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Tomorrow, September 23rd, is the birthday of Augustus


robinjojo

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Thought I get an early start.  

I noticed that our birthdays coincide, purely an accident and a joke, for my personality is anything but imperatorial, the exact opposite in fact - very deferential in nature.   However, I do preside over a vast empire, the Dust Bunnies Empire, whose legions are known and feared far and wide for triggering major allergic reactions, causing vast armies to flee the battle field clutching their handkerchiefs!  But alas!  The all powerful vacuum cleaner is about to bring the Empire to a crashing end!

Augustus, born September 23, 63 BC as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus; died August 19, 14 AD.

Augustus - Wikipedia

"May it be my privilege to have the happiness of establishing the commonwealth on a firm and secure basis and thus enjoy the reward which I desire, but only if I may be called the author of the best possible government; and bear with me the hope when I die that the foundations which I have laid for its future government, will stand firm and stable."    Augustus

Here's a coin to get things rolling.

Augustus, denarius, Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, struck 2 BC- 12 AD.

RIC I, 207

3.76 grams

D-CameraAugustusdenariusLugdunum(Lyon)mint.Struck2BC-AD12RICI2073.76g8-31-24.jpg.a46488a62715f691c8c8e8f825a8a989.jpg

 

And his wife, Livia.

Livia, dupondius, 21-22 AD.

RIC 47

13.4 grams

D-CameraLiviadupondius21-22ADRIC4713.4grams11-29-20.jpg.974ee2b458ff8d14aa68a85f4840fd18.jpg

 

So, please feel free to post coins of Augustus, his family and his contemporaries.

 

  

Edited by robinjojo
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His coins got to Britain very worn.

Augustus As, 16BC
image.png.3d35ed289dd10293ca5b2a23ff160e21.png
Rome. Bronze, 26mm, 6.72g. Augustus head right; CAESAR AVGVSTVS TRIBVNIC (POTEST). S C; C CASSI(VS CELER) III VIR A A A F F around (RIC I, 376). Found in Britain.

Germanus Indutilli L Quadrans, 10BC
image.png.ca04a4e42068d423104e21aa7b6e5402.png
Gallia Belgica. Bronze, 15mm, 1.95g. Male diademed head, right. Bull butting, left; GERMANVS (above) INDVTILLI L (in exergue) (RPC 506). From the Richborough (Kent) Hoard (excavations of a Roman fort, 1922-1940).

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2 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

I sold this coin long ago with regrets 🥹. The portrait of Augustus is sensational for a provincial coin 🤩.

          AugustusTet.ExAWKCollection.jpg.5ed7b855a2ea752ddb6f1622eaf9451f.jpg

 

Those tetradrachms from Antioch were of very high quality indeed. You can see the Hellenistic influence in the idealized portraiture.

AugustustetradrachmSyriaAntioch.jpg.97c019b5eeb08d9c3e8d4b745c690b9b.jpg

SYRIA, ANTIOCH
Time of Augustus
AR Tetradrachm (27.38mm, 12.57g, 12h)
Struck 2 BC
Obverse: ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΥ, laureate head of Augustus right
Reverse: ΕΤΟΥΣ ΘΚ ΝΙΚΗΣ, Tyche of Antioch seated right on rock holding palm branch, before river god Orontes swimming right, head facing; monograms and date in right field
References: RPC Online, Vol. I, No. 4155
Dark toning with an attractive portrait.

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augtet.jpg.445597d7b8f7c43fb4fc856d2e543f7b.jpg

Augustus (27 BC-14 AD)
AR Tetradrachm
Syria-Antiochia ad Orontem
O: KAIΣAPOΣ ΣEB_AΣTOY, Laureate head right
R: ETOYΣ-ZK-NIKHΣ, Tyche seated right on rocks, palm branch in left hand, river god Orontes swimming right below, YPA monogram, IB / ANT monogram in right field Regnal Year 27 (5/4 BC), COS 12.
27mm
14.06g
Prieur 51; RPC 4152; McAlee 181
Ex David Hendin, 2004

Note: The ZK breaking the reverse legend is the regnal year 27, IB is for consulship 12. Minted in what is possibly the year of the birth of Jesus Christ.

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Those are really nice examples of the tetradrachms from Antioch for Augustus. 

 

I've looked at some of these coins for sale in the past, but never made a purchase.  Perhaps these postings will change that.

My only provincial coin for Augustus is one that I've posted several times before, so here it is again for his birthday, acquired from Roma a few years ago:

Augustus, Agrippa, AE as, Nemausus, Gaul. c. AD 10-14.

12.02 grams

D-CameraAugustusAgrippaAsNemaususGaul.c.AD10-14_12.02gRoma828706-4-21.jpg.466f2280edf172ec097a314b7880c73a.jpg

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It's also the Kings' birthday in my state today! However, I don't have a coin of Charles III to post yet, since I'm still waiting to come across one in the wild rather than buying any of his coins. 

Regarding Augustus, here are my couple of favourites: 

My first coin of him, a quinarius:

Augustusq.jpg.67198c253b7f2e1812bba0ccfa97cb3e.jpg

A denarius with a butting bull: 

bull.jpg.79bb20fccf7c262061ebfcccd658a7eb.jpg

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One Augustus coming up!

[IMG]
Divus Augustus, 27 BC - 14 AD.
Roman Æ as, 9.30 g, 28.4 mm, 7 h.
Rome, issued under Tiberius, AD 22-30.
Obv: DIVVS·AVGVSTVS·PATER, head of Augustus, radiate, left.
Rev: PROVIDENT S C, Altar-enclosure with double paneled door; surmounted by uncertain ornaments.
Refs: RIC 81; BMCRE 146; Cohen (Augustus) 228; RCV 1789.

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Excellent coins of the first empirial couple, @robinjojo

What a complicated legacy. We have to break it into pieces to just make it digestible. 

As much as I don't like Octavian/ Augustus, I respect them😉

Screenshot_20230706_194030_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png.481ee1a0cb42147821e9588c96a9ae54.png1825382_1618171287.l-removebg-preview.png.eb796a4dd200f057527f8587fdd6c102.png.c1264cdc084ca5eaa7ead7f7da411ba7.pngshare237564393831303174.png.b98e10fa7fe8222a24ea6aaf6b128a47.pngshare83915491600704803.png.b00e641e63cae0267e27ad2e3ae022d9.png

and the little lady

1603051979179620179676817033674-removebg-preview.png.4a507777d71275c3138d6f14501e971a.png.69cdf4860fc4d4e4821056e45df6bcdf.pngshare1390757669337856939.png.37f366ecd7738b4570b8ddad37082bc2.png.0abb0ebe6ade2953340284763982650b.png

His wife and daughter, whom he treated like garbage

1459561_1603040678.l-removebg-preview.png

Edited by Ryro
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Octavian AR denarius, 32-27 BC, 3.80gm, struck 29-27 BC in uncertain Italian mint (Brundisium? Rome?), 21.3mm.  Obv: Bare head right.  Rev: Ithyphallic boundary-stone of Jupiter Terminus, surmounted by laureate head of Octavian facing; winged thunderbolt below; IMP CAESAR across fields.  RIC 269a; CRI 425; RSC 114.  EF, pleasant toning

Screenshot2023-08-10at12-09-53OctavianARdenariusBoundary-stoneofJupiterTerminusEFpleasanttoning.png.7cc19f544f529a668806a0bcbac93283.png

 

 

This just arrived last week. I have been looking for one for quite a while...

Roman Imperial Coins, Augustus, 27 BC-14 AD, Denarius 19-18 BC, Caesaraugusta. 3,88 g. Head with oak wreath right CAESAR AVGVSTVS / DIVVS IVLIVS star with eight rays and tail of a comet. RIC 37a. splendid style., nearly extremely fine

92338.jpg.633134f0af6f3205691d4739ce4c8f86.jpg

 

 

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2087.jpg.e429b4b2aa61d670140631ec6ee48b0e.jpg

normal_Augustus_1.jpg.56e6b3e5703b7ee4778dd94e042f6230.jpg

Augustus Denarius
Obv.: Laureate head of Augustus right, CAESAR AUGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE
Rev.: Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing facing, resting hand on shields, lituus and simpulum above, C L CAESARES AVGUVSTI F COS DESIG PRINC IVVENT
Ref.: RSC 43, RIC 207

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Ref Augustus AE As, RIC 233, Cohen 237, BMC 567 Augustus, AE as, Lugdunum Mint, CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRAE, laureate head right / Altar of Lugdunum, decorated with the corona civica, between laurels and stylized figures. Flanked by columns supporting facing Victories holding wreathe and palm. ROM ET AVG below. 26mm, 11.07gr

20240103_161159__2_-side-removebg-preview.png.44a6ba6749c4b5acbc47501a1242eeca.png

 

Edited by expat
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I just won this coin of Augustus featuring Actian Apollo in CNG's last feature auction. 

image.png.c5084334edbcc3938421e70f969d940e.png

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.69 g, 6h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 15 BC. Bare head right / Apollo Citharoedus of Actium, standing left, holding plectrum and lyre. RIC I 171a; Lyon 28; RSC 144. Deep iridescent cabinet toning, banker's mark on obverse, minor flan flaw and a few scratches under tone on reverse. 

CNG provided no provenance other than the R. Hubel collection listed, but I had a feeling I'd be able to find one if I looked in the right place. As it turns out, I found the following provenance two weeks before the auction.

Leo Hamburger (11-12 June 1930), lot 939.

image.png.da09db135855c24a9fd076dbef544a71.png

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3 hours ago, Romancollector said:

I just won this coin of Augustus featuring Actian Apollo in CNG's last feature auction. 

image.png.c5084334edbcc3938421e70f969d940e.png

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.69 g, 6h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck 15 BC. Bare head right / Apollo Citharoedus of Actium, standing left, holding plectrum and lyre. RIC I 171a; Lyon 28; RSC 144. Deep iridescent cabinet toning, banker's mark on obverse, minor flan flaw and a few scratches under tone on reverse. 

CNG provided no provenance other than the R. Hubel collection listed, but I had a feeling I'd be able to find one if I looked in the right place. As it turns out, I found the following provenance two weeks before the auction.

Leo Hamburger (11-12 June 1930), lot 939.

image.png.da09db135855c24a9fd076dbef544a71.png

Wonderful provenance! 

Is this catalog part of your library, or is online?

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1 hour ago, robinjojo said:

Wonderful provenance! 

Is this catalog part of your library, or is online?

I don’t own any physical catalogues other than the ones Cng, Nac and Leu have sent me. At the moment my physical library is composed only of ric and bmcre. I have found most provenances via Rnumis, but also some via Newman Numsimatic Portal.

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