Two RR Denarii safely (and QUICKLY) arrived

[ambr0zie]

I had a pleasant surprise today - the DHL Express courier rang on my doorbell to deliver 3 coins that were shipped to me on Tuesday after 16:00 from Italy. 1 hour ago - delivered. This is clearly the best shipping service I have ever witnessed.
But I am also very satisfied with the coins. Although the auction was rough and I saw a few coins going over what I consider a decent price, I managed to get 2 of the coins I was after. Slightly overpaid but on the other hand, I usually "hit and run" in auctions. And - always a very pleasant situation - the aspect for them in hand is better than I was expecting.
I am not a main RR collector. But in the last months I have noticed that my interest Republican coins is getting larger. I like their designs, their connections to mythology and historical events and in my opinion, the proportion of "dull" Republican denarii (the ones you scroll through in an auction without looking) is much smaller than for Imperials, taken as a whole.

This was the first

Anonymous. 115-114 BC. AR Denarius. 19. 7 mm,3.79 g. ROMA, head of Roma, right, wearing winged Corinthian helmet with curl on left shoulder. Border of dots; X (mark of value) behind / Roma, wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right on pile of shields, holding spear in left hand; at feet, helmet; before, she-wolf, right, suckling twins Romulus and Remus; on either side, birds flying. Border of dots. Crawford 287/1; Sydenham 530; RSC 176; RBW 1117.

This type was on my radar for a long time. A story we all know - when it appears in good condition, the price is prohibitive. When it appears in a modest condition, it is way too ... modest. I wasn't 100% convinced I want this particular coin because of roughness/porosity (it seemed exaggerated in the house's pics). I had a second doubt when I saw I am not the only one who bids on the coin (starting price was 45 EUR + fees) but I decided to bid on it further. And won it.
Strong point - the reverse theme. I just love it! It shows calmness, I could almost hear the birds singing 🙂 And although the wear reached the she wolf with Romulus and Remus, I am quite happy to add a coin with this motif (especially since the wolf barely shows the reverted head, which is a plus for this type).

 

Let's see anonymous denarii, she wolf with twins coins or anything related!

Edited September 29, 2022 by ambr0zie

[JayAg47]

Nice addition, looks like it has thick layers of horn silver which could be easily cleared up with sodium thiosulfate treatment. I can see the coin really popping up! 

My example of a tetradrachm revealing new details. 

[ambr0zie]

@JayAg47Solution of 1 teaspoon of sodium thiosulphate and ~200 ml distilled water? and leave it there? For how long?

I used this for some silver coins but the results were mixed.

Edited September 29, 2022 by ambr0zie

[ominus1]

that's a kool one Ambro  :..does DHL offer postal insurance on their packages, would you know Sir ? 🙂

[JayAg47]

9 minutes ago, ambr0zie said:

@JayAg47Solution of 1 teaspoon of sodium thiosulphate and ~200 ml distilled water? and leave it there? For how long?

I used this for some silver coins but the results were mixed.

I take a plastic/glass bowl, add around 50 ml warm water, add around 5-10g sodium thiosulphate and leave it for 30 min, large flakes would simply fall off, and remove the smaller cruds with a tooth pick, I usually repeat this process 2-3 times until I'm satisfied. After the treatment rub the coin with baking soda to bring back the shine.

Edited September 29, 2022 by JayAg47

[ambr0zie]

@ominus1 - I am pretty sure they do. I have received through DHL Paket (cheaper and slower version) and they were always insured. For this DHL Express package the terms and conditions on the house's website state that "applies an insurance service for shipment with an extra 1% (minimum € 3,50) over the winning price and commission buyers are not responsable for shipment risk. In case of lost, after aknowledeg, they will be refund of their total expenses."

[ambr0zie]

@JayAg47 thanks for the idea with the thiosulphate (I still have about 700 grams of it in my house).

I think the job could have continued but I will leave the coin like this. Details are indeed clearer. Some of the obverse deposits cannot be removed (3 sessions of thiosulphate and I don't want to continue with it and mechanical cleaning as I already made some tiny scratches). But anyway, I think the difference is visible.

 

Note to other interested collectors - I noticed that the thiosulphate reacts much more powerfully with tap water, not with distilled water.

Edited September 29, 2022 by ambr0zie

[Ryro]

Score! That's gotta be one of my favorite designs on an RR. And it's a mystery who minted them!

 

[red_spork]

This type has always been a favorite for me. I really like how you have all these moneyers starting to make very personal designs emphasizing their familial accomplishments but this moneyer decided to go against that, minting anonymously with a type that purely celebrates the founding myth of Rome. Really awesome and interesting departure from the norm.

 

Roman Republic AR denarius(19mm, 3.87 g, 9h), anonymous, circa 115 or 114 B.C., Rome mint. Helmeted head of Roma right with curl on left shoulder; below, ROMA; behind, X. Border of dots. / Roma, wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right on pile of shields, holding spear in left hand; at feet, beside pile of shields, helmet; before, she-wolf right, suckling twins; on either side, bird flying. Border of dots. Crawford 287/1

Ex CNG e-Auction 443, 1 May 2019, lot 455, ex Andrew McCabe Collection, AM#13206-39, ex Roma V, 23 March 2013, lot 519, ex Mayflower (Herb Sukenik) Collection, Heritage 3019, 25 April 2012, lot 25924, ex George N. Polis M.D. Collection, Bowers & Merena, 10 June 1991, lot 74, ex Aurelia Collection, Owl, Ltd. & Thomas McKenna, November 1980, lot 72.

[Zarco]

This is one of my favorite types from the Roman Republic as well. 

 

Roman Republic
AR denarius, 3.84 g, 20.3 mm, 1 h.
Rome mint, 115-114 BC.
Obv: ROMA; Head of Roma, right, wearing winged Corinthian helmet with curl on left shoulder. Border of dots. X behind.
Rev: Roma, wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right on pile of shields, holding spear in left hand; at feet, helmet; before, she-wolf, right, suckling twins; on either side, bird flying. Border of dots.
Refs: Crawford RRC 287/1, Sear RCV 164.
Acquired from Roma Numismatics E-Sale 96, Lot 896, 5 May 2022. From the collection of Z.P., Austria.

Photo credit: Roma Numismatics