Featured The “Roman” Caduceus challenge

A big Baktrian kerykeion/caduceus.

BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom
Demetrios I Aniketos
AE Trichalkon. 12.14g, 31mm. BAKTRIA, Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, circa 200-185 BC. SNG ANS 209-11. O: Head of elephant right, wearing bell around neck. R: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ; Kerykeion (caduceus); N to inner left.

And my most recent coin with a caduceus.

ANTONINUS PIUS
AR Denarius. 3.46g, 18mm. Rome mint, AD 139. RIC 43 (S); RSC 833; BMCRE pg 17, 85. O: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, bare head right. R: TR P COS II, Clasped hands holding winged caduceus and two corn-ears.
Ex Phil Peck Collection

 

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Vespasian:

 

Many thanks for your participation in this thread. It is not the first “challenge” we achieve, but I didn’t think we would reach such a wide range of fantastic coins : Roman Imperial, Roman Republican, Roman provincial, Greek, Indo-Greek, Imperiatorial, Judean, 5th century BC to 5th century AD, silver, bronze, billion...what an incredible and generous community we have here on CoinTalk !

Musée le Louvre, Paris

 

CADUCEUS


RImp Marc Antony & Octavian AR Quinarius 1.58g Military Mint Gaul 39BCE Concordia r Hands clasped caduceus Cr-529-4b Sear 1575 Syd-1195



RI Prv Thrace Deultum Tranquillina 241-244 CE Æ 22mm 6.6 g Hermes purse caduceus SNG Bulgaria 1504-8



RI Prv Thrace Deultum Tranquillina 241-244 CE Æ 22mm 6.6 g Hermes purse caduceus SNG Bulgaria 1504-8



RI Vespasian 69-79 CE AE Dupondius Felicitas stdg caduceus cornucopia sinister left

 

I will only inflict a small number of mine

Antoninus Pius




Septimius Severus

Probus

Numerian

 

REPUBLIC


RImp Marc Antony AR Quin Concordia Clasped Hands Caduceus Cr 529-4b



RR Annius Luscus Hispaniensis 82-81 BCE AR Den Fem scales caduceus Quadriga Q Sertorius S 289 Cr 366-1



RR C Mamilius 82 BCE AR Den Serrate Mercury caduceus Ulysses Dog Argos Sear 282 Craw 362-1

 

OTHER KERYKEION

Carthage

Carthage mint 2nd Punic War 215-201 BCE AE Shekel Tanit Horse stepping kerykeion caduceus SNG Cop 327


Sicily

Sicily Menainon Hermes in petasos, kerykeion caduceus, two pellets Hexas

 

Informative thread @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, thank you. I especially like those Ningishzida vases. Here's my favorite coin with caduceus from one of the lead actors in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar (although he was not present at the assassination). A book on the moneyer can be found here.
Imperatorial Rome, D. Junius Brutus Albinus, 48 BC, AR Denarius, Rome mint
Obv: Head of Pietas right, wearing cruciform earring and pearl necklace; PIETAS downward to left
Rev: Clasped hands holding winged caduceus; ALBINVS • BRVTI • F around below
Ref: Crawford 450/2, Postumia 10

 

Somehow it was adopted as the symbol of registered nurses (winged caduceus)-- a mistake, apparently. U.S. physicians use the staff of Asklepios as their symbol. For instance, the American Medical Association's logo:



Here's Hermanubis holding a winged caduceus:


EGYPT, Alexandria. Philip II as Caesar
Regnal year 4 of Philip I, CE 246/7
billion tetradrachm, 22 mm, 12.8 gm
Obv: MIOVΦIΛIΠΠOCKCEB; cuirassed bust right, bare head
Rev: Hermanubis standing facing, head right, winged caduceus in right arm and palm branch in left hand; jackal (looking more like Disney's Pluto) left at feet; L-Δ
Ref: Emmett 3592.4(Caesar); Milne 3676; Dattari-Savio pl. 264, 5079

Felicitas:


Elagabalus
AR denarius, 2.4g, 19mm, 6h; Antioch mint.
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: TEMPORVM FEL; Felicitas standing left, holding caduceus and patera.
Reference: RIC IVb 201, p. 44.
ex Doug Smith Collection #527

On a pediment:

Marcus Aurelius
Sestertius; 31 mm, 24 gm; struck AD 173, Rome mint
Obv: laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev: Mercury standing left on pedestal, holding caduceus and purse (it looks more like a patera to me); within temple with figural columns (telamones); on semicircular pediment, tortoise (unfortunately worn on this coin), cockerel, ram, caduceus, winged helmet, and purse; S-C across fields; RELIG AVG in exergue
Ref: RIC III 1074; MIR 18, 258-6/37; Banti 260

Held by Eirene:

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
AE drachm, regnal year 14
Obv: laureate draped bust right
Rev: Eirene standing left, holding corn ears and caduceus; L I Δ in fields
Ref: Emmett 1500.14; Dattari 2532
Ex Robert L. Grover Collection of Roman-Egyptian Coinage, previously held by the Art Institute of Chicago

 

Here are some.
Phil Davis

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus#Confusion_with_Rod_of_Asclepius
All concerned should be aware of the reason for the confusion and the steps to correct it by various groups of medical professionals.

Short story: Blame it on an Army officer in 1902. The slowness to correct it seems more a matter of which symbol is believed to sell the product better. After all, two snakes are better than one.

 

Simply in awe of some of the coins in this thread. Don't mind if I double dip with thise lil doozy.
I was just looking through my Napoleon medals and came across this sweet win. I'd attempted to buy this reverse on two other occasions. Making this one all the more enjoyable to roll through my fingers:

Napoleonic medals NAPOLEONE BONAPARTE Napoleon period, from 1795 to 1815. Medal 1807. Gr. 13.30 mm 31.5 Dr. NAPOLEON EMPEREUR ET ROI. Head graduate at S. Rv. PAIX ET COMMERCE. Mercury sitting towards d., on a stump, holds caduceus and emptying cornucopia; in exercise, 1807. Julius 1832. Rare. Spl

Ex: in Asta

 

Hi, I have a coin that is similar to these and have no idea what it may be, think I would be able to send a pic over?

 

Sure, just post a picture from both sides in this thread (use the upload a file option).

 

Coincidentally, it was just recently that I wondered what a Caduceus is, so this write-up was both very useful and very timely for me. Thanks for that.

Here is a Postumus with Caduceus reverse, which has not yet come up:

 

The Notitia dignitatum shows this page of military insignia. This is a copy of a Roman document of circa 400 AD.
The Celte (Celts?) shield seems to sport a variant of the caduceus.

 

Thanks for the informative write-up! Here are a few examples from my collection:

From Perinthos in Thrace:



A "Roman-looking" provincial struck under Tiberius in Commagene:



Kings of Paphlagonia, Pylaimenes II/III Euergetes:



Kings of Macedon, Philip III Arrhidaios Æ half unit, showing a kerykeion on both sides:

 

Late for the party, but I have some coins to show.


Vespasianus (69-79) Denarius
AD 70
Obverse Legend: IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
Type: Head of Vespasian, laureate, right
Portrait: Vespasian
Reverse Legend: COS ITER TR POT
Type: Pax, draped. seated left, holding branch in extended right hand and winged caduceus in left
RIC 29




2.24 g 15.3 mm Quadrans
RIC II Nerva 113
Date: AD 98
Legend: IMP NERVA CAES AVG
Type: Modius containing four corn-ears
Legend: S C
Type: Winged caduceus upright




Antoninus Pius AD 138-161. Rome Denarius AR 19 mm., 2,90 g.
RIC III Antoninus Pius 136
Date Range: AD 145 - AD 161
Obverse Legend: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P; Type: Head of Antoninus Pius, laureate, right
Reverse Legend: COS IIII; Type: Clasped hands holding caduceus between two corn-ear

 

Here are the ones I have, with the deity or personification holding the caduceus noted in parentheses:

C. Mamilius Limetanus (Mercury):



Caracalla (Felicitas):



Macrinus/Diadumenian (Hermes)



Trebonianus Gallus (Felicitas):


Tacitus (Felicitas):



Carinus (Felicitas):

 

Vespasian, AR Denarius, Rome, AD 74., IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head right / PON MAX TR P COS V, winged caduceus. RIC 703, 3.10g.