an ugly but huge Balbinus

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Almost immediately on the heels of a super-slow order arriving, a super-fast order arrived (ordered Tues, here Friday).  This is pretty typical of Forum's great service.  They also saved the day during Secret Saturnalia.

It's a box-checker to check off Balbinus.  Of the two, I'd rather have an imperial of Pupienus, so he's the one which I'll concentrate getting a sestertius of.

The coin was well-packed, even coming in a foam wrapping.  There was also another goodie; a Forum-branded flat magnifier, about credit-card sized.

RP110639. Bronze AE 36, RPC Online VII.2 2997; SNG Levante 1110; SNG BnF 1624; SNG Cop 380; BMC Cilicia p. 208, 239; Mionnet III, p. 642, 520, Fair, centered, green patina, rough, Tarsos (Tarsus, Mersin, Turkey) mint, weight 29.502g, maximum diameter 36.4mm, die axis 180^o, 238 A.D.; obverse AVT KEC KAIΛ BAΛBEINOC CEB (Imperator Caesar Caelius Balbinus Augustus), laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from front, Π - Π (pater patriae) across field; reverse TAPCOV MHTPOΠOΛEWC, Apollo Lykeios standing facing on omphalos, nude, head left, holding forepaws of a wolf in right hand, chlamys over left arm, bow and arrow in left hand, in field A/M/K on left, Γ / B on right; huge 36mm bronze!; very rare;  (Forum description)

The coin's a bit of an ugly duckling but cost about 60% of what an imperial issue would have. It's also a very hefty piece.

Feel free to post any coins of Balbinus, or of this particular denomination.

Does anyone know how many assaria this equated to?  I have a similar one of Caracalla.

 

[Roman Collector]

I think there is something about the Cilician soil that corrodes coins buried there. Many coins of the region have rough surfaces. These coins are big and impressive, though. Coingratulations on acquiring a Balbinus. I've long had Balbinus on my want list, but I get distracted by Faustina. You know how it is.

This one of Trajan Decius is probably the same denomination, whatever it was. I suspect they would have passed as sestertii.

Trajan Decius. AD 249-251.
Roman provincial Æ 32.5 mm, 18.74 g, 6 h.
Cilicia, Tarsus, AD 249-251.
Obv: ΑV ΚΑΙ Γ ΜЄϹ ΚVΙΝ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ, Π Π, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: ΤΑΡϹΟV ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛЄΩϹ Γ Β, Α Μ Κ. Artemis standing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow and arrow; at feet on either side, deer standing left and dog running right with raised paws, head left.
Refs: RPC 1346; SNG Levante 1156 ; SNG France 1754; SNG von Aulock 6065; SNG Cop 33; Ziegler 808.16.33; Lindgren III, 926.

And here is a REALLY rough one with a different reverse type.

[Sulla80]

Congrats on the big provincial Balbinus!  here's my coin from Ionia, Miletus (southeast of Ephesus) from this emperor:

Roman Provincial, Ionia, Miletus, Balbinus, AD 238, AE 25mm, 5.47g

Obv: ΑΥΤ Κ Κ ΑΙΛΙ ΒΑΛΒΕΙΝΟΣ, Büste mit Panzer, Paludamentum und Lorbeerkranz n. r.

Rev: ΜΙΛΗΤΩΝ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩΝ, Leto n. r. laufend, ihre bogen­schießenden Zwillinge Apoll und Artemis auf den Armen haltend

Ref: BMC 164

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

There's some cool types here!  That's an especially nice one, Sulla80.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

My Balbinus sestertius. Note the CONCORDIA AVGG reverse, representing how well the two emperors got along. In fact each mistrusted the other and each lived in a separate part of the palace. At any rate, the Praetorians tired of the duo and executed them in favor of the boy emperor Gordian III.

 

[Ryro]

Nice! That's a doozzy.

speaking of doozies, here's an ugly Pupienus (😜) with Herakles wrestling the giant 

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Neat.  What's the attribution of the Pupienus?  i.e. size, where from?

I've been able to check off a lot of boxes within the last year; Lucius Verus, Magnentius, Procopius, Balbinus, etc.  Carus still eludes me. While certainly not rare, I haven't been able to find any ones to my satisfaction for throw-ins with my main orders.

My similar size Tarsus laureate Caracalla is half the weight.  I wonder if this was a double denomination?  It's really hefty.  I had quite a time trying to extract it from the flip.

One occasionally comes across a not terrible Balbinus Sestertius for $300-something.  I might hop on it if I come across one.  How much do middling Balbinus/Pupienus AR's go for?

Edited April 15, 2023 by Nerosmyfavorite68

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

52 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

Neat.  What's the attribution of the Pupienus?  i.e. size, where from?

I've been able to check off a lot of boxes within the last year; Lucius Verus, Magnentius, Procopius, Balbinus, etc.  Carus still eludes me. While certainly not rare, I haven't been able to find any ones to my satisfaction for throw-ins with my main orders.

My similar size Tarsus laureate Caracalla is half the weight.  I wonder if this was a double denomination?  It's really hefty.  I had quite a time trying to extract it from the flip.

One occasionally comes across a not terrible Balbinus Sestertius for $300-something.  I might hop on it if I come across one.  How much do middling Balbinus/Pupienus AR's go for?

My Balbinus was $680 and so was Pupienus as I recall.

[Prieure de Sion]

3 hours ago, Sulla80 said:

Congrats on the big provincial Balbinus!  here's my coin from Ionia, Miletus (southeast of Ephesus) from this emperor:

Roman Provincial, Ionia, Miletus, Balbinus, AD 238, AE 25mm, 5.47g

Obv: ΑΥΤ Κ Κ ΑΙΛΙ ΒΑΛΒΕΙΝΟΣ, Büste mit Panzer, Paludamentum und Lorbeerkranz n. r.

Rev: ΜΙΛΗΤΩΝ ΝΕΟΚΟΡΩΝ, Leto n. r. laufend, ihre bogen­schießenden Zwillinge Apoll und Artemis auf den Armen haltend

Ref: BMC 164

 

@Sulla80 ... I really, really don't like doing this. But if I didn't write anything, I would also feel stupid for not having told you. Maybe you can write to the seller and get your money back - or I can prevent you from selling the coin.

Unfortunately, it is a fake. Style is modern and patina artificial.

This is a replica by Petar Petrov: Link

 

[Sulla80]

41 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

 

@Sulla80 ... I really, really don't like doing this. But if I didn't write anything, I would also feel stupid for not having told you. Maybe you can write to the seller and get your money back - or I can prevent you from selling the coin.

Unfortunately, it is a fake. Style is modern and patina artificial.

This is a replica by Petar Petrov: Link

 

Thanks for pointing it out - fortunately I had my suspicions about this coin - not least of which was the low price paid for it.  And you do prevent me from reselling 🙂

As I had found several in ACSearch (sold 2000-2019) and not seen one in fake reports (although I do find it now here as well), I held out some hope that it might be genuine (even if artificially repatinated).

Edited April 15, 2023 by Sulla80

[Prieure de Sion]

3 hours ago, Sulla80 said:

Thanks for pointing it out

Nevertheless. I'm really sorry. I am very reluctant to deliver such news. 

[Sulla80]

13 hours ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Nevertheless. I'm really sorry. I am very reluctant to deliver such news. 

no worries - I genuinely appreciate the sharing of expertise and I am sorry that I distracted from the cool Balbinus that @Nerosmyfavorite68 shared - on with more cool coins! 

[O-Towner]

Balbinus (238 AD) : Tarsos Cilicia : Ae  

Obv: AYT KAI KE KAIΛ BAΛBEINOC CEB (or similar); Laureate bust right, Π-Π across fields

Rev: TAΡCOY MHTΡOΠOΛEΩCΛ; Athena seated left, holding Nike and spear, shield at her side;  A M K B Γ in fields

Ref: BMC 240 : Size: 36.1mm, 30.8gms

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by O-Towner

[Prieure de Sion]

3 hours ago, Sulla80 said:

and I am sorry

You don't have to apologize, especially since it can happen to anyone. Even with serious old auction houses with professionals, there are always fakes that are not recognized. It can happen to any of us. Again and again.

We should not "blame" ourselves - but rather get angry about those idiots and bandits who produce such fakes and harm other people with them.