I finally finished the photos from the show Friday. I know many of you might prefer one very nice coin or 100 uncleaned for the same money but I felt good adding three low to middle grade denarii. One you all should know from Chris' recent post but mine is not as nice. C. Postumius. 73 BC. AR Denarius (3.94 g, 5h). Draped bust of Diana right, with bow and quiver over shoulder / Hound advancing right; spear below. Crawford 394/1a; Postumia 9. F+, a bit porous and banker's mark on cheek. L. Cassius Caecianus. 102 BC AR Denarius (3.76g, 3h) Head of Ceres left control mark dotted A / 2 oxen control dotted X Crawford 321/1; Cassia 4; VG banker's marks - worn but sound metal. I have seen this less often than some but do wish the reverse had a bit less wear on the ox heads. C. Calpurnius Piso. 90 BC AR Denarius (3.91g, 3h) Head of Apollo right control mark double axe, N under chin / Horseman running right with palm, spear above, dot A below; Calpurnia 11; aF uneven tone The last is one of the most common Republican denarii. I already had three with different marks but a complete set of these would be too heavy to list all at once. It was appropriately cheap (less than half the others). I sometimes give in to buying things my collection really didn't need. I think the axe was what made it appealing. My other one has a Roman numeral there so this really is not a duplicate and I guess I needed it after all. The page: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/acmfrugi.html The other things from the show are late Roman bronzes but they will wait for another day. It is late here. I ended up shooting a couple coins three times before I accepted the results. It is hard when the goal is to make a poor coin look like a $300 one.
Nice coins, I agree that the axe makes the Piso much more interesting. I like your example of Postumius as well, but the style on yours does not look like my Mom as much. I am anxious to see mine in hand, as CNG sometimes has a hard time photographing toned coins, and I believe mine might be different in hand, (the last toned Republican I bought from them was much nicer in hand than photo). On coin 2 is the oxen representational of a colony founding like some Provincials? Didn't Augustus and other emperors have reverses with oxen plowing scenes?
I agree that oxen usually means a colony but my dead tree resources fail me here. The best answer I find is online: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahala_rome/4809090272/in/set-72157615194900812 where we learn that the moneyer is otherwise unknown to history. He mentions doubting the theory that the moneyer refers to a Cassius who founded a colony in Campania. I do not have Echkel or Havercamp to follow up on their arguments. The books to support collecting a 3 gram coin weigh more like three kilos.
Very interesting. I am finding myself more interested in these series. Unfortunately earlier in my ancient collecting career most I ever saw were from Frank Robinson's list, which tend to be very dominated with the boring, "Head of Roma, reverse charioteer" coins. I think I lost most interest in them at that time. I really are liking these few I have, and the tremendous stories behind them. Makes you wonder how much more glorious coins from other cultures could have been if as much historical information survived about their culture as does with Rome. Chris
I would say the past month I have been noticing alot of C. Postumius coins lately. This doesnt have to do with Chris & his connection to his but just in general. Could have got one for $80 with a bankers mark on the reverse but picked up something else that will be here later this week instead. All three are very nice additions, I especially like the oxen.
I haven't noticed, but it always happens that way. I take it as mini-hoards hitting the market. I like to buy when I notice them, as frequently prices soften for a bit and always go back up. I could list probably 100 ancients in the last 10 years I have seen with this pattern. The last big one was nabatean bronze coins, and I picked up about 150 examples of that group. Its weird, many times when people see lots of the same coins on the market they time and again believe prices will stay down "forever". They never do.
