Beggars (and specialists) can't be choosers when tracking down obscure rarities - you take what you can get. And that is exactly the case with my latest addition. Domitian Æ Dupondius, 12.04g Eastern Mint (Thrace?), 81 AD Obv: IMP D CAES DIVI VESP F AVG P M TR P P P COS VII; Head of Domitian, radiate, bearded, r. Rev: ROMA; S C in exergue; Roma std. l. on cuirass, with wreath and parazonium RIC 833 (R). BMC 514. BNC 549. RPC 528. Acquired from Incitatus Coins, November 2020. An Eastern mystery mint struck imperial bronze coins for Titus and Domitian between 80-81. The style (heavily seriffed letters, large portraits, and massive reverse figures), and uncommon fabric (flat, almost convex flans) all suggest a mint other than Rome. Attributing exactly where these coins were struck has historically been a moving target - Mattingly in BMCRE thought Lugdunum, H.A. Cahn believed somewhere in Bithynia. More recent scholarship has looked towards Thrace as a possible location for production based on the Balkan distribution pattern of found specimens. Although the region of mintage has been narrowed down, the city itself remains elusive. RPC has suggested possibly Perinthus. Presumably a shortage of bronze coins in the region prompted a localised imperial issue which consists of sestertii, dupondii, asses, and semisses copying types struck at Rome. The mystery mint continued production uninterrupted for Domitian as Augustus after Titus's death in September 81 for perhaps a few months with little change in types. This Roma dupondius is a carry-over type from Titus's issue with only slight changes to the obverse legend to fit Domitian's nomenclature. It's the only reverse type struck for the dupondius in the series for both Titus and Domitian. These Domitianic 'Thracian' bronzes are much rarer than those coined under Titus, very likely because of the issue's short production period under Domitian. Do you have a rough rarity? I'd like to see it!
Rough but Rare This Faustina from Alexandria is the only example in RPC online, but quite rough. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/16407 Faustina II Alexandria Billon-Tetradrachm Obv.: ΦAVCTINA CEBACTH, draped bust left Rev.: L Δ, laureate-headed and draped bust of Zeus, right (countermark) Billon, 12.68g, 21.5mm Ref.: Dattari-Savio Pl. 194, 9876 second (this coin), RPC online 16407 (this coin) Ex Dattari Collection
Portrait Sestertii of Tiberius should not be "obscure" at all. Taking into account the facts that the vast majority of roman imperial Coins feature a portrait on the obverse, that Sestertii are one of the most common denominations of the early empire, and that coins in the name of Tiberius are abundant, a novice would expect them to be as common as those of any other long-reigning Emperor. Yet in reality they are harder to come by than obscurities like Sestertii of Gordian I or II, making this the Nr. 1 obstacle for a "complete" looking collection. My budget example is rough but therefore for me nevertheless irreplacable: TI CAESAR AVGVSTI F IMPERATOR V - bare head of Tiberius left / ROM ET AVG - The great Altar of Roma and Augustus at Lugdunum, flanked by columns surmounted by statues of Victory right and left, the altar ornamented with row of uncertain objects along the top and three wreaths on the front panel. Ochichalcum Sestertius, Lugdunum AD 10-11 (under Augustus) 36,43 mm / 22,06 gr RIC (Augustus) 240; BMCRE (Augustus) 572-3; CBN (Augustus) 1737; Cayon (Los Sestercios del Imperio Romano) 4; Cohen 28; Sear (Roman Coins & Their Values I) 1753
It's a great feeling, isn't it, @David Atherton, to add an unappreciated rarity to one's collection? This one of Faustina II with a stephaned bust is rough but probably irreplaceable. After an exhaustive internet search, there appear to be only three other examples: The one in the British Museum, The one in BnF cited by Cohen, and an example sold at an iNumis Mail Bid Sale 6 07.11.2008 Lot 224 Faustina II, AD 147-175. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.68 g, 32.3 mm, 1 h. Rome, AD 170-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, Bust of Faustina II, draped and wearing stephane, right. Rev: DIANA LVCIFERA S C, Diana standing right, holding lighted torch in both hands. Refs: RIC 1631; BMCRE 901; Cohen 91; RCV 5272 var. (no stephane); MIR 8-6/10c diad. Notes: Obverse die-match to the British Museum specimen.
I got this one and posted it about a month ago. It's listed as R5 in Emmett and there is only 1 in RPC online and is the only example I could find to compare to. Claudius, Ruled 41-54 AD BL Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Dated RY 3, Struck 42/43 AD Obverse: ΤΙ ΚΛΑVΔΙ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒΑ ΓΕΡΜΑΝΙ ΑVΤΟΚP, laureate head right, LΓ (RY 3) at lower right. Reverse: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΑ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗ, bust of Antonia right. References: Emmett 73 R5, RPC 5133 Size: 26.5mm, 9.0g
Great find, @David Atherton ! I really do not worry much about "condition", rather, what the coin is... This is a harder one to find... Roman Republic AE Quincunx Luceria mint, 210 BCE, 6.96g Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right "Pi" behind Rev: The Dioscuri galloping right, five pellets below. Ref: Crawford 99/4; Sydenham 309; Sear 912 Ex: Aegean Coins; Ex CNG 42, lot 760 (part of) 5/29/97; Ex RBW collection with envelope Comment: denomination that was only made for a few years. Very Rare
