Aes Formatum Palm Tree, Triangular Bar and Tear Drop Shapes

Aes Formatum Palm Tree, Triangular Bar and Tear Drop Shapes

Two interesting cast bronze pieces arrived this week. The top photo shows them next to the Currency Bar I described below.

 Ramo Secco Bar (826 grams)

Palm Shaped cast plate (29.3 grams)

Triangular Bar (14.9 grams)

The palm shaped bronze piece was described as an Aes Formatum from Central Italy (Etruria or Lazio) produced in the 6th to 4th centuries BC. I found five examples on line of sales, including mine. I did not find any in reference books for Roman Republican coins or Italian Cast bronze (Crawford, RRC; Gruber, BMCRR (or BMC on line); Sydenham, AG or CRR; Sear; Thurlow & Vecci, ICC&AG; Vecci, ICC; Haberline, AG; Garrucci, LMDIA; Kircheriano, AG; Alteri, AGL; etc. I did not find any offered by NAC or CNG.

	Seller	L, mm	W, mm	T, mm	Wt, gr	Price $	Comments
1	MHSL	65.5	23.5	6	29.34		mine
2	MHSL, AA				21.66	181
3	MHSL				12.83	130
4	ROMA	78	30		90.4	263
5	AA				22.5	105	Hammer price in euro
6	MSHL				22.2  17.7		I found two more in a blog

The seller had enough information to identify this one from Central Italy (Etruria or Lazio) to the 6th to 4th century BC. I do not find a reference book (or web site) with this piece.

The seller's description:

Aes Formatum. Siglos VI-IV a.C. ETRURIA o LAZIO. Anv.: Elemento en forma de palmera. 29,34 grs. AE. Ø 65x24 mm. Pátina marrón. (Pequeñas concreciones oscuras). MBC.

The seller's description:

Celtiberian, Copper Ingot, Centuries BC-AD PREMONEDAS IN HISPANIA. Anv .: Ingot triangular. 14.92 grams. AE. Ø 35x12 mm. Dark patina. AB-P.34. MBC.

I found more examples sales of this type of bronze online and examples in one book:

Garrucci – Table VI #5 & #6

This tear drop shaped piece was described as an Aes Formatum from Central Italy (Etruria or Lazio) produced in the 6th to 4th centuries BC. I found four examples on line of sales, including mine. I did not find any in reference books for Roman Republican coins, but I did find an example in Vecchi, Italian Cast Coinage. 

Vecci, ICC – pg 90, #6

The seller's description:

AES Formatum 49 mm . long. VI- IV centuries B.C. ETRURIA or LAZIO . 48.10 grams. AE . Green patina . I. Vecchi Nummorum auctioned by 1999. Auctiones similar piece of different dimensions. EBC .

Soler y Llach Auction International S.A.