My first silver denarii: worn silver of Hadrian, Faustina I, Lucilla, and Crispina

[zanzi]

Hello members, I wanted to share my first group of Roman silver denarii. They were each around $20 and came from one seller who runs an Idaho LCS. They told me they purchased them from a walk-in. I posted the two Faustina the Elder coins in my thread 'The first Faustina Friday of my household' where Roman Collector generously gave me some pointers and corrections. I would be greatly appreciated if anyone could correct anything they see wrong with these descriptions, but I think I have got them down.

Without more delay, here are the five coins.

 

Roman Empire
Emperor Hadrian
128 to 129 AD
AR denarius
O: Bust of Hadrian right, HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P
R: Goddess Annona-Abundantia seated left, holding a reaping hook and cornucopia, a modius full of grain by her feet, COS III
Weight: 2.5 grams
Size: 17.4mm - 18.1mm - 1.9mm
RIC III #911
Uploaded to Numista as an example, as well as to Zeno.ru 346181

 

Roman Empire
Empress Faustina the Elder, wife of Antoninus Pius
145 to 147 AD
AR denarius
O: Bust of Faustina right, DIVA FAVSTINA
R: Goddess Ceres standing left, holding grain heads and a torch, AVGVSTA
Weight: 2.5 grams
Size: 17.9mm - 18.3mm - 1.8mm
RIC III #360a
Uploaded to Numista as an example, as well as to Zeno.ru 346182

 

Roman Empire
Empress Faustina the Elder, wife of Antoninus Pius
c. 150 AD
AR denarius
O: Bust of Faustina right, DIVA FAVSTINA
R: Empty pulvinar-throne, draped and ornamented, facing forward with a wreath sitting and a sceptre leaning across
Weight: 2.8 grams
Size: 17.8mm - 18.7mm - 1.7mm
RIC III #377
Uploaded to Numista as an example, as well as to Zeno.ru 346183

 

Roman Empire
Empress Lucilla, wife of Lucius Verus
164 to 180 AD
AR denarius
O: Bust of Lucilla right, LVCILLA AVGVSTA
R: Goddess Pudicitia seated left with her hand on her breast
Weight: 2.2 grams
Size: 17.0mm - 18.2mm - 1.8mm
RIC III #781
Uploaded to Numista as an example, as well as to Zeno.ru 346184

 

Roman Empire
Empress Crispina, wife of Commodus
178 to 191 AD
AR denarius
O: Bust of Crispina right, CRISPINA AVGVSTA
R: Goddess Juno standing left, holding a patera and sceptre, to the left a peacock, IVNO
Weight: 1.9 grams
Size: 16.5mm - 17.9mm - 1.7mm
RIC III #283
Uploaded to Numista as an example, as well as to Zeno.ru 346185

 

I wanted to ask members' opinions on the coins, particularly the Hadrian. It has a 'soft surface' that I see on many cast coins, but in hand I think it is authentic. It has no cast lines and seems like honest wear. Can such a surface be explained by wear or deposit conditions?

I think I'm hooked on Roman coins a little bit now. I have ordered some average LRB's to identify and find myself looking more and more into the deities and rulers I have accumulated. I'm considering checking out the new Gladiator movie sometime soon. Anyways, I'd love to see what others' first silver denarius was. I know these are about bottom of the barrel, but I really enjoy them and have found it quite enriching researching and identifying them. Feel free to share any extra details, images of your first or favorite silver denarii, or even better examples of the ones I have shared.

[JAZ Numismatics]

It's possible the Hadrian is cast, but it could just be well-circulated, as the others. Depending on environmental conditions, ancient silver coins sometimes have granulated surfaces due to the leaching of base metals in the alloy. It's the sort of coin I would avoid, simply because it raises doubts. The rest look good - just honest wear. They aren't going to win any beauty pageants, but they are important little bits of history and deserve to be appreciated. Wecome to the dark side!

[Qcumbor]

Nice to see someone taking the plunge into the ancient world. Welcome to the dark side

My first ever denarius, that was in 1983 CE and I still have it :

Septimius Severus, Denarius - Rome mint, 210 CE
SEVERVS PIVS AVG BRIT, Laureate head of Sevrus right
VICTORIAE BRIT, Victory facing, holding palm and attaching shield to palm tree
2.72 gr
Ref : RCV #6384, Cohen #729

Q

[zanzi]

Thank you both! I've dabbled around in Western ancient coins a bit, but this is the first time I've bought silver west of Mesopotamia. @Qcumbor, that's a great coin for your first! Glad you still have it

Here are some of my other Western ancient coins I've bought in the last year

 

Roman Empire
Emperor Nero
62 to 68 AD
Rome mint
AE As
O: Bust of Nero right, NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP
R: Goddess Victory winged, flying left, holding a shield inscribed S P Q R, S C surrounding
Weight: 9.0 grams
Size: 25.8mm - 2.6mm
RIC I #312
Uploaded to Numista as an example, as well as to Zeno.ru 330800

 

Roman Empire
Emperor Marcus Aurelius
161 to 180 AD
Provincial coinage of Cyrrhus, Syria
AE 22
O: Bust of Marcus Aurelius left, ΑΥ ΑΥΡΗΛ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟϹ ϹΕΒ
R: Zeus Kataibates seated on rock, left, holding thunderbolt over eagle and long sceptre, ΔΙΟϹ ΚΑΤΑΙΕΒΑΤΟΥ ΚΥΡΡΗϹΤ
Weight: 8.2 grams
Size: 21.3mm - 22.1mm - 3.1mm
RPC IV #3602
Uploaded to Numista as an example, Zeno.ru 328993, the Wikipedia page for Cyrrhus, and my NumisForums thread

 

Roman Empire
Empress Lucilla
166 to 168 AD, or soon after
Limes denarius
O: Lucilla right, hair waved and in a bun, LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F
R: Vesta left, holding a simpulum (ladle for rituals) and palladium (small trophy statue), to the left a lit altar, VESTA
Weight: 2.6 grams
Size: 16.6mm - 18.0mm - 1.8mm
cf. RIC III #788 
Plate coin on Wildwinds and on Numista, Zeno.ru 333889, and my NumisForums thread

 

Roman Empire
Emperor Gordian III
Governor Sabinius Modestus
241 to 244 AD
Provincial coinage of Nicopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior
AE 29
O: Bust of Gordian III right, ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΥΓ
R: Deified snake-serpent (Glycon?) right, coiled, head nimbus, ΥΠ ϹΑΒ ΜΟΔΕϹΤΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟϹ ΙϹΤΡ
Weight: 13.7 grams
Size: 28.1mm - 29.5mm - 3.2mm
RPC VII.2 #1307
Uploaded to Zeno.ru 332341, and my NumisForums thread

[Roman Collector]

4 hours ago, zanzi said:

I think I'm hooked on Roman coins a little bit now.