Trio of Caracalla Denarii

This lot arrived yesterday - they need some study. I just took a few quick pics this morning. I've already discovered that Serapis is a common reverse on the denarii of Caracalla, but the common variety is with right arm raised. On this coin, he is holding what is described as a wreath with corn ears, which is the rare version...



I wonder if the coppery overtones on this coin are a remnant of the depletion enrichment process the mint used to silver-ize the outside of the coin. They don't appear to be deposits.

Virtus reverse with a boyish bust. Victory is always rendered with a shallow engraving on these types, so even this much detail is quite respectable...



And Liberalitas...

 

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Great coins, JA, especially the first. I have a few from this era with copper showing up like that.

 

In another thread, we were discussing the "pickling" process used to leach copper out of the surfaces of denarii during this period. So it stands to reason we might see this effect more often if we looked for it.

 

Three excellent portraits! Very nice score, indeed.

 

Awesome Caracalla denarii. My favorite is the second one. He looked like such a good boy. I wonder what happened to turn him into such a monster.

 

I can live with the copper, it's the white cloudy look some coins get that I want gone. Lemon juice and even rubbing doesn't do anything.

Whole bottom of the reverse on this is one. Got others, it's annoying but the coin is great otherwise.



Guess a modern collector would call it Frost from Proofs.

 

The question is existential. Even given the fact that some of the accounts of Caracalla may be exaggerated, he was a ruthless, selfish piece of shit. The real question is, what makes anyone that way? The planet is still crawling with people that make everyone around them miserable.

But we need to be clear about one thing: Geta also wanted supreme power. One of those two was going down, and it just happens that Caracalla was quicker on the draw, or we might be decrying his younger brother as a monster.

 

That may well be the result of the pickling process, and it may be something we just have to accept about denarii of this era. If it can't be cleaned, then perhaps it's something intrinsic to the metal. Personally, I find that interesting as an example of minting techniques and their results.

 

Nice coins JA. There was a time I was collecting several Caracalla, but I guess I've moved on a bit.

 

I love his name Caracalla, sounds like a candy bar, three great coins Big John, i think if you throw them in the toilet for a few days should take out the copper look..
My Ancient club guy had a stack of these.. he's in there!!short roll of denarius.

 

Not a generous but this coin is just a recent pick up that most have seen but I want to share it here. It's even more pleasing in hand.



Caracalla, AD 198-217
AE27, 14.5g, 12h; Caesarea Cappadocia, year 13 (of the rule of Septimius Severus), AD 204/5.
Obv.: AY KAI M AYP ANTΩNINOC; Laureate head right.
Rev.: MHTPOΠ KAICAPEI; Agalma of Mt. Argaeus, star over summit // ETIΓ (year 13)
Reference: Syndenham 484

 

Beautiful coin.

 

I like the star over mountain reverse!

 

NICE guys

 

A little reading up on these, plus some pics in the sun, and full attributions, in chronological order...



Caracalla, AD 198-217
AR denarius, 3.2g, 19mm, 6h; Rome mint, AD 201-206.
Obv.: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: VIRTVS AVGG; Virtus, helmeted, standing right, holding Victory and spear.
Reference: RIC 4a Caracalla 149, p. 234.

Of this issue, RIC says, "The next few years, AD 205-208, show in the main such general types as Roma, Mars, Salus, Securitas, Victory, and Virtus -- characterizing the quality of the reign rather than chronicling separate events." (RIC 4a, p. 76) So nothing special in terms of reverse design, but it compares favorably to examples on acsearch for its well-styled bust and reverse detail, despite the flatly-struck Victory. Caracalla would have been 17-18 years old at the emission of this issue.

 

Sweet coins JA, I like them all.

Q

 

That portrait sure looks young for 17. This set need a young one so I'll stick in a 196 or so (about 8?). I still think the portraits look a mite younger making me wonder how sure we are about the 188 AD birthday.

 

There is a discrepancy in RIC. The quote from p. 76 suggests the years 205-208 for the generic types, but the attribution in the list of coins gives the dates for Virtus as 201-206. I'm inclined to believe this coin was struck closer to 201, when Caracalla would have been 13.

Edit again: I missed where RIC refers specifically to dated coins of TRP VIII-XI in the above quote. My coin is undated, so perhaps we can agree that it was minted earlier, around 201 or so, on the youthfulness of the bust.

 

Congrats on the three great coins JA !...

 

Great coins, JA ...

Ummm, so you're gonna flip 'em like that? (you're not cleaning them, or anything are you?)

... yah sorry, I didn't actually read your posts ... fricken Thanksgiving and all, right (I like you)

... cheers

You seem to be happy and doing well, yes? (you're a good head => so everyone's happy ... it's kinda like having a nice boss, ya know?)

Eat a bun, my friend (eat a couple of extra buns for me, tonight => you rock)