generations been locked in a vault, the property of a Pharmacist, he would have owned it for +/- 30 years. – what is more likely it had been bought in 1906 for 1400 lire, so large and magnificent just sold by the dealer like Hirch and locked away in one collection until auctioned untouched. One should read carefully several times the report in the 1906 Rivista Italiana di Numismatica, page. 276-277, a review (!) of the Sarti Sale. We require to know who found the hoard, who recorded it, what records available. I love Roman coins because of their artistry, their beautiful style, the fact that their content tells us about classical antiquity and, of course, for their quality. The Sestertius is, for me, the unsurpassed Roman Imperial Roman coin to collect, since its size allows the die engraver great scope and because, over time, it can develop an often colorful and beautiful patina, which, once again, appears most magnificently on a coin of this size. In fact, in my opinion the sestertius is the most interesting denomination of the Roman Imperial coinage. Its value was officially a quarter of the silver Denarius, but its large size meant that it was a perfect vehicle for propaganda purposes, and was used as such from when it was first issued under Augustus until it was discontinued during the great inflation of the 260s. The sestertius described below was minted in c. 112 AD in honour of Pompeia PLOTINA, the wife of TRAJAN (emperor from 98 to 117). It is the finest examples of its type to survive from ancient times. Plotina is portrayed with aquiline features, with her hair raised over a diadem over her forehead, and bound with pearls. The wonderful long spiral curls of her hair twist around each other sinuously at the back of her head. On the reverse Fides (Trust) stands facing, her head turned to the right, and holds a basket of fruit with her left hand and barley ears in her right. This coin is an extremely rare Roman Imperial orichalcum (brass) Sestertius of Plotina, and is both an exceptionally fine example and is in its original condition as found (when this piece was sold for 1400 Lire in 1906 this price was simply astoundingly high). There are no other specimens known in this overall condition that have not been at least somewhat re-touched; all the others are of poorer quality, tooled or smoothed (sometimes drastically). *Extract: 1906 Rivista Italiana di Numismatica, p. 276-277, a review of the Sarti Sale… Sale, Sarti in Rome. - This past May in Sangiorgi Gallery in Rome saw the sale of coins and ancient bronzes left by 'Prospero Sarti, Prof. Mr’. The coins cannot be said to constitute a collection itself, it was a choice of beautiful bronzes patiently created over a long period of years in the past, a large quantity of coins in the hands of an amateur. In fact, it contained pieces in a fantastic (meravigIiosa, extraordinario) state of preservation. Two hundred coins, individually chosen to which was added a rich beautiful hoard found a few years ago in Bolsena and consisting of approximately 4000 large bronzes, almost all of the imperial (high) empire. Mr. Sarti had purchased the entire hoard, but had no time to examine it or clean it up before his death. Also in this hoard were some coins in beautiful preservation. The sale attracted amateurs, many shopkeepers or specialists who also competed and prices went up, they went up to limits so far never achieved. Pei lists some large bronzes and we do not believe it even necessary to identify the individual coins, because in this sale the rarity of names seen was completely neglected, prevailing absolutely the modern theory that conservation not only applies to everything, but is the only element of judgment. We believe there have been no other sales of Roman bronzes in beautiful conservation that have had such an enthusiastic reception. Great bronze (as listed from the Sarti Sale 1906). Augustus, Livia, Tiberius, Drusus, Nero Drusus, Agrippina, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Nerva, Trajan, Plotina, Hadrian, Sabina, Aelius, Antoninus Pius, M. Aurelius, Faustina. Photography: Taking photographs of coins that were from a hoard, in this case 5% of uncleaned and with loose material encrusted created a new challenge. The coins illustrated on the Sarti (Sangiorgi Rome) plates were illustrated by DIRECT PHOTOGRAPHY, NOT FROM CASTS. They were simply photographed from casts the way plates were almost invariably made in those days. Any difference in shape between the coin as illustrated in Sarti and in later catalogues is from the fact that the photograph used in Sarti was improperly trimmed before the plate was made. This means that ALL THE COINS ILLUSTRATED IN SARTI Sangiorgi Rome SHOWS US THE COINS IN DIRECT PHOTOGRAPHS. Sangiorgi in Rome, was a very serious firm that sold all kinds of things at auction at the beginning of the 1900’s, probably they had its own studio and, thus, was enabled to do direct photographs of the coins.
Great looking OP-coin ... man, you have some very cool examples (congrats) Sadly, I don't have any Plotina coins to toss into your thread (I'm actually quite surprised that there aren't more Plotina examples, considering that there are sooooo many examples of her husband, Trajan)
nothing like OP's magnificent piece but the same issue nevertheless. Just happened to be near end of auction now http://www.ebay.com/itm/391372800247?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
corrosion seemed consistent over fields on both sides. I don't know if behind the hair thingy or front face, but maybe just protected by the deep strike, like upper letters. Comparing with that coin we can really see how sharp the details on OP's coin were.
Hey, I could be wrong and I very seldom throw-out the cautian-flag, but my spidey sense was tingling, so I figured that I should say something (man, you certainly aren't expected to listen to my drunken post Super Bowl blither!!) *edit* Hey, maybe you're correct? ... now that I look at it a bit closer, perhaps it's all good (I certainly hope that is the sweet final decision) I like you guys (cool fricken coin, no matter what, right?) ... they always look pretty sweet, to me
OP merely stands for the "Original Posted" coin, or "Original Poster" (the dude that started the coin-thread) ... ummm, I'm pretty sure that's what it stands for ...
