Pretty Patina

Today in the post I received a coin I was attracted to not because of the rarity (it is indeed rare!), but more so because of the beautiful patina.



Domitian as Caesar
Æ As, 4.57g
Rome mint, 74 AD (Vespasian)
Obv: CAESAR DOMIT COS II; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: S C in laurel wreath
RIC 1578 (R2). BMC -. BNC -. RPC 2003 (0 Spec.).
Acquired from Forvm Ancient Coins, January 2020.

An extremely rare orichalcum As struck for Domitian Caesar under Vespasian in 74 AD. Traditionally the issue has been attributed to various Eastern mints, however, recent scholarship has shown that it was produced in Rome. Style, die axis, metal, and circulation pattern all point to a Western coinage, despite the 'Eastern' flavour of the reverse designs. T. Buttrey in the RIC II.1 Addenda wrote: 'There is nothing like this series in the whole of Roman imperial coinage. It is a deliberate act of Orientalism, imposing the flavour of the East on a Western coinage'. This particular As featuring a right facing portrait is rarer than the much more common left facing portrait. Missing from both the BM and Paris collections.

This coin is part of the same issue that my recent Titus Caesar semis is from. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/antioch-in-rome.354207/

Although the piece has an interesting numismatic story to tell, it was the aesthetically pleasing patina I was most attracted to.

Please post your pretty patinas!

 

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Glad you snapped it up David. Beautiful coin.

 

Very nice! Interesting history to it too.

 

It is a nice coin with an interesting story.

 

Very nice sibling to your Titus, David!

Here's what a "real" Eastern-curculated coin "of the orient" looks like... Plus I love it's dark, dark green and details that show through.

Domitian, 81-96 AD, Antioch, Syria, AE26
Obverse: IMP DOMITIA-NVS CAES AVG, laureate head right.
Reverse: Large SC within laurel wreath of eight leaves, fastened with pellet at top . References: RPC 2021
Size: 26mm, 12.7g

As patinas go, I love this Trajan...

Trajan, Ruled 98-117 AD
AE25, Struck 116/117 AD
Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Laodicea ad Mare
Obverse: ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟС ΑΡΙСΤ ΚΑΙС СΕΒ ΓΕΡ ΔΑΚ ΠΑΡ, laureate head of Trajan right with drapery on left shoulder.
Reverse: ΙΟΥΛΙΕωΝ ΤωΝ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΟΔΙΚΕωΝ ΓΞΡ, turreted and veiled bust of Tyche right, date M/KO (Caesarean year 163) before.
References: RPC III 3797-8
Size: 25mm, 9.8g

And these Trajans (whose tale of being minted in Rome but circulated in the East may actually be legitimate?)...

Trajan, Ruled 98-117 AD
Orichalcum As, Struck 115-116 AD
Speculated to be struck in Rome for circulation in Syria/Antioch.
Obverse: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM, radiate bust of Trajan right, with slight drapery.
Reverse: DAC PARTHICO P M TR POT XX COS VI P P, S C within laurel wreath.
References: RIC 647, McAlee 509
Size: 23mm, 7.05g


Trajan, Ruled 98-117 AD
Orichalcum As, Struck 115-116 AD
Speculated to be struck in Rome for circulation in Syria/Antioch.
Obverse: IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GERM, radiate bust of Trajan right, with slight drapery.
Reverse: DAC PARTHICO P M TR POT XX COS VI P P, S C within laurel wreath.
References: RIC 647, McAlee 509
Size: 23mm, 7.97g

 

My A-P of Tyche has a nice chocolate patina with brass highlights.

Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.)
Laodicaea ad Mare
Obverse: Portrait of AP right
Reverse: Portrait of Tyche left, with city represented on her head, countermark on Pius' left shoulder, AE 27 14.2 grams

 

Like the OP example I really like coins with a very light color dusting over a dark surface. Here's another one:
Macedonian Kingdom (Anonymous issue), ca 323-275 BC
Obv: Head of Herakles facing, wearing lion's skin headdress, forming central boss of Macedonian shield ornamented with five double crescents
Rev: Crested Macedonian helmet with cheek guards; monogram to left, caduceus to right

 

Many of my Sicilians have nice patina's me think:

 

Nice Domitian and patina David! Some of my fav patinas.

 

Nice one David.

DOMITIAN
AE23
OBVERSE: AVT KAISAR DOMITAINOS SEB, laureate head right
REVERSE: KIONON MAKEDONWN, Macedonian shield
Struck at Koinon of Macedonia, 81-96AD
8.2g, 23mm
RPC 336, SNG Cop 1337, Moushmov 5881

 

A few of my Flavian "greenies"...

 

An amazing coin David. Congrats.

 

I've had this one for over 12 years. It's not quite so "bright" in hand.

 

Nice addition David.
Do you really think these coins were minted in Rome? The flan weight seems a bit low for an imperial As.

 

I really don't have any doubts the mint is Rome. The various reasons why I believe so are stated in the OP. To my mind the bigger mystery is the intended purpose of these coins. Are they commemorative, and if so, commemorating what? T. Buttrey theorised it is a celebration of Vespasian's career and elevation in the East.

 

If it was struck in Rome and intended for use in Italy I would call it a semis at 4,57 gram.
I think it was minted for use in Syria , not uncommon that coins were minted in Rome for use in the provinces.

Semis Hadrian 4,9 gram struck in Rome:


Light As Trajan 6 gram struck in Rome:



just my 2cents.

 

For consistency sake, I have attributed it as an As because all the major references (RIC, BMC, and RPC) do so.

The citations for the coins from this issue are heavily weighted towards the Western empire, very few are in the East. T. Buttrey in the RIC II addenda says this about the circulation pattern 'The citations in RPC II are drawn almost entirely from Western collections, and total: Western - 108, Eastern - 4. The Eastern finds appear to be simply the débris of Mediterranean circulation.' It seems very few made it to Syria!

 

OK, its clearly for western circulation , what is the diameter of your coin ?

 

22mm. You do bring up a good point about how these coins appear physically smaller in size and weight than the corresponding regular issues. Strangely enough, they are also made of orichalcum and were clearly intended to circulate with the standard coins the mint was contemporaneously producing. I wonder how that worked out?

 

At 22mm and 4,57 gram its hard to believe a Roman would accept it as an As for payment. My lightest As is 6 gram but it has the diameter of a regular As with 26 mm. I believe your coin is a Semis, but since it made of orichalcum it could be a half Dupondius ? = 1 As.