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Two heads on one coin


Valentinian

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Coins with portraits on both sides are unusual. Here is one with two of the twelve Caesars that I got recently:

Vespasian4eagleTitus2315.jpg.1cbc83e001e3971df268dc0c53bcf1b7.jpg

It has heads of both Vespasian and Titus.
It is a large Syrian tetradrachm, 24-23 mm and 14.67 grams.
AYTOKRAT KAIΣA  OVEΣΠAΣIANOV
(Of Autokrater [imperator] Caesar Vespasian)
Bust of Vespasian left over eagle with wings spread
T ΦΛAVI OVEΣΠ KAIΣ ETOVΣ NEOY IEPOY
(Titus Flavius Vespasian Caesar Year New Holy [2])
Head of Titus right, lituus behind

It is from year 2 of Vespasian, 69/70 AD as indicated by the B with a bar above it in front of the neck of Titus.
McAlee 331. Prier 109. RPC II 1944. 

Show a coin with heads on both sides!

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Very good portraits of both Vespasian and Titus !

What about Lepidus and Octavian ?

5c83ece5717643a5bb0187d5a845467d.jpg

Lepidus and Octavian, Denarius - Denarius minted in Italy, 42 BCE
LEPIDVS PONT MAX III V R P C, bare head of Lepidus right (NT and MA in monograms)
C CAESAR IMPIII VIR R P C, bare head of Octavian right (MP in monogram)
3.78 gr
Ref : HCRI # 140, RCV # 1523, Cohen # 2

The following from forum catalog :
"Lepidus was a faithful follower of Julius Caesar, and he served as Praetor and Consul. When Caesar was assassinated, Lepidus was in charge of the cavalry and commanded a legion. This position secured him a place in the Second Triumvirate along Marc Antony and Octavian. His cut was Africa. When Octavian attacked Sextus Pompey's Sicily, Lepidus' ships and troops supported him. In an uninspired move, Lepidus thought he could force Octavian to leave him the island. The two armies separated and isolated skirmishes occurred, but soon the soldiers sick of yet another civil war, acknowledging Octavian's superiority deserted Lepidus en-masse. Lepidus left the island as a simple civilian, retaining only his priesthood, but he was the only defeated Imperator not to suffer a violent death."

 

Q

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That's a wonderful tetradrachm, Valentinian! Great portraits on both sides, and I like how Vespasian's rests upon the eagle's wing.

Here's a pairing one would expect to see often, but which is in fact hard to find:

image.jpeg.cd10cbfb603a379e020d006f7962e71c.jpeg

EGYPT, Alexandria. Severus Alexander, with Julia Mamaea. AD 222-235. Potin Tetradrachm. Rome mint (or Rome-engraved dies). Dated RY 5 (AD 225/6). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right / L ΠЄΜΠΤΟΥ (date) MAMЄA CЄB, draped bust right of Julia Mamaea, wearing stephane. Emmett 3113.5.

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Excellent coin…great portraits of both! (I especially like the Titus)

My favorite dual portrait coin is this Alexandria tet with the unusual Nero-Tiberius pairing:

82ADEED7-3998-49CC-852E-0662EF8B4AD7.jpeg.829316b88f6631234e34a061ae0f79af.jpeg
Nero, Tetradrachm, Alexandria, (22 mm, 13.54g), 66-67 AD, NEPΩ KΛAY KAIΣ ΣEB ΓEP AY, Radiate bust of Nero to left, wearing aegis; Rev. TIBEPIOΣ KAIΣAP, Radiate head of Tiberius to right. RPC I 5295

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1 hour ago, Severus Alexander said:

I like how Vespasian's rests upon the eagle's wing.

Yes. My first thought was Vespasian was deified and riding up to Roman heaven like we see on later CONSECRATIO coins and that the "year 2" was of Titus. But, no. It is year 2 of Vespasian. 

There are other tetradrachms of Roman Syria with eagles and portraits.

image.jpeg.90789048f9dc7b54ab9da2597224cae7.jpeg

This one has Trajan above an eagle and on the reverse Melqarth with lion-skin around his neck. It is dated to year 15 (110/111).
24 mm. 
Head of Trajan, club and eagle below
AYTOKP KAIC NEP TRAIANOC CEB ΓEPM ΔAK
Autokrater Caesar Nerva Traianus Sebasta [Augustus] Germanicus Dacicus
Bust of Melqarth right, lion-skin around neck
ΔHMAPX EΞ IE YΠAT E
Tribune's power 15, Consul 5
Tyre mint. Struck year 15 = 110/111.

We'd like to see more portraits with eagles, if anyone has one to show. 
 

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Beautiful coin, great portraits.

Here is a bronze of Vespasian and Titus:

photo1.jpg.83dd80d8acb68002c647d47b74fab2cb.jpg

Titus and Vespasian. 77-79 AD. AE26. Bronze AE26 (27mm, 13.2g). Crete, Koinon. ΘΕΩ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΩ: Bust of Vespasian left / ΑΥΤΟ ΤΙΤ[ ] ΣΕΒΑΣΤΩ: Bust of Titus right. VG Rare. RPC II 22.

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My personal favorites...

image.jpeg.8d528ba8e9845ee4a90433506e348802.jpeg

Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax
Stater of the Cimmerian Bosporus Empire Period 196/197 AD; Material: Gold Elektron; Diameter:19mm; Weight: 7.75g; Mint: Pantikapaion, Kingdom of the Bosporus; Reference: MacDonald 504/1, RPC IV.1 3823; Provenance: Ex Roma London Collection, from the G.K. Munich Collection; Obverse: Draped bust of Sauromates II with diadema to the right. In front of it a club (attribute of Heracles). Inscription: ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰϹ · ϹΑΥΡΟΜΑΤΟΥ for Basileos Sauromates (King Sauromates); Reverse: Bust of Septimius Severus with laurel wreath to the right. Inscription: ΓϞΥ for Gamma (3) + Koppa (90) + Ypsilon (400) = 493 (Dated year 493 of the Bosporan era = 196/197 AD).
 
 
 
image.jpeg.244e48a1611a5fbfa1b4405e6dcbb60e.jpeg
 
Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Caracalla
Stater of the Cimmerian Bosporus Empire Period 216/217 AD; Material: Gold Elektron; Diameter:19mm; Weight: 7.70g; Mint: Pantikapaion, Kingdom of the Bosporus; Reference: MacDonald 556/2; Provenance: Ex Naumann Vienna Collection; Obverse: Draped bust of Rhescuporis II with diadema to the right. In front of it a club (attribute of Heracles). Inscription: ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰϹ · PHCKOVΠOPIΔOC for Basileos Rheskouporis (King Rhescuporis); Reverse: Draped bust of Caracalla with laurel wreath to the right. Inscription: ΓIΦ for Gamma (3) + Iota (10) + Phi (500) = 513 (Dated year 513 of the Bosporan era = 216/217 AD).
  
 
 
 
image.jpeg.fe9c06814edccc5153061f87bdb4dde7.jpeg

Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius with Marcus Aurelius Caesar
Denarius of the Roman Imperial Period 140 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 3.15g; Mint: Rome; Reference: RIC III Antoninus Pius 415c; Provenance: Ex Roma Numismatic London, Auction 76, 5 November 2020, Lot 1009; Obverse: Head of Antoninus Pius, bare, right. The Inscription reads: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III for Antoninus Augustus Pius, Pater Patriae, Tribunicia Potestate, Consul Tertium (Antoninus Pius, Augustus father of the nation, holder of tribunician power, consul for the third time); Reverse: Bust of Marcus Aurelius, bare-headed, draped, right. The Inscription reads: AVRELIVS CAES AVG P II F COS for Aurelius Caesar, Augusti Pii Filius, Consul ([Marcus] Aurelius, Caesar, son of Augustus [Antoninus] Pius, consul).
 
 
 
image.jpeg.075969a770e0a1d28f54055e22984078.jpeg
 
Nero, with Poppaea Sabina

Drachm of the Roman Imperial Period 62/63 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 16mm; Weight: 3.70g; Mint: Antiochia ad Orontem, Syria; Reference: Prieur 88, RPC I 4187, McAlee 280; Provenance: Ex Classical Numismatic Group 112 (11 September 2019), Lot 427; Obverse: Laureate head of Nero right. The Inscription reads: ΝΕΡΩΝ ΚΑΙΣ[ΑΡ] ΣΕΒ ΑΣΤΟΣ for Neron Kaisaros Sebastos (Nero Caesar Augustus); Reverse: Draped bust of Poppaea right. The Inscription reads: ΠΟΠΠΑΙΑ ΝΕΡΩ[ΝΟ]Σ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟY for Poppaia Neronos Sebastou (Poppaea Nero Augusta).
 
 
 
image.jpeg.a52d1127f922fbed3220b0f7b0a1fa18.jpeg
 
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus for Divus Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus

Tetradrachm of the Roman Imperial Period 63/68 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 24.5mm; Weight: 14.72g; Mint: Antiochia ad Orontem, Syria; Reference: Prieur 48 (37 ex.), RPC I 4123 (11 specmien), McAlee 270/2; Provenance: Ex Karl H. Kluger Collection; Obverse: Laureate head of Nero, right, star behind head. The Inscription reads: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GER for Nero Claudius Divus Claudius filius Caesar Augustus Germanicus; Reverse: Laureate head of Claudius, right. The Inscription reads: DIVOS CLAVD AVG GERMANIC PATER AVG for Divos Claudius Augustus Germanicus Pater Augustus.
 
 
 
 image.jpeg.8efe21947b834aac930dd1f3d8281fcb.jpeg
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Germanicus Britannicus
Coin of the Roman Imperial Period 55/56 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 16/16.8mm; Weight: 3.51g; Mint: Pontus, Kings of Pontus; Reference: RPC I 3837; Obverse: Diademed head of Polemo. The Inscripton reads: ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰⳞ ΠΟΛƐΜⲰΝΟⳞ for Basileos Polemonos; Reverse: Draped and laureate bust of Britannicus. The Inscription reads ΕΤΟΥⳞ ΙΗ for Year 18.
 
 
 
image.jpeg.df67445f88e35c35f4d6861ddd380fd2.jpeg
 
Nero Claudius Germanicus and Divus Augustus under Tiberius or Caligula
Drachm of the Roman Imperial Period 33/34 AD or 37/38 AD; Material: Silver; Diameter: 18mm; Weight: 3.68g; Mint: Caesarea-Eusebia, Cappadocia; Reference: RPC I. 3623D, RIC I (second edition) Gaius/Caligula 62; Obverse: Bearded head of Germanicus, right. The Inscription reads: GERMANICVS CAES TI AVG F COS II IMP for Germanicus Caesar Tiberii Augusti Filius Consul Secundum Imperator (Germanicus Caesar, son of Augustus Tiberius, Consul for the second time, Imperator); Reverse: Radiate head of Augustus, left. The Inscription reads: DIVVS AVGVSTVS for Divus Augustus (The divine Augustus).
 
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Not an official coin (or, strictly speaking, Roman Empire), but these two were inseparable, even when they were defeated and paraded through Rome.

Tetricus I and II Barbarous Radiate
image.png.bf532bd00f19a5f522c0983e4093c229.png
Britain. Bronze, 17mm, 1.55g. Radiate head of Tetricus I. Radiate head of Tetricus II (cf RIC V, Tetricus I 201). Found Forest of Dean 1870.

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A nice idea for a thread, @Valentinian. I've posted all my facing and jugate heads coins very recently, so I'll limit myself here to coins with one head on each side.

Claudius I and his mother Antonia (Roman Egypt):

image.jpeg.2b7023e409a4a0deb29e55cc44773315.jpeg

Nero and his second wife Poppea Sabina (same):

image.jpeg.c6dc637ad05ec6a9b851f6d7e9af985b.jpeg

Nero and Divus Augustus (same):

image.jpeg.dd3b360e624befead2976b1d044bb103.jpeg

Vespasian and Titus Caesar (Caesarea, Cappadocia):

image.jpeg.316c7934fe39923b8208756cc47e7344.jpeg

Domitian and Domitia (Anazarbus, Cilicia):

image.png.eec48e15bc44486790bf584d195abfbe.png

Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar (Rome):

image.jpeg.473e9216ec51598c6184533e570372fd.jpeg

Bonus: Trajan & eagle on obverse, Melqart on reverse: (Tyre, Phoenicia):

image.jpeg.7b634e0aa4deee31f04bd55edcdf9d38.jpeg

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How about something a little different (non-Roman, non-Greek)?

OrientAntikeElymaisOrodesVAEdrachm.png.9760ed21d2fa53ccd874f32f1d19eeb4.png

Kingdom of Elymais, Orodes V, late 2nd–early 3rd c. AD, AE Drachm. Obv: Bearded bust of Orodes left with double diadem and tuft of hair on top of head. Rev: Bust of Artemis with beaded tiara left. Ref: van't Haaff 18.1.1-2A. 13 mm, 2.6g.

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Here is a coin with the Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193-211) on one side and his client king, Abgar VIII (179-214) of the Kingdom of Osrhoene (basically, the city of Edessa near the upper Euphrates) on the other.

SeptimiusSeverus5Edessa2316.jpg.692bd2776008dee79b40ad9fb0ec1c7b.jpg

24 mm. 6.9 grams. Mint of Edessa.

Bust of Septimius Severus right
CEOVHPO ATOVAP(?)  [blundered legends are common]

Severus Autokrater?

Bust of Abgar VIII right in cap
BACIΛЄΩC ABΓAΡOC  ["Abgar" begins at 1:00]
BMC Mesopotamia, Edessa 14.

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On 2/25/2023 at 9:39 AM, Hughie Dwyer said:

Here's one with Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius:

 

Screenshot 2023-02-25 07.20.59.png

This denarius has escaped all my attempts to get one. 

So I had to use the emergency backup plan - get the type as a Sestertius!

image.png.c8a66615c885fe3c5b11627cdd25b3c3.png

Antoninus Pius with Marcus Aurelius as Caesar (138-161). Æ Sestertius (33mm, 25.93g). Rome, c. 141-3. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, laureate head of Antoninus Pius right / AVRELIVS CAESAR AVG PII F COS / S C,  bare head of Marcus Aurelius right. RIC III 1211; BMC 30; C 28

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This two-headed coin just came in for me, Vespasian and Titus.  It is kind of interesting, being probably issued for the Jewish War of Titus around the time of the final assault on Jerusalem.  These are considered "Alexandria style" with some theories about mint workers or location being in Alexandria.  It might be an obverse die-match to one @David Athertonhas and wrote up on CT:  https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-fine-style-vespasian-tetradrachm.298400/  I'd have to say this is my favorite for 2023 so far: 

Antioch-VespasianTitustet.Mar2023(0).jpg.be4c6d8faa2ccf8a12c9d0c16cb9bf93.jpg

Vespasian/Titus   Tetradrachm Syria, Seleucis & Pieria Antiochia ad Orontem Group 2; Year 2 (69-70 A.D.) ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤ ΚΑΙΣΑ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΟΥ, laureate head of Vespasian right / (Τ) ΦΛΑΥΙ ΟΥΕΣΠ ΚΑΙΣ ΕΤΟΥΣ ΝΕΟΥ ΙΕΡΟΥ, barred Β (in right field), laureate head of Titus right (14.00 grams / 25 x 24 mm) eBay March 2023

Attribution: RPC II 1941; McAlee 329 (CNG, etc.); McAlee 6 (RPC only?); Prieur 107A

Provenance:  Littleton Coin Co. "Vespasian/Titus Silver Tetradrachm S# 2375  Very Good/Fine"

Notes:  "RPC group 2 tetradrachm attributed to Antioch, but style wise very similar to AlexandriaRPC speculates the Alexandria  style tetradrachms were either struck in Alexandria and then shipped to Antioch, or less likely Alexandrian mint workers were sent to Antioch and produced the coins there..." David Atherton on Coin Talk (2017)

"...the artists...came from the workshop of Alexandria and constituted a military workshop: the style is characteristic of Alexandria and only exists for year 2, at the height of the Jewish War...This variant is characterized by the...absence of the star behind the neck of Titus and the initial T...at the start of reverse legend"  CGB.fr Webshop (acsearch)

Die-Match Characteristics:  RPC 1941 notes:  "Die-links 2-4: same obv. die as 1940/1, 9, 15, 20-2" Many obverse die-matches, but I could not find any for the rev. (long neck, with "ripples").

Die-Match Obverse: Coin no. 4 of RPC II, 1941 CNG, Inc.; Triton XXII; Lot 575; 08.01.2019

David Atherton, Coin Talk Agora Numismatics, June 2017."

It came with Littleton Coin Co. paperwork:

Antioch-VespasianTitustet.Mar2023(1).JPG.c1eb8a90ba3d9a8caed8ac050a7faa53.JPG

 

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