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Author Topic: Aes Graves As-Where would you classify based on weight?  (Read 134 times)

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Offline Justin L1

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Aes Graves As-Where would you classify based on weight?
« on: January 27, 2024, 11:04:20 am »
Hello-

I recently picked up this Aes Graves on a whim and have been spending some time trying to properly attribute it. The photos when listed were poor showing it as dark brown when it really has a charming dark green patina. Further it was listed without a weight which made it hard to classify. On my kitchen scale (not the most accurate)-this coin weighs 105g. So would one classify this as towards the lighter end of a Semilbral reduction coin (ca. 132g)? or towards the heavier end of a Post Semilibral reuction coin (ca. 81g)? I know that design elements can help further refine this but I have neither the references or experience to nail that one down. Do we simply guess or do we label something like this more of a transitional piece?  I added it to my gallery as being of 'Semilibral' reduction based on weight an appearance with the attribution below? Does this seem reasonable-or should I make changes?

Thanks for the help,

Justin

AE Aes Grave As: 217-215 BC
ID: AE Aes Grave As; Semilibral weight standard
Denomination: Aes Grave As
Year: 217-215 BC
Obverse: Bearded Head of Janus (without mark of value on obv.)
Reverse: Prow of Galley Left.
Mint: Rome
Weight & Measures: ~105g
References: Sear 572, CR-38/1, CRR 89, ICC 63.
Provenance: Ex Stacks Bowers Galleries (January 2024 NYINC Auction); Lot 55206.

Notes: Janus (/ˈdʒeɪnəs/ JAY-nəs; Latin: Ianvs [ˈi̯aːnʊs]) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. The “Prow” series (Reverse) was not a commemoration of a specific event but more a general assertion of mastery over the Mediterranean Sea and subsequent trade.

Offline antoninus1

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Re: Aes Graves As-Where would you classify based on weight?
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2024, 04:26:51 am »
... So would one classify this as towards the lighter end of a Semilbral reduction coin (ca. 132g)? or towards the heavier end of a Post Semilibral reuction coin (ca. 81g)? I know that design elements can help further refine this but I have neither the references or experience to nail that one down. Do we simply guess or do we label something like this more of a transitional piece?  I added it to my gallery as being of 'Semilibral' reduction based on weight an appearance with the attribution below? Does this seem reasonable-or should I make changes?
...

AE Aes Grave As: 217-215 BC
ID: AE Aes Grave As; Semilibral weight standard
Denomination: Aes Grave As
Year: 217-215 BC
Obverse: Bearded Head of Janus (without mark of value on obv.)
Reverse: Prow of Galley Left.
Mint: Rome
Weight & Measures: ~105g
References: Sear 572, CR-38/1, CRR 89, ICC 63.
...

A difficult topic, that´s probably why nobody answered so far :)
You can find the work of Haeberlin "Aes Grave: das Schwergeld Roms und Mittelitaliens einschliesslich der ihm vorausgehenden Rohbronzewährung" on the web site of the Bibliotheque National de France. It´s slow so have to be patient when opening and downloading it:

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k8803718/f5.image.r=haeberlin.langEN
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k880368k/f1.image.r=haeberlin.langEN

I am not so familiar with this but I would say that the coin is of the "urban reduced semilibral standard, later period". Examples can be found on plate 49. I don´t know how Haeberlin separated the earlier from the later period. Maybe the transition is smoothly.

Offline antoninus1

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Re: Aes Graves As-Where would you classify based on weight?
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2024, 04:35:16 am »
Attached a screenshot of a part of plate 49. Coin 1 weighs 132,76 g, coin 6 only 91,30 g.

Offline Justin L1

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Re: Aes Graves As-Where would you classify based on weight?
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2024, 11:34:07 am »
Thank you for the thoughtful response and info/link Antoninus1! I will definitely make my way through the material! It would stand within reason that these coins can be classified more specifically-but sometimes knowing where to find the proper information is difficult.

-Justin

 

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