ambr0zie

... but it seems that I need to do my homework a little better before bidding. Not a dramatic fail (I have surely seen worse) but until a week ago I thought that Marius coins are exceptionally rare. There was no confusion in my head with Laelianus, I just thought that both of them are about equal in rarity. So when seeing a coin available in the auction I was in and also noticing it stays below 100 euros, I jumped on it (bonus - I like the reverse theme). I gave myself a pat on the back thinking it's a great deal, even if the condition is extremely modest (to put this diplomatically). I was fairly sure that Marius coins are 1. rare and expensive and 2. all have poor strikes and metal quality so what I got is a "normal" Marius coin. 20 mm, 3,57 g. Marius, usurper in Gaul 269 AD. Billon antononianus. Treveri (Cunetio attribution) / Cologne (RIC attribution). IMP C MARIVS P F AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Marius to right / CONCORDIA MILITVM, clasped right hands. AGK (corr.) 1b; Cunetio 2503; Elmer 633; RIC 6. Actually the pat on the back became a head banged on desk when I noticed that my assumptions were wrong. Although clearly scarcer than Postumus or Victorinus, there is a fair number of decent antoninianii on the market without breaking the bank. I was less than pleased when seeing that for 100 euros there is a good chance to acquire a presentable example. So - not the smartest purchase for me. But in the end, I am not very upsed - as I added a new emperor in my collection. 2 words about Marius - many of them speculations as the history is a little unclear. He was a blacksmith and raised through ranks in the army to become an officer. He took part in the revolt at Moguntiacum (todayMainz, Germany) when the emperor Postumus did not allow the emperor to sack the city. The emperor was killed and Marius was named emperor by the army. For me it is still unclear what is the correct succession - I lean to Postumus-Laelianus-Marius. Anyway the reign of Marius was very short, but the number of coins with his name indicate that it wasn't that short (Eutropius, a historian living 100 years after Marius, indicated 3 days of reign; Aurelius Victor, another historian contemporary to Eutropius, wrote that his reign lasdted 1 day). I suspect the actual reign was 2-3 months. Marius was killed by Victorinus and the tradition says he was killed with a sword manufactured by him (Marius). Let's see coins of Marius OR coins you inadequately considered much rarer than they actually are.

Head of Medusa 15,1 mm, 3,58 g. L. Plautius Plancus. AR denarius. Rome. 47 BC. [L · PLAVTIVS] below, head of Medusa facing, with coiled snake on either side / PLAN[CV] (or PLANCVS), Victory (or Aurora) flying right, head slightly left, holding reins and conducting four rearing horses of the sun. Crawford 453/1a or 1b (PLANCVS/PLANCV; BMC 4004/4008; Sydenham 959/959a; Plautia 15/15a; RBW 1583-4.

Here are some other examples of animals: Crocodile (unfortunately not completely on the flan) Anoher one (fully centered, but the engraver preferred not to depict it with many details) Ravens: Flying, 12 o clock obverse, the coin has a cow as main star Stork Hippopotamus: Tortoise Rhinoceros Swan Ostrich: Stag Ram Quail

Personification of a geographical area 20 mm, 3,74 g. Mn. Aquillius. AR serrate denarius. Rome. 71 BC. VIRTVS / III VIR, helmeted, draped bust of Virtus / MN AQVIL / MN F MN N / SICIL, warrior, holding shield and raising up fallen figure (or the consul Man. Aquillius raising Sicilia). Cr. 401/1; RSC Aquillia 2; BMC 3364.

Great coins, @Ryro, but Claudia Octavia is a stunner.

... and best whishes to the ladies here and to all the ladies in our lives. And Happy International Women's day to ... Faustina II! Last weekend I was trying to watch 2 auctions in parallel. Which is usually a bad idea especially when I wasn't 100% concentrated or having a great target. In the end, there were examples in both auctions I would have liked ... and missed them, but I got 3 coins from one of them. The last one is quite a fail, as I overpaid for something having the incorrect impression the coin is worth much more than I paid. Actually, it's the opposite. Oh well. But on 2 of them I am very happy as both were important targets and they celebrate the same event - finally Marcus Aurelius and Faustina II had not one, but 2 male heirs - Titus Aurelius Fulvus Antoninus and Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus (the second being much more well known, because the first died very young). They were born on 31st of August, 161. 17 mm, 3,13 g. Faustina II 147-175. AR denarius. Rome. After 31st of August 161 AD. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right / TEMPOR FELIC, female figure, standing left, holding an infant in each arm; at either side, two children standing. RIC 719; BMC 156-157; RSC 221; RCV 5263; CRE 179; MIR 31-4/10a. 27 mm, 13,81 g. Faustina II 147-175. Ӕ dupondius. Rome. After 31st of August 161 AD. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bust of Faustina II, draped, hair elaborately waved in nearly vertical lines and fastened in a low chignon at back of head, down cheek, curls, right / SAECVLI FELICIT S C, throne (pulvinar), draped and ornamented, on which are two baby boys, Commodus and Antoninus, seated face to face, with stars above their heads. BMC 991; Cohen 194; RIC 1666 (as); RCV 5302. Our colleague and specialist in Faustina II (and not only) wrote an excellent write-up here and one I enjoyed a lot here. I highly recommend these articles and I really can't add anything more on top of them. These two coins add up to my older types with Faustina and her children - a theme I like to collect. 17 mm, 3,16 g. Faustina II 147-175. AR denarius. Rome. Struck December 160. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, hair in chignon behind / FECVND AVGVSTAE, Faustina as Fecunditas, standing front, head left, holding infant in each arm, two other young children standing beside her to left and right, holding onto her gown. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 676; RSC II 95; Sear RCV II 5251; BMCRE 89. See Foss, Roman Historical Coins, page 143, identifying the two standing children depicted on this coin as Annia Faustina [ Faustina III] (oldest child) and Lucilla (third oldest child), and identifying the two infants in Faustina’s arms as Fadilla (seventh child) and Cornificia (eighth child). The coin was probably issued to celebrate the birth of Cornificia, the then-youngest child, in August 160 AD. 32,9 mm, 23,53 g. Faustina II. Augusta 147-175. Ӕ sestertius. Rome. 161-176. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / FECVND AVGVSTAE, Fecunditas holding child on each arm, two more children standing right and left; S-C across fields. RIC 1635 (Aurelius); Banti 56; BMCRE 902 (Aurelius). 17,7 mm, 3,6 g. Faustina II. Augusta 147-175. AR denarius. Rome. 161-176. FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, hair waved with two braided bands / FECVNDITAS, Fecunditas standing right, holding scepter and nude male child. BMC 91; C. 99; RIC 677; RSC 99. So overall even if the auction did not have the results I was hoping for, I am very pleased with the two new coins. Please post Faustina coins with her children or any new ladies added in your collections.

Athena 15,3 mm, 2,29 g. Moesia, Kallatis. 100-300 AD. Ӕ. Helmeted head of Athena right, K to right / KAΛΛA-TIA in two lines beneath small shield, three corn-ears above, club to left, bow in bow-case to right. Moushmov 219; cf AMNG 271.

Yes. and it's bridled. You probably thought it's Pegasus, but it's not. Mysteries of ancient numismatics. A much better example than mine:

Hippocamp again 20 mm, 8,09 g. Sicily, Syracuse. Æ hemilitron. 400-390 BC. Head of Athena l., wearing Corinthian helmet decorated with wreath / Hippocamp l. CNS II, 41; SNG ANS 434-46; HGC 2, 1456.

As a fan of very small coins (mostly silver), I simply had to buy this one 7 mm, 0,63 g. Troas, Gargara. Ӕ. Circa 400-300 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right / ΓAΡ above horse galloping right. SNG v. Aulock 1511; SNG Ashmolean 1136.

Even if the Albinus Bruti F denarius looks worse in hand, I still find it a great coin, with personality, a bold portrait, so overall - a good addition. I also bought recently a type symilar to @Qcumbor's but not the same condition. I still find it decent. I am still considering cleaning the horn silver or not (it's not a fourree even if the pic gives this illusion - the color is plain silver, not yellowish and it appears to have been cleaned by a brute, probably thinking he's Brutus).

Tripod 17,1 mm, 2,7 g. Marcus Aurelius 161-180 AD. AR denarius. Rome. 170-171. IMP M ANTONINVS AVG TR P XXV, laureate head right / VOTA SVSCEP DECENN II COS III, Marcus Aurelius, veiled, standing l., sacrificing at a tripod. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 251.

I did not have the chance to buy a coin directly from a member, but a while ago, Ryro informed me that one of his coins is up for sale in an auction. I liked the coin and the pedigree was a plus 18 mm, 3,28 g. Titus, as Caesar. AR denarius. Rome. 76 AD. T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN, head of Titus, laureate, right / COS V, Eagle with wings spread, standing front on cippus, head left. RSC 59a; RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Vespasian 861. Next - Titus

I only have 1 coin with Dionysus himself (a Nagidos obol that was recently shown) but here is the Roman counterpart, Bacchus - whose image was joined with Liber Pater in Roman mythology. 19 mm, 3,51 g. Q. Titius. AR denarius. Rome. 90 BC. Head of young Bacchus right (or Liber), wearing ivy wreath / Pegasus prancing right, Q•TITI in frame below, linear border. Crawford 341/2; RBW 1275; RSC Titia 2. 17 mm, 3,36 g. M. Volteius M. f. AR denarius. Rome. 75 BC. Head of Bacchus (or Liber) right, wearing ivy wreath / Ceres driving biga of snakes right, holding torch in each hand; dolphin behind. Crawford 385/3; Sydenham 776; Volteia 3. 15,5 mm, 2,91 g. Septimius Severus 193-211 AD. AR denarius. Rome. 197 AD. [L SEPT SEV PERT] AVG IMP VIIII, laureate head r. / LIBERO - PATRI, Liber (or Bacchus) standing front, head l., r. hand on head, holding thyrsus in l. hand at feet l., leopard (or panther). RIC 99; RSC 304; BMCRE 222 (Wars of the Succession).

The latest coin without a write-up is a RR denarius - a type I wanted. Not the best condition but a decent price and I like this coin. It is not a fourree although the pic creates this illusion - it's horn silver, but I am stil reluctant about cleaning it as my previous attempts have mixed results on several coins. 20,4 mm, 3,71 g. Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus 48 BC. AR denarius. Rome. Pietas, head of Pietas, r / [AL]BINVS BRVTI F, two clasping hands holding caduceus. BMC 3964; Syd. 942; RRC 450/2; RSC Postumia-Procilia 10. Decimus Junius Brutus, who was later to become one of the assassins of Julius Caesar, was adopted by A. Postumius Albinus and he joined to his own name that of his adopted father. This moneyer served under Caesar during the Gallic Wars and was later made governor of Transalpine Gaul. Additionally, he was made Caesar's heir should Octavius reject the inheritance. Despite the favor Caesar showed him, he was amongst the conspirators in his assassination (he should not be confused with M. Junius Brutus, however, who was one of the principals of the conspiracy). The types chosen for this coin advertise Caesar's leniency in dealing with those Romans who had opposed him, Pietas personifying devotion and love of country, and the clasped hands an obvious symbol of reconciliation. The winged caduceus is most associated as the attribute of the personification of Felicitas, and here represents the beneficial outcome of Caesar's clemency.

This is an area where my collection still needs developing. Valens - a very special coin for me because this was the first ancient coin I ever had in my hand: Gratian: Honorius: Arcadius: Aelia Flaccilla:

I see this - radiate/Indian head.

You could be right also. On the obverse (picture 2) I see a radiate head left - but this could be an optical illusion.

I am not sure about this one, but the first thing I had in mind is a barbarous radiate, 3rd century. I think your 2nd pic is the obverse - radiate head left. The reverse - I don't understand what it should be, as my brain refuses to see anything else than a person using a watering pot (and I am pretty sure this is not it) Something like this (for the obverse)

@CPK - first, I did not take it personally (as we're on the Internet) but do you feel this attitude is OK? I know you for some years on these boards and I can bet you wouldn't act that way. 1. posting 5 coins where the preliminary assumptions were far from the truth 2. I (and another member) provide correct attributions 3. no reply, except the part with the disapointment after a few days. For me the solution is clear - I will only help in attributions when a member proves to be polite. I am sorry $5 coins are not $500 coins but this is life. The discussion between @seth77 and me was related to different scenarios.

You deserved it. I am being constantly approached by various people from Facebook groups to identify coins. Many write in foreign languages I don't speak, but hey, it's not a secret that we, as regular members on those groups, are paid for identifying coins, translating is not such an effort. So next time be kind and tell them what they want to hear. So I simply block them. But if I am an in a good, civic mood and I feel the need to earn my salary from the groups, I identify all their coins as Julius Caesar, aureus, very rare.

I bought this as I thought it was a legend error (this would have been pretty interesting for an Alexandrian 1st century) but this is most likely a die clash, the result being a doubled first letter on Poppaea's name. 26 mm, 11,13 g. Egypt, Alexandria. Nero 54-68 AD. Billon tetradrachm. 63-64 or 64-65 AD. NEPΩ KΛAV KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP AV, radiate head right / ΠΠOΠΠAIA (sic!) Σ[EBAΣTH], draped bust right; [LI or LIA] (date) in right field. For RY 10, cf. RPC I 5275 and Dattari (Savio) 196; for RY 11, cf. RPC I 5280 and Dattari (Savio); Emmett 128. Next - another error; if 6 hours pass - a coin of Nero.

17 mm, 3,75 g. Alexander III, posthumous. Philip III Arrhidaios - struck under Menander or Kleitos. Magnesia ad Maeandrum. AR drachm. 323-319 BC. Head of Herakles right, wearing lionskin headdress / AΛEXANΔΡOY to right of Zeus seated left, right leg drawn back, holding eagle and sceptre. bee left in left field, spear-head in outer right field. Price 1937-1938; Mueller 322-323; SNG Cop. 952.

I see why you wonder if it's not Helios as this representation of a gorgon is atypical and not what we expect, but it seems it is, indeed, a gorgon, as this is how they depicted gorgons in Selge for these types. (if it's not Cleopatra, I am pretty sure it is in fact) (note for other members - I am not insane, this is an inside joke) This idea is old - quoting the BMC (catalogue entries - BMC Pisidia, Selge 29-31) : "This head is regarded by Waddington (Rev. Num., 1853, p. 47) as that of Apollo or Helios. But it is more in accordance with the continuity of the series to call it the head of Medusa. " For the second question, yes, there is something near the astragalos - most likely a monogram. Another catalogue entry for your coin - SNG von Aulock 5280 Check this and you'll understand better - https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=5280+selge&category=1-2&lot=&date_from=&date_to=&thesaurus=1&images=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&currency=usd&order=1

This coin is absolutely fantastic. Herakles is wearing the lion skin (I do not remember seeing a facing Herakles too often especially on fractions!) and the reverse is simply superb. The almost perfect centering AND the excellent condition make it a fantastic addition. The catalogue references - SNG Levante 229, SNG von Aulock 5424, SNG France 2473.