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Author Topic: New Coin to Show Off, LOL  (Read 1032 times)

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Offline Virgil H

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New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« on: September 29, 2022, 07:05:14 pm »
Just won this one at auction. I have just fallen in love with some of the Republican coins, plus there are some dog coins I really want. I am not sure how people collect Republican coins, be it eras, moneyers, or just the imagery. I would be interested in how people approach these coins. I find the AR denarius coins just beautiful.

I am lately on a roll with coins with dogs. I haven't bought many, but I am looking and bidding. This one I won. I will add this to my gallery but wanted to post it here, as well. I love everything about this coin. Part of it is the reverse with the dog and spear, but I also love the blank space on the reverse. Plus, my diety of choice has always been Artemis/Diana. Diana is associated with a stag often, but also with hunting dogs, so for me, this is the best of both worlds. I personally think the portrait of Diana on this coin is simply amazing, she is so young and beautiful and very human looking. She has her bow and quiver.

C. Postumius, Rome, 73 BC. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.78g). Draped bust of Diana r., bow and quiver over shoulder. R/ Hound running r.; spear below, TA monogram in exergue. Crawford 394/1a; RBW 1434; RSC Postumia 9. VF

Thanks,
Virgil

Offline Tracy Aiello

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2022, 07:42:31 pm »
Virgil,

What a magnificent addition to your collection. Congrats. It is indeed a beautiful coin.

Tracy

Offline Virgil H

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2022, 08:39:35 pm »
Thanks Tracy, these Republican coins are often just so beautiful and artistic, even with a lot of redundancy in what they depict at times. Some of us have had discussions about pure art in the past, but I think so many of these measure up artistically with the best of Greek art in a lot of ways. On this coin, I think the portrait of Diana may be unsurpassed or, at least, pretty close to the best ever for the European version of her. In Asia Minor, Artemis was a different thing for the most part with both Greeks and Romans and I love those, too, having seen original Artemis sculpture in Turkey. Then again, I have also seen the Diana of Versailles at the Louvre. LOL

Cheers,
Virgil

Offline Meepzorp

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2022, 03:11:22 am »
Hi VH,

Nice Coin! :)

Meepzorp

Offline Virgil H

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2022, 01:17:13 pm »
Thanks, Meep

Virgil

Offline PMah

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2022, 10:02:57 pm »
Nice coin, Virgil. 
If you have become a fan of Diana, a similar obverse type can be found on Cr 383/1 Ti. Claudius Ti. f. Ap. n. Nero, from just a few years earlier.  I think I have one in my gallery
On both issues, I find the quiver and bow to be interesting, because the scale of those items is somewhere between an "attribute" and a more realistic sculptural scale.  In other words, the engraver did not merely place the quiver and bow somewhere on the coin, but also did not really fit the scale of the portrait, either.
Personally, I would not have messed around with the scale of the bow of the goddess of the hunt...
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Offline Jay GT4

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2022, 10:34:07 pm »
Great coin.  That type was one of my first Republicans.  I just sold mine a few months ago.

Offline Virgil H

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2022, 12:47:59 am »
Thanks Pmah and Jay, Pmah, I will check out that coin you mention. I have always loved Diana/Artemis and most coins I have with her are the eastern cult Artemis. The western Diana is so different. The thing about some of these Republican coins is their sheer artistry. On my coin, the portrait of Diana is just amazing. One thing I didn't mention is her hair, which I find so incredibly rendered. As well as the other aspects of her bust, as well as the bow and quiver. And I agree the bow and quiver are very interesting here. I guess I find this portrait is of a young, strong woman of great beauty and power. The engraver nailed it and the reverse with the dog and spear and so much "white" space to be extremely powerful, much more so than if there had been more legends and/or symbols. It is a simple work of art with great power and impact. I wonder if the artists were going for this or if it just worked out that way.

Virgil

Offline Ken W2

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #8 on: October 26, 2022, 10:34:35 pm »

Hey Virgil. Really nice coin!  Congrats. I too have developed an interest in denarii of the republic. I only have 4 so far (part of a reverse type subset I’m working on that includes imperial denarii and some ants too). I also like the fuller weight of republican denarii as many are right at 4 grams. 

Offline Virgil H

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Re: New Coin to Show Off, LOL
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2022, 11:48:28 pm »
Thanks, Ken. Yeah, some of the demarii of the Republic are amazing. I have certainly developed an interest in them and I have also maybe 3 or 4 only. Some of them are just stunning.

Virgil

 

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