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Anonymous Feather Cr 163 LunaCrawford 163 Feather (179-170BC)
Denarius
Ob: helmeted head of Roma right; border of dots
Rev: Luna in biga right (over figure’s head crescent moon), with horses prancing; below feather; in exergue ROMA. Line border
BMCRR I 394
Sydenham 325 Diana
The crescent moon is more visible in hand than this scan. In addition, this coin has pretty iridescent highlights that are much more prominent in hand.
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Anonymous rostrum tridens Cr 114/1 banker marksCrawford 114/1 Rostrum Tridens (206-195BC)
Denarius
Ob: Helmeted head of Roma right
Behind X; border of dots
Rev: Dioscuri riding right with lances and stars over heads; beneath horses rostrum tridens; in linear frame ROMA, line border
BMCRR I 448
Sydenham 244 (187-155BC)
Fine; has some banker’s marks on obverse; X on Roma’s cheek retrograde lunate at 5h.
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Anonymous Wheel Cr.79/1Crawford 79/1 Wheel (209-8BC) Sicily?
Denarius Serratus
Ob: helmeted head of Roma right, behind X
Rev: Dioscuri riding right with lances, below wheel, in exergue ROMA; line border
BMCRR II 308 (217-197BC)
Sydenham 519 (113BC) Narbo
Iridescent highlights, 4.4gr.
Grueber: The wheel maybe a symbol of the moneyer rather than of a mint, although it does occur on aes grave of Campania and central Italy, and the early coins of Luceria and Tartentum. This is the earliest occurrence of the serratus on republican denarii and the only anonymous. Only serratus attributed to a mint other than Rome by Count de Salis.
Sydenham classifies this serratus with Porcia 8 at the colony of Narbo. The serrated edge may have been suggested by the Gaulish custom of using serrated rings or wheels as currency. Tacitus stated that the Gaulish tribes showed a marked preference for coins that were serrati bigatique (Germania 5) Sydenham wrote an article entitled “Origin of the Roman Serrati” NC 1935 209 ff.
Crawford writes that Mattingly’s view that serrati were Marian coins was demolished by Sydenham’s article, but his view that they were struck at non-Italian mints for Trans-alpine circulation does not hold either. Grueber’s view that they are probably merely decorative best remaining theory. Crawford Vol 2 p. 581
Tacitus Germania 5 pecuniam probant veterem et diu notam, serratos bigatosque. They approve the old and long known money, those that are serrated and biga depicting.
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Atilia 1Atilia 1 (155BC)
Denarius
Ob: head of Roma; X behind
Rev: Victory in biga right with whip in right and reigns in left
SA / R underneath; ROMA in exergue
BMCRR I 744 (earring 3 drops)
Sydenham 377
Crawford 199/1a moneyer is perhaps Sex. Atilius (Serranus = Saranus) cos. 136
Northumberland Tablet II 48 “...of the object of this device, or the advantage it may celebrate,
we know nothing.”
Ex: Colosseum Coin Exchange 2007 said to be a deaccession from Vatican; no tags.
Dark toned with iridescent highlights with slight pitting on obv, larger pit over horses’ heads
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Caecilia 23?Caecilia 23? (130BC) moneyer Q. Caecilius Metellus cos 123 BC Rome
Semis
Ob: Laureate head of Saturn right; behind S
Rev: Prow right above Q ∙ MET (TE ligature), right S, in exergue ROMA
BMCRR I 1059
Sydenham 510
Crawford: 256/2a Q. METE
There is some confusion concerning which Q. Caecilius Metellus was the moneyer. Sydenham states that this difficulty arises from the fact that during this period (125-100 BC) the Metelli were at the height of their power and therefore would have multiple junior family members beginning the cursum honorum at the mint. There are a large number of variant legends.
Nice green patina, 6.03gr.
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Cassia 6Cassius 6 (78BC) moneyer L Cassius Longinus praetor 66
Denarius
Ob: Head of Liber right, wearing ivy-wreath and with thrysus over shoulder, border of dots
Rev: Head of Libera left, wearing vine wreath, behind L ∙ CASSI ∙ Q ∙ F upwards, border of dots
BMCRR I 3152
Sydenham 779
Crawford 386/1
Northumberland Tablet IV 14 “This is held to commemorate the vow which the consul, Spurius Cassius, made in the Latian War, of dedicating a temple to Ceres and her children, Liber (Bacchus) and Libera.”
Describes Liber as “Bacchus corymbifer” chapleted Dionysus (wearing garlands of clusters of ivy-berries (Bacchi Ovid Fast. I.393) OLD
Ex: CNG auction 72 lot 1319 (June 2006); ex: Marc Poncin; ex: Baldwin auction 42 one of two coin lot 141 (26 Sept 2005) ex: William C. Boyd with tag (Spink 1894) toned dark grey
Baldwin graded this coin as a fine, but CNG correctly as VF. Coin much darker than this CNG photo
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Claudia 1Claudia 1 (110/9 BC) moneyer C. Claudius Pulcher cos. 92
Denarius
Ob: helmeted head of Roma right (helmet decorated with circular device) border of dots
Rev: Victory in biga, holding reigns in both hands; in exergue C. PVLCHER border of dots
BMCRR I 1288 consul with M. Perperua in 92BC. His ancestor of same name celebrated a double triumph for victory over the Istrians and Ligurians in 177BC
Sydenham 569 cf. CIL I p.200 (106BC)
Crawford 300/1
Ex: CNG electronic auction 151 lot 172 3.77gr. ex: Richard Winokur
18mm, 3.77 g
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Fonteia 9Fonteia 9 (85BC) moneyer Mn. Fonteius (brother of Crawford 347?)
Denarius
Ob:Laureate head of Apollo right below fulmen behind MN(ligate) ∙ FONTEI ∙ C ∙ F (NT(ligate) downwards before monogram for Apollo (?), border of dots
Rev: Cupid on goat right above pilei in exergue thyrsus around laurel wreath, border of dots
BMCRR I 2476
Sydenham 724a
Crawford 353/1a
Northumberland Tablet VII 21
obv note “…has been designated Apollo vejovius. But as Ovid alludes to his not having the fulmen till the conflict with the Titans, and as Eckhel produces a copy with EX before AP- and reads it ex argento publico- the meaning is uncertain.”
Rev note: “This has been called Cupid, but there is no attribute of bow or arrow, whence Havercamp is of the opinion that the thyrsus denotes Bacchus, while Eckhel thinks it is the Etruscan Vejovius himself- the goat being a sacrifice peculiar to him.
On the whole the device seems to elude to the native haunts of the moneyer, for the curetes who guarded the little Jupiter were the Dioscuri, whose pilei and myrtle are here seen, and who were worshipped at Tusculum with special honor. Moreover, although the thyrsus is certainly an attribute of Bacchus, the myrtle belongs to the twins, and they may therefore have been considered the Dii Penates of the gens.”
Crawford: Monogram under chin Apollo; reverse is clearly Dionysiac. Grueber and Sydenham believe that the monogram under obverse head is Roma not Apollo. Head also Vejovis with winged genius on reverse.
Ex: CNG ex: Harry Strickhausen (misattributed by CNG; monograph under chin faint, but legible) 19mm, 3.93g
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Mallia 2Mallia 2 (111/110BC) moneyers: T. Manlius Mancinus (sic Crawford) Tr. Pl. 107BC
Ap. Claudius Pulcher, praetor 89, cos. 79 and Q. Urbinius father of Q. Urbinius
quaestor 74(?)
Denarius
Ob: Helmeted head of Roma, behind quadrangular device, border of dots
Rev: Victory in Triga right, in exergue T ∙ MAL(monogram) P ∙ CL ∙ Q V[R
BMCRR I 1293
Sydenham 570 (106BC) T. Mallius
Crawford 299/1b
Northumberland Tablet X 10:
“(the triga on reverse)… a curious device, inasmuch, except with the three monetal triumvirs here named, the triga is found only on the denaries of the Naevia family. Adverting to this inscription, Eckhel remarks- “ Hitherto all have read the colligated letters Mal as MANL; but there is no trace of an N. Vaillant says that Manlius was sometimes called Mallius; however that be, we know from the Fasti, and from Gruter, that there actually was a Mallian race.” He might have added that Cn. Mallius Maximus- though apparently a worthless man- had the honor of being consul in the year B.C. 105: and that a C. Mallius was one of Catiline’s conspirators.”
Crawford: There is some controversy over who the monogram indicates: T. Mallius or T. Maloleius.
This coin has beautiful iridescent toning. It does have three deep old scratches on obverse, but is a very handsome coin nonetheless. 16 mm, 3.97 g, 11 hrennrad12020
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Memmia 1Memmia 1 (109BC) moneyer L. Memmius
Denarius
Ob: male head right wearing oak wreath; below chin *
Rev: Dioscuri standing facing each holding spear and bridle of his horse; above the head
of each star; in exergue L. MEMMI
BMCRR: II 643
Sydenham: 558
Crawford: 304/1
Northumberland Tablet X 27 & 28
“The Memmii are not noticed by history till B.C. 173 (? Does Smyth mean 118-114BC) ; yet from the epoch mentioned- the Jugurthine War- they held frequent tribunates of the Plebs, although C. Memmius, the impeacher, was beaten to death with bludgeons by the mob of Saturninus.” (99BC) So much for concordia ordinis.
For the epithet Mordax, I like biter or stinger better than “impeacher” as W. Smyth wrote.
OLD #1 prone to bite, snappish- Mordax Memmius Cicero De Orat 2.240.
In the same ship race episode of the funeral games as Sergia etiology: Aeneid V 117
mox Italus Mnestheus, genus a quo nomine Memmi
Soon the Italian Mnestheus, from whose name sprung the race of Memmii
This etiological (+ etymological; meminisse) name association typical of
Virgil. Too bad no Cluentia moneyer to get the last Virgilian reference in
from the race!
Ex: Colosseum Coin Exchange 2007 dusty grayish tone, old scratch on obv cheek
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Memmia 2Memmia 2 (106BC) moneyer L. Memmius Galeria
Serratus Denarius
Ob: laureate head of Saturn left harpa and ROMA behind, under chin ∙ then under G
Rev: Venus in slow biga right holding scepter and reigns; cupid flies above with wreath; in exergue
L. MEMMI (ME ligature)
GAL
BMCRR I 1336
Sydenham 574
Crawford: 313/1b
Ex: Colosseum Coin Exchange 2007
Crawford: The use of Venus as a coin type is to draw attention to the Memmii as one of the familiae Troianae. Gal(eria) is a tribe name employed to distinguish this (less important) branch of the family. Cf. dedication of Lucretius De Rerum Natura to Venus and Gaius Memmius (praetor 58BC)
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Papiria 1Papiria 7 (122BC) moneyer Cn. Papirius Carbo cos. 113BC
Denarius
Ob: Helmeted head of Roma with curl on shoulder; behind X, border of dots
Rev: Jupiter in quadriga holding reigns and scepter in left hand and hurling fulmen in right (fulminans); below CARBO in exergue ROMA. Line border
BMCRR II 449
Sydenham 415
Crawford 279
Ex: Colesseum Coin Exchange 2006; toned
Northumberland refers to this incredibly informative letter:
Ad Fam IX 21 to TO PAPIRIUS PAETUS (AT NAPLES) 46BC
Well, but letting that pass, how did it come into your head, my dear Paetus, to say that there never was a Papirius who was not a plebeian? For, in fact, there were patrician Papirii, of the lesser houses, of whom the first was L. Papirius Mugillanus, censor with L. Sempronius Atratinus--having already been his colleague in the consulship--in the 312th year of the city. But in those days they were called Papisii. After him thirteen sat in the curule chair before L. Papirius Crassus, who was the first to drop the form Papisius. This man was named dictator, with L. Papirius Cursor as Master of the Horse, in the 415th year of the city, and four years afterwards was consul with Kaeso Duilius. Cursor came next to him, a man who held a very large number of offices; then comes L. Masso, who rose to the aedileship; then a number of Massones. The busts of these I would have you keep--all patricians. Then follow the Carbones and Turdi. These latter were plebeians, whom I opine that you may disregard. For, except the Gaius Carbo who was assassinated by Damasippus, there has not been one of the Carbones who was a good and useful citizen. We knew Gnaeus Carbo and his brother the wit: were there ever greater scoundrels? About the one who is a friend of mine, the son of Rubrius, I say nothing. There have been those three brothers Carbo-Gaius, Gnaeus, Marcus. Of these, Marcus, a great thief, was condemned for malversation in Sicily on the accusation of Publius Flaccus: Gaius, when accused by Lucius Crassus, is said to have poisoned himself with cantharides; he behaved in a factious manner as tribune, and was also thought to have assassinated Publius Africanus. As to the other, who was put to death by my friend Pompey at Lilybaeum, there was never, in my opinion, a greater scoundrel. Even his father, on being accused by M. Antonius, is thought to have escaped condemnation by a dose of shoemaker's vitriol. Wherefore my opinion is that you should revert to the patrician Papirii: you see what a bad lot the plebeians were. (trans. Evelyn Shuckburgh)rennrad12020
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Porcia 8 serratusPorcia 8 (118 BC) moneyer L. Porcius Licinius Mint-Narbo
Denarius Serratus
Ob: Helmeted head of Roma around LICI * L ∙ PORCI
Rev: Naked, bearded warrior in biga right, holding shield, carnyx and reigns in left hand and hurling spear with right hand, in exergue L ∙ LIC ∙ CN ∙ DO[M
BMCRR I 1187
Sydenham 520
Crawford 282/5
This reverse is said by Grueber to commemorate the victory in Gaul of Gnaeus Domitus Ahenobarbus, the father of the Censor, over the Allobroges and their ally, Bituitus, king of the Arverni, who was shortly afterwards taken prisoner by C Fabius Maximus and figured in Rome in his own chariot of silver at the triumph of Fabius.
The figure on the reverse is clearly a Gaul; Crawford does not think anything else can be stated definitely. Cf. Valerius Maximus ix.6.3 and Eutropius iv.22
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Sergia 1Sergia 1 (116/5BC) moneyer M. Sergi Silus
Denarius
Ob: helmeted head of Roma right behind ROMA * in front [EX S ∙ C ∙ ]
Rev: Horseman left holding sword and severed head, before Q (under horse), below
M ∙ SERGI in exergue SILVS
BMCRR II 512
Sydenham 544 (109BC)
Crawford 286/1
Northumberland: Tablet XIV 24
“M. Sergius Silus was urban praetor about B.C. 107; and being the great grandson of the brave Sergius who fought against Hannibal, he here represents his illustrious relative with the glaive in his sinister hand, because he had lost the right one in battle. Eckhel thinks it probable that this device is taken from an equestrian statue erected to the intrepid soldier, who was acknowledged as the representative of valour and fortitude.”
The Sergii boasted their descent from Segestus the Trojan, and they furnished the state with a consul as early as B.C. 437; while Virgil countenances their antiquity in the Aeneid, V 121.”
Sergestusque, domus tenet a quo Sergia nomen,
Centaro invehitur magna,…
And Sergestus, from whom the house held the Sergia name,
He rode in on a great centaur (navis) JPW
Crawford: Not the father of Catilina but a member of a collateral branch of the family.
Reverse depicts the exploits of the moneyer’s grandfather, who was praetor in 197 BC and in his youth fought left-handed after losing his right hand in battle.
(Pliny NH vii 104-6)
Nice old dark toning
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Titia 4Titia 4 (90BC) moneyer Q. Titius Rome
As
Ob: Laureate head of Janus with pointed beard
Rev: prow right, above Q. TITI
BMCRR I 2231 (87BC)
Sydenham 694 (88BC)
Crawford 341/4a (no symbol on reverse)
Grueber notes that the arrangement of the beard on the head of Janus (the pronounced pointedness) resembles very closely that of Mutinus Titinus on the denarii (cf. 2220).
Nice brown patina, 13.67 gr.
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Tituria 5Tituria 5 (89BC) Rome moneyer L. Titurius L. f. Sabinus (leg. 75BC)
Denarius
Ob: Bearded head of King Tatius right; under chin palm branch, before face A ∙ PV behind SABIN
Rev: Tarpeia hair dishevelled, facing and buried to the waist by shields between two shield bearing soldiers whom she is warding off; above star in crescent; in exergue L ∙ TITV[RI, border of dots
BMCRR I 2326
Sydenham 699a
Crawford 344/2c
The portrait of Tatius, King of the Sabines on the obverse and the depiction of the death of Tarpeia both allude to the Sabine origin of the moneyer.
Grueber: A ∙ PV is an abbreviation for Argento publico. …there was a second sanctuary in the capitol, probably on or near the spot where Tarpeia met her death. Propertius also connects Luna with Tarpeia; IV.23.
Sydenham: The crescent above the head of Tarpeia possibly alludes to the introduction into Rome of the cult of Luna by Tatius.
Crawford: discounts theories regarding Luna but admits he has no solution to the star in crescent icon. Idem A ∙ PV (Vol II p. 605) The palm branch represents Roman success in the second year of the Social War.
For those interested, the story of Tarpeia is told in Propertius IV.4 and Livy I.11. (I prefer Propertius’ version.)
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Vibia 2Vibia 2 (90BC) moneyer C. Vibivs C.F. Pansa
Denarius
Ob: Large head of Apollo laureate;behind PANSA; border of dots
Rev: Minerva in quadriga right holding spear and reigns in right hand and trophy in left in exergue C ∙ VIBIVS ∙ C ∙ F border of dots
BMCRR I 2244
Sydenham 684
Crawford 342/5b
Ex: H.D.Rauch auction 79 (Nov 17-8 2006) lot 2223
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Vibia 24Vibia 24 (42BC) moneyer C. V(e)ibivs V(a)arvs
Denarius
Ob: Head of Liber right, wearing ivy-wreath border of dots
Rev: Garlanded altar, on which rests a mask and against which rests a thyrsus, on right panther springs towards altar in exergue C ∙ VIBIVS on right VARVS; border of dots
BMCRR I 4295
Sydenham 1138
Crawford 494/36
Northumberland: Tablet XVI 19 The panther –in Latin varia- is considered to be merely a pun on the cognomen Varo.
Ex: Gorny Mosch Auction 151 0r 2 (Oct 15 2006) 3.5 gr; iridescent toning
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