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Author Topic: Nemo's Gallery - Three Scarce to Rare Titus Denarii Added  (Read 80472 times)

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Offline FlaviusDomitianus

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Scarce Vespasian Didrachm added
« Reply #100 on: June 06, 2014, 02:26:40 am »
Thanks Alberto,

Do you have an email contact for him?

PM sent

Alberto

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Herod Antipas Half Unit added
« Reply #101 on: August 02, 2014, 10:47:23 pm »
Just photographed a new addition.  Quite a piece of history with one of the most infamous men of the 1st century.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-111036


Also, for those who don't frequent the COTD thread, here is a rare, early type of Elagabalus that I added a couple of weeks ago.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-110755

Enjoy,
Nemo

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Rare Vespasian Dynastic Denarius added
« Reply #102 on: August 16, 2014, 06:43:08 pm »
Here is a denarius I've wanted to add for a long time. A rare type with Titus and Domitian but in rough shape. I believe (hope) my attribution is correct.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-111625

Nemo

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Rare Vespasian Dynastic Denarius added
« Reply #103 on: August 22, 2014, 01:58:33 am »
Here is a denarius I've wanted to add for a long time. A rare type with Titus and Domitian but in rough shape. I believe (hope) my attribution is correct.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-111625

Nemo

Hi

Congratulation this interesting and nice and rare coin... +++

 Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Rare Vespasian Dynastic Denarius added
« Reply #104 on: August 23, 2014, 12:40:10 pm »
Quote from: quadrans on August 22, 2014, 01:58:33 am
Hi
Congratulation this interesting and nice and rare coin... +++

 Q.

Thanks Q! I'll keep my eyes open for a clearer example but I'm happy with it for sure.

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Hard to find Gratus prutah added
« Reply #105 on: September 04, 2014, 01:01:15 am »
I've wanted this type for a long time, possibly the last coin issued by Gratus. Hard to find with the legends. I posted this over in Biblical coins as well.

Hope you enjoy it.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-112376

Enjoy!

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #106 on: September 15, 2014, 09:18:09 pm »
I just doubled the size of my antiquities gallery with this diploma fragment. As my collecting habits lean toward the "shoot first and ask questions later", I would appreciate any input or researching leads. 

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-112619

I did find http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryDiploma.html which has some excellent information on these pieces. So far I haven't found anything to identify where or when my fragment is from.

Thanks in advance,

Nemo

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #107 on: September 16, 2014, 04:35:59 pm »
For those who don't frequent the "Metal Antiquities" threads, the observation that the writing on the two sides of the diploma is not offset 90 degrees makes this either quite rare or a forgery. I'll be emailing the seller to get their input. 

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=97762.0

Any educated opinions are greatly appreciated and might be best kept on the "Metal Antiquities" thread for continuity.

Thanks,

Nemo

Offline David Atherton

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #108 on: September 17, 2014, 05:40:21 am »
For those who don't frequent the "Metal Antiquities" threads, the observation that the writing on the two sides of the diploma is not offset 90 degrees makes this either quite rare or a forgery. I'll be emailing the seller to get their input. 

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=97762.0

Any educated opinions are greatly appreciated and might be best kept on the "Metal Antiquities" thread for continuity.

Thanks,

Nemo

I don't have any expertise in determining authenticity of the piece but hope it turns out for the best. Please keep us posted.

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #109 on: September 17, 2014, 09:04:34 am »
I don't have any expertise in determining authenticity of the piece but hope it turns out for the best. Please keep us posted.

Thanks for the support David, I certainly will.

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #110 on: September 27, 2014, 10:03:07 pm »
I just received word from a highly respected authority at Oxford University that this is an authentic fragment and a rarer type at that.  I'm compiling many more details, but I wanted to share my good news!

Nemo

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #111 on: September 28, 2014, 06:35:43 am »
Excellent!
Joseph Sermarini
Owner, President
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Offline David Atherton

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #112 on: September 28, 2014, 07:58:11 am »
Excellent news indeed! I'm so glad this is authentic.

Are you planning to add a translation to the gallery description?

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #113 on: September 28, 2014, 08:15:02 am »
Thanks Joe, David.

Yes, I worked on the translation and dating last evening, along with help (an understatement) from a very kind scholar.  I'm hoping to have it all done by tonight.

Nemo

Offline Molinari

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #114 on: September 28, 2014, 10:03:10 am »
Great news.  Congratulations on the acquisition.  Can't wait to read the write-up!

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Ancient Military Diploma Fragment added
« Reply #115 on: September 28, 2014, 06:43:59 pm »
Thanks Molinari.

Because this is being followed in two threads, the following has also been posted under the Metal Antiquities Board.

The short story can be found by simply reading the description that’s been added to the photo in my gallery.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-112619

The long story is as follows.

After buying this fragment, I was thrilled to add it to my collection.  I found however that reading 2000 year old Latin engraved in bronze plate was more difficult than I imagined.  Then Shawn and Benito pointed out that the engraving was not at the typical 90 degree angle.  Added to that, after examining several other diplomas, I found the striations on the one side odd as well.

Basically it came down to:
Patina and lettering = Authentic
Atypical letter orientation, weird striations and no provenance = Fake

At this point I was kicking myself for not doing research BEFORE making a purchase. What a thought!

But then, a ray of hope! Stultus is able to name the Emperor, Severus Alexander!

This focused my research and I was able to find other diploma's of Elagabalus and Severus Alexander with identical striations. A bit of relief.

Further searching brought me to a fantastic scholar in the Classics Faculty in Oxford who has worked with other high profile Alexander diplomas. (And modestly would like to remain anonymous.)

After explaining the concerns, here are the relevant parts of his response in quotes:

“The witnesses' names are usually inscribed at right-angles to the 'inner' text on the other face of Tablet II, but on very few diplomas they are inscribed on the outside of Tablet I, with the 'inner' text (duplicating the 'outer', visible text) inscribed on the other face. I think yours must be an example, since the writing looks all right to me.  The main text contains part of the usual formulas for Alexander Severus.

In the lines below, there is enough to show that the recipient was a veteran of the Praetorian Guard, who was granted the right of contracting a legal Roman marriage.

As far as the dating of the diploma is concerned, line three reads: COS III, preceded by II, the last two digits of the TRIB POT number. He became COS III in 229, and remained this until his death in 235, so the possible years are 229 (TRIB POT VIII), 230 (VIIII), 233 (XII), 234 (XIII) and 235 (XIIII).”

I (Nemo) then spent some time translating the Latin text he provided into English seen below in quotes.  (I didn't know that the next morning he would send me another email.)

... M]AGNI II FIL
“Son of Magnus Pius”
... ALEXAN]DER PIVS FELIX AVG
Alexander Pius Felix Augustus
... TRIB POT?]II COS III P P
“In the ? year of Tribunician or Conul power, Pater Patriae
... MI]LITAVERVNT IN
“Who served in”
... SE]VERIANIS DECEM
“Ten Severan
... ] PIIS VINDICIBVS
“Loyal and Avenging”
... MILI]TIA FVNCTI SVNT
“Performed their military function”
... ] CVM SINGV
“With one”
?LIS ... ETIA]M SI PEREGRI
“Even if foreign”

The next morning the following was in my inbox:

"The underlined portions are the words that are visible on the fragment:

'The Emperor Caesar, son of the deified Antoninus Pius the Great [i.e. 'Caracalla'], grandson of Severus Pius [i.e. Septimius Severus], Marcus Aurellius [thus usually written] Severus Alexander Pius Felix ['happy'] Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, in the [...]th year of his Tribunician Power, Consul three times [i.e. 229 or later: see above], Father of his Country. The names of the soldiers who have served in the ten Severan Praetorian Cohorts (numbered) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Pius Vindex ['dutiful, avenging'], who have dutifully and bravely completed their service, (to them) I have granted the right of Roman marriage, provided it is with one woman only and she their first wife, so that even if they marry women of non-Roman status ...'"

That's it for now. Anyone want to guess the five coins that are now on my want list?

Nemonater

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Unique Half Shekel added
« Reply #116 on: October 07, 2014, 07:42:05 pm »
I've just added one of my favorite coins to my gallery. It has a glossy find patina that is impossible for me to capture in a photograph. One of the most important and rarest dates in the Shekel of Tyre series. If anyone has this same year, I would love to see it!

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-113211

Enjoy,

Nemo


Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Scarce Trajan/Salus denarius added
« Reply #118 on: October 21, 2014, 07:43:54 pm »
Trajan
O: IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC, laureate, draped bust right.
R: PARTHICO PM TRP COS VI PP SPQR, SALVS AVG in ex., Salus seated left by altar, holding patera, feeding snake entwined around altar.
RIC 370, BMC 645.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-113572

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Scarce Trajan/Salus denarius added
« Reply #119 on: October 25, 2014, 03:16:42 pm »
Trajan
O: IMP CAES NER TRAIAN OPTIM AVG GERM DAC, laureate, draped bust right.
R: PARTHICO PM TRP COS VI PP SPQR, SALVS AVG in ex., Salus seated left by altar, holding patera, feeding snake entwined around altar.
RIC 370, BMC 645.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-113572

 Ilike this Traianus revers...

 Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Rare Vespasian/Jupiter denarius added
« Reply #120 on: October 26, 2014, 12:19:04 am »
Thanks Q!

Here is my most recent purchase. A rare left facing Vespasian/Jupiter Denarius. 6 left facing vs 67 right facing in the Reka-Devnia hoard. 2 left vs 10 in the hoard of Francesti.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-113856

Enjoy,
Nemo

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Titus / Slow Quadriga denarius added
« Reply #121 on: November 10, 2014, 08:23:38 pm »
Just added a rarer example of the Titus / Slow Quadriga type denarius

Although the obverse has seen better days, I decided to purchase it because I don't have any other from this series and it is difficult to find the IMP XV variety.  (Brought to my attention while perusing Mr. Atherton's gallery  ;) )

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-114376

Offline David Atherton

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Titus / Slow Quadriga denarius added
« Reply #122 on: November 10, 2014, 09:06:55 pm »
Just added a rarer example of the Titus / Slow Quadriga type denarius

Although the obverse has seen better days, I decided to purchase it because I don't have any other from this series and it is difficult to find the IMP XV variety.  (Brought to my attention while perusing Mr. Atherton's gallery  ;) )

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-114376

You are correct about this type being a bit rarer with IMP XV. Notice how it reads TR P VIIII compared with the next issue's TR P IX dated to the first half of 80.

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Titus / Slow Quadriga denarius added
« Reply #123 on: November 10, 2014, 10:16:50 pm »
Again two very nice and rare denarius..

Congratulation. +++
Q.
All the Best :), Joe
My Gallery

Offline Nemonater

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Re: Nemo's Gallery - Titus / Slow Quadriga denarius added
« Reply #124 on: November 11, 2014, 05:31:53 pm »
Thanks Q.

David, I always enjoy the details you bring to the forum.

Thanks!

 

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