maridvnvm

I have been lucky enough to have had to spend quite a few days in the BM in the last couple of years. I have started uploading some images from my various trips to my Forvm galley. Hopefully there is something in there that someone will find interesting.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=8070

I think that my Galerius as Augustus is relatively scarce too.

Galerius (As Augustus) Follis
Obv:– IMP MAXIMIANVS P F IN AVG, Laureate, cuirassed bust right
Rev:– GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, left hand holding cornucopiae and right hand holding patera
Minted in London (_). Group II - i. May A.D. 305 - Late A.D. 306 or into Early A.D. 307
Reference(s) – Cohen ?. RIC VI London 50 (R, citing Voetter with a footnote stating that confirmation is needed). LMCC (page 126) 4.03.012

Same die pair as LMCC plate coin and BM example (BM B.54, 9.98g, 6h. ex De Salis 1860)

9.77 gms. 29.01 mm diameter. 180 degree die orientation.

I bought it with a more generic, stylised Severus II.

Severus II, Follis
Obv:- SEVERVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GENIO POPV-LI ROMANI, Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London
Reference: RIC VI London 59a, LMCC 4.02.016
Weight: 8.1g
Diameter: 27.2mm

Part of a pot hoard found in Rauceby, UK in 2017. The hoard given the reference 2017 T649 by the British Museum who catalogued the hoard.

This coin given the hoard reference BM # 081

Very nice. I have a few Lokdone folles. This is my current favourite.

Maximinus Daia Follis
Obv:- MAXIMINVS NOBILISSIMVS CAES, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev:- GENIO POPVLI ROMANI,
Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia
Minted in London
Reference: RIC VI 59b, LMCC 4.03.024
Weight: 9.9g
Diameter: 28.2mm

Part of a pot hoard found in Rauceby, UK in 2017. The hoard given the reference 2017 T649 by the British Museum who catalogued the hoard.

This coin given the hoard reference BM#092

I have sent a query off to the BM anyway.

Septimius Severus minted coins of Albinus in Alexandria.

I am in the process of going through the various photos I have taken on my barious trips to the British Museum over the last couple of years. I have one photo of a statue that has made me pause. Here is the British Museum description.

"Marble portrait statue of the emperor Septimius Severus in military dress. He is shown with his characteristic forked beard and tight curled hair, and is wearing military dress. The statue is not carved fully in the round, but is flat and unfinished at the back, suggesting that it was part of an architectural design.

...

Taken from the French at the Capitulation of Alexandria, 1801, and sent to the Museum by order of His Majesty[King George III]."

Here is my image of the statue.

My issue is that this screams to me of being Clodius Albinus and not Spetimius Severus.

I have looked at the Capotiline example of Clodius Albinus (below - not my image) and this has reenforced my view.

Have I gone barking mad?

I found this of interest on my way towards the exit. A tray containing coins from the collection of King George III, including a 12 Caesars collection in gold. There is a fake Brutus aureus on the top right.

I have uploaded some photos from my visit onto one of my Forvm gallery. They are the first 49 images in the link below. Hopefully there is something of interest to somebody.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=lastup&cat=-1262

8 hours ago, Severus Alexander said:

Given how many of his coins are dated, yearly throughout the reign, this would be pretty straightforward, at least for the basic progression.  (Within years would be tricky and probably not consistent.)

I was thinking about linking this information on progressive aging and dated items to the undated coinage.

Julia Domna Eastern Issues

Obv:– IVLIA DO-MNA AVG, Draped bust right, hair tied in bun behind
Rev:– BONI EV-ENTVS, Bonus Eventus standing left, holding plate of fruit in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194-194
Reference:– RIC 616 (R) ; BMCRE 328B; RSC 10

Obv:– IVLIA DO-MNA AVG, Draped bust right, hair tied in bun behind
Rev:– BONI EV-ENTVS (S modified from C), Fides standing left, holding plate of fruit in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194-195
Reference(s) – RIC Emesa 616 (Rare); BMCRE 328B; RSC 10.

S modified from C not noted in references.

Early Eastern IMP VIII

Obv:– L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII, Laureate head right
Rev:– BON EVENT, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 196 - 197
Reference:– BMCRE 440 Note corr. (BON EVENT not BONI). RIC 467 corr. (S) (467 is IMP VII). Cohen 63 (citing Paris).

Evidently no examples of this reverse legend variety were seen by the authors of RIC or BMCRE as they both note the coin but cite Cohen 63 which evidently cites a misread obverse legend of VII likely being VII-I from Paris.

Obv:– L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare, A.D. 196-197
References:– RIC 474 (scarce). BMCRE p. 111, 440; RSC 67b.

Eastern IMP II

Obv:– L SEPT SEV P-ERET AVG IMP II, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI E-V-ENTVS, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 194
Reference(s) – BMCRE 427 (Appears to be the same obverse die, different reverse legend break). RIC 447 var (PERT rather than PERET). RSC 67c

Obv:– L SEPT SEV P-ERET AVG IMP - II, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTV, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 195
Reference(s) – BMCRE -. RIC IV -. RSC -.

COS issues:-

IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left.
Minted in "Emesa". A.D. 194
Ref:– RIC 352 (Scarce). RSC 66

3.03g, 17.99mm, 0o

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVS II COS, Fides standing left holding plate of fruit and two wheat ears
Minted in "Emesa". A.D. 193
Reference:– BMCRE -. RIC -. RSC -.

Between AVG and COS II

Obv:– IMP CE L SEP SEV PERT AVG CO, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVC, Fides (sometimes referred to as Bonus Eventus) standing left holding basket of fruit and corn ears.
Minted in Emesa, Late A.D. 193 or Early A.D. 194
References:– RIC -, RSC -, BMCRE -.

2.47g, 18.29mm, 0o

Same obverse die

Reference– BMCRE -. RIC IV -. RSC -
One other example known - ANS

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG II CO, laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVC, Fides standing left holding basket of fruit and corn ears
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194
Reference:– BMCRE -. RIC -. RSC -.

Two double die match examples

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SE-V PERT AVG II C, laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides (Bonus Eventus) standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194 - 195
Reference:– BMCRE -. RIC IV -. RSC -.

Two double die match examples

Odd Short COS II legends

Obv:– IMP CA L SEP SEV - PER AVG COS II, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides (Bonus Eventus - RIC) standing left, basket of fruit in right, two heads of grain in left
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194 – A.D. 195
Reference:– BMCRE -. RIC - (369 var.). RSC 68 var.

I have 3 double die match examples

Obv:– IMP CA L SE SEV PEVR (sic) AVG COS I-I, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI ENTVS (sic), Fides standing left holding basket of fruit and corn ears
Minted in Emesa, A.D. 194
References:– RIC -, RSC -

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II, Laureate head right
Rev: – BONI E-V-ENTVC, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Emesa, A.D. 194 - 195
References:– BMCRE 343 Note, RIC 369 (citing Third Dura hoard - Numismatic Notes and Monographs 55, page 44, number 203.), RSC 65c

Obv:– IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG COS II, Laureate head right
Rev:– BONI EV-ENTVS, Fides standing left holding basket of fruits in right hand, grain ears in left
Minted in Emesa. A.D. 194 - 195
Reference:– BMCRE 343. RIC IV 369. RSC 68

The Bonus Eventus / Fides (possibly more accurately Fides Publica, or Bona Fides?) combination in the eastern mints in the eastern mints during the early Severan issues is widespread. It occurs in the earlier issues (from the start of the mints under Septimius Severus) through to either their closure (Alexandria and COS issues (from AVG through to COS II) or conversion to branch mints of Rome (IMP issues, IMP II and Early IMP VIII).

Here is a sample of what I mean.

Alexandria:-

Septimius Severus

Obv:- IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:- BONI EVENTVS, Fides (referred to as Bonus Eventus in RIC) standing left holding basket of fruit and corn ears
Minted in Alexandria, A.D. 194
References:- RIC 347, BMCRE 321, RSC 66

There is also a single reverse die where Fides faces the opposite direction.

Obv:- IMP CAE L SEP SEV PERT AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:- BONI EVENTVS, Fides (referred to as Bonus Eventus in RIC) standing right holding basket of fruit and corn ears
Minted in Alexandria. A.D. 194
Ref:- BMCRE -. RIC -. RSC -. (Not listed with Fides right)

2.72g. 17.10mm. 0o

Additional information from Curtis Clay "Not previously known for Septimius Severus but a reverse die match with a Julia Domna in Vienna"

Julia Domna

Obv:– IVLIA DOMNA AVG, Draped bust right
Rev:– BONI EVENTVS, Fides (referred to as Bonus Eventus in RIC) standing left, holding basket of fruit and corn-ears
Minted in Alexandria
Reference:– RIC IV 608. RSC 10

I have to wonder looking at the range of portraits illustrated here whether anyone has created a progression of portraits of Severus Alexander based on the progression of facial hair, from sideburns through to bearded. I know that this has been done for Geta as Augustus....

My first ancient was a Severus Alexander. Here it is....

Severus Alexander denarius

Obv:– IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG, Laureate head right
Rev:– MARS VLTOR, Mars advancing right, holding a spear and shield
Minted in Rome, A.D. 232
References:– RIC 246, RSC 161a

This was my first ancient coin and is still one of my favourites.

Grey tone.

3.64gms. 19.91mm. 180 degrees

Constantius I Chlorus, AE Follis

Obv:– DIVO CONSTANTIO PIO. Laureate, veiled and cuirassed head right
Rev:– MEMORIA FELIX. Lighted altar; eagle to left and right
Minted in Lugdunum (PLC). Autumn A.D. 307 - Summer A.D. 308
Reference:- RIC VI Lugdunum 264 (Scarce). Bastien XI 499

Weight:- 5.87 gms
Size:- X-Axis 26.98mm, Y-Axis 23.81mm

Next:- A lighted altar

And there are more examples of this fake illustrated there too.

Now the Balninus.

This is another cast fake from the same source. 

Here are several matchiing copies. The also came from the "Toronto Group".

Now the Macrinus.

It is another cast fake. Here are 3 of many matching fakes from a fakes database. These came onto the market from the same sources as the Didius Julianus above. The distribution network was known colloquially as "the Toronto Group" as they were primarily based out of Toronto.

Let me start with the Didius Julianus. It is a cast fake. 

Here is a matching cast fake from a fakes database. I have seen these coming on to the market since about 2004 :-

Me too. Will wait for the alll clear.

I went along to the exhibition today and spent a very enjoyable hour and a half walking round. It seems very popular. I took a few photos. I will share a few here of some bits not covered already....

A purse and denarii from inside it buried at a Roman fort. Found in Bridoswald fort in Cumbria. Showing the range in dates of coins being held together. Republic through to Trajan with the older coins given more evident wear than the later coins.

Draco head - found in Niederbieber, Germany

Not an entry but...

My grandfather was a publican from the age of 18 until he retired in 1977 at the age of 65. As such he operated through the variety of monetary debasement stages in the UK. Pre-1920 silver coins were 92.5% silver, which was debased to 50% silver between 1920 and 1947 at which point silver was replaced by cupronickel.

Throughout the working day and again at the end of the working day he would separate silver coins (initially higher silver coins) from the other coinage and placing them in a jar. He was aware that a similar process was being performed at the bank, where they were removing these older coins from circulation.

I spoke to him about this and naturally the ratio of coins decreased over time. I am not sure what he did with the jars when they became full but I know that he disposed of them for above face value via whatever route. At his retirement he only had a jar that he had been filling since about 1965. This weighed about 15 Kg and had a mix of coins going back to the 1820s and being largely very worn down to the levels seen in the sestertius in the OP. So from this we can see that silver coins circulated for up to 150 years going through more hands than we can count probably passing through many hands on any one day. .