Severus Alexander,(Not an As) Sesterce 10,93g RIC. 592 (Final Id OK)

[Al.cofribas N]

Final Id

Severus Alexander (222 - 235 AD ) Sestertius, Rome, 231/235 - 28/29 mm - 10,93 g RIC. 592

Obv. : IMP CAES M A[VR SEV] ALEXANDER AVG,
laureate, draped bust right
Rev. :  PA[X - AV]GVSTI  / /SC
Pax advancing left, holding branch & scepter

RIC 592 for a sesterce ( RIC IV Vol. II p. 117 ) but what about that coin ? Rome ? 222/231 ? Fake?

Shown in NB forum too

Many thanks all

[curtislclay]

Certainly authentic, in my opinion: a broken patina of that kind cannot be faked!

Since c. 1992 the BM has possessed such an As, coming from my first collection. That coin is a slight variant of yours, in that its obv. legend is continuous, while yours has a broken legend, SEV - ALEXANDER with a gap above the head.

There are still many, many unpublished varieties out there; so it is a mistake to think that just because a variety is unlisted, it may be fake! If the new variety accords with known types, and looks authentic from style, sharpness, patination etc., then it will very likely be genuine.

What is the NB Forum, by the way?

[Al.cofribas N]

Many thanks Curtis.I'am honoured.

Just a language precision (i know your time is precious )
When you say " such an As", do you mean an unknown reference (not RIC 592 or Sear 7984 ( never mind the weight))?
Please ..my birthday was on decembre eleven 

About The NB Forum (well known here ),  it's a french forum on the late roman coinage ( 313 - 476 ) http://www.nummus-bibleii.com/ with a very serious, usefull and userfriendly browser on that coinage database ( 44,828 records at that time..always growing fast ) http://www.nummus-bible-database.com/. A high level management team, sincerely. having a look is not a waste of time.

That's all, Curtis, i did my best "en anglais"  (it's tough for me) and thank you again for devoting a few minutes of your time

Best regards

Christophe de Peyrelongue (Al.cofribas)

[curtislclay]

Christophe,

Thanks for your response.

By "such an As", I mean a coin with the same denomination, types, and legends as yours, the only difference being the continuous obv. legend, not broken SEV - ALEXANDER as on your specimen.

Is there a corresponding NVMMVS BIBLE I site, covering the earlier empire? I am myself not really a collector or researcher on later Roman coinage, only the earlier coinage up to about Gallienus.

Your English actually seems very good, though I can understand that it probably takes you much more time and effort to write in the foreign lanquage!

[Al.cofribas N]

Good evening Curtis,

Sorry, there is no correspondind site covering the earlier empire with that kind of browser.

There is Frederic Weber's site/forum, very well documented, and you are already member (VIP) there

About my As in NB Forum
 
The discussion focuses on the max beading diameter of large Asses and a question comes

Is it possible that a coin-blank (workpiece) intended to be used for an as could have been struck by a sestertius die?

What do you think?

It would be interesting to know diameters ( coin and beading) of yours  or, if i dared, to ask you a picture or a link to BM ref..

Respectfully yours

...And thank you for your kindness

Christophe

P.S : attached picture of the thickness of the slice(edge?)

[curtislclay]

I was overlooking the size of your coin, which completely changes the diagnosis!

The primary determiner of denomination is the size of the dies, not the weight or size of the flan.

The dies of your coin are c. 30 mm broad: therefore they are sestertius dies. Your coin is exactly RIC 592, but struck on an unusually light flan.

If the metal of your coin is brass (yellow), then it is a sestertius struck on an underweight sestertius flan, the most likely solution; or possibly a sestertius struck on a dupondius flan. If the metal is copper (red), then it is a sestertius mistakenly struck on an As flan.

The coin I ceded to the BM is quite different: it is a proper As, struck from dies c. 25 mm in diameter. According to the BM website its inventory number is 1992.0509.266, and its weight is 10.11g.

Unfortunately I do not have access to an image of the coin. It is not illustrated on the BM website, and apparently I did not make a plaster cast of it before selling it to the BM.

[Al.cofribas N]

Curtis, an immense thank you for all this precision of a remarkable transparency

If you do not see inconvenience there, I shall inform you of the pursuit (continuation?) and the conclusions of
the discussion, here, around this coin (200 visits and some relevant observations).

Finally, I was anxious to thank you for having known how to wake at my home the curiosity of this coinage ("reverso" translation is it correct? ).
I hold few currencies previous to the IVéme; I shall soon present on your forum 2 identifications (Claudius (diobole Alexandria) and
an AE Marcus Aurelius (Amphipolis)) I shall be delighted to have your opinion on these coins

Many, many thanks again

Christophe

[Al.cofribas N]

Hi Curtis,

Shame on me  ...about RIC 592, The NB Forum's "team expert" arrived at the same conclusion and aligned themselves behind you.

We all wish you a pleasant and happy new years

(Is my english always pretty goog?)

Christophe