Numbers of rare roman emperors

[Odoacer]

Dear list,

Does anyone know if there is a list of numbers of coins of rare roman emperors like Domitius Alexander, Nigrian, Nepotian etc. I was once told that there are around 80 coins known of Pacatian for instance. Where can I find this information.

thanx lot
Jeroen

[SC]

There is no such listing.  There are estimates (ie RIC rarity numbers) that can tell you how many coins were known to the authors, from major collections.  But to have absolute numbers you would have to know everything that happened in major collections, major auctions and all small scale trade plus what is in private collections.

For example, for the very rare coinage of Regalianus and Dryantilla, which is quite closely tracked I have still seen numbers ranging from half a dozen to over two dozen examples.

Shawn

[Pscipio]

For example, for the very rare coinage of Regalianus and Dryantilla, which is quite closely tracked I have still seen numbers ranging from half a dozen to over two dozen examples.

These numbers are considerably too low. Göbl, in his treatment of the Regalianus and Dryantilla coinage from 1970, was already able to track 26 coins of Regalianus (+ 8 missing, possibly double counted and/or doubtful) and 34 of Dryantilla (+ 6). New ones have shown up occasionally since, so the total number is higher today, even without the inevitable dark figure of unreported coins.

Lars

[SC]

Like I said, to over two dozen. 

Interestingly the half dozen estimate comes from commercial firms trying to sell examples of such coins at auction and who thus have a vested interested in using low figures to make the coins seem even rarer. 

It all illustrates my point which is that there are no figures available for absolute numbers even of such rare emperors.

Shawn