Moneta acquistata
nella libreria dei Mercati Traianei.
Peso 7,19g.
Diametro 25,80-27,26mm
Asse di conio 6H
fig.
1
Cliccare
sulle
immagini
per
ingrandire
Roma,
24.1.2010
Gentile Lettrice,
l'aggettivo "falso",
che sottintende
l'idea del dolo, non si applica all'asse di figura, riproduzione
moderna dichiarata di
una
moneta
romana,
come si rileva dal marchio WRL (Westair
Reproductions Ltd) applicato su entrambe le facce.
In
virtù
delle finalità didattiche di questo sito, ritengo che la moneta
meriti,
a pieno titolo, di essere studiata e comparata con gli originali
d'epoca, così come di seguito provvedo a fare:
Descrizione sommaria:
D.ANTONINVS AVG - PIVS P P
TR P XVIII3. Antonino Pio, testa
laureata a destra. In basso, sotto il collo, WRL4.
R. BRITAN-NIA
COS IIII5. La
Britannia seduta a sinistra su una roccia, testa
appoggiata alla mano destra, mano sinistra sulla roccia; di fronte
grande scudo circolare con punta centrale, dietro vessillo inclinato
puntato in avanti a sinistra. S C in esergo6. Ad ore 2 del
rovescio WRL4.
La ricerca nel web
di monete
di tipologia simile a quella di figura ha prodotto i seguenti risultati:
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/antoninus_pius/RIC_0934.5.jpgAntoninus Pius.
138-161 AD. Æ
As
(9.71
gm).
Struck
154/5
Click
for
Larger
Image
AD. ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P
P TR P
XVIII, laureate and draped bust right / BRITANN-I[A CO]S IIII, S C in
[Image] exergue,
Britannia seated left on rock, resting head upon hand; shield and
vexillum(?)
in background before her. RIC III 934; BMCRE 1971; Cohen 117. Good VF,
dark
green patina, minor porosity. Scarce and popular type. Estimate $500.
History:
There is some debate as to whether or not the BRITANNIA asses of
Antoninus Pius
were struck in the Roman province of Britannia itself. The latest
scholarship
(cp. D.R. Walker, The Temple of Sulis Minerva at Bath: Volume 2, the
Finds from
the Sacred Spring, pp. 295-296) repeatedly alludes to the coins as
"British
associated," and is careful to draw the line between declaring either a
British
or a Roman manufacture. In regards to the BRITANNIA dupondii, Walker
does state
that they were produced in Rome for shipment to Britain, and it is
unlikely
that the asses would have been manufactured at a mint other than the
same as
that striking the dupondii. Nevertheless, the peculiar fabric of this
issue, so
different than that which is normally encountered and is of
unquestionable
provenance, as well as the fact that not a single specimen has been
excavated
outside of Britain would seem to indicate that provincial manufacture
is not
unlikely. Currently 299 USD Tue, 16 May, 2000.
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear5/s4296.html#RIC_0934138-161
AD,
As,
Rome,
155
AD,
10.35g.
BM-1971,
C-117,
RIC-934, Sear-4296. Obv:
TR P XVIII, Head laureate r. Rx: BRITANNIA COS IIII S C Britannia
seated l. on rocks. This type apparently struck in Britain, for it is
found in abundance there but almost never turns up in Gaul or elsewhere
in the former Roman empire. This coin purchased from Rinaldi, Verona,
August 1968, but presumably not a local find. V. Winning bid: US
$115.00 Apr-18-06.
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?search=ANTONINVS+BRITANNIA&view_mode=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1#3 ID: 46999 Last change:
25.03.2009 Company Baldwin's Auctions Ltd Auction Auction
57 (23.09.2008) Lot 103 Price realized 600 GBP (~1113 USD)
Source No longer available! ANCIENT COINS, ROMAN IMPERIAL COINS,
Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161) Antoninus Pius, As, 10.61g, AD 154-155,
ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P XVIII, laureate bust right, rev BRITANNIA
COS IIII S C, Britannia seated left on rock, with eagle tipped sceptre
and round shield (RIC 934; C117; RCV 4296). Even patina, exceptionally
well struck for issue, about extremely fine Estimate: £250-300.
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?search=ANTONINVS+BRITANNIA&view_mode=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1#7
ID:
91560
Last
change:
27.03.2009
Company
Spink
Auction
Auction
7030 (28.11.2007) Lot 86 Price
realized 340 GBP (~704 USD) Source No longer available!
Antoninus Pius (AD 138-161), AE As, Rome, 154/5, laureate head right,
antoninvs avg pivs p p tr p xviii, rev. britannia avg cos iiii sc ,
Britannia seated left on rocks, her head propped on right hand, shield
and vexillum on left (RIC 934; C. 117), green-brown patina, good very
fine Estimate £ 380-450.
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?search=ANTONINVS+BRITANNIA&view_mode=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1#9
ID:
186875
Last
change:
02.04.2009
Company
Spink
Auction
Sale
4013 (15.07.2004) Lot 51 Price realized
190 GBP (~352 USD) Source No longer available! Antoninus Pius
(A.D. 138-161), AE As, A.D. 154-5, laureate head right, antoninvs avg
[pivs p p tr p] xvii[i], rev. [britannia] cos iiii, Britannia seated
left on rock, shield and vexillum in background, sc in exergue (RIC
934; C 117; RCV 4296); together with another similar, the first with
dark brown patina, very fine, the second short of flan, good fine (2)
Estimate £ 150-200 The first coin illustrated.
http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?search=ANTONINVS+BRITANNIA&view_mode=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1#10
ID:
347676
Last
change:
20.09.2009
Company
Compagnie
Générale
de
Bourse Auction MONNAIES 21 (18.06.2004)
Lot 2572 Price realized Unsold or unknown price
Source Link ANTONIN LE PIEUX(25/02/138-7/03/161)Titus Aurelius
Fulvus Boionius Arrius AntoninusAuguste(10/07/138-7/03/161) As, (MB, ئ
24) N° v21_2572 Date : 154-155 Nom de l'atelier : Rome Métal
: cuivre Diamètre : 23,5mm Axe des coins : 6h. Poids : 9,65g.
Degré de rareté : R2 Etat de conservation : TTB Prix de
départ : 200 € Estimation : 400 € lot invendu Commentaires
sur l'état de conservation : Exemplaire sur un flan un peu
court. Jolie patine vert olive foncé. Revers tout à fait
exceptionnel. N° dans les ouvrages de référence :
C.117 (10f.) - RIC.934 - BMC/RE.1971 - RCV.4296 note (900$)
- MRK.35 /138 var. (750€) Titulature avers : ANTONINVS AVG - PIVS P P
TR [P XVIII]. Description avers : Tête laurée d'Antonin le
Pieux à droite (O*). Traduction avers : 'Antoninus Augustus Pius
Pater Patriae Tribunicia Potestate octavum decimum', (Antonin auguste
pieux père de la patrie revêtu de la dix-huitième
puissance tribunitienne). Titulature revers : BRITANNIA - . - COS IIII/
SC. Description revers : Britannia (la Bretagne) assise à gauche
sur des rochers, la main gauche appuyée sur un rocher, ramenant
sa main droite devant sa bouche ; devant à gauche, un bouclier
et un sceptre surmonté d’un aigle (scipio). Traduction revers :
'Britannia Consul quartum/ Senatus Consulto”, (La Bretagne/ consul pour
la quatrième fois/ avec l’accord du Sénat). Commentaire
à propos de cet exemplaire : Poids léger. Commentaires :
Ce revers, qui est frappé vingt ans après les
premières victoires en Bretagne où éclatent en 155
de graves émeutes, rappelle la sujétion de la province.
Historique : Antonin est né le 19 septembre 86 à
Lanuvium. Sa famille est originaire de Gaule (Nîmes). C'est un
riche sénateur qui a épousé Faustine l'ancienne
entre 110 et 115 et est ainsi entré par alliance dans la famille
d'Hadrien. Après la mort d'Aelius le 1er janvier 138, Hadrien
choisit Antonin pour lui succéder le 25 février 138 en
lui adjoignant deux fils adoptifs, Marc Aurèle et Lucius
Vérus. Hadrien meurt le 10 juillet et Antonin lui
succède. Il doit d'abord batailler pour faire diviniser Hadrien,
ennemi du Sénat. En 139, Marc Aurèle devient césar
et Faustine augusta. Son règne est calme et heureux et symbolise
la 'Pax Romana' du deuxième siècle. En 148, il
commémore avec faste le 900e anniversaire de Rome.
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/antoninus_pius/RIC_0934.2.jpg
Antoninus Pius.
138-161 AD. Æ
As
(8.81
gm).
Struck
154/5
AD.
Laureate
head
right
/ BRITANNIA COS IIII, S
C in
exergue, Britannia seated left on rock, resting head upon hand; shield
and vexillum(?)
in background before her. RIC III 934; BMCRE 1971; Cohen 117. Good VF,
porous. Scarce.
715043 There is some debate as to whether or not the BRITANNIA asses of
Antoninus
Pius were struck in the Roman province of Britannia itself. The latest
scholarship (cp. D.R. Walker, The Temple of Sulis Minerva at Bath:
Volume 2,
the Finds from the Sacred Spring, pp. 295-296) repeatedly alludes to
the coins
as "British associated," and is careful to draw the line between
declaring
either a British or a Roman manufacture. In regards to the BRITANNIA
dupondii,
Walker does state that they were produced in Rome for shipment to
Britain, and
it is unlikely that the asses would have been manufactured at a mint
other than
the same as that striking the dupondii. Nevertheless, the peculiar
fabric of this
issue, so different than that which is normally encountered and is of
unquestionable provenance, as well as the fact that not a single
specimen has
been excavated outside of Britain would seem to indicate that
provincial
manufacture is not unlikely. Currently $68.00 08/11/99.
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/antoninus_pius/RIC_0934.3.jpgThis
is
a
rare
as
of
the
emperor
Antoninus
Pius. The
obverse is Antoninus' laureate head right with legends. The reverse is
Britannia
seated left on rock with legends reading: BRITANNIA COS IIII S. C. RIC
934. A
great reverse type! Currently $61.00 10/11/99.
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/antoninus_pius/RIC_0934.4.jpgThis
piece
was
minted
circa
155
AD,
during
the
reign
of Antoninus Pius, who ruled from 138-161 AD. The reign of
Antoninus is a
virtual blank in the history books, owing to the stability and
prosperity that
Rome enjoyed during these years. He was the personification of Rome's
golden
age, which reached its zenith under his rule. The obverse of this type
depicts
the laureate head of Antoninus facing right, with legends
ANTONINVS.AVG.PIVS.P.P.TR.P.XVIII.
The reverse type features Brittania seated left on rock, head propped
on right
hand, left hand on rock, with a cap on pole at left. The legends for
the type
read BRITTANIA.COS.IIII.SC. Coin shows porous surfaces, and is struck
on the
typical smallish flan, but otherwise grades G/Near F, with the outline
of the
head and a few letters visible on the obverse, and a stronger reverse,
with
clearer devices and partial legends visible. A decent and very
affordable
example of this scarce and very popular type, minted to mark Roman
victories in
Britain under Antoninus Pius. Coin is a variation of RIC-934. Currently
$20.00 Apr-19-00
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/antoninus_pius/RIC_0934.7.jpgANTONINUS PIUS
. 138-161 AD. Bronze
As,
25mm
(11.05
gm).
.
R:
Britannia
seated,
l.,
on rock. cf. RIC. 934. VF.
ex-Dr. Kenneth Jacobs Coll., and this comes with his handwritten
cabinet tag. On
the tag, he writes that this coin was "probably struck in Britain from
dies made in Rome, A.D. 154-155." There is a further note alluding to
Seaby's and to a 1966 article in the Numismatic Chronicle. . Current
bid: US
$15.50 (Reserve not met) Ended: Feb-09-06.
Concludo osservando
che gli assi
originali, le cui immagini sono presenti nei link di
cui
sopra, differiscono dalla riproduzione moderna in esame, non solo
per
le caratteristiche fisiche a cui si è fatto cenno nella nota
1,
ma per alcuni dettagli nella realizzazione del rovescio (es., la testa
e il braccio della Britannia), nonché per la forma delle lettere
della leggenda del dritto. Il volto dell'imperatore è stato
invece riprodotto in modo
abbastanza verosimile.
Giulio De Florio
-------------------------------
Note:
(1)
L'asse
originale
era di bronzo (lega all'86% di rame e sopra il 12% di zinco). Il peso
medio dell'asse di Antonino Pio è dato da BMC in 10,93g (media
su 274 esemplari). Raccolgo in
tabella le caratteristiche fisiche degli assi della tipologia di figura
presenti nei link di cui sopra e nel manuale BMC.
Riferimenti
Peso
(g.)
Diametro
(mm)
Asse
di conio (h)
Link1
9,71
-
-
Link2
10,35
-
-
Link3
10,61
-
-
Link6
9,65
23,5
6
Link7
8,81
-
-
Link10
11,05
25
-
BMC1971
8,55
26,7
6
Da
quanto sopra si evince che la moneta moderna (7,19g, 26-27mm, 6H) ha un
peso un po' inferiore a quello dei conî d'epoca.
(2)
La moneta è esattamente databile sulla base della Potestà
Tribunizia, rinnovata ad Antonino Pio per la 18ma volta nel
154-155 d. C.
(3) ANTONINVS AVGustus - PIVS
Pater Patriae
TRibunicia Potestate XVIII (Antonino Augusto, Pio, Padre della Patria,
Tribuno per la 18.ma volta). Per un profilo biografico
di Antonino Pio
si rimanda al portale dell'Enciclopedia Treccani on line (v.
link). Vale la pena aggiungere che, sebbene il regno di Antonino
sia stato sostanzialmente pacifico, disordini si segnalarono in
Britannia, sedati nel
155.
(4) WRL
è il marchio della società Westair
Reproductions Ltd (http://www.westair-reproductions.com) che ha curato la riproduzione
della moneta e
dalla quale la libreria del museo si è approvvigionata.
(5) BRITANNIA CONSVL IIII. Nel
rovescio della moneta è rappresentata la
Britannia in atteggiamento dolente a causa dei disordini di quegli
anni. Antonino Pio, designato console
per la quarta volta nel 145, serbò il titolo nella sua
titolatura
anche nelle emissioni degli anni successivi.
(6) S.
C. (Senatus Consulto, "per decreto del Senato") era la consueta sigla
apposta
sui nominali in bronzo romani (sesterzi, dupondi e assi) ad indicare la
competenza esclusiva del Senato Romano nelle decisioni attinenti alle
emissioni
di quelle monete (la monetazione in oro e in argento, che non riporta
quella
sigla, rientrava invece nelle competenze dirette dell'imperatore).