new PIE-TAS addition to my Pius collection

[Diederik]

Pius' early bronze coinage seems simple, but is quite complicated due to quickly superseding issues, varying texts and bare or laureate heads. The situation in the workshop must have been pretty chaotic as there are also dozens of hybrid coins. Among all of these variants, there is one single rare obverse text: IMP ANTONINVS AVGVSTVS, which comes in a bare headed and a laureate version. The reverse reads: TRIB POT COS DES II and shows Pietas standing left, offering over a lighted altar and holding a box of perfumes. PIE- TAS and S - C are in the fields.
So far, this bare-headed coin lacked in my collection and I am happy with the quality.


Frans

It is RIC 523a and BMC 1109 and Strack 740.

[curtislclay]

Very nice!

As far as I know there were only two sestertius obv. dies with this legend, one with laureate and the other with bare-headed portrait.

I have a bare-headed specimen from the same dies as yours, but unfortunately quite worn, only VG rather than VF like yours!

My laureate specimen, from NAC's Friedrich Collection sale of 1995, is fortunately much nicer, about a match for your newly acquired coin.

[Diederik]

Just to be on the safe side, I post my laureate version . I am curious if this is the same obverse die as yours, since it has a curious text break IMP ANTONI - NVS AVGVSTVS. The reverse has a 'broad' altar and is apparently of other dies.

Frans

[curtislclay]

Yes, that is the only laureate obv. die I know.

Same dies as BMC pl. 24.1, and as my example ex Friedrich Coll.

[Diederik]

Yes, that is the only laureate obv. die I know.

Same dies as BMC pl. 24.1, and as my example ex Friedrich Coll.

That's settled then!
Both varieties seem to be a 'one off'

Frans

[Diederik]

I stumbled upon another related coin in my collection, with the same bareheaded obverse, but with a Pietas RIGHT reverse. I think it also is a TRIB POT COS DES II, but can't be entirely sure as the reverse is badly worn. It is most likely a hybrid with the next issue.