Septimius Severus, RIC 504a

[maridvnvm]

One of my main collecting areas is the eastern mint denarii of Septimius Severus. I generally only focus on the early issues of the mint before it became a branch mint of Rome. The later issues from Laodicea follow types from Rome and can only be differentiated by the style of the engraving. It took me some time to learn how to differentiate between Rome and Laodicea easily, studying many 100s of examples that were confirmed for either mint and comparing one to the other. I learned quickly that I could not necessarily rely on dealer identification of the mint as the quite often got this wrong.

During this learning process I gathered a collection together of the readily availably types and found that there were some that seemed to evade me. Nowadays I only gather examples that have evaded me in the past or I think are genuinely scarce in the marketplace.

That brings me to this most recent purchase.

Septimius Severus denarius

Obv:- L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX, laureate head right
Rev:- IOVI CONSERVATORI Jupiter seated to left on throne with a back, holding Victory and long scepter
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 199-202
Reference:- RIC 504a. BMCRE Pg. 286 •. Both citing L A Lawrence ESQ., F.R.C.S. collection

Weight 3.13g. 18.72mm. 180 degrees

The L A Lawrence died in 1949 and collection was sold off by Glendening's across 7 auctions in 1950 and 1951. His denarii of Septimius Severus were sold in un-illustrated lots. The destination of his example of RIC 504a is unknown. It doesn't appear to have been purchased by the BM, who were given first refusal on any coins from his collection. The BM database contains 5 examples from Rome but none from Laodicea.

I have discussed the coin with Curtis Clay and he aware of one example other than mine, which is a double die match to mine and is in his own collection. 

Martin

[Al Kowsky]

1 hour ago, maridvnvm said:

One of my main collecting areas is the eastern mint denarii of Septimius Severus. I generally only focus on the early issues of the mint before it became a branch mint of Rome. The later issues from Laodicea follow types from Rome and can only be differentiated by the style of the engraving. It took me some time to learn how to differentiate between Rome and Laodicea easily, studying many 100s of examples that were confirmed for either mint and comparing one to the other. I learned quickly that I could not necessarily rely on dealer identification of the mint as the quite often got this wrong.

During this learning process I gathered a collection together of the readily availably types and found that there were some that seemed to evade me. Nowadays I only gather examples that have evaded me in the past or I think are genuinely scarce in the marketplace.

That brings me to this most recent purchase.

Septimius Severus denarius

Obv:- L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX, laureate head right
Rev:- IOVI CONSERVATORI Jupiter seated to left on throne with a back, holding Victory and long scepter
Minted in Laodicea-ad-Mare. A.D. 199-202
Reference:- RIC 504a. BMCRE Pg. 286 •. Both citing L A Lawrence ESQ., F.R.C.S. collection

Weight 3.13g. 18.72mm. 180 degrees

The L A Lawrence died in 1949 and collection was sold off by Glendening's across 7 auctions in 1950 and 1951. His denarii of Septimius Severus were sold in un-illustrated lots. The destination of his example of RIC 504a is unknown. It doesn't appear to have been purchased by the BM, who were given first refusal on any coins from his collection. The BM database contains 5 examples from Rome but none from Laodicea.

I have discussed the coin with Curtis Clay and he aware of one example other than mine, which is a double die match to mine and is in his own collection. 

Martin

Nice score Martin 😊! Hopefully you will publish your findings on Antiochian denarii in the future for the benefit of other collectors to determine what mint issued their examples. 

[maridvnvm]

I am developing a website but it is a long, slow project.....

[dougsmit]

While not 'one of two' level rarity, it seems none of the Eastern Septimius issues for Jupiter were among the more common types.  At Rome, the Jupiter type is relatively common but has a dated legend not naming the god.  I wonder if there is a reason behind this.  

'Laodicea'  IOVI INVICT

 

"Emesa" IOVI PRAE ORBIS

 

Rome PMTRPIICOSIIPP

[maridvnvm]

@dougsmitI have a COS I with a reverse die match to your COS II

There are also IOVI types that occur in the COS II series but combined with odd short legends

IMP CA L SEP SEV PER AVG COS II - IOVI VICT

IMP CA L SE SEV PER AV COS II - IOVI VICTORI

They do exist on the IMP II series too

L SEPT SEV P-ERTE AVG IMP I - I - IOVI VICT

L SEPT SEV PE-RET AVG IMP II - IOBI(sic.) VICTO

L SEPT SEV PERET AVG IMP I-I - IOVI VICTORI

My imp VIII comes from different dies

[dougsmit]

When you see so many variations on the theme in this one place, you wonder how many more there are that do not appear on this page.  For 'Emesa' RIC lists only the one I showed and its matching aureus.  Your book on the series would make RIC look like a beginner's survey.