Denarius: More Cut Coins and a Large Struck As

I picked up two lots in an auction last month. They made it from San Marino to Texas in a day or two less than a month. The lots add a few cut coins to my pile of hands on pieces. I also added the second heaviest struck coin in my collection. I attributed most of the first lot.

RR Lot Struck Bronze and Silver Plated Coins

Roman Republican coin lot.

Using seller’s pic, on red background, from top left to bottom left clockwise:

1. RR Quadrans: Anonymous, Rome, 91 BC

a. Obv – Herculese right

b. Rev – Prow right

c. 3.72 grams, 18.46 X 16.95 X 2.5 mm

2. RR Triens:

a. Obv – Minerva right

b. Rev - Prow right, above ROMA

c. 12.58 grams, 23.5 X 23.0 X 3.7, note the coin is cupped

3. Unknown: I bought the lot hoping that coin #3 was a cast uncia. The coin picture looks a lot like a cast uncia, but the dot in the center is an innie (see below). I think it is a late Republican / Imperatorial bronze coin.

a. 23.92, 33.1 X 29.4 X 4.5

4. RR Plated Quinarius: Most of the plating on this coin is missing. It is difficult to attribute the coin from what is left. My best buess is that it is the large issue of Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus in 88 BC, Rome mint, Cr 435/2.

a. Obv – head of Jupiter R

b. Rev – Victory crowning trophy? Most of the reverse is missing. There may be letters in ex.

c. 1.65 grams, 15.35 X 14.27

5. RR Plated Denarius: D.SILANVS.L.F; Rome; 91 BC

a. Obv – helmeted head of Roma, R; behind control mark, T; border dots

b. Rev – Victory in biga, R; above control mark ?; in ex – D.SILANVS.L.F / ROMA

c. 3.02 grams, 20.79 X 18.35

6. RR Anonymous As: Rome, 200 BC +/- 20 years

a. Obv – Janus head, mark of value above

b. Rev – Prow R; above mark of value, I; hard to tell if there are any letters before the prow; in ex, ROMA.

c. 45.18 grams, 33.88 X 32.68 X 6.9; this is the second heaviest As in my collection!

I bought the lot hoping that coin #3 was a cast uncia. The chances were low, but the coin picture looks a lot like a cast uncia I bought recently. The left coin below is a knuckle bone / dot Aes Grave Uncia.

The struck As, #6, is the second largest I have at 45 grams. One of the first struck Asses I bought was 48 grams. I did not know how long it would be before I bought one about the same size! This one is thick. It is worn enough that features, especially letters, are hard to see. I can see some bumps where ROMA should be in ex and marks of value, I, above the Janus head and Prow. What I see in front of the prow changes from nuttin to several letters. I will call it anonymous.

The denarius and quinarius are both plated. Enough of the Denarius remains that I feel pretty good about its attribution. I am not sure if the smaller coin is a Victoratii or Quinarius. My guess is a first century issue of Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus, Cr 435/2.

I briefly looked for examples of the Quadrans and nothing said this is it. It might be a Crawford 339/4 or something close. The weight and size suggest a late 2^nd or 1^st century BC date. The anonymous elephant Quadrans shown below is dated 128 BC and has a similar weight, 3.24 grams.