This past weekend I had a table in the Sacramento show. As a small affair I was not certain I would find anything for myself, but happily I found two, complements of @CalGoldGuyDave This Maximinus appealed to me as it is struck on a large and heavy flan. Also there is enough silver in the alloy to make it look 'real' silver. This Salonina has a real lovely patina, but I also like the unusual placement of the date letters.
Nice coins @Ken Dorney - I wonder why the silver in the top tet is so prominent? Did someone make a mistake at the mint? Or is it just a case of an alloy taking an interesting coloration turn? Anyway I thought I'd share a Salonina:
Both are beautiful Tets. Another reason I bought my Max I recently posted, much more silvery then my other, but less looking then yours. What is the weight of yours? Maximinus I (235 - 238 A.D.) Billon Tetradrachm O: AVTO MAΞIMINOC EVC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right . R: Nike walking left, wearing long chiton, carrying wreath and palm; LΓ in left field. Y 3 = AD 236-237. 13.38g 23mm Dattari 4583; Emmett 3288.3 Ex. Roma Numismatics E-Sale 36, Lot 242, May 5, 2017 Published on Wildwinds!
Very cool, @Ken Dorney ! I really like the Salonina, though the Max Thrax is interesting, too. Here are a couple of Saloninas in my collection, years 14 and 15:
I agree both are keepers and I agree with the reasoning. My experience with tets of Maximinus suggest he was the last with consistently decent coins in terms of size and metal. There are some silvery Gordian III tets but more of his look like copper. I wonder if all this is alloy or if some is from how they were cleaned??? Maximinus Gordian III Sometimes I wonder if the shape of the letter L made it likely to be used to frame the date above but that does not explain the full reversal. On my Claudius II, I assumed the shape of the A allowed it to fit by the wing so the L went below. There is extra appeal to me from such placements.
I would bet that it is both. Expert cleaners would never strip a Diocletian down to bare metal, but I think they likely know that a Maximinus has enough silver to look nice. Nice coins! The Helios portrait is very interesting and I love that facing eagle (rather looks like a chicken!).
Nice, Ken!! I'm really impressed with the relief of the Salonina! Especially behind her head! Mine is the same way... Cornelia Salonina, Wife of Gallienus who ruled 253-268 AD AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Struck 264/265 AD Obverse: KOPNHΛIA CAΛΩNЄINA CЄB, diademed and draped bust of Salonina right. Reverse: Eirene standing left, holding olive branch and sceptre; palm before, IB/L (date), (RY 12 = 264/265 AD). References: Köln 2969; Dattari 5331; Milne 4102; Emmett 3855
Both are remarkable for the reasons you mentioned and I'd gladly have either of them in my collection .
I'm kind of re-phrasing my question above. To have coins become debased over time is normal. To see an uptick in the quality of the metal in the third century (apparently) in the line of Alexandrian tets is very unusual compared to Roman coins in general. For example I have a silvery Nero and a tet of Commodus which looks to be all potin, why would Maximinus or Severus Alexander before him decide to improve the quality/quantity of the silver alloy?
I wonder if certain batches of metal for groups of coins differed across the rule of an empire? Maybe silver-lean times dipped their contents a little low in certain provinces? Not sure, but am also curious what others think... Antoninus Pius, Ruled 138-161 AD BL22 Tetradrachm, Alexandria, Egypt Struck Year 11, 147/148 AD Obverse: ANTΩNINOC CEBEVCEB, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right. Reverse: L ENΔ E KATOV, Dikaiosyne seated left, holding scales and cornucopia (RY 11 = 147/148 AD) References: Emmett 1377.11, R1 Size: 22mm, 12.5g Marcus Aurelius BL23 Tetradrachm, Alexandria, Egypt Struck Year 5, 164/165 AD Obverse: M AYΡHΛIOC ANTΩNINOC C (Ω inverted), laureate head right. Reverse: Tyche seated left, kalathos on head, holding rudder and cornucopiae; L-Є (date) RY 5 = 164/165 AD. References: Dattari 3394, Emmett 2085.5 Size: 23mm, 15g Severus Alexander, Ruled 222-235 AD BL Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Year 5, Struck 225-226 AD Obverse: A KAI MA AVP CЄV AΛЄΞANΔPOC ЄV, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak, date L Є (year 5 = 225-226 AD) across field. References: Dattari 4409, Emmett 3099 Size: 23mm, 10.75g Ex: Holding History Auction 1 (6-1-2019), Lot #212 Gallienus, Ruled 253-268 AD AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria Struck 262/263 AD Obverse: AYT K Π ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CEB, laureate and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Eagle standing left, head right, holding wreath in beak; before, palm; behind, LI, RY 10. References: Emmett 3806, Dattari 5276 Size: 23mm, 11.9g
