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Antonia


Egry

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The latest addition to my collection. A coin that I wasn’t overly seeking as I didn’t realize she had a denarius, (as I have an dupondius with her portrait). But once I saw it I had to have it, and based on my research it doesn’t seem all that common to come up at auction.

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Antonia Minor, as Augusta of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and mother of Claudius, Silver Denarius (3.81g, 18.50mm), Lugdunum mint, struck under Claudius 41-42 AD. Obverse: Draped bust of Antonia Minor facing to the right, laureate with grain ears, legend surrounds, “ANTONIA AVGVSTA”. Reverse: Full figure of Antonia Minor facing forward, head slightly turned to the right, draped and holding long torch in right hand and cornucopia in left arm, legend surrounds, “CONSTANTIAE [A]VGVSTI”. RIC-66; RSC-2. An exceptionally scarce piece very infrequently available for commerce, struck in quite nice style and handsomely toned, a few hairlines to obverse, typically seen and similar to previously sold examples, a bold and desirable piece of early Roman Imperial numismatics, Very Fine, reverse good Very Fine.
 
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Antōnia Augusta”, naming the Augusta with the feminine form of the Roman Gens Antonius as well as her title as Augusta. The Reverse Latin legend reads “cōnstantiae Augusta”, with an English translation of “The steadfastness/constancy of the Augusta”.
 
Please share any coins you may have of Antonia. 

 

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 Absolutely beautiful and rare Julio-Claudian coin! Congratulations. Antonia was quite a respected and influential character of the royal family. She very well may have saved Tiberius' life in her helping role of exposing Sejanus. In doing so, she probable saved Caligula's life as well. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? One can only speculate.

Dupondius of Antonia...

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A rare beauty, coingrats!! 👍

I went the cheap route with a provincia AEl:

image.jpeg.22a15000677a341b6948f4b233e6abc0.jpeg

This coin was struck under Gaius Caligula (on the obv.) rather than Claudius, in Thessalonica.

Your Constantiae type is unique to Claudius.  @Valentinian has an interesting discussion of the type on his website, mostly referring to Michael Grant's hypothesis.  In any case, it certainly represents the stoic virtue of constancy.  Perhaps Claudius thought he inherited this from his mother?  The type is more familiar from Claudius's AE though.  Here's mine (ex Clain-Stefanelli):

image.jpeg.24615717a27247208d4433a5309a9d21.jpeg

Edited by Severus Alexander
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@Octavius I love the style of your coin. Your image has really delicate features. Mine on the other hand looks somewhat more formidable. Mine actually reminds me of one of my elementary school teachers who was very strict.

Antonia Minor  Dupondius Minted during the reign of Claudius 41-44 AD Obv Bust right draped  Rv.  Claudius veiled and togate standing facing head left holding simpulium. RIC 92 14.26 grms 17 mm Photo by W. Hansenantonia1.jpg.46de5225c59c84f55b8f8c913a7d496a.jpg

She was of course the wife of Nero Claudius Drusus and the mother of both Germanicus and Claudius.  Her husband and her eldest son are two of the great "what ifs" in the history of the Julio Claudian Dynasty. It is likely that had either survived both would have become Roman emperors. 

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Two Antonias

 

normal_Antonia_03.jpg.db9118fb81910c1b1244ae80490f461e.jpg

Antonia
Daughter of Mark Antony, Wife of Nero Drusus, Mother of Claudius, Grandmother of Caligula
AR Denarius, Rome mint, AD 41-42
Obv: ANTONIA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, wearing barley wreath
Rev: CONSTANTIAE AVGVSTI (consistency of the emperor), Antonia standing facing, draped as Constantia, long torch in right, cornucopia in left
Ag, 3.717g, maximum diameter 18.9mm, die axis 225deg
Ref.: RIC 66, BMCRE I Claudius 111, Cohen 2, SRCV I 1900, CRE 1 [R2]

 

normal_Claudius_07.jpg.c01b1c291e299b35e971826e16c24af7.jpg

Claudius
Alexandria, year 2, AD 41-42
Billon Tetradrachm
Obv.: TI KΛAYΔI KAIΣ ΣEBA ΓEPMANI, laureate head right, date LB before
Rev.: ANTΩNIA ΣEBAΣTH, bust of Antonia right
Billlon, 24mm

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5 hours ago, Severus Alexander said:

A rare beauty, coingrats!! 👍

I went the cheap route with a provincia AEl:

image.jpeg.22a15000677a341b6948f4b233e6abc0.jpeg

This coin was struck under Gaius Caligula (on the obv.) rather than Claudius, in Thessalonica.

Your Constantiae type is unique to Claudius.  @Valentinian has an interesting discussion of the type on his website, mostly referring to Michael Grant's hypothesis.  In any case, it certainly represents the stoic virtue of constancy.  Perhaps Claudius thought he inherited this from his mother?  The type is more familiar from Claudius's AE though.  Here's mine (ex Clain-Stefanelli):

image.jpeg.24615717a27247208d4433a5309a9d21.jpeg

Thanks.

Also, thanks for the link, very good read! 

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I've always wanted a denarius of Antonia, @Egry! Coingratulations on the new addition to your numophylacium! Like everyone else, it seems, I have only the dupondius.

[IMG]
Antonia, Augusta AD 37 and 41.
Roman orichalcum dupondius, 12.10 gm, 28.3 mm.
Rome, AD 41-50.
Obv: ANTONIA AVGVSTA, bust of Antonia, draped and bare-headed right, hair in long plait.
Rev: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP S C, Claudius, veiled and togate, standing left, holding simpulum in right hand.
Refs: RIC 92; BMC 166; Cohen Antonia 6; RCV 1902; CBN 143; Carson 405.
 
 
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