out of the ordinary Commodus sestertius

[Diederik]

It is not my primary field of collecting, nor expertise, but I could not resist this special Commodus sestertius (21 gram):
M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT , laureate head right/
VICT FELI PM TR P XIIII IMP VIII – COS V PP – S – C Victory , winged, draped, turreted, flying left, holding garland in both hands, two shiels inscribed S and C on base inscribed COS V PP.

RIC 530, Cohen 948, BMC 633 possibly the same reverse die as on plate 108 nr 8.


Frans

[Ronald]

  great coin

[curtislclay]

I agree, same rev. die as BMC pl. 108.8.

An interesting type, presumably commemorating the Senate's award to the emperor of two honorary shields mounted on a base, as shown. COS V P P was written on the base in the coin type because the actual monument had its dedcatory inscription in the same position.

I wonder what the thin rod-like element between the two shields is? Part of the structure to support the shields? I had never noticed that before.

[Rupert]

Could it be a priestly apex?

Rupert

[curtislclay]

Seems too thin and elongated for an apex, which also wouldn't fit with the victory theme of the shields.

Thanks for the suggestion, nonetheless!

[quadrans]

It is not my primary field of collecting, nor expertise, but I could not resist this special Commodus sestertius (21 gram):
M COMMODVS ANT P FELIX AVG BRIT , laureate head right/
VICT FELI PM TR P XIIII IMP VIII – COS V PP – S – C Victory , winged, draped, turreted, flying left, holding garland in both hands, two shiels inscribed S and C on base inscribed COS V PP.

RIC 530, Cohen 948, BMC 633 possibly the same reverse die as on plate 108 nr 8.


Frans

Any way nice piece..

 Regards
 Q.

[Diederik]

I have the coin at home now and the object in between the shields seems really articulated in its design; no clue as yet, but when I am home from my present journey in France, I promise new pictures. Thanks for your kind and helpful input.

Frans

[orfew]

Very nice piece with an interesting reverse.

[Joe Sermarini]

I enjoyed just looking at the photo. Nice coin.

[Charles S]

Very nice and special

[Robert_Brenchley]

Victory looks like she's playing the drums.

[Rupert]

Just recently, I got the as of this type (RIC 540) which seems to be significantly rarer than the sestertius; RIC quotes none of the big collections but the Vierordt sale of 1923. Sorry, the condition is mediocre and the patina quite mottled, so I didn't manage to take really good pictures. Technical data: 9.06 g, 24 mm, die axis 12 o'clock.

Rupert

[curtislclay]

I'm sure the As is rarer than the sestertius, but its apparent rarity is probably partly due just to lack of interest: few collectors have gone after the middle bronzes!

Yours is from different dies than Vierordt 1758 that RIC and BMC cite. There was a further specimen in the Lanz Graz middle bronze sale of 1974, lot 476; from a third obv. die, rev. die perhaps the same as your coin.

In my current collection I have the following asses from the same TR P XIIII issue:

FORT FELI

IOVI IVVENI, 2 spec., from different dies

MART PACAT, previously unpublished on middle bronzes

PIET SENAT.

Conditionwise, most of mine are rather mediocre also!

I may have had a VICT FELI in my first collection, if so it would now have been in the Ashmolean Museum since c. 1990. I can't recall for sure.