Roman Republican AR Denarius
Anonymous [Crescent] Cr 137/1
Ca.
194-190 B.C.
The first description is from the auction company,
Triskeles, with a few changes. My thoughts are below.
Anonymous [Crescent]. Ca. 194-190 B.C. AR denarius (20 mm,
3.60 g, 10 h). Rome. Helmeted head of Roma right; behind, X / the Dioscuri
riding right; above, crescent; below ROMA in in linear frame. Crawford 137/1;
Grueber 575; Sydenham 314; RSC 20i. Lightly toned. Pleasing very fine.
A duplicate from the RBW Collection of Roman Republican
Coins. Purchased privately from Richard Schaeffer in 1992.
| Country | Roman | |||
| Type or era | Republican | |||
| Coin type | Denarius | |||
| Mint | Rome | |||
| Issued by | Cresent | |||
| Issued by | Anonymous Cresent | |||
| Title of issuer | moneyer | |||
| Mint Date | -194 | -194 to -190 | ||
| Weight | 3.59 | |||
| Weight - max | 4.04 | 4.73 | ||
| Weight - min | 3.21 | 3.68 | ||
| Weight - avg | 3.71 | 4.00 | ||
| Weight - st dev | 0.21 | 0.27 | ||
| Number | 18 | 19 | ||
| Diameter - max | 19.8 | 18 | ||
| Diameter - min | 19.23 | |||
| Diameter - max | 20.7 | 20.3 | ||
| Diameter - min | 17.0 | 18.0 | ||
| Diameter - avg | 19.3 | 19.3 | ||
| Diameter - st dev | 1.147 | 0.890 | ||
| Metal | Ar | |||
| Serrated | N | |||
| Crawford # | 137.1 | 57.2 | ||
| BMCRR | 575 | 431 | ||
| Sear: # | 39 | Sear does not list Cr 137.1 | 39 | |
| RSC: # | 20i | 20i | ||
| CRR | 314 | 219, 265 | ||
| CRI | ||||
| NMWar | 149 | |||
| NMCr | 32 | 33 | ||
| Orientation | 10 | |||
| Orientation | ||||
| Purchased from | 
|
|||
| Purchase date | 10.3.13 | |||
| Price | $157.20 | |||
| Currency | $ | |||
| Excahange rate | ||||
| Grade | VF | |||
| Grade | VF | |||
| Centering | Obv is 5% off center, but flan is large enough that all features are on coin, including border. Rev is 9% off center and the end of theDioscuri capes are off flan as is part of lineborder,about 60% of line border is on flan. | |||
| Strike | well struck, dies on obv & rev show some wear and flow lines, faces on Dioscuri are not complete, reins and lances are well formed | |||
| Flan flaws | none | |||
| Style | Roma visor is peaked which is later than 211, A is version with cross from center of right line to center of base. This series is one of the last to use a V shape for the cross. | |||
| Patination | light toning with traces of earlier and darker toning near features. | |||
| Damage | none | |||
| Obverse | Roma | |||
| Reverse | Dioscuri Crescent | |||
| Obverse | head of Roma R, wearing winged helmet with visor in 3 pieces and peaked, decorated with gryphon, I shaped ear ring, bead necklace, hair tied and falling in 3 locks, behind mark of value = X | |||
| Reverse | Dioscuri on horseback charging R, each holds spear and wears chlamys, cuirass and pileus; surmounted by stars, above crescent, below in linear frame ROMA. This issue has the three archaic forms of A. | |||
| Obverse dies | 30 | 60 | ||
| Reverse dies | 37 | 75 | ||
| No VCoins | ||||
| No CNG | ||||
| No WW | ||||
| Coin Arch | ||||
| V Cat | ||||
| The anonymous Roma / Dioscuri with crescent silver denarii were
probably issued by more than one moneyer. Crawford assigns two numbers: #57.2
is dated 207BC, has a die estimate of 60/75, a wt std of 4.4 g, an avg of
4.03 for 25 coins and was assigned to
Rome; #137.1 is dated 194 - 190 BC,
has a die estimate of 30/37, a wt std of 3.9 g, an avg of 3.81 for 16 coins and was assigned to Rome.
Grueber assigns two number series: #431 - 435 are in period II, have a wt
range of 3.56 - 4.34 and was assigned to Rome; #575 - 578 are in period III , have a wt
range of 3.3 - 3.8 g, and was assigned to Rome. Sydenham assigned three #s:
219, 265 & 314. The British Museum on line gives examples of the two
series of crescent denarii. I have difficulty telling one from the other. The
ear ring on Roma in the older type seems to have more than one piece, and the
Dioscuri's horses seem to be rearing more. The only "definite"
difference is the average weight of the earlier series is heavier. The weight
ranges overlap significantly. The first two coins are attributed as Cr 57/2 and the second two are 137/1 by the British Museum on line. You can compare more of these issues at the BM web site http://www.britishmuseum.org |
||||
