Two new arrivals today that I am very pleased with, but for rather different reasons. First up: Sear 4066 RIC III 127 ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP / COS IIII 152-153AD, 2.73g, 18mm My only Antoninus coin was an Antioch SC bronze in middling condition, so I was looking for a better quality example and this ticked all the boxes; good grade, excellent portraiture for a denarius and some lovely toning. I can happily overlook the few issues and for me it's overall a winner of a coin. Secondly: RIC II (Trajan) 627 - Sestertius IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC PM TRP COS VI PP / FORTVNAE REDVCI SC 112-114AD, 26.7g, 33mm This one's a completely different proposition. Incredibly worn and with many flaws, this coin has been for sale, I think, since I started collecting somewhere around last November. Every time I browsed what was available I was drawn to the mottled and varied tone of the patina. For obvious reasons I rejected the coin each time, and yet I was drawn back to it again and again. Now it's in my hand, I can happily say that my prediction that it would be even better in the flesh has come true, and what I have is a patina that resembles a wood burr or burl pattern that actually shifts in appearance when viewed from different angles in the light. Please share both your all rounder coin picks, and your coins that were purchased for one very specific detail.
Sweet Antoninus Pius. My second ancient coin ever was an Antoninus Pius denarius. Here's my current ones.
Nice looking coins!.....I can see the appeal of the Trajan.. Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161) AR denarius, struck AD 145-161. Rome mint. Obverse..ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP,(Antoninus Augustus Pius Father of the people) laureate head right Reverse..TR POT COS IIII,(Tribune of the people 4 times Consul) Liberalitas standing left, holding abacus and cornucopiae, LIB IIII across the fields. RIC 155 type 1 Trajan ar Denarius 98-117AD 20mm/2.66gr (Minted 103-111AD) Obverse-IMPTRAIANO AVG GER DAC PMTRP laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder Reverse-COS VPPS PQR OPTIMO PRINC Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopiae. RIC II# 118
Nice pickups. I have an Antoninus Pius with the same RIC reference number, but I think I like the portrait on yours a little more than mine. Antoninus Pius, AR Denarius, (19mm, 3.41 gm) Rome Mint, Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P, Laureate head right. Rev: COS IIII ; Aequitas standing left, holding scales and rod. RIC III 127
Interesting coins @thejewk . I went to a coin show this year and there were no ancient dealers...... so I found this one in a non-ancient dealer. The price was modest and it is a large bronze.
Nice coins. Just imagine all the transactions and myriad purchases your sestertius must have seen!!! It reminds me of a great book by Roberto Angela called "The Reach Of Rome", which chronicles the travel of a Trajan sestertius as it is used in daily commerce and travel through the whole empire in the 2nd century.
he always seems to have mesmerizing eyes. This is mine; even though the reverse is quite worn, I like his portrait: Antoninus Pius, Sestertius, Rome, 153 – 154 AD 30 x 33.5 mm, 21.20 g Ref.: RIC III 914; Cohen II 454; BMCRE IV 1939; Strack III 1091 Ob.: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P XVII, laureate head of Antoninus Pius, right; draped on left shoulder Rev.: INDVLGENTIA AVG COS IIII, Indulgentia, draped, seated left, extending right hand and holding transverse scepter in left; in ex. (SC)
