What’s wrong with Commodus - show me your coins please

[Steppenfool]

My only Commodus. Minted before his reign, his beard and his coinage turned messy. I agree with @Orange Juliusthat his denarii are of noticeably lower quality than his predecessors in terms of metal, engraving and strike, which is why I don't often see coins for sale that are immediately appealing. I do want a Commodus as Hercules piece, but I want be wealthier first so I am not forced to buy a beat up version (which still demands quite a lot of money). I also desire a DIVUS SERIES Commodus as I think it is the most fascinating inclusion in the series. However, they are also very expensive and out-with my budget for a single coin.

 

Commodus AR Denarius. Rome, AD 181. M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG, laureate head to right / TR P VI IMP IIII COS III P P, Roma seated to left, holding Victory and spear. RIC III 12; BMCRE 55; RSC 803. 3.28g, 19mm, 6h.

[Prieure de Sion]

39 minutes ago, Ancient Coin Hunter said:

Why are Commodus coins not particularly popular? Not sure. I do think perhaps it's because he was an unlikeable figure who ended up being strangled in his bath by the wrestler Narcissus.

Nice coin - at first 😉 thanks for posting!

But hmmm I dont know that it was. Caligula was an unlikeable figure - ok, his coins rare and often expensive. What's about Nero, or Caracalla, or Elagabalus...? They are all crazy and bad Emperors, but they have all friends at the collectors.

I take a while at acsearch and coinarchive - I think the problem is really... 90% of the offered silver coins are not really nice. I think - when I search for commodes - it's very hard to find a silver coin in excellent condition. I find only 2, 3 pieces. It's no problem find a nice silver coin from Domitian, Caracalla, Elegabal or others - but Commodus. Only the provincial or imperial bronze coins sometimes in a better condition. 

If you collect an emperor - you want some coins - not all - but some - in a good condition. 
And thats really hard with Commodus. I think this can be one reason.

[Steppenfool]

This was listed today on Den of Antiquity for £160 ad sold within a few hours. I pondered it for an hour or two but decided against it. Congratulations if one of our forum members nabbed it.

 

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/den_of_antiquity/48/product/commodus_ar_denarius/1777342/Default.aspx

 

 

[kevikens]

Excellent topic with two questions to answer, one historical and the other numismatic. First the historic question of why more attention is not given to Commodus as a person or a ruler. We might call, it having a "good press", that is, people writing about a figure. Face it, from 100 BC to 100 AD Rome had splendid historians and writers who have left a good deal of information about their times including the quirks and achievements of their "interesting" people. Some, like Julius Caesar and Cicero wrote enough about themselves to make them known to us, warts and all. And with Suetonius, Tacitus, Sallust,  and Plutarch writing during this period, they could have made anybody at all seem a worthwhile candidate for fame or notoriety. Who did Commodus have?  Well Cassius Dio but I do not think that either he or the later Historia Augusta writers had the gravitas of writers to make their subjects as interesting as those of the earlier period of Roman history. Commodus not only did not have a very press, he had very little contemporary press either, good or bad. For all we know the best and most interesting ruler of Rome might have been some obscure late Third Century AD ruler, maybe a Probus or Aurelian who , if we or they had good writers might have turned out to be the best of Roman Emperors. If a tree in a forest falls and there is no one to hear (or record it) it, does it make a sound? Heck, Commodus did not even have lumberjacks, good or bad, working in his forest. 

Second as a reason for a lack of interest in the coins of Commodus is a numismatic one. The coins of the late Second Century AD are not, in my opinion as well designed or struck as those of the post Severan Period or the those of the previous Antonines. I see the period from say 175 to 235 as a kind of dead zone for attractive coinage, especially the silver denarii which seem to be especially poorly struck as they declined in weight and diameter. In any event, the later coins of Marcus Aureius and Commodus and Severus and his offspring look like garbage to me. One last point on the bronze of this period. Apparently the metal lead was then part of the alloy for bronze and that seems to make these coins a dull, dark grayish color and unattractive to me. Of course I do have some of the coins of Commodus and they are pictured below, about the most decent I could find in my price range. I am having trouble posting images this morning, but if I get them, they will be here below.

On the upper left  a sestertius whose shading is a lighter brown than usual and is decently struck with an atypically well struck reverse of a seated Jupiter. It is Sear 5812. To its right is a dupondius of a young Commodus , again pretty well struck but on the typical dark side with a standing Libertas on the reverse. it is Sear 1608. In the middle is an As  with Concordia on the reverse and is Sear 5857. On the lower left is an interesting silver di drachm of Caesarea, well, struck and of a good silver alloy (weighing 4.3 grams) and a much better appearing small silver, to me, anyway, than the typical denarius of his reign. it is Sear Greek imperial 2039. Lastly on the lower right is another dupondius (without the radiate crown) celebrating Pietas with priestly implements. It's  Sear 5521. Well, here are my coins of Commodus and if we knew more about him, and he had better celators we might find his coinage more 'Interesting".

Edited December 1, 2022 by kevikens
New pictures

[Steppenfool]

1 minute ago, kevikens said:

Severus and his offspring look like garbage to me.

Good post, but please make an exception for Severus Alexander. 😁

[kevikens]

1 hour ago, Steppenfool said:

Good post, but please make an exception for Severus Alexander. 😁

You are right about that. Both his denarii are well designed and struck and so too, are his brass. Some of my finest sesterces are of him and somehow the mint found the right alloy to make his silver quite attractive, even confidence building. Here are two sesterces of Severus Alexander and one deeply toned denarius., Sear 8005 on Alex. Sestertius, ., RIC iv 224 on the denarius, RIC 500 on his mother, Julia Mamaea.

Edited December 1, 2022 by kevikens
Adding pix.

[Jeremy]

Here are a few coins from my collection:

A sestertius struck in 184 AD. References: RIC 405; Cohen 453; BMC 531.

A denarius struck between 191 and 192 AD, showing the emperor as Herakles. References: Cohen 195; BMC 343 (these dies); RIC 253.

An extremely rare provincial didrachm struck in Caesarea in Cappadocia between 180 and 182 AD. The club was a common reverse type in Roman provincial coinage in Cappadocia for hundreds of years, but it's especially interesting, IMO, when paired with this emperor's bust, given his association with Herakles.

References: Metcalf 154b; Sear/GIC 2038; RPC IV.3, 8165 (temporary); G. Hirsch 208, 2158, pl. 21. 

 

[CPK]

2 hours ago, Steppenfool said:

This was listed today on Den of Antiquity for £160 ad sold within a few hours. I pondered it for an hour or two but decided against it. Congratulations if one of our forum members nabbed it.

 

https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/den_of_antiquity/48/product/commodus_ar_denarius/1777342/Default.aspx

 

 

Sigh...I saw this one and was very tempted, but decided to be a responsible adult and passed. 🙄 I knew it wouldn't last long. It was a good deal!

[Steppenfool]

27 minutes ago, CPK said:

Sigh...I saw this one and was very tempted, but decided to be a responsible adult and passed. 🙄 I knew it wouldn't last long. It was a good deal!

I vacillated on my opinion that it had been cleaned heavily or corroded. I think the surfaces look quite poor and my brain kept seeing "streaks", especially on the reverse. The low weight (2.34g) was the deal breaker for me and the final piece of evidence that there was indeed some not insignificant corrosion/cleaning. That was the reason I eventually passed, but it was a close call!

Edited December 1, 2022 by Steppenfool

[Qcumbor]

The main problem, with Commodus' coins, as stated above, is their lack of attractiveness, especially for denarii, poorly designed and struck.

However, my first ever ancient was a Commodus sestertius that I've shown so many times that I will not tell the story again. For those interested see here

 

 

I also have an interesting, yet of mediocre style, alexandrian tet featuring Sol on the reverse

 

Q

[Valentinian]

20 hours ago, AncientOne said:

Mysia, Pergamon. Alliance with Ephesos. AE34 of Commodus

Obv: laureate-headed bust of Commodus (short beard) wearing cuirass and paludamentum, r.
Rev: to l., Asclepius standing, facing, (head, r.), holding serpent-staff; to r., cult statue of Artemis of Ephesus standing, facing, wearing kalathos, having supports.
34mm and 20.8g.

Some large provincials were minted for Commodus. Here is one that is especially impressive for it size: 40-38 mm.

You can't tell the size of a coin from a photo unless you already know how large the coin is, so I put a US cent in the photo for comparison. It is huge!
Minted at Aegeae in Cilicia, CY 234 = AD 187/8.
AVT KAI M AV KOMMOΔOC AN
Bust right, laureate, draped, and cuirassed. Countermark of Victory, Howgego 258, applied to both sides. 
KOMOΔIANωN AΔPIANωN AIΓEAIωN ΔΛC
Diademed and draped bust of Asklepios right with serpent before
Roman Provincial Coinage IV.3 online 9754 [temporary]
Ex Leu 10 lot 834, December 2019.


 

[Constantivs]

 

I like this sestertius for a few reasons - one is the "BRIT" in the legend.. 

COMMODUS AUGUSTUS AE sestertius. 184–185 AD. M COMMODVS ANTO—N AVG PIVS BRIT, laureate head of Commodus right. Reverse - VOTA SVSCEP DECEN P M TR P X IMP VII COS IIII P P, emperor, veiled and togate, sacrificing left from patera over tripod, S—C across field. 33mm, 24.4g.

 

The 'Vota suscepta decennalia' was celebrated every ten years, regardless of how long the current emperor had been in power.

[Sulla80]

https://www.sullacoins.com/post/commodus-the-best-of-men

Commodus (AD 177-192), Dupondius, Rome, 23mm, 12.03g, issued 184-185

Obv: M COMM ANTON AVG PIVS BRIT, Radiate head right

Rev: P M TR P VIIII IMP VII COS IIII P P, Roma seated left on shield with spear and Victory

Ref: RIC 443

[Furryfrog02]

I don't know about you all...but I think Commodus got a bad rap....He couldn't have been all THAT bad...right? If the history books forgot to mention Sponsian, they surely could have forgot to mention all the wonderful non-degenerate things that Commodus did for the Empire. 

In conclusion, there is NOTHING wrong with Commodus. Every bad thing you read about him these days is Fake News. He was a peach.

In honor of our misaligned Emperor, I present this dupondius:

[mc9]

Here is Commodus once without beard and once with beard

L AVREL CO MMODUS AVG

head laur r.

TR P IIII IMP II COS II PP

Salus seated l., holding branch; her l. arm

rests on chair; at her feet, snake

A.D. 179, 3.19 gr, 19.25 mm

RIC III 658 p.267 ( not in RIC for cos II )

Denarius

I don't know about the emperor, but this coin had a hard life

M COMM ANT PFEL AVG BRIT

head laur. r.

P M TR P X IMP VII COS IIII P P // FID EXERC

Commodus standing l. on platform, holding scepter

and haranguing tree soldiers

A.D. 184 – 185, 2.09 gr, 16.12 mm

RIC III 110 d p.378,  Denarius

 

 

[Jims,Coins]

Silver coin (AR Denarius) minted during the reign of COMMODUS in 181 A.D. Obv. M.COMMODVS.ANTONINVS.AVG.: laur. hd. r. Rev. LIB.AVG.IIII.TR.P.VI.IMP.IIII.COS.III.P.P.: Liberalitas stg. front, head l., holding abacus and cornucopia. (refers to the fourth donative, of 181 A.D., at the end of the fifth year of his reign, as reckoned by the assumption of Tribunician powers). RSCII #307 pg.240. RICIII #22 pg.368. DVM #38.

A coin from his Wife:

Silver coin (AR Denarius) minted at Rome for CRISPINA, Wife of COMMODUS in 177 A.D. Obv. CRISPINA.AVGVSTA.: dr. bust r. Rev. VENVS.FELIX.: Venus seated l., holding Victory and sceptre. RCS #1686. RICIII #288 pg.399 RSCII #39a. DVM #9. RCSVII #6003.

[Meander]

I love Commodus' portraits and especially on bronzes. I chased this coin when it appeared for the first time in NAC auction in 2014 and was a disappointed underbidder. When it appeared again in 2021 I was able to get it and for a much lower price. Never lose hope!

Commodus augustus, 177 – 192.  
Sestertius 183-184, Æ 25.76 g. M COMMODVS AN – TONINVS AVG PIVS Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. P M TR P VIIII IMP VI COS IIII P P Pax seated l. holding branch and cornucopiae; in exergue, S C. C 453. BMC 531. RIC 405.

 

[Prieure de Sion]

10 minutes ago, Meander said:

I love Commodus' portraits and especially on bronzes. I chased this coin when it appeared for the first time in NAC auction in 2014 and was a disappointed underbidder. When it appeared again in 2021 I was able to get it and for a much lower price. Never lose hope!

Commodus augustus, 177 – 192.  
Sestertius 183-184, Æ 25.76 g. M COMMODVS AN – TONINVS AVG PIVS Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. P M TR P VIIII IMP VI COS IIII P P Pax seated l. holding branch and cornucopiae; in exergue, S C. C 453. BMC 531. RIC 405.

 

Ouh that’s a nice example! Great portrait and wonderful green patina…

[kevikens]

23 minutes ago, Meander said:

I love Commodus' portraits and especially on bronzes. I chased this coin when it appeared for the first time in NAC auction in 2014 and was a disappointed underbidder. When it appeared again in 2021 I was able to get it and for a much lower price. Never lose hope!

Commodus augustus, 177 – 192.  
Sestertius 183-184, Æ 25.76 g. M COMMODVS AN – TONINVS AVG PIVS Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. Rev. P M TR P VIIII IMP VI COS IIII P P Pax seated l. holding branch and cornucopiae; in exergue, S C. C 453. BMC 531. RIC 405.

 

If more of his coins looked like this I'd be a major collector of his coins. Yours is an exceptionally attractive coin.

[Prieure de Sion]

So. I have never had a Commodus in my collection - I want to hold one in my hands.
That's why I bought a Commodus today. You have to hold this emperor in your hands once 😄 ...

 

 

Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus
Denarius of the Roman Imperial Period 186/187 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 3.04g; Mint: Rome; Reference: RIC III Commodus 155; Obverse: Head of Commodus, laureate, right. The Inscription reads: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT for Marcus Commodus Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus Britannicus (Marcus Commodus Antoninus, the pious, the fortunate, Augustus, conqueror of the Britons); Reverse: Nobilitas, draped, standing right, holding sceptre in right hand and stattuette of Minerva in extended left hand. The Inscription reads: NOBILIT AVG P M TR P XII IMP VIII COS V P P for Nobilitas Augusti, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate Duoecima, Imperator, Octavum, Consul Quintum, Pater Patriae (The nobility of the Augustus. High priest, holder of tribunician power for the twelfth time, Imperator for the eighth time, consul for the fifth time, father of the nation).

 

Comment: "New in Roman coinage of the Principate is the personification of Nobilitas (...). The type is to be understood as a reference to Commodus' distinguished ancestry - he was the first Roman ruler born in purple and, from a purely legal point of view, could trace his ancestry back to Nerva. Possibly this type, which emphasises the nobilitas of Commodus, echoes the highly treacherous plans of Perennis, who - at least according to the official version - wanted to help his son to the imperial throne, but also the uprisings of the soldiers in Britain, who wanted to acclaim Priscus and Pertinax as emperor." (M. R. Kaiser-Raiß, Die stadtrömische Münzprägung während der Alleinherrschaft des Commodus, Frankfurt am Main 1980, S. 60).

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Coincidence; I was thinking along similar lines a couple of days ago.  While I collect the 'bad' emperors, Kevikens nailed why I don't really collect that period:

On 12/1/2022 at 10:54 AM, kevikens said:

I see the period from say 175 to 235 as a kind of dead zone for attractive coinage, especially the silver denarii which seem to be especially poorly struck as they declined in weight and diameter.

I'll eventually get around to buying a lion skin issue in good fine or VF; I like those. 

My collection has only two or three Commodus coins to my recollection, most purchased during the 1990's.

[Barzus]

Two CONSERATIO issues for me: a fun fourrée hybrid imitation,

and the « real » one frim Alexandria (already shown in another post)

[kevikens]

43 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

So. I have never had a Commodus in my collection - I want to hold one in my hands.
That's why I bought a Commodus today. You have to hold this emperor in your hands once 😄 ...

 

 

Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus
Denarius of the Roman Imperial Period 186/187 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 3.04g; Mint: Rome; Reference: RIC III Commodus 155; Obverse: Head of Commodus, laureate, right. The Inscription reads: M COMM ANT P FEL AVG BRIT for Marcus Commodus Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus Britannicus (Marcus Commodus Antoninus, the pious, the fortunate, Augustus, conqueror of the Britons); Reverse: Nobilitas, draped, standing right, holding sceptre in right hand and stattuette of Minerva in extended left hand. The Inscription reads: NOBILIT AVG P M TR P XII IMP VIII COS V P P for Nobilitas Augusti, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunicia Potestate Duoecima, Imperator, Octavum, Consul Quintum, Pater Patriae (The nobility of the Augustus. High priest, holder of tribunician power for the twelfth time, Imperator for the eighth time, consul for the fifth time, father of the nation).

 

Comment: "New in Roman coinage of the Principate is the personification of Nobilitas (...). The type is to be understood as a reference to Commodus' distinguished ancestry - he was the first Roman ruler born in purple and, from a purely legal point of view, could trace his ancestry back to Nerva. Possibly this type, which emphasises the nobilitas of Commodus, echoes the highly treacherous plans of Perennis, who - at least according to the official version - wanted to help his son to the imperial throne, but also the uprisings of the soldiers in Britain, who wanted to acclaim Priscus and Pertinax as emperor." (M. R. Kaiser-Raiß, Die stadtrömische Münzprägung während der Alleinherrschaft des Commodus, Frankfurt am Main 1980, S. 60).

 

That's actually a very nice looking coin with an attractive portrait of the guy.

[Prieure de Sion]

22 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

Coincidence; I was thinking along similar lines a couple of days ago.  While I collect the 'bad' emperors, Kevikens nailed why I don't really collect that period:

I'll eventually get around to buying a lion skin issue in good fine or VF; I like those. 

My collection has only two or three Commodus coins to my recollection, most purchased during the 1990's.

But I would like to (partly) contradict this 😄 

Especially as far as the Severans are concerned. There are really extremely well taken heads of Septimius Severus that are of the best quality - and lots of interesting backs. Also great portraits of Julia Domna and Caracalla - also with great backs - I only say the lions, the Lucifera backs or the Venus of Julia Domna. In addition, there are great heads of the family / sister of Julia Domna. 

In addition to Rome, there is also a variety of silver tetradrachms, especially among the Severans. And not to forget - the silver thinkers from Laodicea - which are stylistically wonderful - and are often available in very good complete quality.

[hotwheelsearl]

I have a couple.

I rescued this one from the brink, showing a grizzled, psychotic guy:

 

 

This one shows a very young Commodus:

 

Here's another young kid with a nice afro: