| Image search results - "proof" |
Bundesrepublik Deutschland
10 D-Mark 1972 (Silber)
Münzstätte Hamburg
Olympiade München 1972
Gewicht: 15,5g
Erhaltung: leicht angelaufen, Polierte Platte _1699Antonivs Protti
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Russland
1 Rubel 1991 (Kupfer-Nickel)
Nizami Gyanzhevi
Gewicht: 12,5g
Erhaltung: leicht angelaufen, Polierte Platte _399Antonivs Protti
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This "Otho" with "VÍCTORIA PR" reverse is an ingenious fabrication created by the famous forger "Tardani". He had obviously realized that there were a few VICTORIA OTHONIS dies recut from Galba's VICTORIA PR dies and created this fictitious but possible coin with copies of real dies. I used to have this coin and another with the same dies is in the Berlin coin cabinet. Both are overweight, around 3.9 gr. It took some time to find a Galba minted with this particular reverse die but finally I succeeded. The final proof is seen in this coin, there are a few regions were the die has broken, ie before the die ever could have been used for an Otho coin. The coin is quite convincing because of the dies, but the surfaces were a bit strange and the legends unusual in profile.jmuona
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PHILIPPINES, Insular Government. 1901-1935.
Proof CU Half Centavo (18mm, 2.63 g, 6h)
Philadelphia mint. Dated 1903.
· UNITED STATES OF AMERICA · 1903
Eagle standing facing atop shield, head left, with wings spread, clutching a palm branch and bundle of arrows
HALF CENTAVO FILIPINAS
Male figure seated against anvil, resting hammer; in distance, Mt. Mayon
Allen 1.01; cf. Basso 110 (for business strike)
Ex Cookie Jar Collectibles MBS X (31 July 2007), lot 270Ardatirion
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002b. LiviaLivia, as history most often knows her, was the wife of Augustus for over fifty years, from 38 BC until his death in AD 14 , an astonishingly long time in view of life expectancy in ancient Rome. Although certainty about their inner lives and proof for what we would consider a loving relationship is necessarily lost to us, we can infer genuine loyalty and mutual respect between the two. They remained married despite the fact that she bore him no child. Livia's position as first lady of the imperial household, her own family connections, her confident personality and her private wealth allowed her to exercise power both through Augustus and on her own, during his lifetime and afterward. All the Julio-Claudian emperors were her direct descendants: Tiberius was her son; Gaius (Caligula), her great-grandson; Claudius, her grandson; Nero, her great-great-grandson.
Tiberius and Livia- Thessalonica, Macedonia/Size: 22.5mm/Reference: RPC 1567
Obverse: TI KAISAR SEBASTOS, bare head of Tiberius right Reverse: QESSALONIKEWN SEBASTOU, draped bust of Livia right.
Ex-Imperial Coinsecoli
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022. Plautilla Concordia Avgg FDCRome mint, Issue II, AD 202. PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, Bust, draped, hair coiled in ridges, either vertical or horizontal and fastened in bun at back/CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing l., holding patera and scepter. RIC 363a, Sear 7065, BMC 236,411-414, RSC-1, Cohen-1, Hill 583. FDC, full proof like luster.
LordBest
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1839 One and One Half PenceGreat Britain 1839 One and One Half Pence.
mintage: 760,320
Has prooflike devices... hard to show in the photo, which was taken through a coin flip.rexesq
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1841 Two Pence - MaundyGreat Britain 1841 Maundy Two Pence. Photos taken through coin flip.
mintage: 4,158
Somewhat prooflike obverse.rexesq
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1847 Victoria Gothic Silver Proof Crown UNDECIMOGreat Britain, Victoria (1837-1901), Gothic Silver Proof Crown, 1847, UNDECIMO edge, Bull 2571, ESC 288, L&S 57, Davies 471 (1+A), Davenport 106, SCWC KM 744, MCE 1158, SCBC 3883, EF, toned more deeply around legends, short scratch on neck, some other light marks and blemishes, raised edge lettering 𝖉𝖊𝖈𝖚𝖘 ✿ 𝖊𝖙 ✿ 𝖙𝖚𝖙𝖆𝖒𝖊𝖓 ♔ 𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖔 ✿ 𝖗𝖊𝖌𝖓𝖎 ✿ 𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖈𝖎𝖒𝖔 ♔ (An Ornament and a Safeguard in the Eleventh Year of Her Reign), weight 28.29g (ASW 0.8413oz), composition 0.925 Ag, 0.075 Cu, diameter 39.0mm, thickness 2.6mm, die axis 180°, London mint, 1847; obverse 𝖁𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖆 𝖉𝖊𝖎 𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖆-𝖇𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖆𝖗.𝖗𝖊𝖌:𝖋:𝖉. (Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith), Gothic crowned and draped bust left, hair waved and braided, looped under ear and in bun tucked in crown at back, dress embroidered with roses, shamrocks and thistles, tiny W.W. incuse on right shoulder truncation for engraver William Wyon, trefoil and arc border surrounding; reverse 𝖙𝖚𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖚𝖗-𝖚𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖆 𝖉𝖊𝖚𝖘 (May God Guard these United [Kingdoms]) above, 𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖔 𝖉𝖔𝖒-𝖒𝖉𝖈𝖈𝖈𝖝𝖑𝖛𝖎𝖎 (In the Year of Our Lord, 1847) below, crowned cruciform shields bearing three lions passant guardant for England, lion rampant for Scotland and nine-stringed harp for Ireland, buckled Garter Star at centre inscribed with tiny French motto HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE (Shame on him who thinks evil of it), roses, thistle and shamrock in angles, tiny W-W incuse on raised circlet either side of top crown, engraved by William Dyce, trefoil and arc border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Sovereign Rarities (26 May 2020); scarce; £3,500.00.Serendipity
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1873-M Victoria Young Head Gold SovereignAustralia, Victoria (1837-1901), Gold Sovereign, 1873-M, Bentley 760 (this coin), McDonald 147, QM 79 R, SCWC KM 7, Friedberg 16, Marsh 95, SCBC 3857, gEF-aUNC, lightly toned, with proof-like underlying brilliance, lightly bag marked, M below nearly touches neck, first G in legend die flawed to rim, trace of hair spur in upper curve of tail, dragon claws all present of 4/4 arrangement, the last a stub claw, edge milled, weight 8.0g (AGW 0.2359oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 180°, Melbourne mint, 1873; obverse VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: (Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith), third young filleted head left, hair bound with double fillet, waved and pulled back in ponytail ending in single corkscrew curl at back, W.W. raised and buried in truncation for engraver William Wyon, mint mark M below, toothed border surrounding; reverse St. George, nude but for crested Attic helmet, paludamentum fastened in front by fibula billowing behind and high-topped boots (calcei equestri), on horse rearing right, with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, holding bridle in left hand and short sword in right, looking down, trampling and slaying prostrate dragon to lower right, with broken lance in its side, looking back and up at St. George, broken lance on ground-line to left, tiny WWP raised under lance for Master of the Mint, William Wellesley-Pole, 1873 in exergue, tiny B.P. raised to upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Sovereign Rarities (24 Apr 2020); ex Bentley Collection, Part II, Baldwin's auction 76 (27 Sep 2012), lot 760; ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada (12 Nov 1990); scarce; £475.00.Serendipity
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1887 Victoria Jubilee Head Shield Silver Proof SixpenceGreat Britain, Victoria (1837-1901), Silver Proof Sixpence, 1887, Bull 3269, ESC 1753A, Davies 1151 (Dies 2+A), SCWC KM 759, Friedberg 392, MCE 1409, SCBC 3928, Withdrawn Type, FDC, much as struck with a most attractive tone, edge milled, weight 2.8276g (ASW 0.0841oz), composition 0.925 Ag, 0.075 Cu, diameter 19.3mm, thickness 1.0mm, die axis 0°, London mint, 1887; obverse VICTORIA DEI GRATIA-BRITT: REGINA F: D: (Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith), Jubilee tall, crowned, veiled and draped bust left, wearing double pearl drop earring with 13-pearl necklace, Ribbon and Star of the Garter at breast with badge of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, small J.E.B. raised below shoulder truncation for engraver Joseph Edgar Boehm, toothed border surrounding; reverse crowned quartered shield of Arms of the United Kingdom bearing three lions passant guardant for England, lion rampant for Scotland and eight-stringed harp for Ireland, within Order of the Garter inscribed with French motto HONI ✿ SOIT ✿ QUI-MAL ✿ Y ✿ PENSE ✿ ✿ ✿ (Shame on him who thinks evil of it), 18-87 in exergue either side of strap-end, engraved by Jean Baptiste Merlen, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Wessex Coins (17 Jan 2024); rare; £475.00.Serendipity
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1927 George V Silver Proof ThreepenceGreat Britain, George V (1910-36), Silver Proof Threepence, 1927, Bull 3946, ESC 2141, Davies 1951 (1+A), SCWC KM 831, MCE 1675, SCBC 4042, Type 3, 50% Silver/Modified effigy+Acorns & Oak Leaves reverse, Fourth Coinage (1927-36), Choice UNC, some attractive light grey tone, plain edge, weight 1.4138g (ASW 0.0227oz), composition 0.5 Ag, 0.4 Cu, 0.05 Ni, 0.05 Zn, diameter 16.0mm, thickness 0.89mm, die axis 0°, London mint, 1927; obverse GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F.D. IND: IMP: (George V, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India), modified bare head left, B M (without stops) raised on right truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, toothed border surrounding; reverse THREE •-• PENCE •, three oak sprigs with three acorns, tiny G raised at centre for engraver Kruger Gray,⬩1927⬩below, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Timothy Medhurst Coins & Antiquities (20 May 2023); scarce; £150.00.Serendipity
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1964 - PROOF Roosevelt Dime - NGC PR 68 DCAM ( Deep Cameo )~
~~
US Roosevelt Dime 1964 - PROOF Roosevelt Dime - Philadelphia Mint.
Graded by PCGS; PCGS PR 68 DCAM ( Deep Cameo )
~~
~rexesq
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1967 ELIZABETH II AE PENNYObverse: + ELIZABETH.II.DEI.GRATIA.REGINA.F:D:. Laureate bust of Elizabeth II facing right.
Reverse: ONE PENNY. Britannia seated facing right, right hand resting on shield, left hand holding trident, lighthouse in background to left; 1967 in exergue.
SPINK: 4157
Elizabeth II's "young head" portrait was designed by Mary Gillick (1881 - 1965), this is marked by a small "MG" below the Queen's bust.
This was the last year of issue of the "Britannia" penny (other than a proof version dated 1970) prior to the introduction of decimal coinage in Britain in 1971. It was struck in enormous numbers to satisfy the large, mainly speculative, demand for the coin.*Alex
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1970 ELIZABETH II AE PENNYObverse: + ELIZABETH.II.DEI.GRATIA.REGINA.F:D:. Laureate bust of Elizabeth II facing right.
Reverse: ONE PENNY. Britannia seated facing right, right hand resting on shield, left hand holding trident, lighthouse in background to left; 1970 in exergue.
SPINK: 4157 PROOF
Elizabeth II's "young head" portrait was designed by Mary Gillick (1881 - 1965), this is marked by a small "MG" below the Queen's bust.
This coin, dated 1970, is a proof issue struck from polished dies, no pennies were issued for general circulation after 1967.*Alex
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1976 ELIZABETH II DECIMAL CuNi FIFTY PENCEObverse: ELIZABETH.II D.G.REG.F.D.1976. Draped bust of Elizabeth II, wearing tiara, facing right.
Reverse: NEW PENCE. Britannia seated facing right, left hand holding laurel branch, right holding trident and resting on shield; recumbent lion behind at her feet; 50 in exergue.
Proof issue struck from polished dies.
Diameter 30mm | Weight 13.5gms
SPINK: 4223 PROOF
This portrait of Elizabeth II was designed by Arnold Machin (1911 - 1999), although his design was approved in June 1964 it was not used for United Kingdom coinage until 1968, after which his portrait of Elizabeth II was used on all British decimal coins until 1984. The tiara which the Queen is shown wearing on this coin had been given to her as a wedding present from her grandmother, Queen Mary.*Alex
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1976 S - PROOF Bicentennial Kennedy Half-Dollar - PCGS PR 69 DCAM ( Deep Cameo)~~
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USA 1976 S *PROOF* Bicentennial Kennedy Half-Dollar - San Francisco Mint.
Graded/Certified: PCGS PR 69 DCAM ( Deep Cameo)
~
~~rexesq
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1989 ELIZABETH II DECIMAL CuNi LARGE FIFTY PENCEObverse: ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D.1989. Diademed bust of Elizabeth II facing right.
Reverse: FIFTY PENCE. Britannia seated facing right, left hand holding laurel branch, right holding trident and resting on shield; recumbent lion behind at her feet; 50 in exergue.
Proof issue struck from polished dies with frosted highlights.
Diameter 30mm | Weight 13.5gms
SPINK: 4351 PROOF (Large module)
This "Third Portrait" of Elizabeth II was Raphael Maklouf's first coin design and it was used on the coinage from 1985 to 1997 inclusive. Raphael Maklouf was born in Jerusalem in 1937 and came to the United Kingdom after the Second World War. The Royal diadem which the Queen is shown wearing on this coin is the one she wears on her way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.*Alex
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1989 Elizabeth II Tudor Rose Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAMGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Tudor Rose Gold Proof Sovereign, 1989, 500th Anniversary of the First Gold Sovereign 1489-1989 commemorative, SCWC KM 956, Friedberg 434, Marsh 313H, SCBC SC3, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO (6380859-008), engraved by Bernard Sindall, edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 1989; obverse ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, trefoil stops), Queen enthroned facing, seated in King Edward's Chair, holding Sceptre with Cross in right hand and Rod with Dove in left, within beaded circle, raised border surrounding; reverse ANNIVERSARY · OF · THE · GOLD · SOVEREIGN · 1489 - 1989 (trefoil stops), crowned quartered shield of Arms of the United Kingdom on Tudor double rose bearing three lions passant guardant for England, lion rampant for Scotland and seven-stringed harp for Ireland, within beaded circle, raised border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex eBay sale (18 Sep 2022); scarce; £2,050.00.Serendipity
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1994 Elizabeth II Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF69 UCAMGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Gold Proof Sovereign, 1994, SCWC KM 943, Friedberg 424, Marsh 313M, SCBC SC2, NGC PF-69 ULTRA CAMEO (4466590-002), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 1994; obverse ELIZABETH II-DEI · GRA · REG · F · D (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith), third crowned head right, tiny RDM incuse on truncation for engraver Raphael David Maklouf, toothed border surrounding; reverse St. George, nude but for crested Attic helmet with three-strand streamer, paludamentum fastened in front by fibula billowing behind and high-topped boots (calcei equestri), on horse rearing right, with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, holding bridle in left hand and short sword in right, looking down, trampling and slaying prostrate dragon to lower right, with broken lance in its side, looking back and up at St. George, broken lance on ground-line to left, 1994 in exergue, tiny B.P. raised to upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex 1817 MSC Ltd (21 May 2023); £615.00.Serendipity
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1997 ELIZABETH II DECIMAL CuNi SMALL FIFTY PENCEObverse: ELIZABETH II D.G.REG.F.D.1997. Diademed bust of Elizabeth II facing right.
Reverse: FIFTY PENCE. Britannia seated facing right, left hand holding laurel branch, right holding trident and resting on shield; recumbent lion behind at her feet; 50 in exergue.
Proof issue struck from polished dies with frosted highlights.
Diameter 27.3mm | Weight 8.0gms
SPINK: 4351 PROOF (Small module)
This "Third Portrait" of Elizabeth II was Raphael Maklouf's first coin design and it was used on the coinage from 1985 to 1997 inclusive. Raphael Maklouf was born in Jerusalem in 1937 and came to the United Kingdom after the Second World War. The Royal diadem which the Queen is shown wearing on this coin is the one she wears on her way to and from the State Opening of Parliament.*Alex
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1999 ELIZABETH II DECIMAL CuNi FIFTY PENCEObverse: ELIZABETH.II.D.G.REG.F.D.1999. Head of Elizabeth II wearing tiara facing right.
Reverse: FIFTY PENCE. Britannia seated facing right, left hand holding laurel branch, right holding trident and resting on shield; recumbent lion behind at her feet; 50 in exergue.
Proof issue struck from polished dies with frosted highlights.
Diameter 27.3mm | Weight 8.0gms
SPINK: 4610 PROOF
This portrait was designed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, it appeared on all UK and Commonwealth coinage from 1998 until it was superseded by a new portrait in 2015. The tiara which the Queen is shown wearing on this coin was given to her as a wedding present by her grandmother, Queen Mary.
This decimal 50 pence was the last British coin to depict the traditional Britannia which had featured on British coinage for more than 300 years, having begun on a farthing under Charles II in 1672. Britannia made her last appearance in 2008 after Gordon Brown personally approved changing the design as one of his last acts as Chancellor of the Exchequer.*Alex
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1ab Marcus Licinius CrassusFormed First Triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey in 60 BC, killed at Carrhae in Parthia in 53 BC.
Denarius, minted by son, P Licinius Crassus, ca 54 BC.
Bust of Venus, right, SC behind
Amazon with horse, P CRASSVS MF.
These coins were probably minted to pay Crassus' army for the invasion of Parthia. The reverse figure is sometimes described as a warrior or Gaulish horseman, but this example clearly accords with those who identify the figure as a woman! Member of the first triumvirate, 59-53 BC.
Seaby, Licinia 18
Plutarch wrote of Crassus: People were wont to say that the many virtues of Crassus were darkened by the one vice of avarice, and indeed he seemed to have no other but that; for it being the most predominant, obscured others to which he was inclined. The arguments in proof of his avarice were the vastness of his estate, and the manner of raising it; for whereas at first he was not worth above three hundred talents, yet, though in the course of his political life he dedicated the tenth of all he had to Hercules, and feasted the people, and gave to every citizen corn enough to serve him three months, upon casting up his accounts, before he went upon his Parthian expedition, he found his possessions to amount to seven thousand one hundred talents; most of which, if we may scandal him with a truth, he got by fire and rapine, making his advantages of the public calamities. . . . Crassus, however, was very eager to be hospitable to strangers; he kept open house, and to his friends he would lend money without interest, but called it in precisely at the time; so that his kindness was often thought worse than the paying the interest would have been. His entertainments were, for the most part, plain and citizen-like, the company general and popular; good taste and kindness made them pleasanter than sumptuosity would have done. As for learning he chiefly cared for rhetoric, and what would be serviceable with large numbers; he became one of the best speakers at Rome, and by his pains and industry outdid the best natural orators. . . . Besides, the people were pleased with his courteous and unpretending salutations and greetings, for he never met any citizen however humble and low, but he returned him his salute by name. He was looked upon as a man well-read in history, and pretty well versed in Aristotle's philosophy. . . . Crassus was killed by a Parthian, called Pomaxathres; others say by a different man, and that Pomaxathres only cut off his head and right hand after he had fallen. But this is conjecture rather than certain knowledge, for those that were by had not leisure to observe particulars. . . .Blindado
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1ab_2 Marcus Licinius CrassusFormed First Triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey in 60 BC, killed at Carrhae in Parthia in 53 BC.
Denarius, minted by son, P Licinius Crassus, ca 54 BC.
Bust of Venus, right, SC behind
Amazon with horse, P CRASSVS MF.
Seaby, Licinia 18
These coins were probably minted to pay Crassus' army for the invasion of Parthia. My synthesis of reviewing 90 examples of this issue revealed a female warrior wearing a soft felt Scythian cap with ear flaps (visible in this example); a fabric garment with a decorated skirt to the knees; probably trousers; an ornate war belt; a baldric; a cape, animal skin, or shoulder cord on attached to the left shoulder; and decorated calf-high boots. She matches the historically confirmed garb of the real amazons—Scythian horsewomen—and of course holds her steed. The horse’s tack is consistent with archeological discoveries of tack in use by Scythians and Romans.
Adrienne Mayor writes that amazon imagery on Greek vases suddenly appeared in 575-550 BC, initially depicting them in Greek-style armor. By the end of the century, as the Greeks learned more through direct and indirect contact with Scythians, they began to appear wearing archeologically confirmed Scythian-Sarmatian-Thracian patterned attire. (Adrienne Mayor, The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women Across the Ancient World, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2014, 199-200). To this, artists added their own creative ideas regarding colors, fabric patterns, and decorations. “They dressed the warrior women in body-hugging ‘unitards’ or tunics, short chitons or belted dresses, sometimes over leggings or trousers. . . . In paintings and sculpture, pointed or soft Scythian caps with earflaps or ties (kidaris) soon replaced the Greek helmets, and the women wear a variety of belts, baldrics (diagonal straps), corselets, shoulder cords or bands, and crisscrossing leather straps attached to belt loops like those worn by the archer huntress Artemis. . . . Amazon footgear included soft leather moccasin-like shoes, calf-high boots (endromides), or taller laced boots (embades) with scallops or flaps and lined with felt or fur.” (Mayor, 202)
The artists apparently had detailed knowledge of gear used by real Scythian horsewomen to equip their imagined Amazons. “Archeological discoveries of well-preserved sets of clothing confirm that real horsewomen of ancient Scythian lands dressed much as did those described in Greek texts and illustrated in Scythian and Greek artwork.” (Mayor, 203)
Plutarch wrote of Crassus: People were wont to say that the many virtues of Crassus were darkened by the one vice of avarice, and indeed he seemed to have no other but that; for it being the most predominant, obscured others to which he was inclined. The arguments in proof of his avarice were the vastness of his estate, and the manner of raising it; for whereas at first he was not worth above three hundred talents, yet, though in the course of his political life he dedicated the tenth of all he had to Hercules, and feasted the people, and gave to every citizen corn enough to serve him three months, upon casting up his accounts, before he went upon his Parthian expedition, he found his possessions to amount to seven thousand one hundred talents; most of which, if we may scandal him with a truth, he got by fire and rapine, making his advantages of the public calamities. . . . Crassus, however, was very eager to be hospitable to strangers; he kept open house, and to his friends he would lend money without interest, but called it in precisely at the time; so that his kindness was often thought worse than the paying the interest would have been. His entertainments were, for the most part, plain and citizen-like, the company general and popular; good taste and kindness made them pleasanter than sumptuosity would have done. As for learning he chiefly cared for rhetoric, and what would be serviceable with large numbers; he became one of the best speakers at Rome, and by his pains and industry outdid the best natural orators. . . . Besides, the people were pleased with his courteous and unpretending salutations and greetings, for he never met any citizen however humble and low, but he returned him his salute by name. He was looked upon as a man well-read in history, and pretty well versed in Aristotle's philosophy. . . . Crassus was killed by a Parthian, called Pomaxathres; others say by a different man, and that Pomaxathres only cut off his head and right hand after he had fallen. But this is conjecture rather than certain knowledge, for those that were by had not leisure to observe particulars. . . .Blindado
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1ap_2 MessalinaThird wife of Claudius, married in 38 (?)
AE 20, Knossos mint
Bare head of Claudius left, CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS
Draped bust of Messalina right, VALERIA MESSALINA [CAPITONE CYTHERONTE IIVIR] or [CYTHERO CAPITONE] (end of legend off flan)
According to Suetonius: [Claudius] was betrothed twice at an early age: to Aemilia Lepida, great-granddaughter of Augustus, and to Livia Medullina, who also had the surname of Camilla and was descended from the ancient family of Camillus the dictator. He put away the former before their marriage, because her parents had offended Augustus; the latter was taken ill and died on the very day which had been set for the wedding. He then married Plautia Urgulanilla, whose father had been honoured with a triumph, and later Aelia Paetina, daughter of an ex-consul. He divorced both these, Paetina for trivial offences, but Urgulanilla because of scandalous lewdness and the suspicion of murder. Then he married Valeria Messalina, daughter of his cousin Messala Barbatus. But when he learned that besides other shameful and wicked deeds she had actually married Gaius Silius, and that a formal contract had been signed in the presence of witnesses, he put her to death and declared before the assembled praetorian guard that inasmuch as his marriages did not turn out well, he would remain a widower, and if he did not keep his word, he would not refuse death at their hands. . . . [He later married Agrippina Jr.]
He had children by three of his wives: by Urgulanilla, Drusus and Claudia; by Paetina, Antonia; by Messalina, Octavia and a son, at first called Germanicus and later Britannicus. . . .
But it is beyond all belief, that at the marriage which Messalina had contracted with her paramour Silius he signed the contract for the dowry with his own hand, being induced to do so on the ground that the marriage was a feigned one, designed to avert and turn upon another a danger which was inferred from certain portents to threaten the emperor himself. . . .
He was so terror-stricken by unfounded reports of conspiracies that he had tried to abdicate. When, as I have mentioned before, a man with a dagger was caught near him as he was sacrificing, he summoned the senate in haste by criers and loudly and tearfully bewailed his lot, saying that there was no safety for him anywhere; and for a long time he would not appear in public. His ardent love for Messalina too was cooled, not so much by her unseemly and insulting conduct, as through fear of danger, since he believed that her paramour Silius aspired to the throne. . . .
Appius Silanus met his downfall. When Messalina and Narcissus had put their heads together to destroy him, they agreed on their parts and the latter rushed into his patron's bed-chamber before daybreak in pretended consternation, declaring that he had dreamed that Appius had made an attack on the emperor. Then Messalina, with assumed surprise, declared that she had had the same dream for several successive nights. A little later, as had been arranged, Appius, who had received orders the day before to come at that time, was reported to be forcing his way in, and as if were proof positive of the truth of the dream, his immediate accusation and death were ordered. . . .
Blindado
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1az Domitian81-96
As
Laureate head right, IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XV CENS PER P P
Moneta std, MONETA AVGVSTI S C
RIC 708
Suetonius wrote: Domitian was born on the 24th of October AD51, a month before his father Vespasian took up office as consul. . . . When Vespasian died, Domitian considered granting his soldiers twice the bounty offered by his brother Titus, and had no qualms in claiming that his father’s will had been tampered with, since he had been due a half-share of the Empire. From then on, he plotted continually against his brother, openly and in secret. When Titus was gripped by his fatal illness, Domitian ordered him to be left for dead, before he had actually breathed his last. . . .
He governed inconsistently, displaying a mixture of virtue and vice, but after some time his virtues too gave way to vice, since he seems to have been made avaricious through lack of funds, and cruel through fear, contrary to his natural disposition. . . . Domitian was diligent and conscientiousness in his administration of justice, often holding special sittings on the tribunal in the Forum. . . . [I]n his private life, and even for some time after becoming Emperor, he was considered free of greed and avarice; and indeed often showed proof not only of moderation, but of real generosity. . . . His moderation and clemency however were not destined to last, his predilection to cruelty appearing somewhat sooner than his avarice. . . . In this way he became an object of terror to all, and so hated that he was finally brought down by a conspiracy of his companions and favourite freedmen, which also involved his wife, Domitia Longina.
Domitian was tall, and of a ruddy complexion, with large rather weak eyes, and a modest expression. He was handsome and attractive when young, his whole body well-made except for his feet with their short toes. Later, he lost his hair, and developed a protruding belly, while his legs became thin and spindly after a long illness. . . . He found exercise intolerable, seldom walked when in Rome and while travelling and on campaign rarely rode but used a litter. Weaponry in general held no interest for him, though he was exceptionally keen on archery. There are plenty of witnesses to his killing a hundred wild creatures or more at a time on his Alban estate, bringing them down with successive arrows planted so deftly as to give the effect of horns. . . .
At the beginning of his reign, he had the libraries, which had been damaged by fire, restored at great expense, instituting a search for copies of lost works, and sending scribes to Alexandria to transcribe and edit them. Yet he himself neglected liberal studies, and never bothered to interest himself in history or poetry, or even to acquire a decent writing style.Blindado
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2.88 Constantine: Heraclea.AE3, 327 - 329, Heraclea mint.
Obverse: CONSANTINVS AVG / Diademed bust of Constantine, "Eyes to God."
Reverse: D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG / Laurel wreath enclosing VOT XXX.
Mint mark: .SMHB
3.42 gm., 18.5 mm.
RIC #92; LRBC #887; Sear #16231.
Eusebius stated that Constantine had himself depicted in the attitude of prayer on his coins. Since early Christians prayed looking up to Heaven, this obverse portrait is the one which Eusebius saw. Thus the phrase "Eyes to God" became associated with this portrait. We have no proof that Eusebius' statement is true; indeed the portrait could have been based on the way various Hellenistic kings portrayed themselves on their own coins. However, Eusebius' statement likely reflected the popular opinion of his time.
The "Eyes to God" portrait was used intermittently on gold and silver coinages from 324 to 337. It's use on the bronze coinage is limited to just three mints: Constantinople (Daphne coinage, 328), Cyzicus (Campgate coinage 328-29), and Heraclea (VOT XXX coinage, 325-26, 327-329). Callimachus
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2002 Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAMGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Golden Jubilee Gold Proof Sovereign, 2002, 50th Anniversary of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II commemorative, SCWC KM 1026, Friedberg 463, Marsh 316A, SCBC SC5, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO (5880726-001), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2002; obverse ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA-REGINA · FID · DEF (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith), fourth crowned head right, IRB raised below truncation for engraver Ian Rank-Broadley, toothed border surrounding; reverse crowned quartered shield of Arms of the United Kingdom bearing three lions passant guardant for England, lion rampant for Scotland and seven-stringed harp for Ireland, within open laurel wreath tied with bow at base, 2002 in exergue, TN (Timothy Noad) monogram lower right of dexter wreath, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Sovereign Rarities (26 Sep 2021); £780.00.Serendipity
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2005 Elizabeth II Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAMGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Gold Proof Sovereign, 2005, SCWC KM 1065, Friedberg 482, Marsh 322, SCBC SC6, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO (5880798-003), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2005; obverse ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA-REGINA · FID · DEF (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith), fourth crowned head right, IRB raised below truncation for engraver Ian Rank-Broadley, toothed border surrounding; reverse reworked St. George on horseback rearing right, armoured and helmeted, with visor open, holding St. George's Cross shield in left hand and brandishing broadsword overhead in right, looking back and down, trampling and slaying prostrate dragon to lower left, looking up at St. George, 2005 in exergue below dragon's wing, TN (Timothy Noad) monogram to upper right of exergue between dragon's wing and horse's leg, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Sovereign Rarities (26 Sep 2021); £870.00.Serendipity
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2012 Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAMGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Diamond Jubilee Gold Proof Sovereign, 2012, 60th Anniversary of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II commemorative, SCWC KM 1207, Marsh 336, SCBC SC8, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO (6381401-003), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2012; obverse ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRA-REGINA · FID · DEF (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith), fourth crowned head right, IRB raised below truncation for engraver Ian Rank-Broadley, toothed border surrounding; reverse reworked St. George on horseback to right, armoured and helmeted, with visor open, looking down left, lancing dragon's head downward to left, 2012 arcing outwardly left, PJD (Paul Day) monogram below horse's raised right forehoof, raised border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Chards (6 Nov 2022); £1,500.00.Serendipity
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2016 Elizabeth II Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAM FSGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Gold Proof Sovereign, 2016, 90th Anniversary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II commemorative, Marsh 346, SCBC SC10, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO ONE OF FIRST 500 STRUCK (4299450-170), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2016; obverse ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REGINA · FID · DEF (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith), crowned mature head right off-centre, JB raised behind nape of neck for engraver James Butler, raised border surrounding; reverse St. George, nude but for crested Attic helmet, paludamentum fastened in front by fibula billowing behind and high-topped boots (calcei equestri), on horse rearing right, with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, holding bridle in left hand and short sword in right, looking down, trampling and slaying prostrate dragon to lower right, with broken lance in its side, looking back and up at St. George, broken lance on ground-line to left, 2016 in exergue, tiny B.P. raised to upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex UK Gold Coins (19 Jan 2023); £1,179.00.Serendipity
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2017 Elizabeth II Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAMGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Gold Proof Sovereign, 2017, 200th Anniversary of the Modern Sovereign commemorative, Marsh 347, SCBC SC11, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO (6318716-008), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2017; obverse ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REG · FID · DEF · 2017 · (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith, 2017), fifth crowned head right, J.C raised below truncation for engraver Jody Clark, toothed border surrounding; reverse HONI · SOIT · QUI · MAL · Y · PENSE · (Shame on him who thinks evil of it) French motto around horizontally ruled Order of the Garter circlet with buckle, St. George, nude but for crested Attic helmet with three-strand streamer, paludamentum fastened in front by fibula billowing behind and high-topped boots (calcei equestri), on horse rearing right, with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, holding bridle in left hand and broken lance in right, looking down, trampling and slaying prostrate dragon to lower right, with broken lance in its side, looking back and up at St. George, broken lance on ground-line to left, BP incuse under lance for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, raised border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex UK Gold Coins (25 Feb 2022); £1,089.00.Serendipity
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2022 Charles III Memorial Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAM FRGreat Britain, Charles III (2022-), Memorial Gold Proof Sovereign, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Sovereign commemorative, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO FIRST RELEASES (2894754-004), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2022; obverse CHARLES III · DEI · GRA · REX · FID · DEF · (Charles III, by the Grace of God, King, Defender of the Faith), bare head left, tiny MJ raised below truncation for engraver Martin Jennings, toothed border surrounding; reverse crowned helmet surmounted by crowned lion statant over quartered shield of Arms of the United Kingdom bearing three lions passant guardant for England, lion rampant for Scotland and six-stringed harp for Ireland, within Order of the Garter inscribed with French motto [HO]NI [SOIT] Q[UI] M[AL Y] P[ENSE] (Shame on him who thinks evil of it), supported by crowned lion to left and collared unicorn to right, shamrocks flanking buckle below over two Tudor double roses, thistle either side, DIEU ET-MON DROIT (God and My Right) inscribed on lower ribbon, 2022 in smaller ribbon in exergue, J.C (Jody Clark) monogram to lower right, ornate floriated background, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex UK Gold Coins (22 Feb 2023); £920.00.Serendipity
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2022 Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAM FDIGreat Britain, Elizabeth II (1952-2022), Platinum Jubilee Gold Proof Sovereign, 2022, 70th Anniversary of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II commemorative, one-year type, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO FIRST DAY OF ISSUE (6319075-025), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2022; obverse ELIZABETH II · DEI · GRA · REGINA · FID · DEF · (Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen, Defender of the Faith), fifth crowned head right, J.C raised below truncation for engraver Jody Clark, toothed border surrounding; reverse crowned helmet surmounted by crowned lion statant over quartered shield of Arms of the United Kingdom bearing three lions passant guardant for England, lion rampant for Scotland and eight-stringed harp for Ireland, within Order of the Garter inscribed with French motto HON[I SOIT QUI MAL] Y PENSE (Shame on him who thinks evil of it), supported by crowned lion to left and collared unicorn to right, both standing on banner inscribed DIEU ET-MON DROIT (God and My Right), 2022 in exergue, TN (Timothy Noad) monogram to lower inner right of Garter, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex Sovereign Rarities (4 Feb 2022); £990.00.Serendipity
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2023 Charles III Coronation Gold Proof Sovereign NGC PF70 UCAM FDIGreat Britain, Charles III (2022-), Coronation Gold Proof Sovereign, 2023, Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III commemorative, one-year type, coronation issue, NGC PF-70 ULTRA CAMEO FIRST DAY OF ISSUE (6767737-038), edge milled, weight 7.9881g (AGW 0.2355oz), composition 0.917 Au, 0.083 Cu, diameter 22.05mm, thickness 1.52mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2023; obverse CHARLES III · DEI ·-GRA · REX · FID · DEF · (Charles III, by the Grace of God, King, Defender of the Faith), first crowned head left, wearing Tudor Crown, tiny MJ raised below truncation for engraver Martin Jennings, toothed border surrounding; reverse St. George, nude but for crested Attic helmet, paludamentum fastened in front by fibula billowing behind and high-topped boots (calcei equestri), on horse rearing right, with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, holding bridle in left hand and short sword in right, looking down, trampling and slaying prostrate dragon to lower right, with broken lance in its side, looking back and up at St. George, broken lance on ground-line to left, 2023 in exergue, tiny B.P. raised to upper right of exergue for engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, toothed border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex eBay sale (5 Aug 2023); £900.00.Serendipity
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2023 Charles III Star Wars R2-D2 & C-3PO Silver Proof 2 PoundsGreat Britain, Charles III (2022-), Star Wars R2-D2 & C-3PO Silver Proof 2 Pounds, 2023, 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi™ commemorative, FDC, first Star Wars coin struck at mint, edge milled, weight 31.21g (ASW 1oz), composition 0.999 Ag, diameter 38.61mm, thickness 3.0mm, die axis 0°, Royal mint, 2023; obverse CHARLES III · D · G · REX · F · D · 2 POUNDS · 2023 · (Charles III, by the Grace of God, King, Defender of the Faith, 2 Pounds, 2023), bare head left, tiny MJ raised below truncation for engraver Martin Jennings, raised border surrounding; reverse R2-D2 and C-3PO in the Millennium Falcon, lenticular feature of the Tatooine and the Rebel Alliance Starbird logo above, STAR/WARS™ logo in two lines below, © & ™ Lucasfilm Ltd. arcing below right, engraved by Lucasfilm Ltd., raised border surrounding; from the Roger Belmar Collection; ex BullionByPost (25 Mar 2024) with COI and COA; £93.96.Serendipity
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2023-Mo Mexican 1oz Silver Proof LibertadMexico, 1oz Silver Proof Libertad, 2023-Mo, SCWC KM 639, UNC, edge milled, weight 31.21g (ASW 1oz), composition 0.999 Ag, diameter 40.0mm, thickness 3.0mm, die axis 180°, Mexican mint, 2023; obverse ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS (United Mexican States) arcing above golden eagle at centre, perched left atop prickly pear nopal cactus on rock in middle of lake, rattlesnake in beak and right talon, within half-circle oak and olive wreath tied with ribbon below, encircled by 10 Coats of Arms of Mexico in chronological order, starting clockwise at 12:00 from the 1541 Codex Mendoza, raised border surrounding; reverse 1 ONZA-PLATA PURA-2023 LEY .999 (1 Ounce Pure Silver, 2023, Fineness .999) arcing above, Winged Victory standing half-left on quadrangular column, breasts bare, laurel wreath in outstretched right hand, broken chain in left, with twin volcanoes Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl in background, mint mark M° in upper right field, raised border surrounding; ex Roger Belmar Collection (6 Apr 2024); ex Crawley Coins (6 Apr 2024); £49.00.Serendipity
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2142A IONIA, Miletus. Hadrian Zeus standingReference.
BMC - ;SNG von Aulock- ;SNG Copenhagen -; SNG France- ;RPC - ; RPC III, 2142A.
Obv. AΔPIANOC KAICAP ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟC
Laureate head right.
Rev: POVΦOV TO B ΜΙΛΗ- CΙΩΝ ΕΠΙ
Zeus standing right, wearing chlamys, holding thunderbolt, and resting hand on hip.
26.25 gr
36 mm
6h
Note.
The worship of Hadrian as 'Zeus Olympios' in the east of the empire was also practiced in Miletus. A proof of this is this coinage, which the emperor explicitly names as 'ΟΛΙΜΠΙΟC'. In addition, the archaeological excavations in Miletus have been used to discover a large number of household altars who had been consecrated to Hadrian, who had inscriptions such as "The Caesar Trajan Hadrian Sebastos Zeus Olympios" (Friesen, Imperial Cults, p. 177)okidoki
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517. ArcadiusFlavius Arcadius (377/378–May 1, 408) was Roman Emperor in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire from 395 until his death.
Arcadius was the elder son of Theodosius I and Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of Honorius, who would become a Western Roman Emperor. His father declared him an Augustus in January, 383. His younger brother was also declared an Augustus in 393.
As Emperors, Honorius was under the control of the Romanized Vandal magister militum Flavius Stilicho while Arcadius was dominated by one of his ministers, Rufinus. Stilicho is alleged by some to have wanted control of both emperors, and is supposed to have had Rufinus assassinated by Gothic mercenaries in 395, but definite proof of these allegations is lacking. In any case, Arcadius' new advisor Eutropius simply took Rufinus' place as the power behind the Eastern imperial throne. Arcadius was also dominated by his wife Aelia Eudoxia, who convinced her husband to dismiss Eutropius in 399. Eudoxia was strongly opposed by John Chrysostom, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who felt that she had used her family's wealth to gain control over the emperor. Eudoxia used her influence to have Chrysostom deposed in 404, but she died later that year.
Arcadius was dominated for the rest of his rule by Anthemius, the Praetorian Prefect, who made peace with Stilicho in the West. Arcadius himself was more concerned with appearing to be a pious Christian than he was with political or military matters, and he died, only nominally in control of his empire, in 408.
Bronze AE 4, RIC 67d and 70a, choice aEF, 1.14g, 13.8mm, 180o, Antioch mint, 383-395 A.D.; obverse D N ARCADIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; reverse SALVS REIPVBLICE, Victory advancing left holding trophy over right shoulder, dragging captive with left, staurogram left, ANTG in ex; Ex Aiello; Ex Forumecoli
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711a, Titus, 24 June 79 - 13 September 81 A.D. TITUS AUGUSTUS AR silver denarius. Struck at Rome, 80 AD. IMP TITVS CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG PM, laureate head right. Reverse - TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP, elephant walking left. Fully legible legends, about Very Fine, nice golden toning. Commemmorates the completion and dedication of the Colosseum and the opening of games. SCARCE. RCV 2512, valued at $544 in EF. 17mm, 3.1g. Ex Incitatus.
De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families
Titus Flavius Vespasianus (A.D. 79-81)
John Donahue
College of William and Mary
Titus Flavius Vespasianus was born on December 30, 39 A.D. He was the oldest of the three children of the founder of the Flavian Dynasty, Vespasian. Beginning in the year 70 Titus was named Cæsar and coregent; he was highly educated and a brilliant poet and orator in both Latin and Greek. He won military fame during the Jewish Revolt of 69-70. In April, 70, he appeared before the walls of Jerusalem, and conquered and destroyed the city after a siege of five months. He wished to preserve the Temple, but in the struggle with the Jews who rushed out of it a soldier threw a brand into the building. The siege and taking of the city were accompanied by barbarous cruelties. The next year Titus celebrated his victory by a triumph; to increase the fame of the Flavian dynasty the inscription on the triumphal arch represented the overthrow of the helpless people as a heroic achievement. Titus succeeded his father as Emperor in 79.
Before becoming emperor, tradition records that Titus was feared as the next Nero, a perception that may have developed from his association with Berenice, his alleged heavy-handedness as praetorian prefect, and tales of sexual debauchery. Once in office, however, both emperor and his reign were portrayed in universally positive terms. The suddenness of this transformation raises immediate suspicions, yet it is difficult to know whether the historical tradition is suspect or if Titus was in fact adept at taking off one mask for another. What is clear, however, is that Titus sought to present the Flavians as the legitimate successors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Proof came through the issuing of a series of restoration coins of previous emperors, the most popular being Augustus and Claudius. In A.D. 80 Titus also set out to establish an imperial cult in honor of Vespasian. The temple, in which cult (the first that was not connected with the Julio-Claudians) was housed, was completed by Domitian and was known as the Temple of Vespasian and Domitian.
Legitimacy was also sought through various economic measures, which Titus enthusiastically funded. Vast amounts of capital poured into extensive building schemes in Rome, especially the Flavian Amphitheater, popularly known as the Colosseum. In celebration of additions made to the structure, Titus provided a grand 100-day festival, with sea fights staged on an artificial lake, infantry battles, wild beast hunts, and similar activities. He also constructed new imperial baths to the south-east of the Amphitheater and began work on the celebrated Arch of Titus, a memorial to his Jewish victories. Large sums were directed to Italy and the provinces as well, especially for road building. In response to the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, Titus spent large sums to relieve distress in that area; likewise, the imperial purse contributed heavily to rebuilding Rome after a devastating fire destroyed large sections of the city in A.D. 80. As a result of these actions, Titus earned a reputation for generosity and geniality. For these reasons he gained the honourable title of "amor et deliciæ generis humani" (the darling and admiration of the human race). Even so, his financial acumen must not be under-estimated. He left the treasury with a surplus, as he had found it, and dealt promptly and efficiently with costly natural disasters. The Greek historian of the third-century A.D., Cassius Dio, perhaps offered the most accurate and succinct assessment of Titus' economic policy: "In money matters, Titus was frugal and made no unnecessary expenditure." In other areas, the brevity of Titus' reign limits our ability to detect major emphases or trends in policy. As far as can be discerned from the limited evidence, senior officials and amici were well chosen, and his legislative activity tended to focus on popular social measures, with the army as a particular beneficiary in the areas of land ownership, marriage, and testamentary freedom. In the provinces, Titus continued his father's policies by strengthening roads and forts in the East and along the Danube.
Titus died in September, A.D. 81 after only 26 months in office. Suetonius recorded that Titus died on his way to the Sabine country of his ancestors in the same villa as his father. A competing tradition persistently implicated his brother and successor, Domitian, as having had a hand in the emperor's demise, but the evidence is highly contradictory and any wrongdoing is difficult to prove. Domitian himself delivered the funeral eulogy and had Titus deified. He also built several monuments in honor of Titus and completed the Temple of Vespasian and Titus, changing the name of the structure to include his brother's and setting up his cult statue in the Temple itself.
Titus was the beneficiary of considerable intelligence and talent, endowments that were carefully cultivated at every step of his career, from his early education to his role under his father's principate. Cassius Dio suggested that Titus' reputation was enhanced by his early death. It is true that the ancient sources tend to heroicize Titus, yet based upon the evidence, his reign must be considered a positive one. He capably continued the work of his father in establishing the Flavian Dynasty and he maintained a high degree of economic and administrative competence in Italy and beyond. In so doing, he solidified the role of the emperor as paternalistic autocrat, a model that would serve Trajan and his successors well. Titus was used as a model by later emperors, especially those known as the Five Good Emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius).
Copyright (C) 1997, John Donahue.
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.
Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14746b.htm
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.Cleisthenes
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711a, Titus, 24 June 79 - 13 September 81 A.D.Titus, 24 June 79 - 13 September 81 A.D. AR denarius, RCV 2512, aVF, struck at Rome, 80 A.D., 17.5mm, 3.4g. Obverse: IMP TITVS CAESAR VESPASIAN AVG PM, laureate head right; Reverse: TRP IX IMP XV COS VIII PP, elephant walking left. Fully legible legends; nice golden toning. This coin was struck in order to commemorate the completion and dedication of the Flavian Amphitheatre (the Colosseum) and its opening games. Very scarce. Ex Incitatus; photo courtesy Incitatus.
De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families
Titus Flavius Vespasianus (A.D. 79-81)
John Donahue
College of William and Mary
Titus Flavius Vespasianus was born on December 30, 39 A.D. He was the oldest of the three children of the founder of the Flavian Dynasty, Vespasian. Beginning in the year 70 Titus was named Cæsar and coregent; he was highly educated and a brilliant poet and orator in both Latin and Greek. He won military fame during the Jewish Revolt of 69-70. In April, 70, he appeared before the walls of Jerusalem, and conquered and destroyed the city after a siege of five months. He wished to preserve the Temple, but in the struggle with the Jews who rushed out of it a soldier threw a brand into the building. The siege and taking of the city were accompanied by barbarous cruelties. The next year Titus celebrated his victory by a triumph; to increase the fame of the Flavian dynasty the inscription on the triumphal arch represented the overthrow of the helpless people as a heroic achievement. Titus succeeded his father as Emperor in 79.
Before becoming emperor, tradition records that Titus was feared as the next Nero, a perception that may have developed from his association with Berenice, his alleged heavy-handedness as praetorian prefect, and tales of sexual debauchery. Once in office, however, both emperor and his reign were portrayed in universally positive terms. The suddenness of this transformation raises immediate suspicions, yet it is difficult to know whether the historical tradition is suspect or if Titus was in fact adept at taking off one mask for another. What is clear, however, is that Titus sought to present the Flavians as the legitimate successors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Proof came through the issuing of a series of restoration coins of previous emperors, the most popular being Augustus and Claudius. In A.D. 80 Titus also set out to establish an imperial cult in honor of Vespasian. The temple, in which cult (the first that was not connected with the Julio-Claudians) was housed, was completed by Domitian and was known as the Temple of Vespasian and Domitian.
Legitimacy was also sought through various economic measures, which Titus enthusiastically funded. Vast amounts of capital poured into extensive building schemes in Rome, especially the Flavian Amphitheater, popularly known as the Colosseum. In celebration of additions made to the structure, Titus provided a grand 100-day festival, with sea fights staged on an artificial lake, infantry battles, wild beast hunts, and similar activities. He also constructed new imperial baths to the south-east of the Amphitheater and began work on the celebrated Arch of Titus, a memorial to his Jewish victories. Large sums were directed to Italy and the provinces as well, especially for road building. In response to the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79, Titus spent large sums to relieve distress in that area; likewise, the imperial purse contributed heavily to rebuilding Rome after a devastating fire destroyed large sections of the city in A.D. 80. As a result of these actions, Titus earned a reputation for generosity and geniality. For these reasons he gained the honourable title of "amor et deliciæ generis humani" (the darling and admiration of the human race). Even so, his financial acumen must not be under-estimated. He left the treasury with a surplus, as he had found it, and dealt promptly and efficiently with costly natural disasters. The Greek historian of the third-century A.D., Cassius Dio, perhaps offered the most accurate and succinct assessment of Titus' economic policy: "In money matters, Titus was frugal and made no unnecessary expenditure." In other areas, the brevity of Titus' reign limits our ability to detect major emphases or trends in policy. As far as can be discerned from the limited evidence, senior officials and amici were well chosen, and his legislative activity tended to focus on popular social measures, with the army as a particular beneficiary in the areas of land ownership, marriage, and testamentary freedom. In the provinces, Titus continued his father's policies by strengthening roads and forts in the East and along the Danube.
Titus died in September, A.D. 81 after only 26 months in office. Suetonius recorded that Titus died on his way to the Sabine country of his ancestors in the same villa as his father. A competing tradition persistently implicated his brother and successor, Domitian, as having had a hand in the emperor's demise, but the evidence is highly contradictory and any wrongdoing is difficult to prove. Domitian himself delivered the funeral eulogy and had Titus deified. He also built several monuments in honor of Titus and completed the Temple of Vespasian and Titus, changing the name of the structure to include his brother's and setting up his cult statue in the Temple itself.
Titus was the beneficiary of considerable intelligence and talent, endowments that were carefully cultivated at every step of his career, from his early education to his role under his father's principate. Cassius Dio suggested that Titus' reputation was enhanced by his early death. It is true that the ancient sources tend to heroicize Titus, yet based upon the evidence, his reign must be considered a positive one. He capably continued the work of his father in establishing the Flavian Dynasty and he maintained a high degree of economic and administrative competence in Italy and beyond. In so doing, he solidified the role of the emperor as paternalistic autocrat, a model that would serve Trajan and his successors well. Titus was used as a model by later emperors, especially those known as the Five Good Emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius).
Copyright (C) 1997, John Donahue.
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.
Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14746b.htm
Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.Cleisthenes
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81-96 AD - DOMITIAN AE as - struck 92-94 ADobv: IMP.[CAES.DOMIT.AVG.GERM.CO]S.XVI. CENS.PER.P.P. (laureate head right)
rev: [MONETA] AVGVSTI / S.C. (Moneta standing left, holding scales and cornucopia)
ref: RIC II 408, C.333 (2frcs)
mint: Rome
12.63gms, 25mm
The recurrence of this legend and type on so many imperial medals of diverse reigns is in itself one of the clearest and most direct proofs that these medals were real money.berserker
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Athena and her owl In Greek mythology, a Little Owl baby (Athene noctua) traditionally represents or accompanies Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom, or Minerva, her syncretic incarnation in Roman mythology. Because of such association, the bird often referred to as the "owl of Athena" or the "owl of Minerva" has been used as a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, perspicacity and erudition throughout the Western world.
The reasons behind the association of Athena and the owl are lost in time. Some mythographers, such as David Kinsley and Martin P. Nilsson suggest that she may descend from a Minoan palace goddess associated with birds and Marija Gimbutas claim to trace Athena's origins as an Old European bird and snake goddess.
On the other hand, Cynthia Berger theorizes about the appeal of some characteristics of owls such as their ability to see in the dark to be used as symbol of wisdom while others, such as William Geoffrey Arnott, propose a simple association between founding myths of Athens and the significant number of Little Owls in the region (a fact noted since antiquity by Aristophanes in The Birds and Lysistrata).
In any case, the city of Athens seems to have adopted the owl as proof of allegiance to its patron virgin goddess, which according to a popular etiological myth reproduced on the West pediment of the Parthenon, secured the favor of its citizens by providing them with a more enticing gift than Poséidon.
Owls were commonly reproduced by Athenians in vases, weights and prize amphoras for the Panathenaic Games. The owl of Athena even became the common obverse of the Athenian tetradrachms after 510 BC and according to Philochorus, the Athenian tetradrachm was known as glaux throughout the ancient world and "owl" in present day numismatics. They were not, however, used exclusively by them to represent Athena and were even used for motivation during battles by other Greek cities, such as in the victory of Agathocles of Syracuse over the Carthaginians in 310 B.C. in which owls flying through the ranks were interpreted as Athena’s blessing or in the Battle of Salamis, chronicled in Plutarch's biography of Themistocles.
(Source: Wikipédia)
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bB3. RSC 1. AR Denarius. Concordia Avgg. FDCRome mint, Issue II, AD 202. PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, Bust, draped, hair coiled in ridges, either vertical or horizontal and fastened in bun at back/CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing l., holding patera and scepter. RIC 363a, Sear 7065, BMC 236,411-414, RSC-1, Cohen-1, Hill 583. FDC, full proof like luster.
LordBest
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Constantius II, RIC VIII, Alexandria 72 var.Constantius II, 324 - 361, son of Constantine I
AE - AE 2 (Centenionalis), 6.04g
Alexandria, 4th officina, 15 March 351 - 6 Nov. 355
obv. DN CONSTAN - TIVS PF AVG
bust, draped and cuirassed, pearl-diademed, r.
rev. FEL TEMP RE - PARATIO
Helmeted soldier to l., shield on l. arm, spearing falling horseman; shield on
ground at r.; horseman, bearded and wearing turban(!), turns to face soldier and extends l. arm (type FH3?)
in l. field Gamma
in ex. ALE Delta
RIC VIII, Alexandria 72 var. LRBC 2863
about VF, even brown patina
The position of the horseman is extraordinary and doesn't fit any of the RIC types of FH. And he doesn't wear a pointed cap - as described in RIC - but obviously a turban! So I think he is not an ordinary horseman but a dignitary.
The P in the rev. legend looks like a D. A proof that the legends on the obv. and the rev. are cut by different die cutters.
Not in Helvetica's FH lists.
Jochen
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Crawford 322/1, ROMAN REPUBLIC, C. Fabius C.f. Hadrianus, AR DenariusRome. The Republic.
C. Fabius C. f. Hadrianus, 102 BCE.
AR Denarius (4.01g; 20mm).
Rome Mint.
Obverse: Veiled and turreted head of Cybele, facing right; EX· A· PV, behind.
Reverse: Victory in fast biga galloping right; A· and heron/stork below; C· FABI· C· F in exergue.
References: Crawford 322/1b; Sydenham 590; BMCRR 1592; Fabia 14.
Provenance: Ex Heritage Europe Auction 44 (26 Nov 2014), Lot 35.
While not certain, the moneyer may be Caius Fabius Hadrianus, who was praetor in 84 BCE, propraetor in 83–82 BCE and who was burned alive in his official residence during a Sullan uprising in 82. He struck two distinct series of this denarius: one, without an obverse inscription but with Greek letter control marks behind the obverse head; the other with Latin letter control marks on the reverse and the EX· A· PV obverse inscription. The obverse inscription is an abbreviation for EX A[RGENTO] PV[BLICO] meaning “from the public silver”. Only eight issues of Roman Republican coins reference the public silver, and it is not abundantly clear why this reference is needed since official silver coinage should always be struck from state silver. Fabius’s issue is the first of four issues struck circa 102-100 to bear a “public silver” inscription, which Crawford attributes as a sign of the populist times. Given that Hadrianus may have been killed in 82 by Sulla supporters because of his populist sympathies, Crawford’s attribution of the inscription as a populist message may be correct.
The bird on the reverse of the coin deserves some comment. According to Pliny, some members of the Fabia gens took the cognomen Buteones (a Buteo is a type of hawk or bird), after a bird settled on a Fabian’s ship and was taken as a good omen in advance of a victory. Both Grueber and Crawford interpret the heron/stork on the reverse of this coin as further evidence of Pliny’s story, and as likely proof that Pliny got the type of bird wrong in his retelling of the story. The bird is certainly important to the moneyer, as he also included the symbol on his AE Asses.
Carausius
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Crawford 379/2, ROMAN REPUBLIC, L. Procilius, AR Serrate DenariusRome, The Republic.
L. Procilius, 80 BCE.
AR Serrate Denarius (3.77g; 20mm).
Rome mint.
Obverse: Head of Juno Sospita, wearing goatskin, facing right; S.C. behind.
Rev: Juno Sospita, holding shield and spear, in biga galloping right; snake below horses; L. PROCILI F in exergue.
References: Crawford 379/2; Sydenham 772; BMCRR 3150; Procilia 2.
Provenance: Ex Student and Mentor Collection [NAC 83 (20 May 2015) Lot 339]; privately purchased in 1968.
The letters S.C. on the obverse indicate that this coinage was a special issue, by decree of the Roman Senate, for an unknown purpose. Like the coins of Papius and Roscius Fabatus, the images of Juno Sospita on this coin suggests that Procilius was native of Lanuvium which was home of a cult to Juno Sospita. The snake on the reverse, alludes to the snake in the grotto of Juno Sospita’s Lanuvium temple. Each year, a girl was sent to the grotto to feed the sacred snake, and only a virtuous girl would survive the ordeal.
The reason for serrating the edge of certain Roman Republic denarius issues remains uncertain. Some moneyers issued both serrate and plain edged coins. The practice ended with the serrate issue by Roscius Fabatus in 59 BCE. Possible reasons for the serrations include:
• Proof that the coins were not plated.
• Confounding forgers.
• Making the coins look painful to swallow (reducing theft by mint workers).
• Artistic preference.
Carausius
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FL CONSTANTIS BEA C / GLORIA EXERCITVS AE3/4 follis (333-350 A.D.) FL CONSTANTIS BEA C, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / GLOR-IA EXERC-ITVS, two soldiers facing each other, holding spears and shields, with one standard between them, device on banner unclear, but probably O (or "dot"). Mintmark AS(IS) in exergue.
AE3/4, 16.5-17.5mm, 1.24g, die axis 1 (slightly turned medal alignment), material: bronze/copper-based alloy.
FL CONSTANTIS BEA C = Flavius Constans: Beatus Caesar (Blessed Caesar), Gloria Exercitus (noun + genitive) = The Glory of the Army, ASIS = officina #1, Siscia mint (now Sisak, Croatia)
Well, as if we did not have trouble enough with almost identical ConstantINUs #1 and #2 and ConstantIUs #1 and #2, this coin is a proof that Constans' name can also be written as ConstanTIs. Luckily, the legends are very clear, mintmark is a bit less clear, but still I have little doubt that it is ASIS. In fact such a rare obverse legend was only used in Siscia and the first letter looks much more like A than other possible officinas B, delta or epsilon. The only ambiguity that remains -- if there is a star after ASIS, it is really hard to tell, there's certainly enough space and the surface if rough enough to suggest another symbol. If there is no star, it is RIC VII Siscia 255 type, and if there is -- RIC VII Siscia 264. There are enough examples of both types at WildWinds, like this http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constans/_siscia_RIC_vII_255.jpg and this http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/constans/_siscia_RIC_VII_264.jpg The style is similar enough and they are equally rare, so in my mind it matters little. According to the sources, both types were minted in 346-348 A.D., again well after Constans becoming an August, so it is difficult to say, why his Caesar title was still used.
Constans (caesar 333- , augustus 337-350), see more info at
http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-147486 Yurii P
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Great Britain: gilt copper proof halfpenny of George III, Soho Mint, 1806lordmarcovan
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GREEK, Baktrian Kingdom, Antimachos I, ca. 175-170 BC, AR Tetradrachm - Bopearachchi Series 1EDiademed head of Antimachos right wearing kausia. / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΘE[OY] ANTIMAXOY Poseidon standing facing, holding trident and palm branch, HA monogram in inner right field.
Bopearachchi Series 1E; SNG ANS 278 (monogram variant); Mitchiner 124a; Sear 7542.
(32 mm, 17.14 g, 12h)
Provenance, based on Bopearachchi: Freeman & Sear FPL 11, Spring/Summer 2006; ex- Muhammad Riaz Barber Coll.; ex- Peshawar bazaar (April 1996); ex-Kuliab Hoard (1996)
The Kuliab Hoard from which this coin derives was found in clandestine (1995/6) excavations on an ancient site in the vicinity of Kuliab, Tajikistan, 8-10 km from Qizil Mazar, in the valley of the Qizil Su, on the right bank of the Oxus. The inferred find site is located about 80 km northeast of the famed ancient site Ai Khanoum on the left bank of the Oxus, a key Greco-Bactrian foundation.
The hoard reputedly consisted of 800 coins of which 250 were described by Bopearachchi in his paper. The hoard, consisted dominantly of small denomination silver and contained coins from the time of Seleukos I down to the time of Eukratides I. Almost all the coins were of Bactrian origin. It appears to have been a savings hoard that was closed around 145 BC, probably co-incident with the invasion of nomadic peoples from the north.
The Kuliab Hoard represents one of the easternmost finds of Graeco-Bactrian coins, proof that Bactrian influence extended well into the western Himalayan Valleys of Tajikistan to the north northeast of Ai Khanoum.
Probably my finest tetradrachm - the male equivalent Mona Lisa of coinage!
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Heracles and the Stymphalian birds. Detail of a Roman mosaic from Llíria, Spain.The Stymphalian birds are man-eating birds with beaks of bronze, sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and poisonous dung.
"These fly against those who come to hunt them, wounding and killing them with their beaks. All armour of bronze or iron that men wear is pierced by the birds; but if they weave a garment of thick cork, the beaks of the Stymphalian birds are caught in the cork garment, just as the wings of small birds stick in bird-lime. These birds are of the size of a crane, and are like the ibis, but their beaks are more powerful, and not crooked like that of the ibis." — Pausanias. Description of Greece, 8.22.5
These birds were pets of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt; or had been brought up by Ares, the god of war. They migrated to a marsh in Arcadia to escape a pack of wolves. There they bred quickly and swarmed over the countryside, destroying crops, fruit trees, and townspeople.
The Sixth Labour of Heracles. The Stymphalian birds were defeated by Heracles (Hercules) in his sixth labour for Eurystheus. Heracles could not go into the marsh to reach the nests of the birds, as the ground would not support his weight. Athena, noticing the hero's plight, gave Heracles a rattle called krotala, which Hephaestus had made especially for the occasion. Heracles shook the krotala (similar to castanets) on a certain mountain that overhung the lake and thus frightening the birds into the air. Heracles then shot many of them with feathered arrows tipped with poisonous blood from the slain Hydra. The rest flew far away, never to plague Arcadia again. Heracles brought some of the slain birds to Eurystheus as proof of his success.
The surviving birds made a new home on an island of Aretias in the Euxine Sea. The Argonauts later encountered them there.
According to Mnaseas, they were not birds, but women and daughters of Stymphalus and Ornis, and were killed by Heracles because they did not receive him hospitably. In the temple of the Stymphalian Artemis, however, they were represented as birds, and behind the temple there were white marble statues of maidens with birds' feet.Joe Sermarini
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Herod Antipas Half UnitHERODIANS. Herod Antipas (4 BCE - 39 CE). Tiberias Mint, Æ half denomination, 19.4mm, 5.3 g.
O: TIBE PIAC in two lines within wreath.
R: HPΩΔOY TETPAPXOY (Herod Tetrarch), vertical palm branch, L to left, ΛZ to right, (RY 37 = 33/34 CE)
Hendin-1212 in GBC 5; ex. Hendin; ex Leu Numismatic AG 2003 Auction 86 (part of) lot 494; ex. Teddy Kollek Collection, Mayor of Jerusalem from 1965-1993; Menorah Coin Project ANT 15, Die 02/R12; Sear certificate.
Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great and Malthace, a Samaritan woman. He was brought up in Rome with his brother Archelaus.
In Herod’s will, Antipas had been named to receive the kingship, but Herod changed his will, naming Archelaus instead. Antipas contested the will before Augustus Caesar, who upheld Archelaus’ claim but divided the kingdom, giving Antipas the tetrarchy of Galilee and Perea. “Tetrarch,” meaning ‘ruler over one fourth’ of a province, was a term applied to a minor district ruler or territorial prince.
Antipas married the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia. But on one of his trips to Rome, Antipas visited his half brother Herod Philip, the son of Herod the Great and Mariamne II (not Philip the tetrarch). While visiting, he became infatuated with Philip’s wife Herodias, who was quite the ambitious woman. He took her back to Galilee and married her, divorcing Aretas’ daughter and sending her back home. This insulting action brought war. Aretas invaded and Antipas suffered major losses before receiving orders from Rome for Aretas to stop.
According to Josephus, Herod's defeat was popularly believed to be divine punishment for his execution of John the Baptist. Tiberius ordered Vitellius, the governor of Syria, to capture or kill Aretas, but Vitellius was reluctant to support Herod and abandoned his campaign upon Tiberius' death in 37.
It was Herod Antipas’ adulterous relationship with Herodias that brought reproof from John the Baptizer. John was correct in reproving Antipas, because Antipas was nominally a Jew and professedly under the Law. This would lead to John's murder being schemed during a celebration of Antipas' birthday.
On the last day of Jesus’ earthly life, when he was brought before Pontius Pilate and Pilate heard that Jesus was a Galilean, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas who happened to be in Jerusalem. Herod, disappointed in Jesus, discredited him and made fun of him, then sent him back to Pilate, who was the superior authority as far as Rome was concerned. Pilate and Herod had been enemies, possibly because of certain accusations that Herod had leveled against Pilate. But this move on Pilate’s part pleased Herod and they became friends.Nemonater
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Italy- Rome- Part of the city wallRome is the city in the world with the longest set of ancient walls still partly standing.
This unique relic of roman history, though, is somewhat neglected by the thousands of tourist who visit the city every day: very few of them pay attention to these massive structures, as their interest is mainly caught by famous buildings and sites such as the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, or the Colosseum.
Certainly less beautiful than these gems, the walls proved more useful to the city than any other well-known monument or building. And still today they stand as an important memory of the city's ancient boundaries.
The several restoration works carried out through the ages, in order to keep them strong and steady, give reason for the good state of preservation of the set of walls built in the 3rd century AD: unlike other ancient buildings, they mantained their original function until the end of the 1800s. Many of the original gates are still in place, as well, and some of them have witnessed important historical facts.
Besides their importance during wartime, the city walls enabled the local authorities to keep under control the many people who every day entered or left Rome, as the only way in or out was through the gates: the doors were usually kept under sentry during daylight, and closed after dusk. And since a tax was usually imposed on people and goods entering the city, the gates yielded also a considerable income for the municipality.
Since its foundation, Rome has always adopted defensive means, to prevent the several populations surrounding the original nucleus from invading the city.
They are not one single structure, but several walls belonging to many periods. They were built with different techniques, according to the different weapons they had to face, from early enemies' stones, to catapults, to more powerful cannon balls.
Each of them will be therefore dealt with separately, as individual structures.
All of them are conventionally named after the ruler (king, emperor or pope) who had them built.
ROMULUS' WALLS
We know little about the very first defensive structures that protected Rome's original nucleus, over 2700 years ago; the top of two adjoining hills, the Capitolium and the Palatine, was enclosed by two separate walls; the one on the Palatine was probably rebuilt over a pre-roman structure, and protected Romulus's House, claimed to be the dwelling site of the mythical founder and first king of Rome.
Only few visible traces, both of the Palatine's and of the Capitolium's wall, now survive (the latter is shown on the left). Therefore, these are the only walls not dealt with by the following pages.
SERVIAN WALLS
(or REPUBLICAN WALLS)
They are named after Rome's sixth king Servius Tullius: by tradition, he was the first ruler to order the construction of an early defensive structure around the city. Also in this case it is impossible to state a precise date. According to reliable sources, by the 6th century BC the city of Rome could indeed rely on some sort of protection; nevertheless, there is enough proof that an actual wall was not built until the late 4th century BC (during Rome's republic, whence the other name). And a further extension, beyond the left banks of the river Tiber up to the top of the Janiculum hill, was built two centuries later.
Therefore, the evolution of this set of walls must have been rather complicated.The older defensive technique probably consisted of a sort of mound dug in the ground; the earth coming from the latter was simply used to make a long heap on the inside, as a further protection.
Later in time, a real set of walls was built in place of this primitive boundary. But along the north-eastern part of its perimeter, a deep mound with earth and stones piled by the inner base of the wall was still in use: this structure was called an agger (from the Latin ad gerere, "to bring, move towards").
The actual wall was built according to the dry-stone technique, i.e. without any mortar, large blocks were piled one on top of the other, in multiple rows. The porous stone is tufa (which in Rome was used for the making of buildings up to the early 1930s!).
Unfortunately, of these walls no more than a few fragments scattered in various parts of the city is now left.
Further data based on historical sources and archaeological excavations have enabled to define more or less precisely their full perimeter: by the end of the 4th century BC, the city boundaries enclosed the famous seven hills, or Septimontium, over which the city was originally built: the Capitolium and the Palatine (i.e. the early nucleus), the Aventine, the Esquiline, the Quirinal, the Viminal and the Coelian.
Peter Wissing
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Italy- Rome- Part of the city wall 2Rome is the city in the world with the longest set of ancient walls still partly standing.
This unique relic of roman history, though, is somewhat neglected by the thousands of tourist who visit the city every day: very few of them pay attention to these massive structures, as their interest is mainly caught by famous buildings and sites such as the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, or the Colosseum.
Certainly less beautiful than these gems, the walls proved more useful to the city than any other well-known monument or building. And still today they stand as an important memory of the city's ancient boundaries.
The several restoration works carried out through the ages, in order to keep them strong and steady, give reason for the good state of preservation of the set of walls built in the 3rd century AD: unlike other ancient buildings, they mantained their original function until the end of the 1800s. Many of the original gates are still in place, as well, and some of them have witnessed important historical facts.
Besides their importance during wartime, the city walls enabled the local authorities to keep under control the many people who every day entered or left Rome, as the only way in or out was through the gates: the doors were usually kept under sentry during daylight, and closed after dusk. And since a tax was usually imposed on people and goods entering the city, the gates yielded also a considerable income for the municipality.
Since its foundation, Rome has always adopted defensive means, to prevent the several populations surrounding the original nucleus from invading the city.
They are not one single structure, but several walls belonging to many periods. They were built with different techniques, according to the different weapons they had to face, from early enemies' stones, to catapults, to more powerful cannon balls.
Each of them will be therefore dealt with separately, as individual structures.
All of them are conventionally named after the ruler (king, emperor or pope) who had them built.
ROMULUS' WALLS
We know little about the very first defensive structures that protected Rome's original nucleus, over 2700 years ago; the top of two adjoining hills, the Capitolium and the Palatine, was enclosed by two separate walls; the one on the Palatine was probably rebuilt over a pre-roman structure, and protected Romulus's House, claimed to be the dwelling site of the mythical founder and first king of Rome.
Only few visible traces, both of the Palatine's and of the Capitolium's wall, now survive (the latter is shown on the left). Therefore, these are the only walls not dealt with by the following pages.
SERVIAN WALLS
(or REPUBLICAN WALLS)
They are named after Rome's sixth king Servius Tullius: by tradition, he was the first ruler to order the construction of an early defensive structure around the city. Also in this case it is impossible to state a precise date. According to reliable sources, by the 6th century BC the city of Rome could indeed rely on some sort of protection; nevertheless, there is enough proof that an actual wall was not built until the late 4th century BC (during Rome's republic, whence the other name). And a further extension, beyond the left banks of the river Tiber up to the top of the Janiculum hill, was built two centuries later.
Therefore, the evolution of this set of walls must have been rather complicated.The older defensive technique probably consisted of a sort of mound dug in the ground; the earth coming from the latter was simply used to make a long heap on the inside, as a further protection.
Later in time, a real set of walls was built in place of this primitive boundary. But along the north-eastern part of its perimeter, a deep mound with earth and stones piled by the inner base of the wall was still in use: this structure was called an agger (from the Latin ad gerere, "to bring, move towards").
The actual wall was built according to the dry-stone technique, i.e. without any mortar, large blocks were piled one on top of the other, in multiple rows. The porous stone is tufa (which in Rome was used for the making of buildings up to the early 1930s!).
Unfortunately, of these walls no more than a few fragments scattered in various parts of the city is now left.
Further data based on historical sources and archaeological excavations have enabled to define more or less precisely their full perimeter: by the end of the 4th century BC, the city boundaries enclosed the famous seven hills, or Septimontium, over which the city was originally built: the Capitolium and the Palatine (i.e. the early nucleus), the Aventine, the Esquiline, the Quirinal, the Viminal and the Coelian.
Peter Wissing
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Kingdom of HawaiiKM # 3
AR dime/umi keneta (± 90% AR, ±10% AE), struck 1883-1884 at the San Francisco mint. Designed by Charles E. Barber, 249,921 circulation strikes (250,000 were minted, but 79 were melted), ±2.5 grams, ±17.9 mm. 180°
Obv: KALAKAUA I KING OF HAWAII, bust of King Kalakaua, • 1883 • below.
Rev: UA MAU KE EA O KA AINA I KA PONO [= the life of the land is in righteousness] / • UMI KENETA [= One Dime] • around rim. ONE / DIME surrounded by wreath, crown above.
Edge: Reeded
In 1880, Hawaii's monarch, King Kalakaua, authorized a new coinage that more closely followed United States coinage. His associate Klaus Spreckels contracted the United States Mint to produce silver coins for the islands: 700,000 half-dollars, 500,000 each of quarters and silver dollars and 250,000 dimes. The total was $1 million worth of Hawaiian coins. The Hawaiian Dime was a substitute for the 12-1/2 Cent (Hapawalu) denomination specified in the original application to the U.S. government. The Hapawalu would have required specially made blanks, whereas the Dime denomination was already a standard in the American series. Six Proof Dimes were made in September 1883 at the Philadelphia Mint for inclusion in four-piece sets containing the 10c, 25c, 50c, and $1.00 denominations. 250,000 circulation strikes were struck at the San Francisco Mint (without mintmark) from November 17, 1883 through June 1884. An additional 20 Proof Dimes were made at the Philadelphia Mint in 1884, this time for inclusion in five-piece sets containing the aforementioned denominations, plus the 12-1/2c coin. On June 14, 1900 Hawaii became a territory of the United States, and Congress ordered that a majority of the Hawaiian coins be withdrawn and melted.
Souvenir from my son amd daughter-in-law's honeymoon in Hawaii
Stkp
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L. Julius Bursio, Crawford 352/1aL. Julius Bursio, gens Julia
AR - Denar, Rome 85 BC
obv. head of Apollo Vejovis, laureate and winged, r. trident and symbol (wing)
behind
rev. Victory in quadriga r., holding wreath in outstretched hand, symbol above horses
L IVLIO BVRSIO in ex.
Crawford 352/1a; Sydenham 728
about EF
The obverse shows the role that Vejovis played in the cult of the gens Julia in Bovillae. It proofs too that the boy riding on the goat of Vejovis types is 'young Jupiter', because Vejovis was called in Bovillae 'pater'!Jochen
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Leg IXThis worn denarius has an IMP VES countermark on the reverse. Most likely the countermark was applied at Ephesus early in Vespasian's reign. Proof that more than 100 years after being minted this coin was still circulating around the Roman world!Paul F
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Leo I RIC X Constantinople 714Leo I and Verina
AE 10-11 mm 0.9 grams 457-474 AD
OBV :: DN L-EO. Pearled diadem, draped and cuirassed bust right
REV :: Verina standing facing holding long transverse scepter and cross on globe. B in left, E in right fields
EX :: none
RIC X Constantinople 714
RIC rated C2
from uncleaned lot 02/2008
A very small coin suffering from corrosion, and a robot looking Verina. proof that alien robots visited earth during the roman age :)
Johnny
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M. Volteius M.f., Crawford 385/4M. Volteius M.F., gens Volteia
AR - denarius, 17.1mm, 3.65g
Rome, 78 BC
obv. Bust of Attis, helmeted and laureate, r.
axe behind
rev. Cybele std. in biga r., drawn by two lions r., holding reins in r. hand and patera in l. hand
above N[E]
below M.VOLTEI.M.F.
Crawford 385/4; Sydenham 777; BMC 3186; Volteia 4; Albert 1823
rare, VF, lightly toned
The bust is often called Minerva, Bellona or Liber. But most probably it is Attis. According to Mommsen the coin probably is related to a religious festival and proofs the early influence of eastern religions on the Romans.
Jochen
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Moesia inferior, Nikopolis ad Istrum, 14. Septimius Severus, HrHJ (2018) 8.14.21.01 (plate coin)Septimius Severus, AD 193-211
AE 28, 10.64g, 28.41mm, 210°
struck under governor Pollenius Auspex
obv. AV KAI LOV CEPT. - CEVHROC PER
Laureate head r.
rev. [VPA POL AVC]PIKOC NIKOPOLIT / PROC ICTR
Hygieia in long garment and mantle, stg. r., feeding snake in r. arm from patera in l. hand, and Asklepios,
in himation, stg. l., resting with r. hand on snake staff and holding l. arm at hip; between them
Telesphoros stg. facing, clad in short chiton and holding in r. hand a role
ref. a) AMNG I/1, 1256, pl. XVII, 10
b) Varbanov (engl.) 2743
c) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2018) 8.14.21.1 (plate coin)
scarce, F+, glossy dark green patina
The obv. die with the legend AV KAI LOV CEP. - CEVHROC, with which the coins no.1253, 1256 and 1263 have been struck, is used too by governor Cosconius Gentianus for no. 1266. Thus it is proofed that Gentianus was the direct successor of Auspex.
It is remarkable that Telesphoros here is clad in short chiton and not in hooded cloak as usually. The meaning of the role in his hand is unknown. Therefore it is sometimes doubted that this is actually Telesphoros. For more information take a look at the referring article in the Mythology ThreadJochen
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Moesia inferior, Odessos, Gordian III & Theos Megas, AMNG 2371Gordian III, AD 238-244
AE 27, 11.40g
struck probably AD 238
obv. AVT M ANT GORDIANOC / AVG
confronted busts of Gordian III, draped and cuirassed, laureate, r., and the Great God of Odessos, in himation and with kalathos, hlding cornucopiae, l.
rev. ODHC - C - EITWN
price-crown, decorated with zigzag lines, two palm-branches sticking up from the opening, inscribed with DARZALEIA
in the field below E (for Pentassarion)
AMNG I/2, 2371; Moushmov 1675
rare, about EF
added to www.wildwinds.com
DARZALEIA were games in honour of the Great God of Odessos. This type is one of the proofs that the Great God and the Thracian god Darzelas were mixed together. In AD 238 such games took place problaby in the presence of the emperor (Pick p.528).
For more information look at the thread 'Coins of mythological interest'Jochen
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Parthia, Satrapy of Andragoras, ca. 250-238 BC, AR TetradrachmHelmeted head of Athena r.
Owl standing r., head facing, olive-sprig and crescent behind, AΘ[E] to r.
Taylor 'Birds of a Feather' 1.1; SNG ANS 9, 1; HGC 12, 1.
(23 mm, 16.73 g, 6h).
Roma Numismatics eSale 45 (5 May 2018), Lot 373; ex-'Andragoras-Sophytes' Hoard.
The advanced style of the owl and the 6h die adjustment of this coin indicate that it was struck at the end of Series 1 in the transition to Series 2 at which time the die axis adjustment changed from 12h to 6h and the reverse incuse square gave way to a non-incuse reverse. This intermediate fabric is proof that the two series were struck without a time gap between them.
The 'Andragoras-Sophytes' hoard came to market from mid-late 2017. It was reputedly found in 2014 and consisted of approximately 600 coins from at an undisclosed location in Afghanistan (Hoard information: Olivier Bordeaux & Osmund Bopearachchi). Around half of these coins were marketed by Roma Numismatics in a succession of auctions commencing in 2017 and continuing through 2019. n.igma
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Peru 1912 FG 1/2 Dinero - NGC MS 67Peru 1912 FG 1/2 Dinero
NGC MS67
*note the prooflike fields.rexesq
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Phoenicia, Tyros, Elagabal, BMC 26Elagabal, AD 218-222
AE 28
obv. IMP CAES AVR AV AN - TONINVS AVG
Bust, cuirassed with chain armor, laureate, r.
rev. TY - RIO - R - VM
Astarte, in double chiton, wearing mural crown, stg. facing, l. foot on prow, holding long transversal sceptre in l. arm and touching tropaion on left side with her r. hand; on the r. side Nike stg. l. on a high narrow column and crowning her with wreath; at her feet r. a palm and l. a murex shell.
BMC 26
about VF, even brown patina, slightly rough
At Sidon, massive mounds (hundreds of yards long and several yards deep) of Murex trunculus were found. The shells were broken in the spot that gives access to the glands from which the dyestuff is obtained. At some distance, a separate and distinct massive mound of Murex brandaris and Thais haemostoma was found. Since a reddish-purple dye is most readily obtainable from the Murex brandaris and Thais haemostoma as opposed to the bluish-purple obtained from the Murex trunculus, Egyptologist A. Dedekind (1898) viewed this fact as undeniable proof that Murex trunculus was the snail used exclusively for tekhelet (blue), and the others for argaman (purple) (c) A. Navon .(from Den of Antiquity) Jochen
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Poland. Copper-nickel 10 zlotych 1968 Proof.Poland. Copper-nickel 10 zlotych 1968 Proof. XXV Helmeted head right, 25th anniversary people's army / Eagle, wings open, standing on perch.
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Q. Metellus Pius Scipio w/ Vespasian CountermarkQ. Metellus Pius Scipio. Silver Denarius 47-46 BC. Military mint traveling with Scipio in Africa.
O: Q METEL above, PIVS below, laureate head of Jupiter right, c/m: IMP VES (ligate) in incuse rectangle.
R: SCIPIO above, IMP in exergue, elephant advancing right.
- Crawford 459/1; HCRI 45; Sydenham 1050; Caecilia 47.
A Pompeian loyalist, Q. Metellus Pius Scipio introduced the legislation that recalled Caesar from his Gallic command, thus precipitating the Civil Wars. This denarius was struck while Scipio was in supreme command of the Pompeian forces in North Africa, the elephant an obvious reference to the province, and was probably struck during the later stages of the campaign in a mobile mint traveling alongside the forces (stylistically it is quite distinct from the coins of Scipio struck at the provincial capital of Utica). In 46 BC, Caesar finally managed to corner the Pompeians at Thapsus, where he inflicted a crushing defeat. After the battle Scipio committed suicide knowing that, despite Caesar's usual leniency towards his enemies, he would not allow so persistent an foe as Scipio to survive.
The countermark applied during Vespasian's rule is interesting proof that this older coinage continued in circulation.Nemonater
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RIC 068 DomitianAR Denarius, 3.08g
Rome mint, 81 AD
Obv: IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG PONT; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: TR P COS VII DES VIII P P; Seat, draped; above, winged thunderbolt
RIC 68 (R2). BMC -. RSC -. BNC -.
The early pulvinar denarii struck by Domitian tell the story of an emperor who was awarded titles in stages. The "PONT" series were minted before Domitian obtained the full title Pontifex Maximus, presumably until the proper religious rites were completed. Most "PONT" denarii are listed as R2 or R3. Interestingly, this Group 4 denarius shares the same obverse die as my very rare Group 3 RIC 34 with the same reverse type but with a different legend, proof that the two groups were struck simultaneously. At this time the mint was divided up into different officinae based on reverse types. No obverses die matches are found with different reverse types.
A great early style portrait and finely toned.David Atherton
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RIC 1496 Domitian as Caesar [Vespasian]AR Denarius, 3.17g
Ephesus (?) mint, 76 AD
Obv: CAESAR AVG F DOMITIANVS; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r., 'o' mint mark below neck
Rev: PON MAX TR P COS IIII; Winged caduceus
RIC 1496 (R2). BMC 489. RSC 369. RPC 1469 (2 spec.). BNC 377.
Acquired from Britaly Coins, April 2016.
The small series struck under Vespasian this coin comes from is quite mysterious. The mint is not known for certain, although Ephesus is a prime suspect. K. Butcher and M. Ponting in The Metallurgy of Roman silver Coinage analysed the Ephesian and 'o' mint series and their data shows both issues are made from the same bullion. Not definitive proof the two series are from the same mint, but good evidence of a strong link. Unlike the Ephesian series, the 'o' issue is full of blundered legends and mules. This denarius struck for Domitian Caesar has a PON MAX reverse legend, an impossible title for the young prince. However, what the mint masters lacked in competency, the engravers made up for in their stylish portraits.
A wonderful portrait struck on a large flan. An obverse die match with my RIC V1494.David Atherton
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RIC 816 DomitianAR Denarius, 2.73g
Rome mint, 95-96 AD
Obv: DOMITIANVS AVG GERM; Head of Domitian, bare, bearded, r.
Rev: Temple, eight columns, seated figure in centre; IMP CAESAR on architrave
RIC 816 (R2). BMC 243. RSC 175. BNC -.
Ex Private Collection.
Domitian struck a rare undated issue of denarii depicting five different temples. Based on portrait style and the fact that Domitian's moneyers were experimenting with new reverse designs after 94, the issue has been dated to either 95 or 96. Four of the five temples have been identified - Serapis, Cybele, Minerva, and Capitoline Jupiter. The fifth type is an octastyle temple, as seen on the coin above, and its identification remains a mystery. Mattingly conjectured it could be the Temple of Divus Vespasian, P.V. Hill and D. Vagi thought it possibly the Temple of Jupiter Victor, R.H. Darwell-Smith speculated it is the Temple of Jupiter Custos, and M. Tameanko believed it to be the Temple of Divus Augustus. Tameanko makes the strongest case. Earlier renditions of the temple on the coinage under Caligula show it with a hexastyle facade. Domitian restored or rebuilt the temple after the fire of 80. His architect Rabirius may have completely overhauled the building in a more contemporary style producing an octastyle temple. Almost a hundred years later Antoninus Pius restored the temple again and struck a series of coins commemorating the event. His coins indeed depict an octastyle temple very much like the one seen on this denarius and may be proof that under Domitian the temple was rebuilt as an octastyle structure. However, until more evidence comes to light, the identification remains uncertain. Like Domitian's earlier Saecular Games series, the temple denarii were likely struck as a special issue, perhaps reflecting Domitian's new interest as builder. The remarkable bare headed portrait further enhances the issue as something special.
Needless to say it is a fantastically rare piece! Additionally, the eight column type may be the scarcest of the temple group, considering I have located only two other examples in trade over the last 15 years. The other two coins (OldRomanCoins 2002, HJB 145, lot 265) are obverse die matches with mine. Oddly, some specimens (BM 234 for example) lack IMP CAESAR on the architrave.
Worn, with some bumps and scrapes, but well-centred and in good style with plenty of eye appeal.
David Atherton
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ROMAN EMPIRE PROVINCIAL, HADRIAN, IONIA, Miletus. Ae 36 Zeus standingReference.
BMC - ;SNG von Aulock- ;SNG Copenhagen -; SNG France- ;RPC - ;
Obv: AΔPIANOC KAICAP ΟΛΙΜΠΙΟC
Laureate head right.
Rev: POVΦOV TO B ΜΙΛΗ- CΙΩΝ ΕΠΙ
Zeus standing right, wearing chlamys, holding thunderbolt, and resting hand on hip.
26.25 gr
36 mm
h
Note.
The worship of Hadrian as 'Zeus Olympios' in the east of the empire was also practiced in Miletus. A proof of this is this coinage, which the emperor explicitly names as 'ΟΛΙΜΠΙΟC'. In addition, the archaeological excavations in Miletus have been used to discover a large number of household altars who had been consecrated to Hadrian, who had inscriptions such as "The Caesar Trajan Hadrian Sebastos Zeus Olympios" (Friesen, Imperial Cults, p. 177)okidoki
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Roman Empire, Constantine I - VLPP ImitativeThis portrait is conclusive proof that space aliens built the aqueducts. Reverse legend of III... wraps 360 degrees.
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ROMAN EMPIRE, Constantine I - VLPP ImitativeThis portrait is conclusive proof that space aliens built the aqueducts. Reverse legend of III... wraps 360 degrees.
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ROMAN EMPIRE, Plautilla AR Denarius Superb UNCRome mint, Issue II, AD 202. PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA, Bust, draped, hair coiled in ridges, either vertical or horizontal and fastened in bun at back/CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing l., holding patera and scepter. RIC 363a, Sear 7065, BMC 236,411-414, RSC-1, Cohen-1, Hill 583. UNC, full proof like luster.LordBest
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RPC 1949 VespasianAR Tetradrachm, 11.99g
Antioch mint, 70-71 AD
Obv: ΑΥΤΟΚ ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒΑ ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΟΥ, LΓ (in right field); Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: ΕΤΟΥΣ Γ ΙΕΡΟΥ; Eagle standing, l., on club; in field, palm branch
RPC 1949 (0 spec.). Prieur 115 (this coin).
Acquired from CGB.fr, April 2021. Ex Banias Hoard.
A most remarkable regnal year 3 Antiochene tetradrachm struck with an obverse die intended for an Alexandrian tetradrachm. The regnal year on the obverse combined with the Alexandrian legend and style is proof beyond doubt that this obverse die was intended for an Alexandrian billon tetradrachm, but how could this be? The RPC Antiochene groups 1-3 tetradrachms are all struck in 'Alexandrian' style. Many scholarly theories abound as to why: either the coins were struck at the Alexandria mint and then sent to Syria for circulation or, at the very least, the dies were engraved there. It's also possible (but unlikely) that Alexandrian mint workers were sent to Antioch to help set up the mint or bolster its production. This Alexandrian/Antiochene hybrid strongly hints that these Alexandrian style coins were indeed struck at Alexandria. In this case a die intended for a domestic tetradrachm somehow got mixed up with their Syrian work order. It must be said however that Antiochene silver is of a different composition than that used at Alexandria, so it is possible the dies were engraved in Alexandria and then shipped to the Antioch mint, in which case an Alexandrian die got mixed up with the shipment. Only two specimens have been recorded of this rare hybrid, surprisingly both are from different die pairs. This example is illustrated in Michel and Karin Prieur's type corpus The Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms.
Is this coin the Rosetta Stone needed to solve the complicated questions surrounding the mintage of these Vespasianic tetradrachms? Perhaps, but I fear it raises more questions than answers. A fascinating coin nonetheless!David Atherton
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Sri Lanka, Roman imitative, Jarman coin 118AE 12, 0.51g, 12.48mm, 30°
struck in Sri Lanka 5th century AD during the time between Valentinian and Honorius AD 364-423
obv. Bust, draped, laureate, r.; smal dots representing the legend
rev. Imitation of the "Fallen Horseman type
Pedigree:
ex coll Dr.Francis Jarman, coin 118
These small coins were found in great hoards in Sri Lanka. Probably they were used as temple donations or as payments made to soldiers. They are the historical proof of the Roman trade with India.Jochen
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Sri Lanka, Roman imitative, Jarman coin 9AE 14, 0.9g, 13.96mm, 90°
struck in Sri Lanka 5th century AD during the time between Valentinian and Honorius AD 364-423
obv. Bust, draped and cuirassed, laureate, r.; smal lines representing the legend
rev. 3 stiff figures with raised arms
Pedigree:
ex coll Dr.Francis Jarman, coin 9
These small coins were found in great hoards in Sri Lanka. Probably they were used as temple donations or as payments made to soldiers. They are the historical proof of the Roman trade with India.
Jochen
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Thessaly, Pelinna AR Obol (BCD Thessaly 1433.7, Ex Pozzi, BCD, Al-Thani)Greek (Classical). Thessaly, Pelinna AR Obol (0.82g, 13mm, 7h), c. 425-350 BCE.
Obv: Horse advancing l.; bead border.
Rev: Π – E – ΛI. Warrior (Peltast) advancing l., holding shield and spear; within incuse square.
Reference: BCD Thessaly 1433.7 (this coin) = Pozzi 1236 = Pozzi (Boutin) 2826 (this coin illustrated).
See also: Sprawski (2014) “Peltasts in Thessaly” p. 96, n. 9 (this coin cited) = Sprawski (2009) Tessalia, Tessalowie i ich sąsiedzi, p. 142, n. 335, & p. 161 (this coin cited, corr. different spec. ill., CNG 73, 192); Rogers 1932, p. 142, n. 430 (this coin incorrectly cited, “E.R. ex Pozzi 1236 (Fig. 234)”; different specimen described and illustrated).
Provenance: Ex Dr. S. Pozzi (1846-1918) Collection, Naville I (14 March 1921), 1236; illustrated in Boutin (1979), No. 2826; BCD Collection of Thessaly, Part I, Nomos 4 (10 May 2011), Lot 1433.7 [Cat. LINK]; Sheik Saoud Al Thani (1966-2014) = “Man in Love with Art” Collection, Part V, NAC 133 (21 Nov 2022), 59 [ACS Link].
Notes: Al-Thani must have been the largest buyer at BCD Thessaly I, about half the lots having appeared again in the recent NAC sales of his "Collection of a Man in Love with Art." Even with the understandable excitement around this sale (the "crown jewels of the BCD Thessaly Collection," as Kirk Davis described it [LINK]), the bidding reached extraordinary levels, no doubt thanks to Al-Thani's attempt to buy it all. Over a decade later, many have sold a quarter or less of the Nomos 4 prices (and still achieved strong results!).
One unanswered question for me: Was this coin part of Rev. Edgar Rogers collection (the most famous coll. of Thess. before BCD)? Much of it was acquired by the BMC, but Baldwin's acquired others, some of which BCD bought. Rogers cited this coin as being in his collection, but did so while referencing a different type. Of Pozzi's 6 coins of Pelinna (only 3 in the Naville sale), Rogers apparently acquired most, if not all (3 now in the BMC, the rest cited as his in the book). Unfortunately, his 1932 refs. are a mess. (He makes identical mistakes for Pozzi 1237.)
See also: My "Annotated Bibliography of the BCD Collection" [LINK]; NAC's Coin in hand video (LINK).Curtis JJ
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint MintUnited States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.rexesq
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint MintUnited States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
~rexesq
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint MintUnited States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
~rexesq
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint - o~
~~
United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~~~
~~~
Obverse, Cut
~~
~
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint - rUnited States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
~
Reverse - Cut.rexesq
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint - r~
~~
United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint.United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
Obverse
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint.United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
Obverse
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint.United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
Obverse
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint..United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
Reverse.
~rexesq
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint..United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
Reverse.
~rexesq
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U.S. 1 Oz. Silver Eagle PROOF - 2001 W - Westpoint Mint..United States of America, ~PROOF~ One Ounce Silver Eagle, .999 fine Silver.
2001 W, Struck at the U.S. Mint at Westpoint.
~~
Reverse.
~rexesq
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U.S. Proof Nickel - 2005 S - "Ocean in View" PCGS PR69DCAMUnited States of America
'Western Journey Nickel Series' 2005 San Francisco Mint
'Ocean in View' type.
~ PROOF ~rexesq
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