The Dioscuri-coins of the Roman Republic

[SteveJBrinkman]

Here is my example of Cr. 47/1, Purchased from Ed Waddell, August of 2010:

[SteveJBrinkman]

Here is an array of Crawford 44 varieties, denarii and fractions.

 

[Alegandron]

Roman Republic
AR Half-Quadrigatus (216-214 BCE) DRACHM
17.7mm, 3.2g
OBV: Beardless Janiform (thought to represent the Dioscuri being beardless)
REV: Iupiter and Victory in galloping quadriga LEFT (to distinguish it from Quadrigatus Didrachm), ROMA in ex
REF: Sear 35

[SteveJBrinkman]

20 hours ago, DonnaML said:

L. Memmius:

Donna,  Your Memmius is Marvelous.

[antwerpen2306]

@SteveJBrinkman thank you very much for your aid and explanation, your site was and is very helpful for me and I hope for others collectors also. Thanks again, it is all I can say.

[SteveJBrinkman]

1 hour ago, antwerpen2306 said:

@SteveJBrinkman thank you very much for your aid and explanation, your site was and is very helpful for me and I hope for others collectors also. Thanks again, it is all I can say.

@antwerpen2306,  You are welcome.  I must credit my collaborator Pierluigi Debernardi who is the qualified expert on this area of numismatics.

Edited December 27, 2022 by SteveJBrinkman

[antwerpen2306]

@SteveJBrinkman I know him, I used his article in Panorama Numismatico, feb 2011, pag 11-17 :'Varianti di conio utili per la catalogazione dei denari repubblicani' for my RRC199/1a with a C partially erased. I have a thread of this coin here, but I don't find it back.

Another quinarius RRC47/1 from the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection (Naville Numismatics).  Compared with the @SteveJBrinkman quinarius, there are a lot of differences. I have accepted the reference without checking.

My next one is marked by a staff before the head of Roma, minted Rome 206-195 BC, number of dies less than 10/12 for 2 varieties.

17 mm, 2.84 gr, 12 h, RRC 112/2a.

 

The next denarius I have twice, RRC 113/1 with a star under the Dioscuri, number of dies : 40/50.

19,5 mm, 3,31 gr, 6 h

18.6 mm, 3.35 gr, 12 h.

[SteveJBrinkman]

6 hours ago, antwerpen2306 said:

Another quinarius RRC47/1 from the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection (Naville Numismatics).  Compared with the @SteveJBrinkman quinarius, there are a lot of differences. I have accepted the reference without checking.

This quinarius is RRC 68/2, characterized by a single gryphon tuft - "horn" on the back of the helmet. 

Very few cataloguers get these attributions right.   NAC is probably the best so its surprising that Naville, a subsidiary of NAC misattributed this coin.  Understandably, most auctions have hundreds of lots and the cataloguers can't spend a lot of time with attribution of these relatively inexpensive anonymous denarii.

Your staff denarius, RRC 112/2a is a relatively scarce coin in any grade.  I do not have one in my collection.

[antwerpen2306]

@SteveJBrinkman Thank you very much. I did not check the quinarius as coming from Naville and ex Clain-Stefanelli Collection ('Naville, live auction 47, lot 353). So I think Naville accepted these reference without problems, errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum, I changed the reference to not be a devil 😄

I bought the staff denarius beginning this year in an Italian auction (Tintinna asta 98, 150122, lot 69)for only 95 € + 18 %. The problem now is that the rules for export have changed and his prices for good coins are now much higher. It is one of the rarest coins I have.

[antwerpen2306]

Next a very nice denarius with a rostrum tridens, RRC114,1, rostrum tridens on reverse, 19.5 mm, 3.85 gr, 12 h, 206-195 BC, number of dies : 30/37, mint Rome. 

The head of Roma has always the same helmet              Another anonymous denarius is RRC 117,A,1 with a rudder, mint Rome, 206-195 BC,20 mm, 3,54 gr, 6 h, number of dies : 20/25. The rudder is under the Dioscuri.

THe next is the first denarius with a known moneyer, Cn. Baebius Tamphilus, praetor in 168 or his cousin, son of M.Baebius Tamphilus, consul in 181 and father of M.Baebius Q.f.Tampilus, moneyer c. 137.

RRC 133 2,b , the name TAMP above the Dioscuri ligated , 21 mm, 3,5 gr, 3 h, mint Rome, 194-190 BC, dies 20/25 for 2 varieties.

[SteveJBrinkman]

@antwerpen2306, you are forming a fine collection of early Roman denarii.

[antwerpen2306]

Next denarius is anonymus from the Clain-Stefanelli Collection (Naville,live auction 55, lot 394).

RRC139,1, mint Rome, 189-180 BC,18,5 gr, 3,77 gr, 3h, number of dies 40/50

Another rare denarius : RRC154,1, mint Rome, 189-180 BC,20,2 mm, 3,75 gr, 12 h, number of dies : <10/<12. 

L.COIL (archaïc L) below. The moneyer is perhaps L. Coelius, Legatus 170-169

Next denarius is maybe by the gens Sempronia

RRC 169,1, mint uncertain, 199-170 BC, 19 mm, 4.02 gr, 3 h, number of dies : 20/25, G R below

[SteveJBrinkman]

9 hours ago, antwerpen2306 said:

RRC 169,1, mint uncertain, 199-170 BC, 19 mm, 4.02 gr, 3 h, number of dies : 20/25, G R below

@antwerpen2306 The GR issue is notoriously poorly engraved in excruciatingly crude style.  You have one of the few that has a fine style obverse.  Nice coin.

[antwerpen2306]

This Dioscuri denarius is the last anonymous issue :

RRC 198, mint Rome, 157-156 BC, 20 mm, 3,99 gr, 3 h, number of dies unknow.

Crawford gives in Table L the total of dies  for 2 denarii : RRC197,1,a+b : 260 reverse dies -  187 obverse dies - hoards 16

                                                                                               RRC 198 :           20 reverse dies  -   16 obverse dies - hoards 4

RRC 197 with Victory in biga (2 varieties)is more common than the Dioscuri-coin.

 RRC197,a : notable is that the first horse hides the second.

 

It is perhaps possible to identify the moneyer of this denarius with C. Scribonius, Praefectus sociorum in 181 BC.

RRC 201,1, mint Rome, 154 BC, 18,84 mm, 3,84 gr, 6h, number of dies : 74/92.

The L.ITI denarius is also rare : 

RRC 209,1, mint Rome 149 BC, 1,8 mm, 3,87 gr, 6 h, number of dies <10/<12.

The archaic letter-form of the L is usual, but L (here) occurs (West Sicily (a) hoard).

[antwerpen2306]

Back home, here is the next Dioscuri-mint.

RRC 214/1,b, mint Rome, 148 BC, 19 mm, 3.61 gr, 12 h number of dies : 61/76 for 9 varieties

The moneyer is perhaps a son of M. Atilius Serranus

RRC 215/1, mint Rome, 19 mm, 3.7 gr, 12 h, 148 BC, number of dies 75/94. I have to make a new picture...

The moneyer is Quintus Marcius Libo.

RRC 216/1, mint Rome, 148 BC, 20 mm, 4.02 gr, 12 h, number of dies : 82/102.

The moneyer is Lucius Semponius Pitio. 

The name of the three moneyers is represented in the same way, so we can suppose they were the IIIviri monetales for this year.

[Michael Stolt]

Here's a selection of amazing early Dioscuri types from my collection. RRC 68/1b - RRC 72/3 - RRC 97/11 - RRC 50/2 - RRC 80/1a - RRC 78/2 - RRC 53/2 (Brinkman group 4) - RRC 89/2 - RRC 127/1.

 

[antwerpen2306]

@Michael Stolt wow, very beautiful coins, I have only 53/2, but not so nice.Still a lot of work, time and money for me to do. I think RRC 78/2 has to be RRC 78/1.

[antwerpen2306]

Let's go on with the Dioscuri.

RRC 217/1, mint Rome, 147 BC, 19 mm, 3.94 gr, 6 h, number of dies : 55/69.

The moneyer is perhaps Terentius Lucanus, the master of Publius Terentius Afer, the African playwright.

RRC 218/1, mint Rome, 147 BC, number of dies 73/91. I have this coin twice.

18.2 mm, 4 gr, 6 h

18 mm, 3.3 gr,  6 

The moneyer is perhaps Lucius Cupiennius.

RRC 219/1a, mint Rome, 146 BC, 17.7 mm, 3.52 gr, 6 h, number of dies : only obverse : 12, reverse for 1a and 1b : 23.

1a : puppy walking upwards, 2b, downwards

RRC 219/1e, 19.8 mm, 3,4 gr, 6 h, number of dies 105/131 for 2 references.

puppy right with both fore-feet raised

 

[antwerpen2306]

Next a Dioscuri-coin from the gens Iunia

RRC 220/1, mint Rome, 145 BC, 17 mm, 2,93 gr, 3 h, number of dies : 121/151

The moneyer's cognomen is shown by the ass's head to have been Silanus.

Next one from the gens Aelia : RRC 233/1, mint Rome, 138 BC, 19.5 mm, 3,97 gr, 12 h, number of dies : 73/91

Next denarius I have twice.

RRC 237/1a, mint : Rome, 136 BC, number of dies : 170/212.same size : 17 mm, 3,4 gr, 12 h

The moneyer is CN. Lucretius Trio. There are 2 varieties, one with a necklace of beads (this one), another of pendants. I was making an error and bought the same. Interesting is to see the different styles in the same emission.

 

 

[antwerpen2306]

My last three classical Dioscuri coins and also the last three minted. This kind of coins ends in 121 BC.

RRC 267/1, mint: Rome, 126 BC, 18 mm, 3,75 gr, 12 h, number of dies : 49/61

The apex (obverse)identifies the moneyer as T. Quinctius Flamininus and the Macedonian shield alludes to the victory of T. Quinctius Flamininus, consul in 198 over Philip V of Macedon.

RRC 277/1, mint Rome, 122 BC, number of dies : 135/169. I have this coin twice.The moneyer is Q. Minucius Rufus.

 3,87 gr, 18 cm, 12 h

3.86 gr, 19,5 mm, 12 h

And the last one, coined in 121 BC

RRC 278/1, mint Rome, 121 BC, 17 mm, 3,6 gr, 12 h, number of dies : 120/150.

The form of the letter L is at this date an archaism, such as the coin.The moneyer should be regarded as the son of C. Plautius, praetor in 146.

[antwerpen2306]

At last, I have a few other Republican Dioscuri :

RRC 304/1, mint Rome, 19 mm, 3.88 gr, 19 or 108/ BC, number of dies : 162/202

The moneyer is the brother of C.Memmius, tribunus plebis in 111 BC .

RRC 353/1c, mint Rome, 85 BC, 19,5 mm, 3,45 gr, 12 h, number of dies : 206/229 for 4 varieties.

The moneyer is perhaps the brother of the moneyer M.Fonteius (RRC 347). The pilei on the reverse suggest maybe the Dioscuri.

RRC 463/1b, mint Rome, 85 BC, 18 mm, 3,9 gr, 6 h, number of dies : 549/610 for 2 varieties.

The moneyer is Manius Cordius Rufus.

To finish a Greek coin with the Dioscuri, an Athenian New Style tetradrachme.

Thompson489,156/155 BC, 28,4 x 29,4 mm,16,7 gr, 12 h.

The Dioscuri are on the reverse right. As there are several Greek cities with Dioscuri types, also on horse as the Roman, I am interested to make also such a collection.