zadie's top coins of 2022

[zadie]

2022 has been a rough year. I lost someone very close to me in August to an abrupt case of cancer. It has left me at the lowest point that I have ever been. Probably to help me cope, I have undeniably spent more time in the hobby than I have before. Keeping my mind occupied has helped but I still find myself overwhelmed by the reality of this loss on a daily basis. Hold your loved ones close during the holidays, be honest with them and do not hold back. Dedikerat till dig mamma, jag älskar dig.

The coins are no in particular order:

 

 Promagisterial Cistophori. Gaius Fabius Hadrianus as Proconsul of Asia. Aristoboulos son of Iereous, magistrate. AR Cistophoric tetradrachm, Tralles, 24th march 57 BC - 24th march 56 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / [C•FABI•M•F] PROCOS, Two serpents entwined by bow case, eagle above. In the left field, zebu standing. TPAΛ. In the right field, Hermes standing left, holding caduceus. ARIΣTOBOΥΛOΣ / IEΡΕΥΣ in exergue. 
28.10 mm, 12.41 g. Stumpf 31; Metcalf 329 (O5/R28)
Three known examples: Gorny & Mosch 130, 1256; Hauck & Aufhäuser 6, lot 262 and this coin.

Gaius Fabius Hadrianus is not attested for in the historical record. He evidently served as Praetor in 58 or 57 and was subsequently granted the proconsular command of Asia. Fabius seems to have been the son of Marcus Fabius Hadrianus, a legate of Sulla active during the third mithridatic war. We have very little to go by when it comes to Fabius' proconsulship. Brennan, in his work The Praetorship of the Roman Republic, claims there is no mention for Fabius outside of his coins. 

The source of Fabius' path from obscurity to proconsul in Asia might be found in his predecessor in the province, Titus Ampius Balbus. Balbus, having assumed command of Asia in 58, was only supposed to serve a single year as governor. However at the end of his term, he was prorouged by the senate and hastily transferred to the neigbouring province of Cilicia. Thus forcing the senate to assign Asia to someone else. 

 

Promagisterial Cistophori. Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther as Proconsul of Cilicia. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Laodicea on the Lycus, 56-53 BC. Anaxagoras son of Artemidoros, magistrate. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / P · LENTVLVS · P · F · PRO · COS. Two serpents entwined by a bow case. In the left field, ΛΑΟ. In the exergue, ΑΝΑΞΑΓΟΡ[ΑΣ] / ΑΡΤΕΜΙ[ΔΩΡΟΥ]. 26 mm, 12.03 g. Stumpf -; Metcalf -. Unpublished. One of only two known: cf. Nomos, Web 16. Lot 872 (Hammer 600 CHF). Overstruck on another cistophor from Laodicea.

Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther is one of those individuals where we are fortunate to have a full accounting of their journey along the cursus honorum. Lentulus began his political career as a Quaestor for the city in 74 BC. He would go on to serve as Curule Aedile in 63, where he would aid Cicero in the unravelling of Catiline's conspiracy to overthrow the elected consuls. Being elected to the office of Praetor in 60, he served his term in Rome and was awarded the command of Hispania Citerior afterwards. Lentulus reached the final step on the cursus honorum in 57 as he was elected Consul for the year. Serving alongside Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos, Lentulus was the one to recall Cicero from his exile. He would later go on to serve governor in Cilicia and be hailed as Imperator by his troops. This coin was struck before this event, as the comparatively meagre title of PRO · COS is employed. All later coins of Lentulus in the province uses IMP or IMPERATOR to highlight his martial success.

 

Promagisterial Cistophori. Gaius Claudius Pulcher as Proconsul of Asia. Demostratos, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Tralles mint, 55-53 BC. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C · CLAVDIVS · AP · F · PVLCHER · PROCOS. Two serpents entwined by bow case; In the right field, Isis headdress resting on two grain ears and inverted crescent. TPAΛ to outer left. ΔΗΜΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ in exergue. 25 mm, 12.29 g. Stumpf -; Metcalf -, cf. 335 (same obverse die). Unpublished.

 

Despite Gaius Claudius Pulcher serving an extended term as governor of the Roman province of Asia, we knew of only one magistrate minting coins for him at the mint of Tralles (See Stumpf 55-56, APICTOKΛHC). Preceeding Pulcher as governor of Asia was Gaius Septimius, a senator of praetorian rank and a significant member of the conservative faction. Like Pulcher, Septimius minted only a limited number of types at the mint in Tralles. One of these, struck under the magistrate Diogenes (ΔIOΓENHΣ) shares the obverse die seen on the above coin of Pulcher. This is significant because it helps establish a chronology of the emissions and likely places this coin as the inaugural issue of Pulcher in Tralles. After Demostratos followed a much larger emission under the magistrate Aristokles, bearing a slightly more conventional latin legend, C•PVLCHER•PROCOS.

 

 

Roman Republic. Gn. Domitius Calvinus. 39 BC. AR Denarius. Osca mint. are head of Hercules right, OSCA / Emblems of the Pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex, DOM · COS · ITER · IMP.  Crawford 532/1. 19 mm, 3.68 g. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 45 (18 March 1998), lot 1758.

Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus was elected to the office of Consul for the year 53. Usually, incoming Consuls would formally enter office on the 1st of January. However, due to an enormous bribery scandal surrounding Calvinus and all other candidates in the consular election for that year, he was unable to do so until July. Serving out the remainder of his term, Calvinus proved himself a staunch ally of Julius Caesar in the senate. In the civil war that would follow he'd command Caesar's center at the battle of Pharsalus in 48. Afterwards being awarded the command of Asia, Calvinus was soundly defeated at Nikopolis at the hands of Pharnaces of Pontus during his invasion of the province later that year. After Caesar's death in 44, Calvinus remained steadfast in his loyalty to Octavian and was awarded a second term as Consul for the year 40. This coin was struck at the mint of Osca, during his promagistierial command of Hispania.

 

Roman Republic. L. Cornelius Lentulus and C. Claudius Marcellus. April-June 49 BC. AR Denarius. Apollonia mint in Illyricum. Head of Apollo right, L · LENT · C · MAR · COS / Jupiter, nude, standing facing, head right, holding thunderbolt and eagle; to left, star of eight rays above Q; garlanded altar to right. 17 mm, 3.58 g. Crawford 445/2.

This fascinating issue was minted by the presiding Consuls for the year 49, Lucius Cornelius Lentulus and Gaius Claudius Marcellus. As Caesar crossed the Rubicon in January of that year, the Pompeians back in Rome were caught completely by surprise. So much so that they could not mobilise their forces in time. The difficult decision to leave the capital was made and the Pompeian flight south began. Pompey had hoped to raise sufficient troops in southern Italy in order to quicky regain Rome (which at this time was occupied only by a relatively small force) but even this proved impossible for the great general. The Pompeian forces soon took to crossing the Adriatic to Greece, where they would raise a large army to face Caesar the following year. This coin was minted at Apollonia and shows a statue of Zeus on the reverse. This is thought to be depicting a sculpture by the famous artist Myron that stood in Syracuse.

 

Roman Republic. P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. 50 BC. AR Denarius. Rome. Bare head of M. Claudius Marcellus right; triskeles to left, MARCELLINVS / M. Claudius Marcellus advancing right, carrying trophy into tetrastyle temple, MARCELLVS - COS · QVINQ. 19 mm, 3.82 g. Crawford 439/1.

This coin was minted under the supervision of the moneyer P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. As was common with moneyer issues, it evokes notable events from the moneyer's noble ancestors. In this case Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Marcellus was a legendary commander during the Gallic and Second Punic wars. Consul an incredible five terms, unprecedented at the time, Marcellus was one of only three recipients of the "Spolia Opima" during the Republican era. The Spolia Opima, literally "rich spoils" was an honor held even higher than that of a triumph. It was gained by defeating the leader of an opposing army in single combat and taking their armor. The reverse of this coin depicts Marcellus presenting the arms of the Gallic chieftain Viridomarus whom Marcellus slew at the battle of Clastidium in 222.

 

Fleet Coinage. Mark Antony and Octavia. Æ Dupondius. Uncertain mint in Achaea circa 38-37 BC. M.  Oppius Capito, Propraetor. Confronting busts of Antony and Octavia, [M · ANT · IMP · TER · COS · DES · ITER · ET · TER · III · VIR · R · P · C] / Two galleys below caps of the dioscuri, [M · OPPIVS · CAPITO · PRO · PR · PRAEF · CLASS · F · C] - B below. Amandry, Bronze I, 1C; RPC I, 1464.
 

The fleet coinage of Mark Antony is as enigmatic as they are fascinating. They were minted under the supervision of Antony's fleet prefects M. Oppius Capito, L. Sempronius Atratinus and L. Calpurnius Bibulus. The series was minted in the Æ denominations that would later become implemented by Augustus' monetary reforms: The sestertius, dupondius, tressis, and semis.

Edited December 10, 2022 by zadie

[CPK]

Sorry to hear of your loss @zadie. I've never had that experience and I'm sure it must be devastating.

Nice coins! I think my favorite is the P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus denarius. Portraits of real people are rare on Republican coinage and that one shows great artistic talent.

 

[ambr0zie]

Exceptional coins, with characteristic design for them, rare and pleasant.

I fully understand your loss as I had the same one in April. Same scenario. And same strategy helped - keeping my mind occupied with numismatics. It helps, but it can't cure.

[Limes]

Really sorry to hear that. I've had the same experience 5 and half years ago, too young and too soon. Its not only with the big events that someone is not there, but also the little thing. Missing comfort from that person, a phone call, the simple question how are you. I can cope with it now, but there's an emptiness, so to say. 

Its a good thing, to have something to take your mind off it. The coins are great, lovely, each of them. I wish you all the best...

[Al Kowsky]

8 hours ago, zadie said:

2022 has been a rough year. I lost someone very close to me in August to an abrupt case of cancer. It has left me at the lowest point that I have ever been. Probably to help me cope, I have undeniably spent more time in the hobby than I have before. Keeping my mind occupied has helped but I still find myself overwhelmed by the reality of this loss on a daily basis. Hold your loved ones close during the holidays, be honest with them and do not hold back. Dedikerat till dig mamma, jag älskar dig.

The coins are no in particular order:

 

 

 Promagisterial Cistophori. Gaius Fabius Hadrianus as Proconsul of Asia. Aristoboulos son of Iereous, magistrate. AR Cistophoric tetradrachm, Tralles, 24th march 57 BC - 24th march 56 BC. Serpents emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / [C•FABI•M•F] PROCOS, Two serpents entwined by bow case, eagle above. In the left field, zebu standing. TPAΛ. In the right field, Hermes standing left, holding caduceus. ARIΣTOBOΥΛOΣ / IEΡΕΥΣ in exergue. 
28.10 mm, 12.41 g. Stumpf 31; Metcalf 329 (O5/R28)
Three known examples: Gorny & Mosch 130, 1256; Hauck & Aufhäuser 6, lot 262 and this coin.

Gaius Fabius Hadrianus is not attested for in the historical record. He evidently served as Praetor in 58 or 57 and was subsequently granted the proconsular command of Asia. Fabius seems to have been the son of Marcus Fabius Hadrianus, a legate of Sulla active during the third mithridatic war. We have very little to go by when it comes to Fabius' proconsulship. Brennan, in his work The Praetorship of the Roman Republic, claims there is no mention for Fabius outside of his coins. 

The source of Fabius' path from obscurity to proconsul in Asia might be found in his predecessor in the province, Titus Ampius Balbus. Balbus, having assumed command of Asia in 58, was only supposed to serve a single year as governor. However at the end of his term, he was prorouged by the senate and hastily transferred to the neigbouring province of Cilicia. Thus forcing the senate to assign Asia to someone else. 

 

 

Promagisterial Cistophori. Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther as Proconsul of Cilicia. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Laodicea on the Lycus, 56-53 BC. Anaxagoras son of Artemidoros, magistrate. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / P · LENTVLVS · P · F · PRO · COS. Two serpents entwined by a bow case. In the left field, ΛΑΟ. In the exergue, ΑΝΑΞΑΓΟΡ[ΑΣ] / ΑΡΤΕΜΙ[ΔΩΡΟΥ]. 26 mm, 12.03 g. Stumpf -; Metcalf -. Unpublished. One of only two known: cf. Nomos, Web 16. Lot 872 (Hammer 600 CHF). Overstruck on another cistophor from Laodicea.

Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther is one of those individuals where we are fortunate to have a full accounting of their journey along the cursus honorum. Lentulus began his political career as a Quaestor for the city in 74 BC. He would go on to serve as Curule Aedile in 63, where he would aid Cicero in the unravelling of Catiline's conspiracy to overthrow the elected consuls. Being elected to the office of Praetor in 60, he served his term in Rome and was awarded the command of Hispania Citerior afterwards. Lentulus reached the final step on the cursus honorum in 57 as he was elected Consul for the year. Serving alongside Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos, Lentulus was the one to recall Cicero from his exile. He would later go on to serve governor in Cilicia and be hailed as Imperator by his troops. This coin was struck before this event, as the comparatively meagre title of PRO · COS is employed. All later coins of Lentulus in the province uses IMP or IMPERATOR to highlight his martial success.

 

 

Promagisterial Cistophori. Gaius Claudius Pulcher as Proconsul of Asia. Demostratos, magistrate. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm. Tralles mint, 55-53 BC. Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within wreath / C · CLAVDIVS · AP · F · PVLCHER · PROCOS. Two serpents entwined by bow case; In the right field, Isis headdress resting on two grain ears and inverted crescent. TPAΛ to outer left. ΔΗΜΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ in exergue. 25 mm, 12.29 g. Stumpf -; Metcalf -, cf. 335 (same obverse die). Unpublished.

 

Despite Gaius Claudius Pulcher serving an extended term as governor of the Roman province of Asia, we knew of only one magistrate minting coins for him at the mint of Tralles (See Stumpf 55-56, APICTOKΛHC). Preceeding Pulcher as governor of Asia was Gaius Septimius, a senator of praetorian rank and a significant member of the conservative faction. Like Pulcher, Septimius minted only a limited number of types at the mint in Tralles. One of these, struck under the magistrate Diogenes (ΔIOΓENHΣ) shares the obverse die seen on the above coin of Pulcher. This is significant because it helps establish a chronology of the emissions and likely places this coin as the inaugural issue of Pulcher in Tralles. After Demostratos followed a much larger emission under the magistrate Aristokles, bearing a slightly more conventional latin legend, C•PVLCHER•PROCOS.

 

 

Roman Republic. Gn. Domitius Calvinus. 39 BC. AR Denarius. Osca mint. are head of Hercules right, OSCA / Emblems of the Pontificate: simpulum, aspergillum, securis, and apex, DOM · COS · ITER · IMP.  Crawford 532/1. 19 mm, 3.68 g. Ex Classical Numismatic Group 45 (18 March 1998), lot 1758.

Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus was elected to the office of Consul for the year 53. Usually, incoming Consuls would formally enter office on the 1st of January. However, due to an enormous bribery scandal surrounding Calvinus and all other candidates in the consular election for that year, he was unable to do so until July. Serving out the remainder of his term, Calvinus proved himself a staunch ally of Julius Caesar in the senate. In the civil war that would follow he'd command Caesar's center at the battle of Pharsalus in 48. Afterwards being awarded the command of Asia, Calvinus was soundly defeated at Nikopolis at the hands of Pharnaces of Pontus during his invasion of the province later that year. After Caesar's death in 44, Calvinus remained steadfast in his loyalty to Octavian and was awarded a second term as Consul for the year 40. This coin was struck at the mint of Osca, during his promagistierial command of Hispania.

 

Roman Republic. L. Cornelius Lentulus and C. Claudius Marcellus. April-June 49 BC. AR Denarius. Apollonia mint in Illyricum. Head of Apollo right, L · LENT · C · MAR · COS / Jupiter, nude, standing facing, head right, holding thunderbolt and eagle; to left, star of eight rays above Q; garlanded altar to right. 17 mm, 3.58 g. Crawford 445/2.

This fascinating issue was minted by the presiding Consuls for the year 49, Lucius Cornelius Lentulus and Gaius Claudius Marcellus. As Caesar crossed the Rubicon in January of that year, the Pompeians back in Rome were caught completely by surprise. So much so that they could not mobilise their forces in time. The difficult decision to leave the capital was made and the Pompeian flight south began. Pompey had hoped to raise sufficient troops in southern Italy in order to quicky regain Rome (which at this time was occupied only by a relatively small force) but even this proved impossible for the great general. The Pompeian forces soon took to crossing the Adriatic to Greece, where they would raise a large army to face Caesar the following year. This coin was minted at Apollonia and shows a statue of Zeus on the reverse. This is thought to be depicting a sculpture by the famous artist Myron that stood in Syracuse.

 

Roman Republic. P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. 50 BC. AR Denarius. Rome. Bare head of M. Claudius Marcellus right; triskeles to left, MARCELLINVS / M. Claudius Marcellus advancing right, carrying trophy into tetrastyle temple, MARCELLVS - COS · QVINQ. 19 mm, 3.82 g. Crawford 439/1.

This coin was minted under the supervision of the moneyer P. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus. As was common with moneyer issues, it evokes notable events from the moneyer's noble ancestors. In this case Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Marcellus was a legendary commander during the Gallic and Second Punic wars. Consul an incredible five terms, unprecedented at the time, Marcellus was one of only three recipients of the "Spolia Opima" during the Republican era. The Spolia Opima, literally "rich spoils" was an honor held even higher than that of a triumph. It was gained by defeating the leader of an opposing army in single combat and taking their armor. The reverse of this coin depicts Marcellus presenting the arms of the Gallic chieftain Viridomarus whom Marcellus slew at the battle of Clastidium in 222.

 

Fleet Coinage. Mark Antony and Octavia. Æ Dupondius. Uncertain mint in Achaea circa 38-37 BC. L. Sempronius Atratinus, Praetor Designatus. Confronting busts of Antony and Octavia, [M · ANT · IMP · TER · COS · DES · ITER · ET · TER · III · VIR · R · P · C] / Two galleys below caps of the dioscuri, [M · OPPIVS · CAPITO · PRO · PR · PRAEF · CLASS · F · C] - B below. Amandry, Bronze I, 1C; RPC I, 1464.
 

The fleet coinage of Mark Antony is as enigmatic as they are fascinating. They were minted under the supervision of Antony's fleet prefects M. Oppius Capito, L. Sempronius Atratinus and L. Calpurnius Bibulus. The series was minted in the Æ denominations that would later become implemented by Augustus' monetary reforms: The sestertius, dupondius, tressis, and semis.

I know from first hand experience how brutal fighting cancer can be, & support from family & friends is important. Immersing yourself in a hobby until you can clear your head is a good idea 😉. I like your cistophoric tetradrachm & Republican denarius, Crawford 445/1 😊!

[Qcumbor]

Sorry for your loss

Glad you found a good way to take over the pain. Some good catches here

Q

[singig]

I like the republican denarii , all have superb reverses  , my preferred is the one with Apollo and Jupiter.

[Spaniard]

@zadie..Sorry to hear about your loss but glad you found solace in your collection and was able to find some really nice coins "impressive"!

Congrats on a good collecting year.

[happy_collector]

Sorry to hear about your loss, @zadie. Thanks for sharing your 2022 additions. You picked up some great RR coins!  

[JimBranson]

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Edited January 8, 2023 by JimBranson