A Sestertius of Agrippina Junior

[Julius Germanicus]

Agrippina Minor, fourth wife (and niece) of Claudius and mother of Nero, had not only the most illustrious pedigree of any roman empress (great-granddaughter of Augustus, Marcus Antonius, Livia and Octavia, granddaughter of Nero Claudius Drusus, Agrippa, Julia and Antonia, daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina Senior), but also a life and death of Shakespearean dimensions.

And we must not forget that she was the first ruling empress to have her name and portrait struck on the obverse of roman coinage.



AGRIPPINA AVG GERMANICI F CAESARIS AVG - Draped bust of Agrippina Junior right /
(no legend) – Carpentum left, drawn by two mules, the cover supported by standing figures.
Brass Sestertius, Perinthus (?) mint, AD 51-54 (struck under Claudius)
32mm / 26.99 g / 6h
Cohen -, BMCRE Claudius p. 195 note and plate 37.3, RIC I (Claudius) 103 (R3), H.-M. von Kaenel, “Britannicus, Agrippina Minor und Nero in Thrakien”, SNR 63 (1984), p. 130 ff, Type A (7 specimens) and plate 24, 30 (same obverse die), Cayon “Los Sestercios del Imperio Romano” Vol. 1 (1984), 1 (80.000 SFR) and plate p.74 (same reverse die), Sear RCV I, 1910

Ex CNG E-auction 525, 19.10.2022 (lot 1045), “From the S & S Collection”



While Sestertii of Agrippina Senior, struck by her son Caligula, are not cheap but available, those of her daughter, Caligula´s sister, were an enigma until recently.

Sestertii and dupondii in the name of Agrippina Junior have been found apparently exclusively localized in the Balkan region, and were most likely struck at a local mint servicing the legions guarding the border. Despite their latin obverse legends, the lack of reverse legends on both the sestertius and dupondius, specifically the S C, would be in keeping with a provincial issue not issued under the nominal authority of the Roman Senate.

Unknown to Cohen, called doubtful by Sutherland in 1984, and mentioned but omitted in RPC I in 1992 (p. 318), because at the time the RPC authors were hesitant to accept them, just like the equally enigmatic Sestertii of Britannicius and Nero Caesar, due to there being no corresponding pieces for Claudius.

Also, the Sestertii of Agrippina Minor were virtually unobtainable to collectors with all seven specimens published by von Kaenel in 1984 residing in museums: four in Berlin, one in Vienna, one in Sofia, and the last one in Boston by 1986. 

After the fall of the iron curtain, however, metal detectorists in Bulgaria have seemingly dug up dozens of further specimens which are entering the market (many after extensive tooling or in a deplorable state) at a rate of about one per year, giving completists (like myself) a chance to own one. My new acquisition seems to be the only specimen offered at auction in 2022. 

While von Kaenel attributed his seven specimens to two obverse and five reverse dies (mistakenly not recognizing a third obverse die in his illustrations), I have compiled a corpus of a total of 44 genuine Sestertii known by 2022 (there are reportedly two additional specimens in the museums of Plodiv and Vidin, Bulgaria), which I could attribute to a total of 5 obverse dies and 7 reverse dies while 7 specimens feature a blank reverse. There are five other Sestertii sharing the die combination of my coin (obverse die 3, reverse die 6), which looks genuine and un-tooled to me.

Please show your coins of Agrippina Junior (a Sestertius anybody?) or anything related.

And does anybody know anything about the “S & S collection”?

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Julius Germanicus

[Kali]

Wonderful coin, congrats!

[KenDorney]

Well, I have an example of senior...

[ambr0zie]

Great coins. I only have one coin with Agrippina Junior's portrait, a provincial from Aizanis.

Phrygia. Aizanis. Agrippina II AD 50-59.
Bronze Æ
17 mm, 2,91 g

ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΗΝ, draped bust of Agrippina II, right / ΑΙΖΑΝΙΤΩΝ,     draped bust of Persephone with ears of corn before
RPC I, 3102; BMC 91, Cop 91

 

[Qcumbor]

Exceptionnal !

Q

[Roman Collector]

Wow! What a rarity, @Julius Germanicus!! A fantastic acquisition for your numophylacium! I have only provincial coins of this empress.


Claudius, AD 41-54 and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 12 Nummia, 9.30 gm, 25.0 mm.
Bosporos, under King Kotys I, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΤΙ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ ΚΑΙCΑΡΟC, laureate head of Claudius, right.
Rev: ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ CΕΒΑCΤΗΝ, head of Agrippina II, left, in loop ponytail; BAK before.
Refs: SGI 5438; RPC 1925; BMC 13.52,7; Anokhin Bosporus 348; SNG Copenhagen 31.


Claudius, AD 41-54, and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 19.6 mm, 4.19 g, 12 h.
Lycaonia, Iconia (as Claudiconium), magistrate M. Annius Afrinus, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ϹЄΒΑ, laureate head of Claudius, right.
Rev: ϹЄΒΑϹΤΗ ЄΠΙ ΑΦΡЄΙΝΟΥ ΚΛΑΥΔЄΙΚΟΝΙЄⲰΝ, bare-headed and draped bust of Agrippina II, right.
Refs: RPC I 3542; von Aulock Lyk. 258–62.


Claudius, AD 41-54 and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 20.2 mm, 5.81 g, 10 h.
Lydia, Thyatira, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΤΙ ΚΛΑYΔΙΟC CЄΒΑCΤΟC, bare head of Claudius right.
Rev: ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ CЄΒΑCΤΗΝ ΘΥΑΤΙΡΗΝΟΙ, draped bust of Agrippina right.
Refs: Sear 507; RPC I 2380; BMC 22. 301, 57; SNG München 611; SNG von Aulock --; SNG Copenhagen --; Mionnet --; Wiczay --.

As for sestertii -- I only have Agrippina SENIOR.

Agrippina I, wife of Germanicus, 14 BC - AD 33
Roman AE Sestertius 27.92 gm, 34.8 mm, 7 h
Rome mint. Struck under Claudius, 42-54 AD
Obv: AGRIPPINA M F GERMANICI CAESARIS, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P around large SC.
Refs: RIC I 102 (Claudius); BMCRE 219 (Claudius); Cohen 3.

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Roman Collector

[shanxi]

Nice Agrippinas here! Here are two Agrippinas from Hierocaesarea

Lydia. Hierocaesaraea
Agrippina Junior (Augusta, 50-59)
Bronze, AE 19
Obv.: AΓPIΠΠINAN ΘЄAN CЄBACTHN, draped bust right, hair in long plait down back of neck and looped at end, long loosely curled lock down side of neck;
Rev.: IЄPOKAICAPЄΩN ЄΠI KAΠITΩNOC, Artemis Persica standing facing, wearing long chiton, with right hand
drawing arrow from quiver on right shoulder, left hand on hip, stag at her side on left
AE, 5.93g, maximum diameter 18.8mm, die axis 0o
Ref.: RPC I 2387; BMC Lydia p. 106, 22

 

Lydia. Hierocaesaraea
Agrippina Junior (Augusta, 50-59)
Bronze, AE 18
Obv.: AΓPIΠΠINAN ΘЄAN CЄBACTHN, draped bust right, hair in long plait down back of neck and looped at end
Rev: IЄPOKAICAPЄωN ЄΠI KAΠITωNOC, Artemis standing right, holding bow, stag standing right.
Æ, 18.1mm, 4.43g
Ref.: RPC I 2388, SNG von Aulock 2959

 

[kapphnwn]

Agrippina Senior Ae Sestertius 50-54 AD Minted during the reign of Claudius Obv Bust right draped. Rv Inscription around large S C RIC 102 28.30 grms 35 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Because of her association with his brother Germanicus and being the granddaughter of the emperor Augustus , Claudius elected to honor Agrippina with this issue of sestertii.  The fact that he had no blood ties to Augustus compelled him not only to honor Agrippina Senior but also to marry first Messalina and then Agrippina Junior both of whom had blood ties to Augustus. 

[Julius Germanicus]

On 12/8/2022 at 3:37 AM, Roman Collector said:

Wow! What a rarity, @Julius Germanicus!! A fantastic acquisition for your numophylacium! I have only provincial coins of this empress.


Claudius, AD 41-54 and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 12 Nummia, 9.30 gm, 25.0 mm.
Bosporos, under King Kotys I, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΤΙ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ ΚΑΙCΑΡΟC, laureate head of Claudius, right.
Rev: ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝ ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ CΕΒΑCΤΗΝ, head of Agrippina II, left, in loop ponytail; BAK before.
Refs: SGI 5438; RPC 1925; BMC 13.52,7; Anokhin Bosporus 348; SNG Copenhagen 31.


Claudius, AD 41-54, and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 19.6 mm, 4.19 g, 12 h.
Lycaonia, Iconia (as Claudiconium), magistrate M. Annius Afrinus, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ϹЄΒΑ, laureate head of Claudius, right.
Rev: ϹЄΒΑϹΤΗ ЄΠΙ ΑΦΡЄΙΝΟΥ ΚΛΑΥΔЄΙΚΟΝΙЄⲰΝ, bare-headed and draped bust of Agrippina II, right.
Refs: RPC I 3542; von Aulock Lyk. 258–62.


Claudius, AD 41-54 and Agrippina II, AD 50-59.
Roman provincial Æ 20.2 mm, 5.81 g, 10 h.
Lydia, Thyatira, AD 50-54.
Obv: ΤΙ ΚΛΑYΔΙΟC CЄΒΑCΤΟC, bare head of Claudius right.
Rev: ΑΓΡΙΠΠΙΝΑΝ CЄΒΑCΤΗΝ ΘΥΑΤΙΡΗΝΟΙ, draped bust of Agrippina right.
Refs: Sear 507; RPC I 2380; BMC 22. 301, 57; SNG München 611; SNG von Aulock --; SNG Copenhagen --; Mionnet --; Wiczay --.

As for sestertii -- I only have Agrippina SENIOR.

Agrippina I, wife of Germanicus, 14 BC - AD 33
Roman AE Sestertius 27.92 gm, 34.8 mm, 7 h
Rome mint. Struck under Claudius, 42-54 AD
Obv: AGRIPPINA M F GERMANICI CAESARIS, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR P IMP P P around large SC.
Refs: RIC I 102 (Claudius); BMCRE 219 (Claudius); Cohen 3.

 

 

Great coins! I had no idea that there are so many depictions of her on provincials!

Yes, she certainly is my rarest empress (or person, for that matter) on a Sestertius so far, much harder to find than Aquilia Severa, Julia Paula, or the wife and daughter of Didius Julianus, but those combined did not have one percent of the historic relevance (and tragic life) of Agrippina minor.

In fact I had to pay four (!) visits to the customs office before they would let me have it, and not before they had made an inquiry at the Ministry of Culture if it was a piece of world heritage that could not be legally imported into the EU (even though I do not understand why something that was made on EU territory should be kept in the US for cultural reasons - this lady was born in what is now Germany and was the founder of Cologne, so I would say she has much stronger cultural ties to this place 😄 ).