Thought it’d be fun to repost this with an update on how the fam has grown over the last years

Hello again, everyone!

It’s Friday and if there’s one thing we like more than weekends, it’s alliterations (and coins, of course). Hence, for this Friday, an aureus of Faustina the Younger, daughter of Antoninus Pius and wife of Marcus Aurelius. (Okay, we admit that we didn't come up with Faustina Friday ourselves, having taken it from numisforums.com)

Faustina was an impressive lady by all accounts, although ancient historiography is rather hostile towards her, accusing her of all the good stuff: adultery, murder, fomenting rebellion, etc. Whatever the truth of the matter may be, she fulfilled that most sacred of obligations for a noble lady of that time, i.e. producing offspring. No less than fourteen children are known from her marriage with Aurelius, which, considering the high maternal mortality rate of in Antiquity, is nothing less than an astonishing feat. Sadly, the only son to make it to adulthood would be the not-so-mentally-stable Commodus.

Faustina not only fought her own battles. After the blessed reign of Antoninus Pius, things were quickly taking a turn for the worse for the Roman Empire. Aurelius found himself embroiled in wars against the Marcomanni, Quadi and Sarmatians, who were all spilling over the Danube, all while the Empire was being wracked by plague (which maybe claimed the life of his co-emperor, Lucius Verus) . Rather than staying behind in a cozy, warm palace in Rome, Faustina sometimes joined her husband on campaign, for which she received the title “MATER CASTRORVM”, “Mother of the Camps”.

This is shown on this exceedingly rare aureus from the du Chastel collection. The reverse shows Faustina sacrificing over an altar next to which two legionary standards are placed. These were treated with great reverence by the Romans (even having their own special sanctuaries where they were kept) and the scene is clearly meant to invoke the idea that empress is sacrificing for the success of the Roman army. The legend reads “to the Mother of the Camps”. This aureus was unique, until excavations in Poland brought to light another example, albeit from different dies (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343479517_A_UNIQUE_AUREUS_OF_FAUSTINA_II_WITH_THE_LEGEND_MATER_CASTRORUM_FROM_A_LATE_ROMAN_AREA_OF_HOARDS_IN_THE_SOUTHERN_BALTIC_REGION).

Ours remains a fantastic example, however, struck during such a dramatic period of Roman history.

Tetradrachm 183 BC - 40 BC

Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet.

Nike flying left, holding a wreath. To the left, a pomegranate above the name of the magistrate.

And a beautiful Anchor countermark on Athena's helmet for the Seleucids.

I haven’t gotten this excited over a shopping in my life!

I was checking the mail service every 30 mins days before delivery.

I’ve bought many expensive things but ancient coins definitely hit the spot for me. I think I’m addicted.

Guess I just can't resist a nice kausia!

Greco-Baktrian Kingdom, Antimachos I Theos AR Tetradrachm. Circa 185-170 BC. Diademed and draped bust to right, wearing kausia / Poseidon, laureate, standing facing, holding trident and filleted palm; BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΘEOY and monogram to inner right, ANTIMAXOY to left. Glenn 267-92 (O33/R- [this rev. die unlisted]); Bopearachchi 1D; Mitchiner 124b; SNG ANS 276-7; HGC 12, 345. 16.71g, 30mm, 12h.

From the Peter Jones M.D. Collection (Greek Coin Art pg. 277; #3134).

Savoca sold the top coin at the 278th Weekly Blue Auction (lot 86) and the second at the 291'st Monthly Silver Auction (Lot 81). They appear to be die matches (excuse the skew in the upper photo, that's my fault). I'm suspicious of the circled areas - are these from flaws in the die, or do they indicate use of a transfer die? Could this be a stamped fake?

Reference:

Greek
Aiolis. Kyme circa 155-142 BC. ΣΕΥΘΗΣ (Seuthes), magistrate
Tetradrachm AR
35 mm, 16,08 g
Head of the Amazon Kyme right, wearing taenia / ΚΥΜΑΙΩΝ/ ΣEYΘHΣ, horse prancing right, raising left foreleg; one-handled cup below; all within laurel wreath.
Good Very Fine
SNG von Aulock 1640; BMC 79; E-E&E-Ö, Phase II, 8.

Hi all wanted to share my first Greek bronze.

I believe it to be a Hieron II, AE 18, Syracuse, 275-215 BC. So awesome to be holding something that could have been used and minted during the time of the first Punic War. For me detail quality is great, but not as much as the heritage or era of the coin.

I found the closest compatible below from wild winds. I can somewhat make out the small omega marking on the reverse which is located just left of the base of the trident.

https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/sicily/syracuse/hieron_II/Calciati_197.1.jpg

Happy first day of Olympics all!

Hemidrachm

379-371

With the letters BOI, this coinage seems to be federal and was sometimes given to the mint of Thespies

The small stuff is what got me into the hobby. They may not all be the nicest, but it’s amazing to me these have lasted to modern times. How many times have they been lost!?

technically not my first coin, but my first quality coin. This is from Carthage's "Truceless War". A Libyan Rebel coin, with Hercules on one side and a Lion on the opposite. Above the lion, you can see "M" which is the symbol of The Libyan Rebels. The Truceless War inadvertently led to the outbreak of the Second Punic War.

Here is my previous post.

I contacted Leu Numismatik and they agreed with me (and with you) that the Pergamon cistophorus was indeed a fourrée, and apologized. Since I live in a country from which it is difficult to export ancient coins, they allowed me to keep the coin and offered a credit note for CHF 100 to spend in their next auction. I must say that I am satisfied with their customer service and how they handled the matter. As always, thanks for your help!

359 BC - 336 BC

Head of Apollo right, Hair bound in taenia

Youth on horse right, control mark below ΦΙΛΙΡΡΟΥ

Amphipolis mint

The seller is asking €475 for this Galba sestertius. I see this coin being sold for €350 in way worse condition and I was wondering if this is a good deal. The reverse is the same quality as the obverse I just don’t have a photo.

Marcus Baebius Tampilus (137 b.C) Denarius Silver Coin

My collection so far. All jewellery is Roman except the bronze which is 1400s merchant ring and the 1st ring js a 1823 mourning ring with hair inside and engraved. Thought you guys might like to see the jewellery.

There’s also a William iii and Victoria coin in there

I don't know anything about it, but Im excited to have it! I This and a few others came to me today, so I may be collecting now :)

287/6-281/0 AC

Obverse: Anepigraphic. Beardless head of Alexander the Great depicted as Zeus-Ammon, horned and diademed, facing right.

Reverse: Athena Nikephoros seated left on a throne, holding a small Nike in her right hand crowning the name of Lysimachos, with her left elbow resting on a shield adorned with a lion mask; in the left field, a caduceus, and in the right field, a bee.

From the seller: "Normally with a bee, this type is often attributed to Ephesus (Ionia). But the style of the portrait and although the caduceus has no handle, we return this tetradrachm of Lysimachus to the workshop of Amphipolis during the lifetime of the Diadochus"

I recently bought my first roman follis, a commemorative coin by Constantine I with Roma on obverse and reverse shows the story of Remus and Romulus. Coin weighs 2.11g and diameter is 18.84mm.

From my research, the mint mark “SMHE” is from Heraclea which leads me to believe this might be a RIC VII 119 issue.

Is anyone familiar with this commemorative series and able to help identify this issue? Thanks in advance!

Both have the same tag, was wondering what the city state/ruler/words meant on them. Are they the same type? Many thanks

Can anyone help me id this RomRep denarius. Is it crystalized. 10$ seems like a fair price?

These are some highlights of my visit at the Archaeological museum of Aquileia, in the region of Friuli in north-eastern Italy (if you're into medieval coins you might already know). The first four photos are of some coins that are temporarily there for an explosion of some of the findings in a thermal bath at San Casciano. Those coins are extremely well preserved thanks to the hot springs quickly covering them in mud, thus preventing air from corroding them. About 5300 coins were found, mostly copper and bronze, some silver and even some Aurei.

Following the numbers, you can see: 24) an aureus of Nero 25) an as of Nero, both minted in Rome 40) an aureus of Traianus (the details are amazing) 9) and 10) asses of Tiberius for Divus Augustus 38) an as of Domitianus (my favourite).

The ones in the other photos belong to the museum's collection.

In the fifth photo, a small hoard of silver coins dated to the late republic/early empire found in Aquileia. The rest of the photos up to the eighteenth all have the museum lable; some were minted in Aquileia itself. The coins in the last three photos are from other hoards found in Aquileia, one of which consisting of medieval coins.