Saturday, April 2, 2016

C.SAX AND SAX 4 dots or something else?

Two recent additions to my collection that may have been minted by brothers (according to Crawford).
Look at the pic on the lower right and tell me what you think you see. I do not see 4 dots like described in my references and by NAC in Auction 78 # 396, the JD collection. I looked several pages before and after this coin in Crawford and found only one Triens with something other than 4 dots in front of the prow, Cr 206/4, which has a dolphin in front of all bronze prows. Did the celator use the symbol of an As, I, and then add feathering to change the look?


top two on right Cr 173/3 - 
Triens circa 169-158, Æ 21.5mm., 7.34g. Weight standard based on as of 31.5 grams.
Obv - Helmeted head of Minerva, [above, four pellets]
Rev. Prow r.; above, C·SAX ligate and before, four pellets. Below ROMA.
Babelon Clovia ?. Sydenham 360b. Crawford 173/3.
Rare. Brown tone, minor areas of weakness, otherwise Good Very Fine
Ex NAC sale R, 2007, 1280 and ex NAC sale 78, 2014, 396. From the JD collection.
Crawford notes the design of the of the prow uses two straight lines with dots on the top line like a railing. This feature starts with Cr 173 and continues to Cr 178. Cr 179, Cr 180 and onward have an additional feature.
This coin looks like it has a palm frond or feather in front of the prow instead of the normal 4 dots??

top two on left Cr 180/3 - 
SAX, Likely a younger brother of C. (Cluvius) Sax(ula), Cr.173.
Triens circa 169-158, Æ 23.8mm., 12.7g. Weight standard based on as of 31.5 grams.
Obv - Helmeted head of Minerva, above four pellets
Rev. Prow r.; above, SAX ligate and before, four pellets. Below ROMA.
Babelon Clovia ?; Sydenham 361d; Crawford 180/3.
Rare. Brown tone, well centered, Very Fine