WOW! That's Big! (and Heavy!)

I got my first Sestertius from Ryro, Faustina II. It’s my biggest. It’s neat to hold a nice, hefty coin like that.

Here’s the thickness compared to a dupondius:



Don’t mind my grubby hands lol.

Erin

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I believe this is my largest Roman coin.



Large bronze Severus Alexander (222-235), Amasia, Pontus, dated CKH = 227 (= 227/8 AD!). Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Altar of Zeus Strateos, surmounted by eagle standing slightly right, head left, with wings spread; tree to left; above, Helios driving facing quadriga. 34.5 mm, 25.13 gr. RPC 6462.

This one is a tad heavier though:



Caracalla (198-217). AE Sestertius, Caracalla. Minted in Rome, year 211. Obv. Laureated bust to the right. Rev. Fortuna seated to the left, shield under throne. Orichalcum 30.5 mm, 26.18 gr. Yellow copper, red stains. In January of this year I wrote about this coin and its counterparts in my collection.

 

I was curious to see what is my heaviest and my lightest roman coin:
Nerva sestertius 36 mm / 26.6 g
, the follis has 14 mm / 0.5 g

 

At 29.79 grams, here's one of heavier sestertii in the collection, recently acquired from Roma as a post-auction purchase.

Marcus Aurelius Æ Sestertius. Rome, AD 163. M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS P M, laureate bust right / TR POT XX [IMP III CO]S III, Providentia standing facing, head left, holding wand and sceptre, globe at feet; S-C across fields. RIC 923; C.805; BMCRE 1279. 29.79g, 33mm, 6h.

Very Fine

 

That As is a really nice example, especially the obverse.

 

Kind of a lightweight in this thread, but this is my biggest:

Ptolemy II octobol, AE48 Svornos 446, 285-246 BC. 94.14g

 

Eek! The octobols are coming!

 

My heaviest coin (to resurrect the thread after it was pointed to today) is a Ptolemy IV drachma of 76 grams (seen in my avatar to the left) It represents my 2nd to last coin purchase.

 

The heaviest sestertius that I have is of the emperor Maximinus Trax, whose sestertii are not generally know for their substantial weight.

This example comes in at 27.38 grams. The coin depicts Salas on the reverse, feeding a serpent rising from the altar. Apparently this was quite a popular pastime back then, and it also provided a very effective means of keeping the human population from growing too fast. Serpents were doing very well, thank you.

So, here it is.

Roman Empire, 236-238 AD
AE Sestertius
Maximinus Trax
Obverse: MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM, Maximinus Trax facing facing right.
Reverse: SALVS AVGVSTI SC, Salas seated, facing left, feeding a serpent rising from an altar.
BMC-175, C-92
ex Harlan J Berk
27.38 grams
28.5 mm, 12 h.

Struck on a very thick flan for the period.


Now, I do have a double sestertius of Trajan Decius. This coin was acquired some time ago - I'm not exactly sure - it might have been at a local coin show or store.

This coin's weight comes in at 31.3 grams.

The coin does have some condition issues, primarily a flan crack on the reverse, a somewhat uneven strike, and a small chip in the patina on the reverse, below the "S". It also might have been smooth at some point over the past 1,700+ years.

Roman Empire, 249-251 AD
AE double sestertius
Trajan Decius
Obverse: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, Crowned bust of Decius facing right.
Reverse: VICTORIA AVG SC, winged Victory advancing left.
This coin appears to be similar to Cohen 115.
31.3 grams
33 mm, 1 h.



Postscript:

Oops!, I forgot that I posted my Marcus Aurelius sestertius, at over 29 grams, earlier in this thread. Chalk one up to a disintegrating mind.

 

Aside from the two sestertii posted, this is my largest and heaviest ancient, an Aes Grave, at 141.6 grams, courtesy of the Roman Republic:

 

Great double sestertius of TD @robinjojo ! I wish I had one of those. While I have a double sestertius of Postumus it obviously was just overstruck on a 2nd century sestertius as the flan and weight are just about right for a mid second century issue.