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

[Broucheion]

Hi All,

COMMODUS (177 - 192 CE); Year 29 of MARCUS AURELIUS
ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT Year 29 (188/189 CE)

Bi TETRADRACHMA
Size: 23x24 mm
Weight: 11.5 g
Axis: 00:00
Broucheion Collection R-2019-07-17.001

OBV: Commodus head laureate, facing right. Legend: [MAKOM*ANTω] - CЄBЄYCЄB. Border not visible.
REV: Pharos (rectangular tower) on left, and corbita (ship) under sail on waves at right. In exurge: [L]KΘ (date). Border not
visible.
Refs: Emmett-2542.29; Geissen 2242-2243; Dattari-3903, pl xxviii; RPC IV.4-14216 temporary online; Milne-2683/2684; Curtis-0825; SNG Copenhagen-581 var: Rev ship faces to left; BMC-1439, pl xxix/1440; Mionnet-2388; Vogt II-110; Sammlung Consul Eduard Friedrich Weber, Hamburg: Die öffentliche Versteigerung findet Statt: 16 Nov 1908 u ffTage #4577.
Provenance: Ex-CNG, INC (PA, USA): eAuction 448 (17 Jul 2019), Lot #329. "From the Rye Collection."

- Broucheion

[Valentinian]

On 12/1/2022 at 4:46 PM, Constantivs said:

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

The coin has TRP X making it in the tenth year of Commodus, which is when his decennalia was. The decennalia was specifically for the current emperor's tenth year. 

For more about vota coins, see:

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/VOTA/

 

A type of Gallienus combines the "Victory inscribing a shield" design with the "DECENNALIA" spelled-out legend.
Gallienus. 253-268. 22-21 mm. 
Struck 262-263 at Mediolanum (for his 10th year)

GALLIENVS AVG
VOTA DECENNALIA around
Victory inscribing shield on palm tree, P in field left
RIC V.I 540
Very rare.
Cunetio 1352-4 had 11 examples with this legend, none with the "P", among 14,429 coins of Gallienus and Salonina.

[Prieure de Sion]

 

Commodus, Caesarea Cappadocia mint, Reign year 11 (189/190 AD), Bronze, Diameter 28mm, Weight 14.97g

 

I get this big Caesarea bronze today from a friendly numismatic dealer. I like the portrait style from the emperor. And with his 28mm and around 15g weight - its nice heavy and bigger that my little Caesarea silver coins. 

[Steppenfool]

8 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

 

 

Commodus, Caesarea Cappadocia mint, Reign year 11 (189/190 AD), Bronze, Diameter 28mm, Weight 14.97g

 

I get this big Caesarea bronze today from a friendly numismatic dealer. I like the portrait style from the emperor. And with his 28mm and around 15g weight - its nice heavy and bigger that my little Caesarea silver coins. 

I was surprised that it was so late in his reign. He has the same eyes as Marcus there!

[Dafydd]

Roman Imperial Coinage, Commodus (as Cæsar), As, Rome, 175-6, draped bust right, rev. priestly implements, 11.08g (RIC Marcus Aurelius 1539; BMC Marcus Aurelius 1533). 

[dougsmit]

We have seen several tetradrachms of Alexandria and examples of the two rare denarii for Commodus from that city so all I have left to show from Alexandria is a bronze diobol.  Commodus issued many varieties of tetradrachms but his bronzes are more uncommon.  This diobol shows a lion.  I got it in a group lot of tetradrachms but the seller did realize that the coin was bronze rather than billon. 

 

[Prieure de Sion]

 

Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus

Denarius of the Roman Imperial Period 183 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 17mm; Weight: 3.00g; Mint: Rome; Reference: RIC III Commodus 54; Obverse: Head of Commodus, laureate, right. The Inscription reads: M COMMODVS ANTON AVG PIVS for Marcus Commodus Antoninus Augustus Pius; Reverse: Mars, helmeted, advancing right, holding spear in right hand and trophy sloped over left shoulder in left hand. The Inscription reads: TR P VIII IMP VI COS IIII P P for Tribunicia Potestate Octava, Imperator Sextum, Consul Quartum, Pater Patriae (Holder of tribunician power for the eighth time, Imperator for the sixth time, consul for the fourth time, father of the nation).

 

 

 

A (literally) small new addition from Commodus has been pleasing my eyes since yesterday 🙂 

[Prieure de Sion]

Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Augustus
Drachm of the Roman Imperial Period 183/185 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 4.45g; Mint: Caesarea-Eusebia, Cappadocia; Reference: RPC online IV, 7122; SNG von Aulock 6444, Metcalf, Cappadocia 157b; Obverse: Laureate head of Commodus right. The Inscription reads: ΑΥΤ Μ ΑΥΡ ΚΟΜΟ ΑΝΤⲰΝΙΝΟϹ Ϲ for Autokrator Marcos Aurelios Kommodos Antouninos Sebastos (Imperator Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Caesar); Reverse: Nike standing on globe, right, holding wreath and palm-branch. The Inscription reads: ΥΠΑΤΟϹ Δ ΠΑΤ ΠΑΤΡΙ for Hypatos Alpha, Pateras Patrida (Consul for the 1st time, Pater Patriae [father of the nation]).

 

 

Last days I catch this Commodus from Caesarea mint in a rare fantastic condition - this type is also generally rare, only 3 Specmiens at RPC.  

[DonnaML]

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have only one Commodus, whether Imperial or Provincial. Nothing intentional; it's just happened to work out that way. There always seems to be a coin available of another emperor that I want instead, even if I already have a dozen or more of that emperor.

Commodus (son of Marcus Aurelius), AR Denarius 181 AD. Obv. Laureate head right, M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG/ Rev. Pax standing left, holding branch & cornucopiae, TR P VI IMP IIII COS III P P. RIC III 17, RSC II 806. 17 mm., 3.15 g.

[Prieure de Sion]

Only one - but with a very fine interesting portrait @DonnaML… Gratulation! 

[mc9]

Here are 2 Sestertius, one with a young portrait, 1 bearded.

L AUREL COMMO - DUS AVG TR P IIII

laurerate teenaged head right

IMP III COS II P P  S|C

Minerva standing left, dropping incence on altar and holding spear and shield.

Sestertius, RIC III 342, 24.47 gr,  32 mm, A.D.179, Rome

 

M COMMODUS - ANTONINUS AVG

laureate head right

FEL AVG TR[ P VI ] IMP IIII COS III P P S|C

Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding caduceus and sceptre

Sestertius, RIC III 308b, 28.00 mm, 32 mm, A.D.181, Rome

[Prieure de Sion]

42 minutes ago, mc9 said:

Here are 2 Sestertius, one with a young portrait, 1 bearded.

Fantastic!

[AETHER]

Again.. sorry for the BAD photos..

 

[Salomons Cat]

I just stumbled upon this very old topic here while I was actually looking for another one.
There is not much that I enjoy more than looking at Commodus coins, so I feel like I have to revive it. 

I agree that there are astonishingly few Commodus enthusiasts. Sometimes that makes it possible to acquire even very rare and attractive coins with a limited budget. 

Commodus, as Caesar, 166-177. Denarius (Silver, 18 mm, 3.48 g, 12 h), Rome, 175-176.
Obv: COMMODO CAES AVG FIL GERM SARM Bare-headed and cuirassed bust of Commodus to right, seen from behind.
Rev: PRINC IVVENT Commodus, as prince of the youth, standing front in military attire, head to left, holding branch in his right hand and long scepter in his left; behind to right, trophy.
BMC -. Cohen -. MIR 342-14/15 (no example recorded). RIC -. Apparently unpublished with this bust type. Ex Adrian Lang collection (Leu Numismatik).

This is my small Commodus collection:

My idea was to capture the life of Commodus: His youth, the grain market disaster, Commodus as Hercules and ultimately, damnatio memoriae.

The lower left Hercules is from @Jeremy, the latter two coins are from @Prieure de Sion - thank you again!

I think that I'm very lucky that I could build this small collection.
Many coins of Commodus are "condition rarities" - they are easy to find, as long as you're not looking for an attractive example. Finding an attractive Commodus Hercules or Annona/modius of grain reverse is not easy.

Edited August 26, 2023 by Salomons Cat

[Marsyas Mike]

Commodus is one of my favorite collecting areas - there are so many unusual types.  Unfortunately, the workmanship gets pretty sloppy in his reign, and the coins circulated a long time, apparently.  And I'm on a budget.  Anyway, from just the past few months:

Roma seated sestertius (somewhat scarce) and a dupondius that isn't too horrible (I find dupondii of Commodus to be somewhat hard to get, at least on eBay cheap):

Crossed cornucoipae:  

Liberalitas - a denarius (better than most here!) and a sestertius:

Hilaritas sestertius (an upgrade, actually):

My favorite - Apollo on a sestertius, getting ready to shred.  These seem to be mostly found on small, cramped flans.  This one is better than a lot of them I saw on acsearch, etc.:

 

[Jeremy]

Beautiful group of coins @Salomons Cat! They also illustrate the life of Commodus in an interesting way. Congrats!

Edited September 2, 2023 by Jeremy

[Marcus]

This one is interesting due to the attractive obverse, depicting a very young Commodus on an early provincial from Thessalonica.

It dates around late 176-179, after Commodus was made Imperator in November 176 (whence the ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑ...). The face looks still so childlike that I would date it rather early in that period, even if there may be a time lag in portraiture in the provinces.

ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑ ΛΟΥ ΑΥΡΗ ΚΟΜΟΔΟΝ
bare, draped bust to right

ΘƐϹϹΑΛΟΝΙΚƐΩΝ
Nike advancing l. holding wreath and palm-branch; to l., crescent

Touratsoglou - (V10, R-), Varbanov 4326 (this coin), RPC IV.1 17196 (temp) (this coin) (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/17196)

The type with Nike advancing right is the more common one. From this obverse die (V10) RPC and Touratsoglou only know one other specimen in Paris, not that well preserved (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/172548).

 

 

 

[Salomons Cat]

@Marcus, that‘s a very beautiful coin! 

Thank you, @Jeremy! 

[Prieure de Sion]

9 hours ago, Marcus said:

This one is interesting due to the attractive obverse, depicting a very young Commodus on an early provincial from Thessalonica.

Fantastic portrait!

[Tejas]

I have a number of Commodus coins. Below I show two of them:

1. Commodus as Caesar minted under his father Marcus Aurelius. The coin marks the victory over the Germanic Marcomanni. Commodus was awarded the title GERMANICVS at Carnuntum in AD 172. I suppose that suggests that he may have played a more active role in the war than suggested by the movie "Gladiator".

2. A restitution issue under Trajan Decius, dating to about 251. I think the fact that he got a restitution issue suggests that he may not have been quite as bad as some historians suggested.

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Tejas

[Tejas]

I add a third coin of Commodus (probably), which is a Germanic imitation.