zadie's Top Coins of 2021

Hi y'all! In light of 2021 soon drawing to a close, I thought it'd be fun to share my favourite acqusitions and a little regarding how this year turned out for me as a collector of ancient coins. During the last 12 months, I have found myself suddenly and quite unexpectadly straying from the goals I had originally set out for myself at the beginning of the year; Sestertii of Nero, coinage of the 12 Caesar's, provincials of the republican era... Whether it was due to the pandemic or maybe some sort of crisis within myself I could literally not stop myself from buying new coins. Having an urge to curate a collection of coins that I truly care about, this left me feeling very unfulfilled and quite honestly pretty unhappy. Not until July, after many late night discussions with some of my collector friends have I managed to regain a little control over my addicition(?)

So, what type of coins have I been spending all my money on this year?

Promagesterial Cistophori!

The Roman Republic produced a form of government unique in antiquity and unparalleled in the documentation that has survived to this day. Combining my fascination of the republican political and legal system with my love of numismatics is what has driven my collecting in 2021. In my opinion, no other type of coins better highlights these systems and the form of government that existed in the republic during this era.

This series of coins traces its origins to Pompey's return to Rome in 61 BC. After going east and conquering just about everything in sight, Pompey returned to Rome as a glorious hero with more looted silver than he knew what to do with. Much was deposited into the Roman treasury. The immense loot brought back by Pompey contained many coins of the relatively heavy cistophoric standard. Normally these would be melted down and made into smaller denarii. However, in 59 BC the senate was debating how to pay Quintus Tullius Cicero, then propraetor and governor of Asia. Already possessing a large quantity of coins in the local cistophoric standard, the senate made the decision to make these payments in cistophori. Q. Cicero was soon succeeded as governor of Asia by Titus Ampius Balbus in 58 BC. Balbus began anew the minting of the cistophori that the senate had sent during the tenure of his predecessor, striking them in his own name.

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I highly recommend William Metcalf's book on this subject, if my brief description succeeded in igniting any interest!​

1. C. Fabius M.f (Hadrianus?)

Promagesterial Cistophori. C. Fabius M.f Hadrianus as Proconsul of Asia. Pammenes, magistrate. AR Cistophoric tetradrachm, Tralles 57 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. FABI M. F. PRO COS, Two serpents entwined by bow case, eagle above. In the left field, zebu over a meander, TPAΛ. In the right field, Apollo. ΠΑMMΕΝΗΣ in exergue. 26.90 mm, 12.20 g. Stumpf 32; Metcalf 325 (This coin, O4/R25)

Ex NAC sale 52, 2009, 832.
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We know very little of the career and life of Gaius Fabius. He evidently served as praetor in 57 BC and was subsequently granted the proconsular command of Asia. The cognomen of Hadrianus is assumed based on other individuals of the Fabii that we know of from this time period.

2. C. Septumius T.f

Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Septumius as Proconsul of Asia. Herakleides, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, Ephesus. Dated year 79 (24th september 56 - 24th of september 55 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C•SEPTVMI•T F PRO COS. Two serpents standing by decorated bowcase surmounted by platform on which two facing fasces; OΘ (date), EΦE, bow and quiver to left. In the right field, torch of Ephesus. HPAKΛEIΔHΣ in exergue. 25mm, 12.44 g. Stumpf 36. Four examples known to me: ANS Wits, British Museum, Roma E56, 518 and this coin.
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Septumius served as praetor in 57 BC and vigorously supported Cicero's return from exile. After his term, he was given the proconsular command of Asia in 56. As the mints of Laodice and Apamea had recently been transferred to the neighbouring province of Cilica, he only struck coins in the three remaining Asian mints: Tralles, Pergamum and Ephesus. The cistophori of Septumius are dated "Year 78" (57-56 BC) and "Year 79 (56-55 BC). Septumius survived the civil war and subsequently served as augur in 45 BC.

In a speech to the senate following his return from exile, Cicero says the following:

“Caius Septimius, Quintus Valerius, Publius Crassus, Sextus Quintilius, and Caius Cornutus, all devoted all their energies to the promotion of my interests and those of the republic. And while I gladly make mention of these things, I am not unwilling to pass over the wicked actions done by some people with a view to injure me. It is not suited to my fortunes at present to remember injuries, which, even if I were able to revenge them, I still would rather forget. All my life is to be devoted to a different object: to that of showing my gratitude to those who have deserved well of me; to preserving those friendships which have been tried in the fire; to waging war against my open enemies; to pardoning my timid friends; to avoiding the showing those who deserted me any indignation at having been forced to leave the city; to console those who promoted my return by a proper display of my dignity.”

3/4. C. Pulcher

Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Claudius Pulcher as Proconsul of Asia. Euanthos, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Pergamum 55-53 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. PULCHER PRO COS. Two serpents entwined by bow case; In the left field, monogram of Pergamon. In the right field, Asclepius' staff. EYANΘΗΣ / [ΜΕ] in exergue. 28mm, 11.43 g. Stumpf 49
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Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Claudius Pulcher as Proconsul of Asia. Aristokles, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Tralles 55-53 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. PVLEHR PRO COS. Two serpents entwined by bow case; In the right field, raised hand holding olive branch. [API]CTOKΛEC in exergue. 24 mm, 12,09 g. Stumpf 55

Note on this coin: The greek engraver of this die has misspelt the governor's name, incorrectly engraving PVLEHR instead of PVLCHER. Spelling mistakes done by engravers unfamiliar with latin became a slightly regular occurance in Asia. With this type alone, I know of four different spelling variations to both the governor's name and his title.
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Born to the famed gens Claudia, one of the oldest and most powerful families in Rome, Gaius Claudius Pulcher was the son of Appius Claudius Pulcher (Consul in 79 BC). He was brother to Publius Claudius Pulcher, who was infamously adopted into a plebian family and changed his name to Clodius in order to serve as Tribune of the Plebs in 59. Gaius chose to align himself with his brother and was elected Praetor in 56, energetically supporting the Populares in Rome. After he served term his term to completion, he was given the province of Asia to govern. His command was repeatedly prorogued as was other governors in the area. Cicero writes that Claudius intended to run for the consulship of 53 but was still stuck in his province until late that year. Returning to Rome, Claudius found himself under prosecution for embezzlement. He was found guilty and sentenced to exile.

5. C. Fannius

Promagesterial Cistophori. Gaius Fannius as propraetor of Asia. Mantitheos, magistrate. AR Cistophoric tetradrachm. Apameia, 49/48 BC. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C. FAN PONT PR. Two serpents flanking a tetrastyle temple, surmounted by a female cult statue holding patera and sceptre. MΑΝΤΙΘ[ΕΟΣ / MΑΝΤΙΘΕΟΥ]. Stumpf 57.
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Fannius served his term as governor of Asia just as the Roman civil war started in 49 and is the last known governor to strike cistophori in his own name. His coins are known from all five mints of Asia; Pergamum, Ephesus, Apamea, Tralles and Laodicea. He was supposed to serve out his term as propraetor in the province of Sicily but was replaced by Marcus Porcius Cato and sent to Asia instead. Serving his term as governor during a tumultous time for the republic, it seems that he continued his career as a partisan of the conspirators, serving Cassius during the Siege of Rhodes in 42 BC.

That's it! I'm excited to see what 2022 brings

 

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@zadie.......First I'd like to say WOW!...What in interesting and focused selection...
I knew very little about this type coin or its representation and have learnt a great deal thanks!..An area I will certainly read up on...
I love snakes!..There's a story!......Congrats on a very focused collection theme and impressive coins!

 

Thank you so much Spaniard!! It's an incredibly interesting little field of RR numismatics. I'm happy you liked it.

 

Fascinating! 2 and 3 are my favorites.

 

All great coins, but your Fannius won it for me, fantastic coin. Congrats.

 

Thanks Donna! The Septumius was stuck in transit for quite a long time but arrived in my hand not too long ago. I have to say, it looks way better than the auction photo suggests.

Couldn't agree more! I love the design of Fannius' coins. All governors issued types with designs that deviated from the standard set by earlier civic cistophori, but none more so than Fannius! I believe the temple that we are seeing is that of Vesta located in Rome. My good friend @FrizzyAntoine brought this denarius to my attention a while back:



Uncanny, isn't it?

 

Some fascinating pieces there! I love the C Fabius with the bull, eagle and Apollo on the the reverse. I've also never seen anything like the Fannius - did any other governor have a reverse that featured a temple??

 

I don't know of any other type in the series that contains a temple. Fannius is the only one. Here's another example of the type that I own in slightly better condition

 

Haha, yes, only slightly. Seriously, that's an awesome piece!

 

I love these types of coins! I think 3 is my favorite but they are all cool. Thanks for sharing!

 

Nice selection, @zadie.
My favorites are your #1 and 2. Your example with a temple is wonderful.

I only have one with the standard bowcase type.

 

Congrats on the addiction control for the second half of the year Some great coins and an area I've neglected. I just saw snakes and a basket, but there's more to them, as I now see!

Your second post with the photo' of the Cassia denarius made me realise that the statue on the top of the temple in my example has the sceptre and patera in opposite hands to the one you show. A search through the 199 items listed for "428/2 denarius" (some weren't that type) on acsearch shows fewer than ten with this arrangement (I think it was five or six).
Which is good in that my example seems to be in a fairly small minority, if anybody else cared about such things, but bad because I need another example now with the statue the other way round

Happy New Year!
Aidan.

 

Nice list!

 

That's quite an interesting side track! I didn't realize there was such variation in those republican cistophori. The first two in particular are very interesting.

I hope 2022 brings you satisfaction and great coins .

 

Nice examples! #2 and #3 are very nice.

 

Just catching up on these - great examples, @zadie. I'll add another vote for C. Fannius in top spot with the menagerie on #1 close behind: serpents , eagle, zebu, and Apollo! I find the whole range of cistophoric tetradrachms interesting. The 2020 ANS publication Lucia Carbone, Hidden Power is the book I added on the subject this year. This coin from the start of the First Mithridatic War is my most recent addition: Coins to Rebuild Apameia.

Best wishes for 2022.

 

Great coins. My favorites: 3/4 C. Pulcher

 

Excellent enlightment on a coinage I don't know a lot about, thanks

Q

 

awesome coins @zadie !

 

Excellent list @zadie . I like your #5 with the serpent and temple the most.