L.CENSOR, Roman Republican AR denarius, Rome, 82 BC

L.CENSOR, Roman Republican AR denarius, Rome, 82 BC 

Roman Republican AR denarius, Rome, 82 BC

L.CENSOR - Lusius Marcius Censorinus 

Obv - Laureate head of Apollo right 

Rev - Marsyas walking left, shouldering wine-skin, right arm raised (in a token of freedom), naked except for buckskins, tall column bearing statue (of Minerva, draped figure, Victory or ?) behind. Before L.CENSOR

The seller's attribution -RCV 281; NGC AU 5/5 - 3/5.

My attribution - Cr 363/1d (no control marks);

BMCRR - Rome 2657 - 2659; Syd - 737; Marcia 24; RBW 1372

VF/gVF with environmental damage to obverse, well centered and well struck

I picked this coin because the reverse is well struck and centered. I can almost see the statue on the column that is given several different names. 

I like the story of Marsyas and how it relates to the moneyer Censorinus. In Greek mythology Marsyas was a satyr who challenged Apollo to a music contest. The winner could do as he pleased to the loser. Marsyas lost and Apollo tied him to a tree and killed him. (Those of you who want a more graphic account can google Marsyas.) The Romans considered Marsyas the inventer of augery (interpreting omens), a proponent of free speech and was considered one of the gods who looked after the Plebs (common people). The first Plebe elected as Censor erected a statue of Marsyas in the Forum. This coin shows the statue. L Censorinus issued the coin at the time Sula "recaptured" Rome for the Patricians (aristocrats or old families) from Marius (hero of the new families). Censorinus was killed in the proscriptions that followed.

The Marcia gens (clan) claimed descent from Ancus Marcius, 4th king of Rome and the first to bring water to Rome by aqueduct.

C.EGNAATIVS.CN.G.C.NN.MAXSVMVS Cr-391/2 75BC

C.EGNATIVS.CN.F.CNN. MAXSVMVS.

Cr-391/2; 76 BC

Roman Republican AR denarius, 76 BC

C. Egnatius Cn.f. Cn.n. Maximus

Obv - bare-headed and winged bust of cupid; bow and quiver of arrows over shoulder; behind – MAXSVMVS (archaic for MAXIMVS)

Rev - Jupiter with staff and Libertas with outstreached hands in distyle temple; above Jupiter thunderbolt; above Libertas - pileus; in ex and around - C.EGNATIVS.CN.F.C.NN

19.7 mm, 3.90 g, 6 h

Crawford 391/2

Sydenham 788

RSC / Bab Egnatia 3

aVF, off center.

The Egnatio gens was of Samnite origin and moved to Rome after the Social War.

Cicero mentions a Cn. Engatius of somewhat disreputable character who was admitted to the Senate and was subsequently expelled.

Country	Roman
Type or era	Roman Republican
Coin type	Denarius
Mint	Rome
Issued by	C.EGANTIVS
Issued by	C.EGANTIVS.CN.F.C.NN.MAXSVMVS
Title of issuer	moneyer
Mint Date	-75
Weight	3.90
Diameter - max	19.8
Diameter - min	18.5
Metal	AR
Serrated	N
Cr	391/2
BMCRR	3276 - 3284
Sear: #, VF, EF	325
Bab	Egnatia 3
CRR	788
Orientation	7
Purchase date	1/17/2015
Grade	aVF
Grade	aVF
Centering	obv is 26% off center and part of Cupid's face is off flan, reverse is about 10% off flan. All features but control number are on reverse.
Strike	strike is good where on flan
Flan flaws	none
Style	good style
Patination	light
Damage	none
Obverse	Cupid
Reverse	Jupiter & Libertas
Obverse	Cupid with bow and quiver over shoulder; behind - MAXSVMVS
Reverse	Jupiter with staff and Libertas with outstreached hands in distyle temple; above Jupiter thunderbolt; above Libertas - pileus; in ex and around - C.EGNATIVS.CN.F.C.NN
Obverse dies	20
Reverse dies	25
Notes:   1	The Egnatio gens was of Samnite origin and moved to Rome after the Social War.
2	Cicero mentions a Cn. Engatius of somewhat disreputable character who was admitted to the Senate and was subsequently expelled.

Anonymous Quinarius, Cr 47/1. uncertain mint

Roman Republican Anonymous. AR Quinarius. 

after 211 BC. 

Obv. Head of Roma right, V behind. 

Rev. The Dioscuri galloping right; in exergue, ROMA in linear frame. 

Cr 47/1. 

BMCRR Rome 195

Sydenham 192

RBW 183 - 184

on line British Museum 47.1.1-4 

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/publications/online_research_catalogues/rrc/roman_republican_coins.aspx

AR. g. 2.12 mm. 16.00 Struck with rusty dies. EF.

Country	Roman
Type or era	Roman Republican
Coin type	Quinarius
Mint	Unknown (Crawford) Rome (Grueber)
Issued by	Anon
Issued by	Anon
Title of issuer	moneyer
Mint Date	-211
Weight	2.12
Diameter - max	16
Metal	AR
Serrated	N
Cr	47/1
BMCRR	195
CRR	192 or 141
Orientation	7
Purchase date	9/12/2015
Grade	EF
Centering	obv well centered, rev 13% off center. Only half of one Dioscuri star is off coin.
Strike	good strike, reverse looks good, obverse looks lightly struck, but Gruber notes these coins are in low relief
Flan flaws	die rust, flow lines
Style	excellent gryphon, Roma and Dioscuri typical
Patination	light
Damage	none
Obverse	Roma
Reverse	Dioscuri
Obverse	Roma wearing winged helmet ornameted with gryphon's head, the visor in 3 pieces, straight lines with slight bend at end, single drop ear ring, double necklace; behind V, border dots
Reverse	Dioscuri on horseback holding lances with stars above heads, In Ex - ROMA on tablet
Obverse dies	20
Reverse dies	25

A cast coin from Umbria, Tuder - TV-167

A cast Sextans from Umbria, Tuder - Cicada / Trident

TV-167; 220 - 200 BC

11.45 grams / 21 mm

Cast coins circulated in Central Italy until Rome's second Carthaginian war. By that time, bronze was scarce and the weight of the base unit, the As, had dropped from 300 grams to 50 grams or less. Bronze fractions of the As dropped in weight also. Tuder was an independent city and issued coins with a weight standard similar to Rome's. This coin was issued late in the cycle.
This coin is not recorded in Roman Republican books Crawford or Sear. It is listed in books on cast coins by Vecchi, Thurlow & Vecchi, Sydenham, Haberline and Garrucci. It is in HN Italy also. I have digital copies of Haberline & Garrucci. See a previous post for a place to download the books. Haberline had 8 pictures of this coin type and reported weights for 124 coins in his book. The average weight of the heaviest 26 coins was 50 grams. The lightest 98 coins averaged 18 grams. Only two were lighter than my coin. When I looked on line today, 3 of 7 coins I found were lighter than mine.

Country	Umbria
Type or era	Cent Italy Cast
Coin type	AES Grave Uncia
Mint	Tuder
Issued by	Anon TV 167
Issued by	anonymous
Title of issuer
Mint Date, BC	-220	-220 to -200
Weight, grams	11.45
Weight - max	17.95	50.18
Weight - min	10.40	32.5
Weight - avg	13.900	42.64	equal to As of 83.4 / 242.8
Weight - st dev	98.000	26
Number
Diameter - max	20.9
Diameter - min	20.8
Diameter - max
Diameter - min
Diameter - avg
Diameter - st dev
Metal	AE
Serrated	N
Cr	TV 167	TV 161 is the same but larger and older
BMCRR	V 226	V 220 is the same but larger and older
Sear: #, VF, EF
RSC: #, VF, EF
CRR / AG	AG 225	AG 38 is the same but larger and older
CRI	HNI 49	HNI 44 is the same but larger and older
NMWar	Hab Pl 81, 23-26
NMCr	Gar Pl LV, 9
Orientation
Orientation
Purchased from	Baldwins
Purchase date
Price
Currency	GBP
Excahange rate	1.518
Grade
Grade	VF
Centering	well centered
Strike	cast
Flan flaws	small piece missing where broken from mold
Style	typical, crude artwork for small cast coin
Patination	brown
Damage	none
Obverse	Cicada	Sydenham says fly in AG.
Reverse	Trident
Obverse	Cicada with two dots, one on either side
Reverse	Trident with two dots to R and Vt to left. Haeberline gives 3 forms to the second letter: t, y, r (approximately)
Examples Haeberline	98	Haberline had two groups.
The earlier group was larger and older. Mine was small and later.

My best provenance

I found a few treasures at a local coin show yesterday. I liked this one as a coin, but also because of its provenance - Ex John Quincy Adams collection! I paid a bit more than the $37.50 price on the tag to the right. 
I googled the sale of Adam's collection by Stacks and found an auction catalog. Now I have to decide If I am willing to pay another $80 for that catalog.