NEWPs: Roman Domitian Denarius and Seleucid Demetrius I Soter Tetradrachm

Zohar · November 9, 2014 12:59PM

Purchased both for their eye appeal. The Domitian is one of my collection favorites thus far.

Roman Empire. Domitian (81-96 AD) AR Denarius. Rome mint, 88 AD. 19mm, 3.79gr. Obv: Bust laureate right, aegis with Medusa head and snakes on front shoulder and behind neck. Rev: Minerva advancing right, brandishing spear and holding shield. RIC 574. Very rare with aegis on portrait in 88 AD, an attribute that was normal on denarii only several years earlier, in 84-85 AD. Ex Jon Kern Collection. Ch AUš 5/5, 5/5.

Seleucid Kingdom. Demetrius I Soter. 162-150 BC. AR Tetradrachm, 31.35mm, 16.77gr. Obv: Diademed head of Demetrius right. Rev: Tyche seated left, holding sceptre and cornucopiae, on throne supported by winged Tritoness. PA and WPA monograms in left field, date AXR in exergue (= 161 BC). SC 1641.6c; SMA 119. Newell 124; Hoover 798; BMC 20. Wild colorful toning. NGC graded AU 5/5, 5/5.

bronzemat · November 9, 2014 1:49PM

One of the best Domitians I have seen, especially like the toning. Lovely Demetrius too!

NiceCurrency · November 9, 2014 3:07PM

pretty toning on both coins

not seeing "aegis with Medusa head and snakes on front shoulder and behind neck"

is it like one of those magic 3d eye puzzles?

Aethelred · November 9, 2014 8:35PM

<< aegis with Medusa head and snakes on front shoulder and behind neck. >>

What?

Zohar · November 9, 2014 8:51PM

I took it from here - LINK and LINK2

Cant find the exact variety with shield. Help?

TIF2 · November 9, 2014 10:35PM

Gorgeous coins, Zohar--especially the Domitian.

Some of the "Minerva Advancing" varieties have Domitian with the aegis, some don't. I'm not familiar enough with the minutia of RIC to know if it is significant or if it triggers a different RIC number. Regardless-- beautiful coin!

STLNATS · November 9, 2014 10:36PM

The links you provide have different reverse legends, specifically the IMP and CONS numbers. I only have an older copy of RSC but the obverse legend of your coin ending in TRP XIII is legend T and dated to ca AD. 92-3. AD 88 would be TRP VII or VIII. As mentioned above, the obverse looks to me to be the plain laureated head right (that is, no aegis at the lower right of the portrait. the aegis is pretty distinctive as you can see from the links). The reverse is the "standard" Minerva fighting type (Minerva advancing right with shield on left arm and holding javelin in right)and seems to be RSC 283b which is linked to RIC 175 (old numbering before RIC was revised). I don't see your specific coin in Wildwinds - and may have just overlooked it - but would guess it would be listed in the mid 700s of the revised RIC numbering given the dates.

Very pretty coins, especially like the electric blue touches around the details. Congrats.

edited to add: I stuggle a bit with WWs since I'm not that familiar with the 1st century listing, but just found it in WWs. It's RIC 761. It's assigned a date of AD 93-4 a year later than in RSC. Your's is clearly nicer, but here's a link to the pic they provide: link

JCMhouston · November 9, 2014 11:12PM

I like the toning on both of those Z.

Zohar · November 9, 2014 11:37PM

Thanks all. STLNATS - you really know your stuff. I couldn't find it on Wildwinds and the auction search. Appreciate the guidance!

LochNESS · November 10, 2014 3:34AM

Love the toning on that Domitian obverse.

STLNATS · November 10, 2014 6:29AM

. . .

LochNESS · November 10, 2014 7:22AM

OK

STLNATS · November 10, 2014 9:01AM

<< Thanks all. STLNATS - you really know your stuff. I couldn't find it on Wildwinds and the auction search. Appreciate the guidance! >>

YW, per Red Green, "we're all in this together!"

WW can be tricky and I don't use it often enough to navigate it easily, esp the areas outside the series I think I know well (which aren't that many).

SmEagle1795 · November 11, 2014 12:53AM

Wonderful coins - the Domitian takes the cake for me. Anyone building a Twelve Caesars denarii set would be proud to have that coin!

TPRC · November 12, 2014 9:36AM

<< Wonderful coins - the Domitian takes the cake for me. Anyone building a Twelve Caesars denarii set would be proud to have that coin! >>

+1

lordmarcovan · November 12, 2014 3:49PM

<< 

<< Wonderful coins - the Domitian takes the cake for me. Anyone building a Twelve Caesars denarii set would be proud to have that coin! >>

+1 >>

+2

As mentioned via previous PM, that's a stunner of a Domitian.

You gonna do a Twelve Caesars set, Z?

Zohar · November 12, 2014 8:58PM

Right now just buying what I find appealing, open ended.

NEWPs: Roman Domitian Denarius and Seleucid Demetrius I Soter Tetradrachm

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