Signed Imperial Thracian Coins

[rennrad12020]

  I have been collecting provincials off and on using this rubric (by signed I mean bearing the magistrate's name) for a few years now (mostly off).  I thought it would be interesting to put them into an album to share with others.  Some of these I only have hand written notes for so it will take a little while to get them all out.  The sort of coin one can get a lot of prosopographic delight out of, if you are interested in that sort of thing.

John Wrenn

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3126

[rennrad12020]

I added a couple of Sicinnius Clarus coins:

City-gate reverse: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-57160

Hermes reverse: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-57161

The city-gate was a particularly fun purchase as I was able to track it down as a former member of Righetti's extensive provincial collection.  cf. http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=99790

I have a couple of other coins from Righetti's collection, both of which came with his collection tags from the sellers.

Mionnet is such a great source for Greek Imperials!

JPW

[aragon6]

Even though it is not my specialty I can appreciate your coins.  A nice grouping indeed!

[rennrad12020]

I added three more today. A sort of three pack of Thracian governors under the Severan dynasty:

#1. Serdica Septimius Severus T. Statilius Barbarus (196-8 AD) from Forum Ancient Coins

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-57881

An interesting note on the attribution of this coin is the image of this coin in both Varbanov and Hr/J appears to be taken from Mushmov’s monograph, published in 1926. I was able to get my hands on the rare Mushmov Monnaies et les ateliers monetaires de Serdica.  Here is a little review I wrote for my own notes:

Text in Bulgarian, but included at end is an abbreviated catalogue in French of legends and types corresponding to the fuller Bulgarian main text; 13 pages for Provincial.  I have not checked it thoroughly, but the French text corresponding to #29 was listed as an Emperor reverse erroneously (need to switch #29 and #31). Has 12 plates (8 provincial + 4 Imperial). Mushmov seems to cite not only Ruzicka work in NZ from 1915 but many other articles. I din't really check any of the references for Imperial coins, not my area of interest. From a cursory glance Mushmov seems to be primarily making references to the collection at Sophia for Imperials. This monograph is 2/3 devoted to provincial coinage.

The langage is a big hurdle. I should just buckle down and learn the Cyrillic alphabet (it's not that different from Greek right?) and some basic numismatic vocabulary. I was able to discern the difference between Zeus and Emperor.  It would be of service for Hristova/ Jekov volumes as well.

#2 Pautalia Septimius Severus Caecina Largus (198-9 AD)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-57882

unpublished die combination

#3 Pautalia Plautilla Sicinnius Clarus (202AD)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-57883

unpublished die combination

Thanks for the reply aragon6. It's fun to share and nice to know others are looking at something you spend a lot of time researching.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Added three more dingy but delightful coins:

1. Anchialus Septimius Severus Statilius Barabarus Athena

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-58223

obverse die also used at Marcianopolis for coins struck by Auspex and Gentianus

attached is an example of this match

2.  Pautalia Septimius Severus Caecina Largus  Asklepios

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-58221

distinctive obv die break

3.  Philippopolis Septimius Severus Statilius Barbarus Emperor & captive

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-58222

unpublished

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Two more Thracian coins bearing the governors' names:

1.  Serdica Faustina Junior Cl. Appius Martialus (161-169 AD)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-59849

Varbanov records KA instead of KΛ for governor’s abbreviated praenomen. (cf. 1887 & 1892; both depicted)

This coin is a little rough, but very handsome in hand!

2.  Pautalia Antoninus Pius L. or A. Pompeius Vospiscus (under Pius)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-59847

Stein reports that this governor, L. or A. Pompeius Vospiscus,  is known only from coins.


BMC  p. 141 #2; cf. Mionnet Supp. II p.368 #976; Ruzicka p. 43 #9 ; Varbanov (E)II 4379 (depicted) erroneously refers to Ruzicka #18 (same type with Gargilius Antiquus as magistrate)

Some more of my aquisition notes--

Ruzicka notes a slightly different legend break between his #9 and #10. #10 = Mionnet #976.  The legend on Mionnet’s #976 is recorded as ΠOMΠHIOV.  Mionnet writes just previously that the ΠOMΠHIOV orthography is correct while ΠOMΠEIOV is incorrect. (note a p. 367) Mionnet also lists an additional OY on the beginning of Pompeius Vospiscus’  gens nomen.  I think this is a result of the placement of the legend break and the tendency of engravers, when transliterating to make the Latin consonant U = OU. Cf.  Ruzicka’s obverse legend listings on p. 70 of Die Münzen von Pautalia for Lucius Verus.  It is difficult to judge whether to view the OV as an inflection or transliteration of the initial Latin V on the gens nomen. BMC  as V. A. Stein .  It is interesting to note that Ruzicka records no examples of OVOΠEICKOV, except  p. 43 #11 where the cognomen is spelled ΠOMΠHIOV. Mionnet ΠOMΠHIOV (#974-76). 

But N. B. #973 ΠOMΠH. OVOΠEICKOV from Sestini Descript. Num.Vet. p. 64 No. 1 Asklepios rx and his note that Sestini remarked that an example had the ΠOMΠEIOV orthography. Then cf. the attached example from CNG.  What exactly is the orthography on that specimen? Fascinating stuff!

http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=64999


I'm always interested in comments or opinions!

JPW

[rennrad12020]

A battered example of one of three reverse dies of this type for L. Pullaienus Gargilius Antiquus.

1.  https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-59967

cf. 2.   http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=263550

CNG specimen has a different reverse die from mine and the coin illustrated in Varbanov (E), but identical legends. N.B.  placement of Φ to cornucopiae and the spacing between the mural crown and legend.

cf. 3.  http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=375331

different legend break to exergue

JPW

[seth]

the cng exp. is mindblowing. i remember seeing it a couple mths ago while looking for smth else on acsearch. also nice collection and thanks for sharing. although i find the small provincials more appealing and interesting, those large ones really leave enough space for the engraver to show his skills and immortalize local magistrates which might have been otherwise long forgotten.

[rennrad12020]

Thanks for the comment Andrei, I've been having fun with these coins lately!

A recent additon:

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60093

Varbanov (E) II 4957 p. 422 (depicted); Ruzicka -; Mionnet Supp. II -; BMC –

Varbanov obv dies FFFd and Xd appear to be the same (depicted on page 422, #4957 and 4956 respectively).

FFF = AVT KAICAP ANTΩNEINOC
X= AV KAICAP ANTΩNINOC

Varbanov legend X is the correct legend.  He cites wildwinds.com, but I could not find his example. His specimen clearly different from this one, with a more complete reverse legend.
Ruzicka only records one example of this obverse die p. 139 #519 Asklepios rev. cf. attached Lanz Auction 117 (24 11 2003) lot 920 (=Varbanov (E) II 4956). Ruzicka records this reverse type for Clarus #521, but different legend.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Here are two coins issued by Statilius Barbarus sharing an obverse die from Pautalia:

1. Hunting scene-

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60131

2. Farnese Herakles-

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60132

Obverse die recorded differently in Ruzicka and Mionnet from this specimen (both head with different legend), but reverse probable match.  I follow Ruzicka’s reverse legend.  A nice find!

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Three more T. Statilius Barbarus

Two unpublished from Philippopolis:

1. Eagle on globe

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60175

Neno records the same coin as this one I saved an image of from an online dealer 2007/8, which is a double die match.  Dealer wanted $300-$400. A nice example. I didn’t record weight. My coin displays the abbreviated praenomen T(itus) not visible on the better example.

No other examples with praenomen initial letter recorded for Philippopolis in Varbanov. Mionnet seems to be ignorant of this magistrate’s complete name (tria nomina). He erroneously records TIB (p. 462 # 1533 & 1534)here for Philippopolis and AIΛ for Pautalia (p.375 1024), to list just a few. A. Stein, in Römische Reichsbeamte der Provinz Thracia, discusses this topic on p.43 footnote 2.  Apparently Imhoof-Blumer first noticed this feature on a coin from Philippopolis. Other examples are cited by Stein from PIR.

attached better example below

2. Helios
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60174

cf. this thread https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=64649.0  for more

One more from  Anchialos:

3. Tyche

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60176

This one quite attractive, although fairly common.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

New reverse die of a type I already had (Caracalla Augusta Traiana Sicinnius Clarus city-gate):

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-60414

Quite a few of these reverse dies, Schönert-Geiss lists 4 (#228-31).

As I noted in another post recently, the illustrations in BMC are so accurate one may determine die differences from them.  In this case the legends are different anyway, but the rx legend is obscured on my Righetti specimen so the BMC illustration aided my in identifying it correctly.  cf. Placement of kappa in relation to central tower on my two examples.

Exhibits that squarish planchet shape of Imperial AE.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

A recent acquisition:

AE 30 15.71g Lucius Verus Philippopolis
Q. Tullius Maximus (161-169 AD)

Rev: HΓ K TO[VΛ  MAΞIMOV ΦIΛI]ΠΠOΠOΛETIΩ
Homonoia standing facing, head left holding cornucopiae in left and patera over lit altar

Varbanov (E) III-;  Mushmov   Les Monnaies Antiques de Philippopolis (1924) -;  Mionnet Supp. II -; BMC –

Unrecorded reverse type for signed coins of Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius; obverse die Varbanov Aa 907-8,910 all depicted

Reverse die exhibits the kappa for the praenomen Quintus

Although the kappa appears to be a fairly common feature on these signed coins from Philippopolis for LVerus this is my first specimen to have it.

The die engraver seems to have blundered the legend and transposed the iota and tau in the ethnic.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-62185

I have another unpublished Homonoia from Philippopolis coming from Germany that I shall post when it arrives.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Two more additions:

1. Septimius Severus Philippopolis Statilius Barbarus Eagle on fulmen

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-62243

Cf. Mushmov (1924) 285 for type but different legends (the rx. legend recorded is largely incomplete “ends with ΛITΩN”)sic not this rx die.

2. Caracalla Serdica Caicina Largus Nike

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-62242

Some legend notes:

     The example in Hr/J and Varbanov is faint on the governor’s name which led Varbanov to incorrectly abbreviate the gens nomen of the magistrate. Hr/J correctly records this portion of the legend but inserts additional letters in the ethnic.
Hr/J (p. 77) reads: Rev: HΓE KAIKINA ΛAPΓOV AVΛΠIAC
Ex:CEPΔIK

     The initial alpha of AVΛΠIAC is clearly a mistake.  Whether the rest of this ethnic is a typo or not I am unsure but there is not enough room for all those letters. It should read HΓE KAIKINA ΛAPΓOV OVΛΠIA
Ex:CEPΔI, although locating that initial lunate sigma of Serdica in the exergue is difficult on all three examples (counting Laney's, mine and the Varbanov/Hristova/Jekov specimen).

cf. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=65709.0

I recycled the sellers' images for both since they came out better than my humble scans.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

As promised here is the other Homonoia from the other side of the pond.  Although not as pretty and twice the price as the last Homonoia, still a noble portrait of Commodus, and unpublished.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-62474

For rx type under Commodus cf. Moushmov p. 236 #178 for C. Maternus

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Two more beauties:

1.     Antoninus Pius Topirus Fabius Agrippinus (148AD) Heracles seated

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-62797

My first coin bearing this magistrate's name.  Probably most accessible city and type for this governor.

2.     Septimius Severus Caicina Largus (198-9AD) Pautalia Eagle on Fulmen

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-62798

Unpublished, although certainly not a surprising rx type.

attached is a better example of this obverse die. Ruzicka knew it with a Heracles  and the inscription in wreath reverse dies (p. 93), but also cf. #286 temple p. 96.  Lunate epsilon in CEVHPOC. typo or unlisted obv die?

     A certain amount of irony is meant with “beauties” above.  When I went to CICF this spring a dealer I was working out a trade with for a worn Nikopolis ad Istrum coin described the coin in question as “an academic item.” Perhaps a polite way of saying that it was not the most attractive coin in hand.  Maybe not, but I think it is a lot of fun to find these unpublished gems. 

JPW

[Jochen]

I think the term 'academic item' I will keep in mind!

[rennrad12020]

These are two coins which I posted before on the boards but had neglected to add to my album.

1.  Serdica Septimius Severus Caecina Largus Temple

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-63043

unpublished with a legend blunder.

cf. discussion: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=63931.0

Thanks to Curtis for the clarification. Sometimes you need a different set of eyes to look at things.

2.  Philippopolis Marcus Aurelius Q. Tullius Maximus Emperor + captive

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-63044

This coin exhibits the AΠOΔ VΠA title abbreviated for apod(edeigmenou) hupa(tou) denoting Tullius Maximus as the consul designatus.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

A new acquisition arrived today:

Serdica Caracalla Caecina Largus eagle on altar between standards

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-63226

This is one of my favorite reverse types for Thrace and Moesia.

A brief note:

This coin appears to be the very same specimen illustrated on page 60 (center) of Hristova/Jekov Serdica (2007). Obverse die not illustrated in Ruzicka or Mushmov.

JPW

[rennrad12020]

Xmas present to myself; I wish I could say it cost $10 (I know it looks like it did!), but super rare and unpublished.

Caracalla Serdica Caecina Largus river-god

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-63507

new reverse die

JPW

[simmurray]

Just had a look through your gallery, very interesting - wish I could pick a collecting theme but I am still collecting anything

Steve

[rennrad12020]

A new coin arrived from Germany today:

Antoninus Pius Philippopolis Zeus enthroned L. Pullaienus Gargilius Antiquus (161 AD)

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-64467

some further acquisition notes:

Varbanov cites Jean Elsen Auction 72 ( 14 December 2002 Brussells) lot 674 for V’s  683 and CNG Auction XXXIII (15 March 1995 Lancaster Penn.) lot 1219 for his 698. Double die match to each other and my worn specimen. I would like to think it is a match to Mionnet’s #1432, whose source was the reliable Vaillant, but difficult to be entirely sure of this match.

Vaillant claimed to only record coins he had seen personally. A valuable criterion for assessing accuracy. I tracked down the Vaillant reference but cannot understand his reference - March Test? Nummi Graeci Imperatorum (for short)  (Amsterdam 1700) p. 47.

An interesting book, if superseded, by other works. In Latin too. Here is a link:

https://tinyurl.com/wdp2994

Thanks Steve; I am not as focused as my gallery may appear. These are just the coins which are easy to assign to distinctive groups.  

JPW

Edit: Whoops, I made a mistake regarding the Vaillant/Mionnet reference. I was making dinner as I was posting this. Mionnet 1433 not 1432; sic sitting not standing. (I noticed the mistake in Vaillant, my Latin is much better than my French!)
So Mionnet cites Cabinet Haumont not Vaillant.

[rennrad12020]

Nifty new coin:

Pautalia Septimius Severus river-god

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-65508

Unpublished reverse die; different legend placement on reverse from Ruzicka 293 et 771a (n.b. placement of terminal lunate sigma near divinity's foot), also different obverse die (perhaps unpublished as well)

different reverse die from attached, although they are very similar. (Image from Arminius' gallery)

Image of my coin is recycled from seller.

JPW

[Arminius]

Actually this image / coin is owned by "Potator II", as indicated there.

He liberally contributed the picture to my gallery.  

A.

[rennrad12020]

I wasn't sure about the ownership, I had saved the image as from your gallery. Thanks for the correction.

   Latest addition:

Hadrianopolis Commodus Julius Castus city-goddess enthroned

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-66745

Some other notes regarding this coin pertaining to Arminius' gallery:

A double match for a better specimen in Arminius’ gallery:
[BROKEN LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]

For an old thread discussing attribution:
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=37382.0

recycled seller's image

JPW

[rennrad12020]

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[Bruno V]

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[pitbull]

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[Jochen]

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[Jochen]

[quadrans]

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[Gary M3]

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[areich]

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