Marsyas Mike

@DonnaML your collection is dazzling. Thanks for sharing. Here's Alexandria holding the severed head of Serapis on a tetradrachm of Diocletian. Egypt Potin Tetradrachm Diocletian Year 5 (288/289 A.D.) Alexandria Mint A K Γ OYA Λ ΔIOKΛ[HTIANOC] CEB], laureate and cuir. bust r. / Alexandria standing left holding head of Serapis and sceptre, star right, L-Є across. Milne 4915; Emmett 4025. (7.98 grams / 17 mm) eBay Sep. 2019 Just last week I got a Marcus Aurelius with the RESTITVTORI ITALIAE reverse, for one of mine, it isn't too shabby:

They look okay to me - weights on both Septimius Severus and M. Aurelius denarii vary quite a bit. The surfaces on the SS do look a bit pitted which could be the sign of a cast, but in my very inexpert opinion, it doesn't really look like a cast. In any case, the MARS PATER type is a favorite of mine - it was the very first ancient I ever owned, bought back in 1987. I recently came across another one and got that too. This does not seem to be particularly common type, at least compared to other SS types. Both of mine weight 3.2 grams. From 1987: From 2022: What you might do is look for a die-match. This tends to allay worries about fakes for me. My 1987 example matches these: Die-Match Obv. and Rev.: Kunst Historisches Mus.Wien (OCRE example) Inventory no RÖ 35846; Object number ID 118318 Die-Match Reverse: VAuctions Auct. 269; Lot 140; 08.09.2011

I see that now - it would still be welcome in my collection! That's kind of scarce. Those ex-mount solder blobs are kind of hard to see - here's a Salzburg thaler: Up close:

I am even more excited than usual by today's Faustina Friday, @Roman Collector. It what is probably not my best purchasing move, I bought one of these yesterday - the seller has had it listed for a year, at least. I've passed on it because it has a hole...and not very good photos. But I succumbed yesterday because he made me an offer and I can't resist "bargains" - at the risk of jinxing myself, here it is in a grungy old cardboard flip. I'm not even sure if it is a sestertius or a dupondius (it is kind of yellow): I say "jinxing" because the last coin I bought from Canada took three months to get to me, after being inexplicably sent back to the seller (by USPS) as being undeliverable, although the address was correct. Anyway, I justified the purchase because I love the colors and I can actually see the phoenix (nimbate). I do have another one - no hole but very worn (only a hint of a phoenix if you tilt it towards the light) - this has the SC in the fields rather than the exergue, unlike most of them: Faustina I Æ Sestertius (c. 155-161 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA FAVSTINA, draped bust right / [AETERNITAS] S [C] across fields, Aeternitas seated left on throne holding phoenix on globe and scepter. RIC 1103A(a); BMC 1482-86. (21.36 grams / 29 mm) eBay July 2017 Lot $15.00 Attribution Note: Most examples have the SC in the exergue; this one is in the fields. Out of over 130 auctions in acsearch, seven were in the fields. (March 25, 2022) Your posts are always my primary source for these, so again, thanks for going to the effort.

Wow - I've been collecting these for years (in a haphazard way) and I'd never seen a split-date/angel face mintmark reverse like this for Francis II - at first glance I thought it was one of the earlier types, or a mule. Now I want one! Here it is on Numista: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces28745.html Here is one of the earlier types, for Joseph, 1782...and no, it does not look any better in hand. The good thing is, I can wear it whenever I want to! Many of these old kronenthalers were holed or jewelry-mounted - I have several, since they sometimes sell for melt or less:

Terrific coins in this thread - I really like Julia Domna's coins. One of my most recent is this green one from Stobi in Macedonia. It took me a while to track down the attribution - there are a lot of Nike types from Stobi. It was interesting to see the Museum of Fine Arts Boston paid over $1200 for one similar to this (and an obverse die-match to mine) in 1962 - my guess is these were pretty scarce before metal detectors and the fall of the Iron Curtain (but if somebody wants to give me $1200 for it, I'm interested!): Julia Domna Æ 21 (c. 193-217 A.D.) Stobi, Macedonia IVLIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right / MVNICIP ST[O]BENSI, Nike advancing right carrying wreath and palm. SNG Copenhagen 333; See Numista #281817 (but wrong description and attribution) (6.11 grams / 21 mm) eBay Feb. 2024 $15.50 Note: Many variations of reverse legends. The only matches I found with correct(?) attribution was the Gorny & Mosch and Savoca die-match specimen. Numista illustrates same type (#281817) but the description is wrong (Nike with "shield held on knee"). MFA Boston is an obv. die-match but reverse legend does not match this one. Die-Match Obv. (?) & Rev.: Same coin: Gorny & Mosch Giessener Auct. 263; Lot 3369; 07.03.2019 Savoca Numismatik 33rd Silver Auction; Lot 208; 12.05.2019 Die-Match Obverse: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Accession Number 62.423 Note: Reverse inscription does not match mine: MVNICIP S[T]OBENSIV Provenance: Münzen und Medaillen, A.G., Basel, Switzerland; May 9, 1962: purchased by MFA for $ 1,221.00 (this is the total cost for 62.364–62.462) Here are die-matches - the bottom one with the notch is the Boston MFA example - it is a die-match obverse only; an extra final V is on the reverse:

Nice Kronenthaler, @ominus1. Sorry I'm a bit late to this...for years I've picked these Austrian-Netherlands types up whenever they go cheap. They are big favorites of mine - cheap 18th century crowns. But just this month I branched out with a kronenthaler from Bavaria. The words "BAIERISCHER KRONTHALER" is on the edge. Your post gives me an excuse to throw it out here... Bavaria 1818 Kronenthaler Maximilian I Joseph Munich Mint (Mint. 163,619) MAXIMILIANUS IOSEPHUS BAVARIAE REX, bare head r. / PRO DEO ET POPULO 1818 . crown above crossed sword and mace / Edge: BAIERISCHER KRONTHALER KM 706.1 (old KM 358.1). (29.24 grams / 39 mm) eBay March 2024

Great coins and very informative post @robinjojo. This inspired me to photography my only Lima imaginary bust, an 8 reales: I was not aware of the various bust sizes for this - so this would be the small type, I assume. It does look smaller than the OP's. This coin actually photographs better than it really is - the rims are chewed up and it is slightly bent. About 25 years ago I found it in a local dealer's shop - old school dealers back then would price low-grade 8 reales very low sometimes - I think it was $15. I'd like to upgrade, but the prices...ouch!

Thank you so much for this information @Marcus - you have really helped me out here. I was aware of the "No PP" types in general, but a seated Roma type was not coming up in OCRE. So I checked again, just looking at ALL the Hadrian listings to find RIC 875. And yep (or nope), it is not in there. Here is the relevant page: http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=portrait_facet%3A"Hadrian"&start=380 Note the RIC numbers go from RIC 869 to RIC 877, with no RIC 870-876. Unless I am doing this wrong!. OCRE is very useful, but it does have problems. But thanks to your information, I have found other examples elsewhere (acsearch) and the draped-only busts look a lot like mine. Here is a Jean Elsen auction - not a die-match, but it looks a lot like mine: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=11112102 Thanks again for your help with this.

Great grouping of Pamphiliae @AncientOne. A while back I got one minted in Sillyum for Diadumenian that appears to be unpublished (but I found a die-match example on Wildwinds): Diadumenian Æ 17 Sillyum, Pamphylia (c. 217-218 A.D.) [...ANTΩ]ΔIAΔ[OVM...], bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CIΛΛV[Є]ΩN, Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia. Unpublished (see notes). (4.65 grams / 17 mm) eBay June 2022 Lot @ $0.99 Attribution Notes: Appears to be a die match for unpublished specimen on Wildwinds via Gitbud & Naumann Auction 38; Lot 568; 06.12.2015. Auction description: SNG von Aulock -; SNG Copenhagen -; BMC -; Isegrim -; apparently unpublished. Here's mine with the (much nicer) Wildwinds example:

As I mentioned before, finding unlisted bust types for Antonine AE (unlisted in OCRE anyway) is almost routine. What seems a bit strange is that I just got an unlisted Hadrian... at least I think so. Why this is strange is that RIC just re-did all the Hadrians, with new numbers, with far more extensive bust types described. So finding an unlisted Hadrian nowadays is strange. Here it is: Why unlisted? OCRE only shows bare head, slight drapery and draped and cuirassed. This one does not have a cuirass - but is fully draped (not just "traces of drapery on shoulder" - a common unlisted variation on the Antonines). RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 971 Legend: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P Type: Head of Hadrian, laureate, right Portrait: Hadrian Legend: COS III // S C (in exergue) Type: Roma seated left on cuirass and pile of arms, holding Victory and cornucopia Deity: Roma objects: 4 (RIC 972 is identical to RIC 971 in OCRE - see below for RIC page which shows the differences - a fairly typical OCRE error) RIC II, Part 3 (second edition) Hadrian 973 Legend: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P Type: Bust of Hadrian, laureate, draped and cuirassed, right, viewed from rear or side Portrait: Hadrian Legend: COS III // S C (in exergue) Type: Roma seated left on cuirass and pile of arms, holding Victory and cornucopia Deity: Roma There's nothing about this that seems fake to me - just a typical low-grade sestertius of the sort I am always looking for on eBay (it weights 24.5 grams). I looked all over acsearch and elsewhere hoping for a die-match to mine, or just another draped-only type, but I had no luck. I did find a draped and cuirassed type - the cuirass is very obvious on these issues of Hadrian (RIC 973): https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=112400 Here's one with slight drapery on shoulder (also not in OCRE but in RIC (see below) this is noted for RIC 971 as an A2 in the references): https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=287721 Fortunately, the relevant page for the new RIC is available in Google books - I think this shows mine should be bust C2, laureate draped bust (viewed from side on mine), but none like this are noted in RIC 971-973- unless I'm reading it wrong - I will admit all those codes for bust types, etc. are still kind of new to me and I get confused) : Whew. This makes my head hurt. Any guidance or corrections greatly appreciated!

A lovely coin indeed, @CPK Over the past couple of years, I have accumulated - without trying! - quite a few "not in RIC/OCRE" bust types for Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. Some of them do not appear to be especially rare, just not noted.

I lucked into in on eBay - it was listed as an As of Caracalla or something like that in 2018. Although I had no idea what it was, I liked the "cows" on the reverse and thought maybe I could figure it out. It took me hours - and as this post shows, I am still learning about it. Thanks again!

Thank you so much for this additional information - I had no idea the L III P stood for a legion - I'm pretty thrilled about that! 😀

Very interesting and informative post @seth77 and @Orange Julius. A while back I got one of these minted for Herennius Etruscus. Mine is pretty ugly, but because of condition - it is actually pretty nice in terms of artistry and strike/flan, in my opinion. Not so martial this time - a founders' scene with priest and oxen: Herennius Etruscus Æ 25 Rhesaena, Mesopotamia (c. 249-251 A.D.) [ΓΑΙ Μ]ЄϹ ЄΡ ЄΤΡΟΥϹΚΙΛΛ[ΙΟϹ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ϹЄΒ], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. / ϹЄΠ ΚΟΛ ΡΗϹΑΙΝΗϹΙωΝ L III P, priest holding staff plowing with two oxen right | eagle on palm with wreath in beak above | river god Chaboras swimming in exergue RPC IX 1593; Castelin 178-180. (12.24 grams / 25 x 24 mm) eBay Nov. 2018 Die-Match Obverse: Coin no. 1 of RPC IX 1593 Bibliothèque nationale de France Reference 2194; Castelin 180 pl. XIII Die-Match Reverse: DEMOS Auction 8; Lot 650; 19.03.2022

"Ugly" defines a lot of my collection. But I still love 'em. Just in from eBay a harshly cleaned brass (?) AE from Antioch issued for Augustus - nobody wanted it so I got it for $0.99. In hand it looked better than the photos, but it is still rough - "ground chuck surfaces". I spent a lot of time trying to come up with a coherent date of issue - I really need to get a copy of McAlee's book: Augustus Æ 20 (c. 5/4 B.C. / c. 6-14 A.D. / posthumous 14-37 A.D.)? Antioch, Syria AVG[VST·] TR· POT, laureate head right / Large S · C within circle within laurel wreath of eight leaves. RPC I 4248; McAlee 209. (7.11 grams / 20 x 19 mm) eBay Feb. 2024 $0.99 Notes: Given size, this has to be RPC 4248. Dates are confusing; I assume RPC is in error as this issue does not have a ZK date: RPC 4248: "year 27 (ZK) (5/4 B.C.)" Baldwin's: "struck c. 5/4 BC" MAShops Aeternitas: 14-37 A.D. FORVM Antonivs Protti: "posthumous issue, struck A.D. 14-37. CNG: "Struck circa AD 6-14" Attribution: RPC I 4248 (Specimens: 13); McAlee 209c (RPC says 209); AMC 746–8; FITA 99 IV; Wruck 10. Die-Match Characteristics: Obv: Laurel-tie at T Rev: Wreath ties break circle. Die-Match Obv.? & Rev.: Classical Numismatic Group Mail Bid Sale 78; Lot 1413; 14.05.2008

I have what I think is a Valentinian III - it is in wretched condition, but that seems to be the norm for these shoddy coins. My attribution could be wrong - my guesswork is below (note @Valentinian's site is very helpful - thank you, @Valentinian): Valentinian III? Æ 10 (425-435 A.D.) Rome Mint? [D N VALENTINIANVS P F AVG?], pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right / [V]ICTOR-[IA AVGG], Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm, Ɛ in left field, [RM in exergue?]. RIC X Valentinian III 2121?. (1.36 grams / 10 mm) eBay Jan. 2023 Attribution Notes: "Primarily at Rome. Struck for Honorius, Theodosius II, Johannes, and Valentinian III." (augustuscoins) Types with Ɛ in left field: RIC X Val. III 2118 (PLA) RIC X Valentinian III 2121 RIC X Honorius 1357 (408 - 423 A.D.) RIC X Johannes 1909 (Theo. II) RIC X Johannes 1910 (423 - 425 A.D.)

Nice Leo the Lion type. Great minds think alike @ominus1 - which is to say I too have been trolling Papal States on eBay. No Leo's, Great or otherwise, but this is in the same century, anyway: Papal States Billon Quattrino Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585) Ancône Mint GRE(G) • X III•P•M• around arms / ANC•S - PETRVS• St. Peter standing holding keys PC.1232 (var.?) Note: several types/mints for this issue. (0.53 grams / 16 mm) eBay Feb. 2020 Lot @ $0.83

Terrific post as always, @Roman Collector Keep up the good work. Here are two Pudicitia AEs that are in my collection: Faustina II Æ As (Early 148-March 149 A.D.) Rome Mint [FAVSTIN]AE AVG PII AVG FIL, draped bust right w. stephane / [PVDICITIA], S C, Pudicitia seated left, drawing out veil with right hand, left hand at side. RIC III Antoninus Pius 1404c (as); Cohen 187; BMC 2159. (7.54 grams / 23 x 21 mm) eBay May 2022 Note: "That type with the stephane is quite scarce indeed! The British Museum does not have one...Strack cites examples in Paris (BnF), Bologna (Museo Communale), and Naples (Nationalmuseum). None at OCRE. One sold by CNG, another at NAC. The stephaned bust is known only in the middle bronze...not in the sestertius." (Roman Collector CT May 2022) Notes: "This legend was used from 147 CE to the end of summer 151 CE." (RC NF 2023) "It was one of the first coins issued by Antoninus Pius for his daughter. The obverse legend, FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL is the earliest and is dated by Strack to 147-149 and by Sear to AD 148-152." (RC CT 2020) Faustina II Æ Sestertius (c. 147- late summer 151 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINAE AVG PII [AVG FIL], draped bust right / [PVDICITIA], S-C, Pudicitia seated left, drawing out veil with right hand, left hand in lap. RIC III Antoninus Pius 1381; BMCRE 2143. (26.33 grams / 29 x 27 mm) eBay June 2020 Notes: "This legend was used from 147 CE to the end of summer 151 CE." (RC NF 2023) "It was one of the first coins issued by Antoninus Pius for his daughter. The obverse legend, FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL is the earliest and is dated by Strack to 147-149 and by Sear to AD 148-152." RC CT 2020)

Nice installment of FF @Roman Collector. As always! I gathered together my Diana Lucifera types and came up with a rather scruffy lot: A dupondius/as: Sestertius - torch left Sestertius - torch right Sestertius - weird AE obverse legend - torch right I also have the flight of the peacock type - I keep trying for an upgrade, but wind up with different versions of "problematical" (to put a spin on it):

I just got one of those: Nero/Britannicus (?) Æ 15 Philistos & Eikadios, magist. Smyrna, Ionia (c. 50-54 A.D.) ΖΜΥΡ, draped head of Nero (or Britannicus?) right / Ε[ΠΙ ΦΙΛΙΣ]ΤΟΥ ΕΙΚΑΔΙΟ | Σ Nike walking right, with trophy over shoulder RPC I 2476 (Nero as Caesar); (3.78 grams / 15 mm) eBay Feb. 2024 $20.00 BIN Attribution: RPC I 2476 (Nero as Caesar); BMC 283-284 (Britannicus); Klose 233, 37 (Britannicus); Klose XXXI 14-37; SNG Lewis 1379; Leake 2503; McClean 8300; Weber 2970; Winterthur 3173; Walcher 231; Hunter 199; SNG Copenhagen 1350-1351; SNG von Aulock 7995. There's a discussion of this type on FORVM started by Joe Geranio here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=83552.0 One of the photos he provides is of a statue purportedly of Britannicus - this bust looks like some of the coins, which may be why the identification was made:

Cool coin. I have a couple for Antoninus Pius issued in the same area - Cyrrhesticus, which is the name of the whole area Cyrrhus is in, I guess (Wikipedia). Here's one of mine - inscription reverse: Antoninus Pius Æ 20 (c. 138-161 A.D.) Hieropolis, Cyrrhestica, Syria [ΑΥΤ(Ο) ΚΑΙ ΤΙ(Τ) ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡΙ ΑΝΤωΝƐΙΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ (ƐΥϹƐΒ)] laureate head right / ΘƐΑϹϹΥΡ ΙΑϹΙƐΡΟΠ(Ο), Δ below, within laurel wreath. RPC IV.3 6976 (temporary). (11.00 grams / 20 mm) eBay Aug. 2022 Attribution: RPC IV.3 6976 (temporary); BMC 19; Paris F986; Butcher 17. Obverse/Reverse Die-Match: Coin no. 11 of RPC IV.3, 6976 (temporary) Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Germany) Inventory No. 12255

Okay, so it is not tooling, exactly, but I believe this coin has had its surfaces manipulated in modern times: Hadrian Æ Sestertius (130-138 A.D.) Rome Mint [HADRI]ANVS AV[G COS III P P], bare-headed, draped bust right / [AD]VENTVI AVG GA[LLIAE] | [SC in ex.] | Hadrian on left standing right holding scroll, Gallia on right standing left sacrificing with patera over altar, bull behind (24.00 grams / 31 x 29 mm) eBay Jan. 2024. RIC II Part 3 2nd ed. 1746 There's not much left to "smooth" on this one - circulation pretty much smoothed it flat! It's kind of an interesting type - too bad for all the wear. Although I have a couple ancients with old musuem/collection numbers painted on, I've never seen the legends enhanced with a Sharpie! No, I have not removed the ink yet; I think it gives the coin some added "pop" and is kind of funny.

Since the radiate fraction topic came up, here's a bewildering radiate fraction of Galerius - my attribution follow's the excellent @Valentinian website (and the British Museum), but as you can see from my notes, some say it is Maximian...or else I'm just really confused, again: Galerius Æ Radiate Fraction (305-306 A.D.) Alexandria Mint IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust (of Galerius) r. / CONCORDIA MIL[ITVM], emperor standing r. holding sceptre, taking Victory on globe from Jupiter, standing l., holding sceptre, Δ between, ALE in ex. RIC VI Alex. 59b. (3.25 grams / 19 mm) eBay Apr. 2023 Lot@$1.50 BIN Attribution: This looks like a Maximian issue, but OCRE and British Museum, as well as several Roma auctions attribute this portrait to Galerius: RIC VI Alexandria 59b See Augustuscoins.com for explanation of this issue, with example (as Galerius). Wildwinds, some auctions attribute it to Maximian. Here's another radiate fraction for Galerius - this one came taped to a cardboard holder that had been sold as a souvenir in England at Bath: Galerius Æ Radiate Fraction (295-299 A.D.) Cyzicus Mint GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS NOB CAES, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA MILITVM, emperor standing r. holding sceptre, taking Victory on globe from Jupiter, standing l., holding sceptre, KA between RIC VI Cyzicus 19b. (2.95 grams / 20 mm) eBay Jan. 2022 Lot @ $6.17 Provenance Note: Coin was taped to a cardboard holder with the printed heading: The Roman Baths of Bath, England / Genuine Roman Bronze Coin. Additional description of the actual coin was typed out on blue paper and glued to cardboard. c. 1940s-1960s (?) souvenir.

An interesting discussion, though my knowledge is about nil on these, I do have what is apparently an odd-ball VOTA type from Trier, with comments from @Heliodromus on CT a while back: Constantine I Æ 18 (323-324 A.D.) Trier Mint (Unofficial?) CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, laureate head right / CAESARVM NOSTRORVM around, VOT • X within laurel wreath, PTR in exergue. RIC VII Treveri 430 (see note). (4.39 grams / 18 mm) D. Smith Oct. 2021 Notes: "That's an interesting coin, but I think it has to be unofficial. It's strange that RIC 430 exists as a listed type at all since it's at best a mule - pairing an obverse of Constantine I with a reverse (CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, VOT X) meant for the caesars. What gives these away as unofficial vs mules is the bust style, which generally is not at all what would be expected for Constantine." (Heliodromus, CT, Apr. 2022)