Mail call/good milestone/serious Top 10 candidate

ambr0zie · November 23, 2023

I recently participated in an auction where I had a few interesting targets. And I was quite optimistic I would win at least 3-4 of them but the competition was very determined and I ended up losing all of them. Including some I considered "snacks" and I was quite confident about my estimate prices

When I first saw one of the coins I wanted, I thought I have a very slim chance. Not a fantastic coin, but all my attempts to get similar coins failed (miserably) as even if I was happy with the condition, I was not happy about the prices. Seeing another example did not raise big hopes, but I saved it, just to see what will be the hammer price.

After losing all the coins in my watch list, this one being the last, I was tempted to leave the auction. But I said let's wait 10 more minutes to see this one.

To my surprise, the coin did NOT have success and there were only 4 bids, one of them being mine. And I realized that the auction was not a large failure after all - the only coin I won was a major target for me - An Augustus denarius, but not the common types with Caius&Lucius (a coin I do not like).

17,4 mm, 3,38 g.

Augustus 27 BC–14 AD. AR denarius. Lugdunum. 12 BC.

AVGVSTVS DIVI F, bare head r / IMP XI, capricorn right, with globus between hooves.

RIC I (second edition) Augustus 174; RSC 147; BMC 465.

Although the coin has been harshly cleaned and it has a large banker's mark in the jawline (I don't think this is a different type of damage) plus the smaller banker's mark on the neck, I am very happy with this coin. I always said that if I buy an Augustus denarius, this is one of the serious candidates.

I like the portrait (for me it has a Republican touch) and of course the reverse - this made me remember my first Augustus coin, a provincial from Kyzikos

Many of us know that the capricorn was an important symbol on Augustus coins - an interesting article here.

As a coincidence, just last week I started (and finished) the HBO series Rome, where Augustus is an important character and I just started yesterday Domina - series about Livia (not the biggest fan of it ... yet).

Let's see Augustus coins!

Edited November 23, 2023 by ambr0zie

Ryro · November 23, 2023

Very cool and desirable coin!

Augy is a very fun guy to collect. And thanks to him living to the ripe old age of 175 near impossible to collect any sort of encompassing collection of. Some are insanely expensive and hard to come by.

CPK · November 23, 2023

Great coin! By coincidence, I also just recently won a denarius of Augustus, with an interesting reverse. I just took the pictures last night:

AUGUSTUS, 27 BC - AD 14
AR Denarius (19.05mm, 3.31g, 6h)
Struck 19 BC. Colonia Patricia mint.
Obverse: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head of Augustus right
Reverse: SIGNIS RECEPTIS, circular shield inscribed CL V, S-P/Q-R above and below; legionary eagle left, standard right
References: RIC I 86a, RCV 1633
Well-centered obverse with a good portrait. The reverse of this coin commemorates Augustus's recovery of the standards lost to the Parthians by Crassus and Antony. Though Augustus achieved this through diplomatic rather than military means, the Senate awarded him the Clipeus Virtutis - "Shield of Bravery" - in recognition of this accomplishment.

expat · November 23, 2023

Wonderful new addition @ambr0zie for your collection. also some wonderful Augustus pieces shown by @Ryro and @CPK

I received my first Augustus recently, purchased for its connection to Spain, where I live.

AUGUSTUS. Æ. As. (Caesaraugusta, Zaragoza, Spain) 25-11 BC
Magistrates: Gnaeus Domitius Ampianus, Gaius Vettius Lancianus
Obverse: IMP. AVGVSTVS. TRIB. POTS. XX., laureate head of Augustus to the right.
Reverse: CAES. AVGVS (clockwise from 10-1). CN. DOM. AMP. C. VET. LANC (anti clockwise from 8-2). Priest ploughing with pair of oxen to the right. Below II (with horizontal line above) VIR. (*)
RPC volume I, #320
Leaded bronze,12.85g. 31mm. Reference: Vives 148–10, GMI 328, Beltrán 16, NAH 982, AB. 327.
* Taken from forumancient coins; II VIR One of two Roman officers or magistrates united in the same public functions (one of two (duumviri of a duumvirate). The title written as II VIR, appears on provincial and colonial coinage when dumvir was the title of the highest officials of the city. The office was held in much consideration during the Republic, as well for the power it conferred, as on account of its antiquity, the creation of the duumviri being referred to a period so far back as the reign of Tullus Hostillius.

akeady · November 23, 2023

I like Augustus coins, to the extent that I overpost them here 😄

Here are some again!

The original Tribute Penny - RIC 220 (Augustus):

My favourite bull, pity about the obverse... RIC 155:

Caius on horseback on the reverse - RIC 199:

ATB,
Aidan.

robinjojo · November 23, 2023

1 hour ago, akeady said:

I like Augustus coins, to the extent that I overpost them here 😄

Here are some again!

The original Tribute Penny - RIC 220 (Augustus):

My favourite bull, pity about the obverse... RIC 155:

Caius on horseback on the reverse - RIC 199:

ATB,
Aidan.

I love the portrait on the last coin!

akeady · November 24, 2023

3 hours ago, robinjojo said:

I love the portrait on the last coin!

Yeah - if I could combine it with the bull reverse, I'd have a winner 😄

ATB,
Aidan.

JayAg47 · November 24, 2023

That's a great score!

Here's my first coin of the first emperor, a quinarius,

The generic one,

The elusive one,

My favourite one,

Edited November 24, 2023 by JayAg47

Marsyas Mike · November 24, 2023

Nice find, @ambr0zie. I do not have any silver of Augustus, but I did find this As recently. It is much better than most of my Julio-Claudian AEs:

Augustus Æ As (11-12 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP • CAESAR • DIVI • F • AVGVSTVS • IMP • XX • bare head left / PONTIF • MAXIM • TRIBVN • POT • XXXIIII •, large S • C. RIC II Part 1 (2nd ed.) 471; BMCRE 275-276; Cohen 226. (11.09 grams / 28 x 27 mm) eBay July 2023

Note: British Museum Curator's comments: "The emperor's titles here replace those of the moneyer and set the pattern for the later Julio-Claudian aes coinage."