Marsyas Mike

"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)

Wow! This is an astonishing analysis of my little coin - I'm dazzled. These Provincials often confuse me as I don't have much of a library (Varbanov) so I rely on online auctions, Wildwinds, etc. to kind of triangulate my attributions. Thank you so much @Marcusfor taking the time to fine-tune my iffy attribution. I have but one complaint - how in the world will I fit all that information on a 2" x 2" flip? 😁 Thanks again!

Very interesting post, @Roman Collector. I know a lot more about Trajanopolis than I did before I read it. My only coin from this place came my way recently via eBay - a terrific seller included it for free in a small lot purchase I made. Some people are wonderful, aren't they? Caracalla Æ 16 (c. 198-217 A.D.) Trajanopolis, Thrace AVT K M AVP C[E ANTΩN]EINOC, laureate draped and cuirassed bust right / TPAIANOΠOΛEITΩ[N], garlanded flaming altar. Varbanov 2764-2767; Moushmov 5026. (2.09 grams / 16 x 15 mm) eBay Jan. 2024 Lot @ Free Attribution Notes: Laureate bust, probably. Auctions and other sources are wobbly: Corpus Nummorum: Varbanov 2764-2766 Wildwinds: Varbanov 2767; Moushmov 5026. Hourmo.eu: Varbanov 2767; Moushmov 5026. FOVRM: Varbanov 2766

Here's one issued for Nero I posted a while back Nero Æ 19 Magistrate Gaius Iulius Polyaenus (duovir) Sicyon, Achaea (c. 67 A.D.) See notes. ΝΕ ΚΑΙ ΖΕΥϹ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΟϹ laureate head right / ΕΠΙ Γ ΙΟΥ ΠΟΛΥΑΙΝΟΥ, ΔΑ-ϹΙ across fields, naked figure wearing cloak standing right. (7.68 grams / 19 x 18 mm) eBay May 2023 $25.00 B.O. Note: RPC I 1242; no other references. Found only 3 of these, all on RPC. Die-Match Obv. & Rev.: Coin no. 1 of RPC I 1242 Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris Inventory No. 665 Coin no. 2 of RPC I 1242 British Museum Inventory No. 1895,0703.9 Die-Match Obv.: Coins 1-4 of RPC I 1240 (horseman rev.) Note: Reverse legend starts at right, under figure's hand (ΕΠΙ), and runs clockwise to head (NOY). Note: "The grant of freedom to Greece at Corinth in 67 is for the most part referred to by naming Zeus Eleutherios in a legend or depicting him....In addition, on all Neronian types of Sicyon the emperor was associated with Zeus Eleutherios by means of the legend NE(ron) K(aisar) ZEUS ELEUTHERIOS." E. Manders & D. Slootjes Here is Hadrian "restoring" Achaea on a sestertius: Hadrian Æ Sestertius (134-138 A.D.) Rome Mint [HADR]IANVS AVG COS III PP laureate, draped bust right / [RESTITVTO]RI ACH[AIAE], Hadrian, togate, standing left, raising up kneeling Achaea; vase with palm between figures. RIC 938; Cohen 1216. (26.17 grams / 31 mm) eBay Nov. 2018

I had no idea this "pacified Province of Dacia" type existed - thank you for the explanation @ambr0zie. Just yesterday I got the sestertius version - it is catastrophically worn, but it was cheap and the type is indeed interesting: This comes in a draped-shoulder version (RIC 621) and bust with aegis (RIC 622). I think mine is the aegis type - those are snakes, I think: Detail:

My most recent Septimius Severus is this sestertius, which kind of baffles me (recent post on my bafflement here): Septimius Severus Æ Sestertius (196 A.D.) Rome Mint L SEPT SEV PE[RT AVG IMP VIII], laureate head right / SECV[RITAS PVBLICA] | SC in exergue | EC and S in field r. (from double-strike/strike-over), Securitas seated r. holding globe RIC IV 729a; Cohen RSC 649. (20.59 grams / 28 x 26 mm) eBay Jan. 2024 Notes: Cuirassed type scarce; no examples of head-only type in OCRE or BM; found only one other head-only, not a die-match, w. slight drapery (but no cuirass): MA-Shops MA-ID: 828500960 Münzhandlung André Cichos Weight: 16.28 g Diameter: 26.00 mm RIC 729, C.649 Selten! (Rare!) Note: Reverse flip-over double strike or struck over another type? Knee, arm and globe repeated at back of throne, as is EC of inscription. Extra S in field behind throne may indicate this was struck over other coin? Obverse has faint doubling on beard at chin. My most recent Julia Domna is also a sestertius - it has the reverse in the accusative case IVNONEM - there is an academic article devoted to why this may be the "case" (ha ha ha - see below) 😁: Julia Domna Æ Sestertius (211-217 / 211-215 A.D.) Rome Mint IVLIA PIA FELIX AVG, draped bust right / I[VN]ONEM, S-C, Juno standing left, holding patera and sceptre; at feet, left, peacock RIC IV Caracalla 585b; BMCRE (Caracalla) 210; Cohen RSC 90. (17.32 grams / 29 x 27 mm) eBay Jan. 2024 Note: Dates, emission info: RIC/OCRE/BM: 211-217 A.D. CNG: 211-215 A.D. Die-Match Obverse: American Numismatic Society Identifier: 1944.100.51365 (OCRE example) Roma Numismatics Limited E-Live Auction 1; Lot 697; 25.07.2018 Note: "CEREREM and IVNONEM. Why the Accusative Case? Two Rare Reverse Legends..." ...In summary, Julia Domna’s coins with the accusatives...IVNONEM (sestertius RIC IV Caracalla 585)... are the first Roman imperial coins in which this grammatical case indicates the fact of consecration of a statue of a god or goddess....these reverses suggest that they possibly present an iconography of real statues..." B. Awianowicz https://www.academia.edu/48992090/CEREREM_and_IVNONEM_Why_the_Accusative_Case_Two_Rare_Reverse_Legends_on_Coins_of_Julia_D…

This one's a hot mess: Barbarous Radiate Æ Antoninianus Gaul / Northern Europe (c. 274-300s A.D.) V I S A (?), cuirassed and radiate bust right (Tetricus?) / APTE retrograde C, unidentified goddess standing (reverse double-struck). (0.84 grams / 16 mm) eBay June 2018 $2.75

Very interesting suggestion, RC. I hadn't been thinking earlier issues, but it makes sense - thank you.

A new Septimius Severus sestertius (say that 3 times fast) recently came my way and I was hoping for a little help with it. First off, I can't find another example of it - OCRE has one noted, but no examples. It is RIC IV 729a, with laureate head (no drapery or cuirass) right and Securitas seated left. numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.4.ss.729a The closest I came is an MAShops (Münzhandlung André Cichos) example. This one has a loop of "slight drapery" so it is not really a "head only" type. https://www.ma-shops.com/cichos/item.php?id=8285 The only other "head only" type I found was an unlisted dupondius (radiate crown): https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1757089 This type with a draped and cuirassed bust is RIC IV 729c is described by OCRE as laureate, draped and "sometimes cuirassed." This draped and cuirassed type is scarce too - OCRE has none, but I found a couple online, auctions, etc. Here is one at Marc Breitsprecher's site: https://mrbcoins.com/cgi-bin/lotinfo.pl?id=56935 Here is the British Museum example: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_R-15750 Here is mine - head only (20.59 grams / 28 mm): My question has to do with the reverse. What is going on here? At first I thought it was a a strike-over or double-strike from the same dies. But what is that S doing in the field? The "original" coin clearly has the SC in the exergue. (Note some of the cuirassed types have the SC in the fields, not exergue - see Breitsprecher example above). Also, Severus's beard on the obverse is faintly doubled. More photos: So is this struck over another type altogether? Something like this happening on Postumus sestertii I've seen, but does this happen on Severan sestertii? Any clarifications greatly appreciated. And if there are any other SS Securitas seated sestertii out there, I'd love to see another one.

Similar to the lovely Danish and Brunswick gold posted by @panzerman Prussia also featured a couple of rather relaxed Wildmen leaning against the coat of arms on this Napoleonic-era thaler. Sorry for the lousy photo, but I haven't seen the sun in well over a week and my photos just don't work at all in cloudy weather. Hope that's not poison ivy those guys are wearing!

Terrific coin and write-up @DonnaML. It so happens I too recently caught Wildman fever (er, I guess you could call it that?)when a $7.50 "deal" came my way on eBay - probably too much given the hole. But I used to have a thaler, but I sold it years ago and I regret it now, so this is my only Wildman (future George III, though he didn't put his name on cruddy little coppers). I really like the various renditions of the Wildman on these coins - yours seems wilder than mine because of the stance and despite the Christmas wreath loin cloth. Mine seems a bit more relaxed: Brunswick-Luneburg-Calenberg-Hannover Pfennig 1794 Wildman standing facing, holding tree, P.L.M in exergue / 1 | PFENN | SCHEIDE | MÜNTZ . | 1794 KM 330.3. (3.34 gram / 20.5 mm) eBay Sep. 2023 Thanks for giving me an excuse to post this!

It's very nice to see a date run of a single emperor/reverse type like this @maridvnvm. It inspired me to look for Probus Egyptian eagles in my own collection - I had more than I thought: L-H Milne 4655; Emmett 3984 (8) R2;. Curtis -. L-Є Milne 4610; Dattari 5553; Emmett 3984-5. L-Z Milne 4640; Dattari 5555; Emmett 3984. L-Δ Milne 4587; BMC 2440.

Thanks for sharing that, @Roman Collector. I immediately looked for my avatar, but @antwerpen2306 got there first (and with a very nice example, I must say). It's at 2:02 in the video. I really like the Marsyas type, and the gruesome legend that goes with it. Here are mine:

Great FF as always @Roman Collector. Here's mine: Faustina II Denarius (January-August 156 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AV[G P]II F, bare-headed and draped bust right / PVDICITIA, Pudicitia standing left, sacrificing over lit altar to left. RIC III Antoninus Pius 508a; BMCRE 1092; Cohen 184. (3.20 grams / 18 x 16 mm) eBay Apr. 2022 Notes: "In January AD 156, the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F legend was introduced...The filiation AVGVSTI PII FIL...was moved to the reverse of her coins about August 156, two-thirds of the way through Antoninus' TR P XIX... indicating that the type was issued as late as August of that year...I therefore date these coins to January-August AD 156. Roman Collector, NF Oct. 2022

Very interesting countermark @Broucheion. I have one for Heraclius, same general area, but different - @Curtis JJ already linked the Schulze article: Byzantine Empire Æ Follis Heraclius (c. 633-636 A.D.) cm on Tib. II Con. (578-582 A.D.) Nikomedia / Palestine Mint Host coin: DM T[Ib CONSTANTS PP], crowned facing bust cruciger & shield / M, ANNO left, cross above, IIII [date] right, B below; NIK[O] in exergue. SB 440, DOC 27b. (?) (11.86 grams / 31 x 27 mm) eBay Sep. 2019 (Israel) Countermark: HRC cruciform monogram in 9 mm circle. Schulze HCM type 1b "Heraclian countermarks on Byzantine copper coins in seventh-century Syria" by Wolfgang Schulze, Ingrid Schulze and Wolfgang Leimenstoll discusses finds near Caesarea Maritima, where this example was found, and concludes, "During the military conflict between the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim Arabs in Syria in the years 633-36 Byzantine coins were countermarked by the Byzantine military with a Heraclius monogram. Countermarking most probably was exercised predominantly in Palestine I and was carried out to revalue the few circulating copper coins in order to remedy the general supply gap and disastrous shortage of cash." Here's the countermark with some enhancements:

Duplicates! Oh yeah, I buy duplicates. Just in this week, my third Gordian III antoninianus with FORTVNA REDVX on the reverse, minted in Antioch. It's the portraits that get me - with ancients (unlike Jefferson nickels) you get different artwork with each one. My new one (which to my surprise weighs 5.2 grams, quite heavy for the type): Two others, same old same old: