Sunday, March 10, 2019

Ancient cut coins, Half Asses, man headed bull, Julius Caesar, Octavian and winged horses

I recently won a lot of cut coins to add to my growing collection. I have a box of 50 not well defined Roman Imperial coins headed my way. The collection:
Obverse

Reverse
Left side of page - 
The upper left hand section is Roman Republican bronze coins, presumably Asses. They are worn and encrusted enough that they are hard to impossible to read. I use these coins when I show non coin collectors a coin from 150 BC.

The three coins below the top 7 are -


  • The left coin is an As. My best date guess is 175 to 100 BC due to the form of the letter A.
  • The middle coin is an As: C. Vibius C.f. Pansa. 90 BC. (25.0 X 17.1 mm, 6.43g, 1h). Rome mint. Laureate head of bearded Janus; I (mark of value) above / 3 Prows right; [ROMA] above; [I] (mark of value) to right; [C•]VIBI•PAN (PAN ligate) below. Crawford 342/7e, BMCRR Rome 2319 - 2320  
  • The right coin is a bronze of Octavian. A better pic is here:

Ottavian, Bronze (denomination not on coin), Italy 38 B.C.
Obv - Portrait of Octavian facing right, behind - DIVI F, the coin should have either a comet or CAESAR to the right.  
Rev – [DI]VOS / [IVL]IV[S] within laurel wreath. Part of the legend in off the flan, and the letter S in IVLIVS is missing. Most coins of this type have the S, but the example shown in Sear (RR & 12C) is missing the last S also.
12.06 grams
31.6 X 19 mm
Coin broken in two in antiquity.
Crawford 535/2.
BMCRR Gaul 108-10.
Sear 1570 – the coin pictured in Sear has a reverse legend DIVOS / IVLIV (no S)
Sear Imperators 309.
Sydenham 1336.
Babelon Julia 101.
The last coin on the left column is a Roma / Prow semiuncia with a jagged flan.

Middle of page - 
The top 8 coins are Julius Caesar and Octavian. There are a few variations in design of the coin, so they may have different RPC numbers. 

Greek Coins Under Roman Rule, Gallia, Vienne

C. Julius Caesar and Octavianus. Sestertius, about 36 BC head of Caesar L, head of Octavian R; Prow of ship. RPC I, 152, 517.  

The bottom 3 are Augustus and Agrippi / Crocodile coins. 

Right side of page - 
top left of this column is a cut Roman Republican; Roma / Dioscuri denarius. The mark of value, X, is behind Roma on the obverse. There are no visible symbols or letters on the reverse,  1.61 grams, 17.2 mm.

The top right coin is plated Manheaded coin. A thin layer of silver covers a bronze core.
Greek Coins, Campania, Neapolis; less than half of a Didrachm circa 320-300, plated coin 2.52 grams, 18.3 X 10.1 mm. Obv - Diademed head of the nymph R, Rev - Man-headed bull walking R., head facing; above, Nike flying r. to crown him. Historia Numorum Italy 57x

The top coin is a Spanish half unit from a lot of Caesar provisional coins shown in the middle section. The next three coins issued by Nero were my most recent lot purchase. Attribution are below. 


The coins top to bottom:
  •  SPAIN, Emporia. 
SPAIN, Emporia. 25 BC. Æ As

Obv - Helmeted head of Athena right, border dots, other features that may have been on the coin are missing
Rev - Pegasus leaping right, border dots, other features that may have been on the coin are missing
3.8 grams if the coin is 40% of the original, the original would have been 9.5 grams.
27.4 X 15.0 mm
- SNG BM Spain 520 – 523 are similar and about the right weight
- Ancient Coinage of the Iberian Peninsula, Villaronga & Benages – the best matches are - 1077, 1079, 1088, 1091; total examples are #1061 – 1100
- RPC 251, 252

  • I have not identified this coin, but seller said Nero.
  • Nero, this coin is close. I found it by searching for bronze, Nero & harp. The letters still on the coin match.


NERO (54-68), AE as, 65, Lyon.
Right: NERO [CLAVD CAESAR AVG] GERMANICVS Head left. Globe at the tip of the neck.
Reverse: PONTIF MAX- TR POT IMP PP / S-C Nero l. and draped in Apollo, walking to the right, playing the lyre.
Ref .: BMC 274, 377; RIC 417.
5.35 grams
29.9 X 14.9 mm the eyeball test says this is 40% of the original, but the diameter and height say it is close to half.


  • Nero, this coin is close. I found this coin be serching for bronze, Nero and shield.The letters matched.
  • Nero. AD 54-68, Æ As, Lugdunum (Lyon) mint, 67 AD.               
    Obv - Bare head right, [with globe at point of bust], [???]CAESARAVGONAX[???]
    Rev - Victory flying left, holding shield inscribed [S P Q] R, [S] & C to left and right of Victory
    4.53 grams
    27.6 X 13.2 mm
    RIC I 543; WCN 593.


    Recent lot purchase.
    1 Ro,am Republican As
    3 Nero bronzes


    lor purchased in 2017
    2 Julius / Octavian
    3 Augustus - Agripi / crocodile
    1 Spanish 





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