DonnaML's Top 10 Roman Imperial Coins for 2024

[DonnaML]

I was surprised to realize that I actually bought only ten Roman Imperial coins in 2024 (including one that I bought last December that didn't arrive until after January 1) -- far fewer than in any of the last half-dozen years.  Also, I didn't spend more than about $300 on any of them except the final one posted below, which is also a change from recent years. I do believe that it's still possible to find some nice coins for less than that sum, though. I hope you agree.

As with my World coins and medals list, they're in chronological order, not in any order of preference.

1. Vespasian AR Denarius AD 77-78, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG / Rev. Pair of oxen, yoked, to left; in exergue, COS VIII. 17x18 mm., 3.04 g., 6 hr. RIC II-1 Vespasian 943 (p. 127) (2007 ed.); RSC II 133a; BMCRE II Vespasian 206 (p. 38) (ill. Pl. VI.9); Sear RCV I 2289 (p. 435). “Worn die on obverse around wreath.” Purchased from Dr. Martina Dieterle, Schenkenzell, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 12 Jan. 2024 (at NYINC 2024).

2. Trajan AR Denarius, AD 104 (Sear RCV II) or 106 [Foss], Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TRP COS V P P / Rev. Captive Dacian wearing peaked cap with wide brim and shirt with long sleeves, ending in breeches, seated right on ground in attitude of mourning at foot of trophy (consisting of cuirass and shields); his left elbow rests on his raised left knee and his face is propped on his left hand, with his right hand across his chest; SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. 19 mm., 3.41 g., 7 h. RIC II Trajan 222 (p. 259); BMCRE III Trajan 187 (p. 58); RSC II Trajan 537a; Sear RCV II 3169 (ill. p. 105) (obv. bust var.); Foss, Trajan 28d (p. 101) [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)]. Purchased from Nomos AG, Zürich, Switzerland, at Nomos Obolos Auction 30, 17 Dec. 2023, Lot 646. [This one looks better in hand than in the photo; the scratches aren't nearly as apparent.]

 

3. Diva Faustina I [Senior] (wife of Antoninus Pius), AR Denarius [Beckmann: AD 140-141*; Sear: AD 142; Dinsdale: undated, Nov. 140 – 161], Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, head veiled, hair  drawn up at the back and piled in a round coil on top, DIVA AVG – FAVSTINA / Rev. Eight-pointed star; AETERNITAS in curved line above; • below at 6 o’clock [no authority notes this dot or explains whether it has any intended significance]. 18 mm., 3.06 g. RIC III 355; RSC II Faustina I 63; BMCRE IV 293; Sear RCV II 4580; Dinsdale 019190 [Dinsdale, Paul H., The Imperial Coinage of the Early Antonines: Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar (2022), Ch. 7 at p. 232, photo at p. 235] [available at http://romanpaulus.x10host.com/Antoninus/old/07%20-%20Diva%20Faustina%20I%20-%20Undated%20140-161%20%28med_res%29.pdf]. Purchased from Herakles Numismatics, Charlotte, NC, 12 Jan 2024 (at 2024 NYINC).

* See Beckmann, Martin, Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces (American Numismatic Society, 2012), p. 21: “The denarii, as explained in Chapter 1, are impossible to arrange by die study. But some progress can be made by observing characteristics common with the earliest aurei and sestertii. So to this earliest coinage of Diva Faustina can be added the denarius types showing a star with the legend AETERNITAS (a parallel to the standing figure/AETERNITAS on the gold and bronze) and the type with an eagle and the legend CONSECRATIO (paralleling the eagle and Faustina/CONSECRATIO issues of the bronze).”

4.  The Palladium on this one is actually recognizable as such, which isn't always the case.

Lucilla (wife of Lucius Verus & daughter of Marcus Aurelius) AR Denarius, Rome Mint AD 164-66. Obv. Draped bust right with hair in small chignon pulled behind her head, LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F / Rev. Vesta standing left, veiled and draped, sacrificing over lighted altar from simpulum (ladle)* held in her right hand, and holding Palladium [statue of Pallas Athena taken to Rome by Aeneas] in her left hand, VES-TA. RIC III 788, RSC II Lucilla 92 (p. 234), BMCRE IV Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus 325 (p. 429) (ill. Pl. 58 no. 18), Sear RCV II 5493 (p. 370). Purchased from cgb.fr, 14 April 2024.

 

* See Jones, John Melville, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (Seaby, London 1990), entry for “Simpulum” at p. 290: “the name for a ladle made of earthenware which was one of the traditional implements of the pontifices at Rome. It should be distinguished from a culullus, which was a drinking vessel.”

5.  This one was my first Septimius Severus coin with the BRIT[ANNICVS] title.

Septimius Severus, AR Denarius, Rome Mint AD 210.* Obv. Laureate head right, SEVERVS PIVS - AVG BRIT / Rev. Jupiter standing to left between two small figures of children [representing Caracalla and Geta?], mantle spread behind him, holding long scepter in left hand and thunderbolt in right hand, with child on left holding onto Jupiter’s mantle and child on right holding onto scepter**, PM TR P XVIII - COS III PP. 18x19 mm., 3.06 g. RIC IV-1 240; RSC III Septimius Severus 540 p. 40; BMCRE V, Joint Reign of Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Geta 25; David Sear, Roman Coins and their Values 1680 p. 180 (3^rd ed. 1981) [not in Sear RCV II (Millennium Edition).] Purchased 16 May 2024 from cgb.fr, Paris.

 

*RSC III dates the use of the BRIT[ANNICVS] title to AD 210-211 (see p. 18), but Sear RCV II, at p. 79, dates its use in combination with TR P XVIII only to AD 210, with coins minted in AD 211 bearing the TR P number XVIIII. 

**RSC III (see p. 18) is the only source I have identifying the two children as Caracalla and Geta (albeit accompanied by a question mark), although I do not have access to RIC IV-1 or to BMCRE V. The identification makes sense in light of the elevation of Geta to the status of Augustus in the previous year, AD 209, when this reverse first appeared (without the BRIT title on the obverse and bearing the number TR P XVII; see RIC IV-1 226, RSC II 525, Sear RCV II 6345). Furthermore, the fact that one child holds Jupiter’s mantle and the other holds Jupiter’s scepter can reasonably be interpreted as representing the new status of both Caracalla and Geta as joint successors to Septimius Severus’s throne. I do not see the apparent presentation of the two children as infants or young children on the reverse as an obstacle to this identification, even though Caracalla and Geta were already 21 and 20 years old in AD 209: their small size standing next to Jupiter could simply represent their relative status compared to the chief Roman deity (and compared to their father), rather than their ages.   

6. This was a type I'd wanted for years, and it also came with a nice pedigree.

Julia Domna AR Denarius AD 205 (Sear) or AD 209 (Foss), Rome Mint. Obv. Bareheaded, draped bust of Julia Domna facing right, seen three-quarters forward, hair in braids, pulled back behind her head, IVLIA – AVGVSTA / Rev. Cybele (or Julia Domna as Cybele), towered, draped, seated left driving a quadriga of lions, holding reins with her left hand and holding a branch in her right hand, MATER AVGG [ = “Mother of the Augusti”].* RIC IV-1 Septimius Severus 562 (p. 168); RSC III Julia Domna 117 (ill. p. 56), BMCRE V 48, Sear RCV II 6592 (ill. p. 494); Foss, Julia Domna 209.9 (p. 174) [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)]. 18.5 mm., 3.61 g., 12 h. Retail purchase 11 Sep 2024 from cgb.fr (Compagnie Générale de Bourse), Paris, France; ex MDC Monaco (Monnaies de Collection), Auction 8, 9 Mar 2024, Lot 50; from 1926 Limoges Coin Hoard (with original coin ticket).**

The cgb.fr photo:

The photo accurately represents the coin's current appearance. It seems clear that cgb cleaned it after acquiring it at the MDC Monaco auction, in which it was described as having a "black patina" and was depicted in this photo:

So the coin no longer has its former appearance, but the results don't bother me at all. 

The coin was also accompanied by this beautifully-handwritten old coin ticket, obviously dating back a long time:

[See the 3rd fn below for an explanation of the reference to "occo page 282."]

*David Sear dates this type to AD 205. (See Sear RCV II 6592 at p. 494.) But Foss asserts at pp. 173-174 that the title “MATER AVGG” -- with two “G’s,” meaning “Mother of the Augusti” -- was used by Julia Domna only after Geta was elevated from Caesar to Augustus in AD 209, joining his brother Caracalla.

For the symbolism of Cybele, the “Great Mother,” driving a lion quadriga, see Ovid’s Fasti, Book IV, in the verses where Ovid asks the Muse Erato “Why do lions, these wild beasts, bowing their heads for the first time under the yoke, come to harness themselves to the chariot of the goddess?”, and she answers “It was Cybele who softened the ferocious manners of men; her chariot is a symbol of this benefit.”

**For a description of the 1926 Limoges Hoard, see the website “Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire” at https://chre.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/hoard/3774:

Hoard name

LIMOGES 1926-1943

Alternative names

AUGUSTORITUM; AVGVSTORITVM

Date of discovery (from)

7 May 1926

(to)

1943

Total number of coins

7000

Summary

The hoard comprised a jar [with two handles, placed in a small silo] containing more than 7,000 denarii and some radiates. Some contemporary reports suggest that there were as many as 12,000 coins. Hugon suggested that the gaps in types and paucity of the latest issues and the presence almost exclusively of denarii indicated that the hoard was sorted by type and denomination and that originally there may have been further jars. Indeed, in 1943, a further vessel containing 28 denarii was found at the same findspot and is considered to be part of the same hoard.

Discovery method

Building work

Comment

The hoard was found when digging the foundations for a gasworks on rue de Sainte-Madeleine.

Coins Summary

See table below. Coins of Julia Domna were the third most numerous in the hoard, after those of Caracalla and Septimius Severus. [Table omitted here.]

 

The MDC Monaco auction in March 2024 from which cgb.fr apparently acquired this coin included 10 coins from the 1926 Limoges Hoard (Lots 46-55, of which this coin was Lot 50), all of them with the same black patina as shown in the photo above, and all accompanied by an old coin ticket like the one that came with mine. All sold for what I think were very low prices, six of the ten below $100. Perhaps cgb.fr saw the potential increase in resale value that cleaning might achieve, although I don't know how many they acquired.

I have no information on how these specimens (or the handful of other examples from this hoard I was able to find on acsearch) reached the market, or on who has possessed them – or the rest of the hoard – over the last century.

***The reference to "occo page 282" is to a work of Adolf Occo; see .

https://www.doaks.org/resources/online-exhibits/ces-pieces-immortelles/16th-century-b/imperatorum-romanorum-numismata-a-pompeio-magno-ad-heraclium

 

"Adolf Occo (1524-1606). Imperatorum Romanorum Numismata a Pompeio Magno ad Heraclium. Milan: Ludovico Monti, 1683 (original edition 1579).  
Occo was a renowned physician in Augsburg, serving as dean of the medical college and knighted for his service by emperor Maximilian II in 1573. While studying medicine in Italy, Occo had developed a deep love of ancient coins. Based on his own collection of ancient coins and the larger collection of his friend Mark Fuegger, Occo published a study of coin types that became “one of the landmarks in the evolution of numismatics into a science.”
The original edition, in 1579, was not illustrated but included brief descriptions of known types from late Roman Republican coins to those of the 7th-century Byzantine emperor Heraclius. Occo prepared a second, revised edition in 1601, also without illustrations. The 1683 edition, on display here, was prepared by Francesco Mezzabarba of Milan and was the first edition to include illustrations."

Page 282, line 10 in the 1683 edition -- as well as in the 1730 edition of Occo's book, apparently the most recent one at the time someone created the ticket that came with my coin -- is, in fact, an accurate citation of the Cybele/Lion Quadriga type of Julia Domna (referred to by Occo as "Julia Severi"), counting each line of text separately:

 

 

7. Julia Mamaea (mother of Severus Alexander), AR Denarius, AD 228, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right wearing diadem (or stephane), IVLIA MA-MAEA AVG/ Rev. Felicitas standing front, head to left, legs crossed, resting left elbow on column and holding long caduceus* transversely in right hand, FELICI-TAS PVBLICA. RIC IV-2 335, RSC III Julia Mamaea 17 (ill. p. 148), Sear RCV II 8209 (ill. p. 678), BMCRE VI (Severus Alexander) 483. 20 mm., 2.64 g. Purchased 8 Mar 2024 from Gert Boersma Ancient Coins, Hasselt, Netherlands.

 

*See John Melville Jones, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (London, Seaby, 1999) at p. 166 (entry for “Felicitas”), explaining that Felicitas signified “joy” in the sense of the prosperity and success of the Roman state. The formulation “Felicitas Publica” emphasizes that aspect. See also id p. 43 (entry for “Caduceus”), noting that the caduceus “often … appears as an attribute of . . . personifications suggesting peace, stability, and concert,” including Felicitas.

8. Maximinus I Thrax AR Denarius, 236-238 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM / Rev. Victory standing front, head to left, holding wreath in her outstretched right hand and palm frond in her left hand in front of her wings; at her feet to left, German captive seated left, head turned back to right, hands probably tied behind his back, VICTO – RIA GERM. 20 mm., 2.54 g., 12 h. RIC IV-2 23; RSC III 107 (ill. p. 154); BMCRE VI 186-187; Sear RCV III 8318 (ill. p. 80). Purchased from Leu Numismatik AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, Web Auction 29, 25 Feb. 2024, Lot 2235; ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 7, 24 Feb. 2019, Lot 1218; from the S. Pozzi Collection [N.B.: not the famous Dr. Samuel Jean Pozzi (1846-1918), but a different person who was still alive in the late 20^th Century!]; ex Peter Höfer FPL 9, June 1981, Lot 277.  

9.  Anonymous civic issue a/k/a “Persecution issue,” time of Maximinus II (Daza) [or Diocletian, per David Kalina], AE quarter follis/nummus [Sear], 1/12 nummus (McAlee), or quinarius (Kalina), Antioch Mint (6^th Officina), ca. AD 312 (McAlee, Van Heesch), AD 311-312 (Sear), or AD 300 (Kalina). Obv. Jupiter seated left on throne, holding globe in outstretched right hand and long scepter in left, IOVI CONS – ERVATORI / Rev. Victory advancing left, holding wreath in outstretched right hand and palm branch in left, VICTOR – IA AVGG; in right field, officina mark S (for 6^th Officina); in exergue, [ANT]. 15 mm., 1.44 g., 12 h. Sear RCV IV 14932 (ill. p. 343); McAlee 171(f) (6^th Officina) (ill. p. 107) [McAlee, Richard, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)]; Van Heesch Type 2 [Van Heesch, J. "The last civic coinages and the religious policy of Maximinus Daza (AD 312)" in Numismatic Chronicle (1993), pp. 63-75 at p. 66 & Pl. 11.2]; David Kalina, "Anonymous Civic Coinage: Series II" (available at https://allcoinage.com/anonymous_series2.php); ERIC II, “Anonymous Religious Coinage of the Fourth Century,” pp. 1198-1199 No. 8 (ill. p. 1198) [Rasiel Suarez, ERIC II: The Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coinage (2010)]; [not in RIC]. Purchased from Nomos AG, Zürich, Switzerland, at Nomos Obolos Auction 30, 17 Dec. 2023, Lot 688.* 

* Footnote omitted regarding the various interpretations of these types -- i.e., as issued by Maximinus II to promote propaganda against Christians and aid in their persecution, vs. issued instead for use in festivals, held in various years (including under Diocletian) in conjunction with the Olympics in Antioch. See https://www.numisforums.com/topic/5169-deo-sancto-nilo-not-festival-of-isis/#comment-75620 for the text of that footnote, followed by comments on the theories from other members.

10. Finally, the only ancient gold coin I've bought since mid-2022. Certainly it cost more than $300 -- but well under $1,000, so it was still relatively inexpensive (probably because of the prominent "blemish" on the obverse on the Emperor's right cheek).

Eastern Roman Empire, Theodosius II (son of Arcadius, reigned AD 402-450), AV Solidus, ca. AD 408-420, Constantinople Mint (9^th Officina). Obv. Helmeted, pearl-diademed, and cuirassed bust of Emperor, facing front, holding transverse spear in right hand behind head, and shield on left arm decorated with image of horseman right, D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG / Rev. Constantinopolis, helmeted and draped, seated facing on throne, head right, with right knee bare and right foot resting on prow, holding long scepter with right hand and, in left hand, Victory with wreath standing left on globe; star in left field; CONCORDI-A AVGG Θ [Theta, for 9^th Officina]; in exergue, CONOB [CON = Constantinople Mint; OB = Obryziacum*]. 21 x 20 mm., 4.34 g., 6 hr. RIC X 202 (1994) (see https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.10.theo_ii_e.202); Sear RCV V 21127 (ill. p. 480); Depeyrot II Constantinople 73/2 Arcadius at p. 251 (73^rd emission for city since AD 337) (28 examples of type from 9^th Officina) [Depeyrot, George, Les Monnaies d'Or de Constantin II à Zenon (337-491) (Wetteren 1996)]. Purchased March 2024 from Kirk Davis, Claremont, CA, Catalogue No. 83, Spring 2024, Lot 95 (ill. p. 20); ex Collection of Stig Johansson.

My photo:

Dealer's photo:

* See https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=CONOB (explaining “Obryziacum” as follows: “The solidus weighed 1/72 of the Roman pound. "OB" was both an abbreviation for the word obryzum, which means refined or pure gold, and is the Greek numeral 72. Thus the . . . OB . . . may be read ‘1/72 pound pure gold’”). 

I will try again to figure out how to get the poll to allow more than one choice, but if I don't succeed, please choose your favorite.

 

 

Edited December 4, 2024 by DonnaML

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

It certainly was a very productive year!  I voted for the Maximinus denarius.

[DonnaML]

5 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

It certainly was a very productive year!  I voted for the Maximinus denarius.

Thank you. I really like both the portrait and the reverse on that one. That "tab" on the edge makes me want to break it off! I wonder what it's from.

[Curtisimo]

I agree that the Max Thrax is superb. I’ve been actively looking for an example as good as yours for a while. Great detail, great style, great surfaces and great provenance. Great coin.

I also really like the Theodosius solidus.

[JayAg47]

I like the Faustina Sr denarius, and certainly that Solidus! 

[CPK]

Another great list. I voted for the Trajan denarius - great portrait style, well struck with near-perfect centering, an interesting reverse type, and nicely toned to boot.

But it was tough passing up #9, the civic issue from Antioch. That is such an appealing little coin!

[Ryro]

The Max Thrax, gold Theo 2 and Trajan jumped out at me. But I still went with Lucy. She has such an adorable portrait. I can see why that one spoke to you. Great year all around!

[ambr0zie]

Again a subjective vote, but from these excellent coins, I chose the Trajan. I also need this type for my Dacian collection. 

[Qcumbor]

I'm with the crowd on the Maximinus thrax denarius. A very nice selection of imperials nonetheless.

Q

[Al Kowsky]

On 12/3/2024 at 11:39 PM, DonnaML said:

I was surprised to realize that I actually bought only ten Roman Imperial coins in 2024 (including one that I bought last December that didn't arrive until after January 1) -- far fewer than in any of the last half-dozen years.  Also, I didn't spend more than about $300 on any of them except the final one posted below, which is also a change from recent years. I do believe that it's still possible to find some nice coins for less than that sum, though. I hope you agree.

As with my World coins and medals list, they're in chronological order, not in any order of preference.

1. Vespasian AR Denarius AD 77-78, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG / Rev. Pair of oxen, yoked, to left; in exergue, COS VIII. 17x18 mm., 3.04 g., 6 hr. RIC II-1 Vespasian 943 (p. 127) (2007 ed.); RSC II 133a; BMCRE II Vespasian 206 (p. 38) (ill. Pl. VI.9); Sear RCV I 2289 (p. 435). “Worn die on obverse around wreath.” Purchased from Dr. Martina Dieterle, Schenkenzell, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 12 Jan. 2024 (at NYINC 2024).

2. Trajan AR Denarius, AD 104 (Sear RCV II) or 106 [Foss], Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder, IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TRP COS V P P / Rev. Captive Dacian wearing peaked cap with wide brim and shirt with long sleeves, ending in breeches, seated right on ground in attitude of mourning at foot of trophy (consisting of cuirass and shields); his left elbow rests on his raised left knee and his face is propped on his left hand, with his right hand across his chest; SPQR OPTIMO PRINCIPI. 19 mm., 3.41 g., 7 h. RIC II Trajan 222 (p. 259); BMCRE III Trajan 187 (p. 58); RSC II Trajan 537a; Sear RCV II 3169 (ill. p. 105) (obv. bust var.); Foss, Trajan 28d (p. 101) [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)]. Purchased from Nomos AG, Zürich, Switzerland, at Nomos Obolos Auction 30, 17 Dec. 2023, Lot 646. [This one looks better in hand than in the photo; the scratches aren't nearly as apparent.]

 

3. Diva Faustina I [Senior] (wife of Antoninus Pius), AR Denarius [Beckmann: AD 140-141*; Sear: AD 142; Dinsdale: undated, Nov. 140 – 161], Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right, head veiled, hair  drawn up at the back and piled in a round coil on top, DIVA AVG – FAVSTINA / Rev. Eight-pointed star; AETERNITAS in curved line above; • below at 6 o’clock [no authority notes this dot or explains whether it has any intended significance]. 18 mm., 3.06 g. RIC III 355; RSC II Faustina I 63; BMCRE IV 293; Sear RCV II 4580; Dinsdale 019190 [Dinsdale, Paul H., The Imperial Coinage of the Early Antonines: Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius Caesar (2022), Ch. 7 at p. 232, photo at p. 235] [available at http://romanpaulus.x10host.com/Antoninus/old/07%20-%20Diva%20Faustina%20I%20-%20Undated%20140-161%20%28med_res%29.pdf]. Purchased from Herakles Numismatics, Charlotte, NC, 12 Jan 2024 (at 2024 NYINC).

* See Beckmann, Martin, Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces (American Numismatic Society, 2012), p. 21: “The denarii, as explained in Chapter 1, are impossible to arrange by die study. But some progress can be made by observing characteristics common with the earliest aurei and sestertii. So to this earliest coinage of Diva Faustina can be added the denarius types showing a star with the legend AETERNITAS (a parallel to the standing figure/AETERNITAS on the gold and bronze) and the type with an eagle and the legend CONSECRATIO (paralleling the eagle and Faustina/CONSECRATIO issues of the bronze).”

4.  The Palladium on this one is actually recognizable as such, which isn't always the case.

Lucilla (wife of Lucius Verus & daughter of Marcus Aurelius) AR Denarius, Rome Mint AD 164-66. Obv. Draped bust right with hair in small chignon pulled behind her head, LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F / Rev. Vesta standing left, veiled and draped, sacrificing over lighted altar from simpulum (ladle)* held in her right hand, and holding Palladium [statue of Pallas Athena taken to Rome by Aeneas] in her left hand, VES-TA. RIC III 788, RSC II Lucilla 92 (p. 234), BMCRE IV Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus 325 (p. 429) (ill. Pl. 58 no. 18), Sear RCV II 5493 (p. 370). Purchased from cgb.fr, 14 April 2024.

 

* See Jones, John Melville, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (Seaby, London 1990), entry for “Simpulum” at p. 290: “the name for a ladle made of earthenware which was one of the traditional implements of the pontifices at Rome. It should be distinguished from a culullus, which was a drinking vessel.”

5.  This one was my first Septimius Severus coin with the BRIT[ANNICVS] title.

Septimius Severus, AR Denarius, Rome Mint AD 210.* Obv. Laureate head right, SEVERVS PIVS - AVG BRIT / Rev. Jupiter standing to left between two small figures of children [representing Caracalla and Geta?], mantle spread behind him, holding long scepter in left hand and thunderbolt in right hand, with child on left holding onto Jupiter’s mantle and child on right holding onto scepter**, PM TR P XVIII - COS III PP. 18x19 mm., 3.06 g. RIC IV-1 240; RSC III Septimius Severus 540 p. 40; BMCRE V, Joint Reign of Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Geta 25; David Sear, Roman Coins and their Values 1680 p. 180 (3^rd ed. 1981) [not in Sear RCV II (Millennium Edition).] Purchased 16 May 2024 from cgb.fr, Paris.

 

*RSC III dates the use of the BRIT[ANNICVS] title to AD 210-211 (see p. 18), but Sear RCV II, at p. 79, dates its use in combination with TR P XVIII only to AD 210, with coins minted in AD 211 bearing the TR P number XVIIII. 

**RSC III (see p. 18) is the only source I have identifying the two children as Caracalla and Geta (albeit accompanied by a question mark), although I do not have access to RIC IV-1 or to BMCRE V. The identification makes sense in light of the elevation of Geta to the status of Augustus in the previous year, AD 209, when this reverse first appeared (without the BRIT title on the obverse and bearing the number TR P XVII; see RIC IV-1 226, RSC II 525, Sear RCV II 6345). Furthermore, the fact that one child holds Jupiter’s mantle and the other holds Jupiter’s scepter can reasonably be interpreted as representing the new status of both Caracalla and Geta as joint successors to Septimius Severus’s throne. I do not see the apparent presentation of the two children as infants or young children on the reverse as an obstacle to this identification, even though Caracalla and Geta were already 21 and 20 years old in AD 209: their small size standing next to Jupiter could simply represent their relative status compared to the chief Roman deity (and compared to their father), rather than their ages.   

6. This was a type I'd wanted for years, and it also came with a nice pedigree.

Julia Domna AR Denarius AD 205 (Sear) or AD 209 (Foss), Rome Mint. Obv. Bareheaded, draped bust of Julia Domna facing right, seen three-quarters forward, hair in braids, pulled back behind her head, IVLIA – AVGVSTA / Rev. Cybele (or Julia Domna as Cybele), towered, draped, seated left driving a quadriga of lions, holding reins with her left hand and holding a branch in her right hand, MATER AVGG [ = “Mother of the Augusti”].* RIC IV-1 Septimius Severus 562 (p. 168); RSC III Julia Domna 117 (ill. p. 56), BMCRE V 48, Sear RCV II 6592 (ill. p. 494); Foss, Julia Domna 209.9 (p. 174) [Clive Foss, Roman Historical Coins (Seaby, London, 1990)]. 18.5 mm., 3.61 g., 12 h. Retail purchase 11 Sep 2024 from cgb.fr (Compagnie Générale de Bourse), Paris, France; ex MDC Monaco (Monnaies de Collection), Auction 8, 9 Mar 2024, Lot 50; from 1926 Limoges Coin Hoard (with original coin ticket).**

The cgb.fr photo:

The photo accurately represents the coin's current appearance. It seems clear that cgb cleaned it after acquiring it at the MDC Monaco auction, in which it was described as having a "black patina" and was depicted in this photo:

So the coin no longer has its former appearance, but the results don't bother me at all. 

The coin was also accompanied by this beautifully-handwritten old coin ticket, obviously dating back a long time:

[See the 3rd fn below for an explanation of the reference to "occo page 282."]

*David Sear dates this type to AD 205. (See Sear RCV II 6592 at p. 494.) But Foss asserts at pp. 173-174 that the title “MATER AVGG” -- with two “G’s,” meaning “Mother of the Augusti” -- was used by Julia Domna only after Geta was elevated from Caesar to Augustus in AD 209, joining his brother Caracalla.

For the symbolism of Cybele, the “Great Mother,” driving a lion quadriga, see Ovid’s Fasti, Book IV, in the verses where Ovid asks the Muse Erato “Why do lions, these wild beasts, bowing their heads for the first time under the yoke, come to harness themselves to the chariot of the goddess?”, and she answers “It was Cybele who softened the ferocious manners of men; her chariot is a symbol of this benefit.”

**For a description of the 1926 Limoges Hoard, see the website “Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire” at https://chre.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/hoard/3774:

Hoard name

LIMOGES 1926-1943

Alternative names

AUGUSTORITUM; AVGVSTORITVM

Date of discovery (from)

7 May 1926

(to)

1943

Total number of coins

7000

Summary

The hoard comprised a jar [with two handles, placed in a small silo] containing more than 7,000 denarii and some radiates. Some contemporary reports suggest that there were as many as 12,000 coins. Hugon suggested that the gaps in types and paucity of the latest issues and the presence almost exclusively of denarii indicated that the hoard was sorted by type and denomination and that originally there may have been further jars. Indeed, in 1943, a further vessel containing 28 denarii was found at the same findspot and is considered to be part of the same hoard.

Discovery method

Building work

Comment

The hoard was found when digging the foundations for a gasworks on rue de Sainte-Madeleine.

Coins Summary

See table below. Coins of Julia Domna were the third most numerous in the hoard, after those of Caracalla and Septimius Severus. [Table omitted here.]

 

The MDC Monaco auction in March 2024 from which cgb.fr apparently acquired this coin included 10 coins from the 1926 Limoges Hoard (Lots 46-55, of which this coin was Lot 50), all of them with the same black patina as shown in the photo above, and all accompanied by an old coin ticket like the one that came with mine. All sold for what I think were very low prices, six of the ten below $100. Perhaps cgb.fr saw the potential increase in resale value that cleaning might achieve, although I don't know how many they acquired.

I have no information on how these specimens (or the handful of other examples from this hoard I was able to find on acsearch) reached the market, or on who has possessed them – or the rest of the hoard – over the last century.

***The reference to "occo page 282" is to a work of Adolf Occo; see .

https://www.doaks.org/resources/online-exhibits/ces-pieces-immortelles/16th-century-b/imperatorum-romanorum-numismata-a-pompeio-magno-ad-heraclium

 

"Adolf Occo (1524-1606). Imperatorum Romanorum Numismata a Pompeio Magno ad Heraclium. Milan: Ludovico Monti, 1683 (original edition 1579).  
Occo was a renowned physician in Augsburg, serving as dean of the medical college and knighted for his service by emperor Maximilian II in 1573. While studying medicine in Italy, Occo had developed a deep love of ancient coins. Based on his own collection of ancient coins and the larger collection of his friend Mark Fuegger, Occo published a study of coin types that became “one of the landmarks in the evolution of numismatics into a science.”
The original edition, in 1579, was not illustrated but included brief descriptions of known types from late Roman Republican coins to those of the 7th-century Byzantine emperor Heraclius. Occo prepared a second, revised edition in 1601, also without illustrations. The 1683 edition, on display here, was prepared by Francesco Mezzabarba of Milan and was the first edition to include illustrations."

Page 282, line 10 in the 1683 edition -- as well as in the 1730 edition of Occo's book, apparently the most recent one at the time someone created the ticket that came with my coin -- is, in fact, an accurate citation of the Cybele/Lion Quadriga type of Julia Domna (referred to by Occo as "Julia Severi"), counting each line of text separately:

 

 

7. Julia Mamaea (mother of Severus Alexander), AR Denarius, AD 228, Rome Mint. Obv. Draped bust right wearing diadem (or stephane), IVLIA MA-MAEA AVG/ Rev. Felicitas standing front, head to left, legs crossed, resting left elbow on column and holding long caduceus* transversely in right hand, FELICI-TAS PVBLICA. RIC IV-2 335, RSC III Julia Mamaea 17 (ill. p. 148), Sear RCV II 8209 (ill. p. 678), BMCRE VI (Severus Alexander) 483. 20 mm., 2.64 g. Purchased 8 Mar 2024 from Gert Boersma Ancient Coins, Hasselt, Netherlands.

 

*See John Melville Jones, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (London, Seaby, 1999) at p. 166 (entry for “Felicitas”), explaining that Felicitas signified “joy” in the sense of the prosperity and success of the Roman state. The formulation “Felicitas Publica” emphasizes that aspect. See also id p. 43 (entry for “Caduceus”), noting that the caduceus “often … appears as an attribute of . . . personifications suggesting peace, stability, and concert,” including Felicitas.

8. Maximinus I Thrax AR Denarius, 236-238 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM / Rev. Victory standing front, head to left, holding wreath in her outstretched right hand and palm frond in her left hand in front of her wings; at her feet to left, German captive seated left, head turned back to right, hands probably tied behind his back, VICTO – RIA GERM. 20 mm., 2.54 g., 12 h. RIC IV-2 23; RSC III 107 (ill. p. 154); BMCRE VI 186-187; Sear RCV III 8318 (ill. p. 80). Purchased from Leu Numismatik AG, Winterthur, Switzerland, Web Auction 29, 25 Feb. 2024, Lot 2235; ex Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 7, 24 Feb. 2019, Lot 1218; from the S. Pozzi Collection [N.B.: not the famous Dr. Samuel Jean Pozzi (1846-1918), but a different person who was still alive in the late 20^th Century!]; ex Peter Höfer FPL 9, June 1981, Lot 277.  

9.  Anonymous civic issue a/k/a “Persecution issue,” time of Maximinus II (Daza) [or Diocletian, per David Kalina], AE quarter follis/nummus [Sear], 1/12 nummus (McAlee), or quinarius (Kalina), Antioch Mint (6^th Officina), ca. AD 312 (McAlee, Van Heesch), AD 311-312 (Sear), or AD 300 (Kalina). Obv. Jupiter seated left on throne, holding globe in outstretched right hand and long scepter in left, IOVI CONS – ERVATORI / Rev. Victory advancing left, holding wreath in outstretched right hand and palm branch in left, VICTOR – IA AVGG; in right field, officina mark S (for 6^th Officina); in exergue, [ANT]. 15 mm., 1.44 g., 12 h. Sear RCV IV 14932 (ill. p. 343); McAlee 171(f) (6^th Officina) (ill. p. 107) [McAlee, Richard, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)]; Van Heesch Type 2 [Van Heesch, J. "The last civic coinages and the religious policy of Maximinus Daza (AD 312)" in Numismatic Chronicle (1993), pp. 63-75 at p. 66 & Pl. 11.2]; David Kalina, "Anonymous Civic Coinage: Series II" (available at https://allcoinage.com/anonymous_series2.php); ERIC II, “Anonymous Religious Coinage of the Fourth Century,” pp. 1198-1199 No. 8 (ill. p. 1198) [Rasiel Suarez, ERIC II: The Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coinage (2010)]; [not in RIC]. Purchased from Nomos AG, Zürich, Switzerland, at Nomos Obolos Auction 30, 17 Dec. 2023, Lot 688.* 

* Footnote omitted regarding the various interpretations of these types -- i.e., as issued by Maximinus II to promote propaganda against Christians and aid in their persecution, vs. issued instead for use in festivals, held in various years (including under Diocletian) in conjunction with the Olympics in Antioch. See https://www.numisforums.com/topic/5169-deo-sancto-nilo-not-festival-of-isis/#comment-75620 for the text of that footnote, followed by comments on the theories from other members.

10. Finally, the only ancient gold coin I've bought since mid-2022. Certainly it cost more than $300 -- but well under $1,000, so it was still relatively inexpensive (probably because of the prominent "blemish" on the obverse on the Emperor's right cheek).

Eastern Roman Empire, Theodosius II (son of Arcadius, reigned AD 402-450), AV Solidus, ca. AD 408-420, Constantinople Mint (9^th Officina). Obv. Helmeted, pearl-diademed, and cuirassed bust of Emperor, facing front, holding transverse spear in right hand behind head, and shield on left arm decorated with image of horseman right, D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG / Rev. Constantinopolis, helmeted and draped, seated facing on throne, head right, with right knee bare and right foot resting on prow, holding long scepter with right hand and, in left hand, Victory with wreath standing left on globe; star in left field; CONCORDI-A AVGG Θ [Theta, for 9^th Officina]; in exergue, CONOB [CON = Constantinople Mint; OB = Obryziacum*]. 21 x 20 mm., 4.34 g., 6 hr. RIC X 202 (1994) (see https://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.10.theo_ii_e.202); Sear RCV V 21127 (ill. p. 480); Depeyrot II Constantinople 73/2 Arcadius at p. 251 (73^rd emission for city since AD 337) (28 examples of type from 9^th Officina) [Depeyrot, George, Les Monnaies d'Or de Constantin II à Zenon (337-491) (Wetteren 1996)]. Purchased March 2024 from Kirk Davis, Claremont, CA, Catalogue No. 83, Spring 2024, Lot 95 (ill. p. 20); ex Collection of Stig Johansson.

My photo:

Dealer's photo:

* See https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=CONOB (explaining “Obryziacum” as follows: “The solidus weighed 1/72 of the Roman pound. "OB" was both an abbreviation for the word obryzum, which means refined or pure gold, and is the Greek numeral 72. Thus the . . . OB . . . may be read ‘1/72 pound pure gold’”). 

I will try again to figure out how to get the poll to allow more than one choice, but if I don't succeed, please choose your favorite.

 

 

Excellent group of coins 🤩. I voted for the Theodosius solidus despite the facial flaw 😊.

[singig]

My prefered is the Julia Domna denarius folowed close by #8. Maximinus I Thrax denarius , nice group. Congratulations !

[savitale]

Great additions. I voted for 4. Lucilla. I don’t have any female Ronan portrait coins myself so this one stood out to me.

[David Atherton]

Terrific list Donna! The Julia Domna denarius is my favourite.

[MrMonkeySwag96]

The gold Solidus is my favorite, followed by the Julia Domna lion quadriga denarius. Honestly, I prefer the lighter brown toning over the original black patina

Edited December 14, 2024 by MrMonkeySwag96

[panzerman]

As usual/ great writeup/ beautifull coins!

I like best the Vespasian with Oxen on reverse/ next the Trajan/ my pick as best Emperor. Third would be the Juilia Mamaea!

Beautifull old auction tag!

 

John

[Roman Collector]

They are all lovely coins, @DonnaML, but I chose the Domna/lion quadriga because the reverse design is one of my favorites and the old collector tag sealed the deal! And with a provenance to a specific hoard? Icing on the cake! 

[Gallienus]

The styling on the Trajan denarius is just superb. I voted for that one. So sorry that you only got 10 coins in 2024!  But they're all very special and well-researched.

I only got 2 coins this year. An ae 3/4 of Crispus for $27. and a Cuban 1938 silver peso. The woman's head (aka the ABC) type.  Hopefully 2025 will be better for us both.

[robinjojo]

That's a very nice imperial lineup for this year, Donna.  My pick is the Julia Domna AR denarius, with a wonderful old tag, nice provenance as well!

[happy_collector]

These are nice additions, Donna. I especially like the Faustina Senior denarius with 8-pointed star, and the Julia Domna /quadriga of lions denarius. 

[Herodotus]

A few nice portraits there; especially Mamaea, Max Thrax and Trajan.

I voted for Vespasian. I really like those beady eyes and bird-like beak.

[quant.geek]

I really dig  this one, especially with that awesome pedigree:

Edited December 23, 2024 by quant.geek

[JAZ Numismatics]

A truly amazing set of coins as always. I also voted for the Domna/Lions as my favorite. CGB did a great job of cleaning it - just enough but not too much. The type, grade, hoard provenance and old ticket all combine to put that coin at the top of the class.

[Grudissius Minimus]

Hey @DonnaML,

To my inexperienced eyes the Trajan Denarius has the most appeal. It looks like a near perfect example with some nice toning.

That which has an undeniable ‚cool’ factor though, is the Domna lion quadriga! I’ve not come across this type as of yet! 

I appreciate your obvious wealth of knowledge on the subject matter and will certainly be on the lookout for your future posts! 

Best,

Groody.

[shibbity]

Awesome purchases! I love the Julia Domna with the lion quadriga. I've seen the Seleukos elephant quadriga tetradrachm types and I thought that was cool, and now I see a lion quadriga! 😳

Edited January 1 by shibbity

[Di Nomos]

I am still catching up on everyone's lists. Somehow missed yours Donna. 

Hard to pick favourites, they are all excellent, but I do particularly like #9 and the portrait on #8. But if I could only pick one, it would be #6. The beautiful coin and excellent pedigree make it a standout.

Congratulations and I'll check out your other lists over the next week or so hopefully.