So I managed to pick up a few wins today. While my general focus is the Flavian emperors, I specialize in the denarii of Domitian. I did not win any of those today, but I did add several for Domitian. So this first coin I won because it cost me 1 Euro. Okay, so an 1800-year-old coin for 1 Euro. Yup, I will take that. CILICIA, Anazarbus. Severus Alexander. 222-235 AD. Æ . Reference:SNG Levante 1471 Condition: Very Fine Weight: 11,6 gr Diameter: 25 mm I have actually been looking for a cheap Diocletian because I thought it would be interesting to have one from his reign. What I did not expect was getting one for 4 Euro. Diocletian (284-305), AE Antoninianus, issued 285. Antioch, 6th officina. Obv: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: IOVI CONSERVATO-RI AVGG, emperor standing right, holding parazonium, receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter standing left, holding sceptre; S//XXI. Reference:RIC V 325 Condition: Very Fine Weight: 3,5 gr Diameter: 21 mm This one is a coin of Domitian. I bought it because I love the large SC on the reverse. I also like this left-facing portrait. Domitian, as Caesar, Æ Semis of Antioch, Seleucis and Pieria. AD 69-81. Laureate head left / SC within laurel wreath. Reference:McAlee 403c; RPC 2017 Condition: Very Fine Weight: 5,8 gr Diameter: 19 mm I wanted this one because I had no example of the type. I also thought it was interesting because I do not remember seeing one like this before CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea-Eusebia. Domitian. AD 81-96. AR. Reference: Condition: Very Fine Weight: 3,3 gr Diameter: 16 mm I also wanted this one because I did not have an example. I have wanted a Domitian provincial with Tyche on the reverse and this one suits that purpose. CILICIA. Anazarbus. Domitian, 81-96. AVΤΟ KAI ΘΕ ΥΙΟΣ DOMITIANOΣ ΣΕ ΓΕP Laureate head of Domitian to right; all within fillet border. Rev. ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΩΝ ΠΡ ΑΝΑΖΑΡΒΩ // ΕΤΟΥΣ/ΙΓΡ Turreted and veiled head of Tyche to right; all within a border of dots. Reference:BMC 7. RPC 1754. SNG Paris 2018. Condition: Very Fine Weight: 13,9 gr Diameter: 27 mm And here is the one I really wanted. Not a rare coin but very cool imho. The portrait is very nice and I also love the reverse. CAPPADOCIA, Caesarea. Domitian. 81-96. AR Didrachm. Laureate head right / Club of Hercules resting vertically on ground; date across field. Reference: RPC II 1670; Metcalf, Caesarea 24; Sydenham, Caesarea 126 Condition: Very Fine Weight: 6,5 gr Diameter: 19 mm
Great coins! I really like those Cappadocians! NSB=Not So Bad I expect that I will be disappointed each time I buy from them. Then when the coins show up, I say, "Hey, not so Bad." I received coins from their last auction a week back and was happy, so picked up a few more today as well With @Roman Collector in mind, I upgraded my best looking Faustina the elder denarius: Diva Faustina I AR Denarius. Struck under Antoninus Pius, Rome, AD 141. DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust left / AETERNITAS, Juno standing left, raising right hand and holding sceptre. Reference:RIC 344 Condition: Very Fine Weight: 2,8 gr Diameter: 17 mm And, I'm pretty sure, a recent thread from @Victor_Clark had me sold on getting a Constantine sans writing on the obverse. I blame him for getting me excited about the type... not for whomever over cleaning the schnikes out of this coin: Constantine I augustus, 310-337 Follis, Antiochia 324-325, Æ 2.14 g. Laureate head r. Rev. wreath / CONSTAN / TINVS / AVG / SMANTB. Reference: RIC 57 Condition: Very Fine Weight: 1,6 gr Diameter: 18 mm And it is HARD to find a decent Galeria Valeria (as well a saying her name five times fast). So, I was plenty happy to pick up an upgrade on a Augusta rarity... for twelve euros! Galeria Valeria (293-311). Æ Follis. Hera. Diademed and draped bust r. R/ Venus standing facing, head l., holding apple in r. hand and raising drapery over shoulder with left, star in l. Field. Reference: Condition: Very Fine Weight: 5,4 gr Diameter: 24 mm And these weren't even my main mark. Write up to come. Again, NSB really is Not So Bad
Very nice! I once devoted an entire installment of Faustina Friday to this reverse type. Mine's not as round. Faustina I, AD 138-140. Roman AR denarius, 3.22 g, 18.6 mm, 1 h. Rome, AD 150 or later. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: AETERNITAS, Female figure (Aeternitas? Juno?) veiled and draped, standing facing, head left, raising right hand and holding scepter in left hand. Refs: RIC 344; BMCRE 351; Cohen 26; Strack 448; RCV 4574; CRE 103.
Good coins, @Orfew. I noticed the NBS auctions (NBS not NSB unless this is a joke I didn't catch ) I especially like the Seleucis and Pieria Domitian. I like these coins and I intend to buy more, even if the reverses are almost identical through the years, the portraits of the emperors are well executed. I have recently bought some of them also. Older ones (older as in acquired before these) I like the Claudius one the most (the most expensive among these) but also the Augustus one. It was my first Augustus coin and I was extremely happy when my bid was the winner. As for the 1 EUR coin from Severus Alexander, who could ask for more. Well, let's not forget that NBS has a 10% premium, so it was actually 1.10 EUR. Still decent! (joke). My cheapest ancient coin bought individually was this beaten Aeolis, Kyme eagle. But the cost was 3 times your Severus Alexander. So with taxes, 3.435 EUR. I could think of worse ways to spend this sum.
I got an A in the auction. Bronze Byzantine commercial weight Mark of value - Γ.A, one ounce, and Cross all inside a wreath, 3 dots is each corner 27.6 grams, 22 mm
