Classical Numismatics Discussion Members' Coin Collection Photo Gallery

Last additions - jmuona

This "Otho" with "VÍCTORIA PR" reverse is an ingenious fabrication created by the famous forger "Tardani". He had obviously realized that there were a few VICTORIA OTHONIS dies recut from Galba's VICTORIA PR dies and created this fictitious but possible coin with copies of real dies. I used to have this coin and another with the same dies is in the Berlin coin cabinet. Both are overweight, around 3.9 gr. It took some time to find a Galba minted with this particular reverse die but finally I succeeded. The final proof is seen in this coin, there are a few regions were the die has broken, ie before the die ever could have been used for an Otho coin. The coin is quite convincing because of the dies, but the surfaces were a bit strange and the legends unusual in profile.jmuonaApr 05, 2018

RIC 8 replicaCast replica based on real dies, offered as a gift to ?businesspeople and including "authentication" for the replica's quality by an offical source.jmuonaJun 07, 2016

RIC 8 replicaThis box contained the three replicas: Galba, Otho, Vitellius-jmuonaJun 07, 2016

Third_RIC 22jmuonaJun 07, 2016

RPC5370Obol, long obverse legend. RPC lists one coin.jmuonaJun 07, 2016

RIC 22 Modern fakeI have chosen to call this a Modern fake, although I believe it to be from the late 1800s. Fakes with the same obverse or an obverse very similar to this exist both in gold and silver. There are other examples in my gallery as well.jmuonaJun 07, 2016

RIC 8 Ancient counterfeitThis type with a smile never seen in a genuine coin is known from many collections. e.g. Paris.jmuonaJun 07, 2016

RIC 16 Ancient counterfeitConsidering how uncommon this type is as a genuine Rome mint product, the plated ones are really surprisingly frequent.jmuonaJun 07, 2016

RIC 16 Ancient counterfeitYet another counterfeit of this type. Plated and if intact, this would be quite convincing even today.jmuonaJun 07, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Fragments of old painted wall. very little is left of this type of structures.
The largest floor mosaics are in the Archelogical Museum in Sevilla but many fine ones were at the orginal site in May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Bust of Trajanus, copy at the ticket booth in Italica, original in Archelogical Museum, Sevilla.
Trajanus was born in this city. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Detail of the floor of the house of Birds. Athene noctua - the typical Minerva owl. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Detail of the floor of house of Birds. Cannot figure out the species... May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Floor map of the house of Birds. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Section of the floor of the house of Birds. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Detail of the floor of the house of Planetarium. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Crocodile and the playful youngster... Detail of the floor of the house of Neptunus. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Detail showing Neptunus himself. Floor of the house of Neptunus. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Italica is famous for its Mosaic floors. This is from the house of Neptunus. Who knows, perhaps Trajanus was born at this very Place? May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Copies of statues found at the site have been placed around the ruins. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.The copy of the statue of Venus is placed close to the entrance. The original, now in the Archelogical Museum in Sevilla, was found in Italica.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.TABULA GLADIATORIA made easier to read - if you know your Latin. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.The corridor gladiators used to enter the theatre. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.Partially opened site. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.May, 2002. Large areas were still unstudied at the time.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica, entrance to amphitheatreMay, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica, amphitheatre.View from higher up. Originally it seated 25.000 people and was the 3rd largest in the Empire. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica, amphitheatre.View from the areana. jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica, Amphitheatre from outsidejmuonaJun 02, 2016

Spain, Santiponce, Italica.TABULA GLADIATORIA. The original one on the wall of the gladiator's tunnel to the theatre. May, 2002.jmuonaJun 02, 2016

Third_RIC 22Five different dies with Otho on horseback (RIC 22) are known. Two of them I have included as separate coins in this gallery, the three remaining ones are united in one image here. The die on the right is known from a single coin. jmuonaApr 11, 2013

First_RIC 8Although there appears to be nothing unusual about this coin, closer inspection reveals it is very unusual. The change in hair-do was abrupt between the IMP M and IMP obverses, but a couple of dies have survived with the old, long obverse inscription and the late hair-do with no free-flying locks present anymore. This is the least rare of them, a few coins minted with this distinctive obverse die are known.jmuonaMar 14, 2013

Otho-Vespasian muleThis coin I failed to obtain, but I suspect it may be an authentic Ancient counterfeit combining a Second/Third period Otho obverse with a Vespasian reverse. Said to have been found in UK by a detectorist. Very interesting. UPDATE: another coin combining a similar type of obverse and Domitian as Caesar reverse was sold on ebay recently. It is definitely more suspicious and I regard it as a modern forgery. This coin may be of same stock as well.jmuonaMar 13, 2013

First_RIC 8Another type of a draped bust die. The obverse die is known from an aureus as well.1 commentsjmuonaMar 13, 2013

First_RIC 14jmuonaMar 13, 2013

Tarraco_RIC71 commentsjmuonaMar 11, 2013

Second_RIC 10_zuzBaar Kochba revolt "denarius", originally a SECVRITAS Otho Rome mint coin. On the lower left of the obverse one can see the name clearly and on the other side remnants of the original reverse legend "..CV RI T..." as well as the wreath held by Secvritas are visible. The common host coins the zuz were struck on are denarii of Trajan, Vespasian and Domitian; Titus, Nerva, Nero and Galba being less frequent. Otho is distinctly rare and a restruck Vitellius I have not seen.
It is fun to try to figure out the original type.jmuonaMar 11, 2013

Roman Empire, Philip I antoninianus.Antioch mint, class 1. The coins belonging to this early emission are characterized by the letters PM on the obverse. They are heavy, handsome pieces and this coin is the best of them I have ever seen - of the type or the emission! Both the engraving and the strike are perfectly executed. RIC 69.
This is a coin my friend John Lavender long ago told me to buy in spite of its price - or I would regret. Luckily I did, because I have regretted all the ones I refused...:) 2 commentsjmuonaMar 04, 2013

Roman Empire, Philip I antoninianus.Antioch mint, class 2. These later Philip the Arab coins from Antioch used to be poorly known, but through efforts of R. Bland and F. Ovari they have been catalogued properly. Most of the coins are minted on fairly low silver content flans and look a bit dull and grayish. This coin is one of the very few I have ever seen being of good silver. This combined with the forceful, needle-sharp portrait makes it unique. The reverse is slightly off center, but very well engraved and struck as well. RIC 75A, Bland 29.2 commentsjmuonaMar 04, 2013

Roman Empire, Severus Alexander denariusThis one I obtained about 15 years ago at the NYINC, located at the Twin Towers Marriot in those happier days. FDC coins of this emperor are not rare and this is one of those in my view. Appears to be RIC 250, but does not fit the description exactly. Probably a die variant only.

3 commentsjmuonaMar 04, 2013

Roman Empire, Valerian I, antoninianus.The early Valerian antoniniani were usually of "fairly good silver" and this one both looks and sounds like a silver coin. The portrait is excellent and unlike many of the less accomplished ones seen on these coins. The flan crack is not a problem either. One of my favourites! RIC 259.2 commentsjmuonaMar 04, 2013

Roman Empire, Volusian antoninianusPlaced here because of the wonderful, lively portrait. Full flan, reverse a bit soft. RIC 172.1 commentsjmuonaMar 04, 2013

RPC5353Tetradrachm, Alexandria, simpulum on reverse. 12,316 gr. Obtained from Forum, Forum picture.jmuonaJan 19, 2013

ROMAN EMPIRE, Domitian denarius, RIC 326.A rare high silver content issue coin with a regal portrait and great detail on reverse. One of the finest Domitian silver coins I have ever seen. If someone has a better one, I would love to see it!
Photo courtesy of Barry Murphy.11 commentsjmuonaDec 29, 2012

ROMAN EMPIRE, Otho denarius, RIC 21.A very rare type of Othos smallest issue. The portrait is truely great and overall the coin shows unusually fine detail. Although the flan has flaws, I have not seen a better Otho Jupiter coin. Weight 3.35 gr.8 commentsjmuonaDec 29, 2012

ROMAN EMPIRE, Otho denarius, RIC 20var.RIC II 2nd ed. lists this type in gold only,although it is the least rare PONT MAX reverse Otho denarius. This is the best of its type known in my view. With full legends, an unusual small portrait and a great reverse. Weight 3.61 gr. 5 commentsjmuonaDec 29, 2012

First_RIC 16jmuonaDec 10, 2012

Third_RIC 20varjmuonaDec 09, 2012

Third_RIC 22jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Third_RIC 24jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Second_RIC -jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Second_RIC 6jmuonaDec 09, 2012

First_RIC 17jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Second_RIC 10jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Second_RIC 12jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Second_RIC 10jmuonaDec 09, 2012

First_RIC 8jmuonaDec 09, 2012

First_RIC 4jmuonaDec 09, 2012

First_RIC 8jmuonaDec 09, 2012

Third_RIC 24jmuonaDec 08, 2012

Third_RIC 21Both hair and Jupiter's drapery re-cut.jmuonaDec 08, 2012

Third_RIC 22Five dies of the Otho on horseback reverse are known. I have been fortunate to obtain them all. This one - also used for the previous coin - is the one seen most often. jmuonaDec 08, 2012