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 Replies: 19 / Views: 4,159 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
I cant believe I won it. I'm shocked. I'm in awe. Its..amazing. I was worried someone else would spot it and whack in a bid above my £25 (I saw it, I knew it was mine). Okay, its beaten up. Scraped. Mashed. But its something good. I'm hoping against hope that its really roman and not a later copy taken from a sestertius. Here we go:  Uniface. Lead. Stamped onto a chunk of lead ripped from a sheet. Now, I'm hoping that its a die trial because that would be amazing. Some background: Quote:ADLOCVTIO. On the field S. C. First brass of Galba. THe emperor stands, with the chief of the Praetorian guards, on a raised platform, and harangues the Cohorts, who are generally represented by their standard bearer. In another Allocution, given by Havercamp, (Mus. Christinae), of the same Emperor, the cavalry of the guards are represented by a horse, the head of which is seen amongst the foot soldiers.  This coin (struck A. D. 68) is, by most numismatic antiquaries, thought to designate the occasion of Galba's speech to his legionaries in Spain, when he first revolted from Nero. Cool or what? Matches perfectly the first coin issued by Galba of a very historic event. Its going next to my PROFECTIO sestetius when I get it, but first its going to the Portable Antiquities Scheme - its got provenance from the ground to me! |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2100 Posts |
Not THAT look COOL. Keep us informed.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Now that looks cool, I assume? Or Not look call. Its very scraped. I've written to the guy, it was apparently dug up in a garden in Croydon, then put into a bucket of scrap and old nails and brick debris and stuff (I assume it got pretty roughed up in there). A guy rescued it when he cleared out the shed (he did a good job, got £13 for this chunk of lead). I'm going to take it to the local portable antiquities scheme people and see if they can work it out. If not, the extra money I would have spent on it above £13 would buy me a ticket to the british musuem to have them look at it.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Wow that really is something, well done Ben.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3444 Posts |
Well that certainly 'floats my boat' ! Anything 1st century is a big plus but when you combine it with a tough Emperor you really have something special. I wonder if it wasn't cut from some sort of plaque or other type of decorative panel.
I know how you feel watching something 'good' tick down to zero.
And the thrill when all the searching through thousands of items finally pays off.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
It could have been a plaque. I dont know why that would be made though. Perhaps its a souvenir from the mint for a soldier who served in Galbas army - then, when they retired and settled in Croydon they buried it to hide their previous infidelity. Perhaps theres more stuff out there - a detector might do well in that garden.
I hope its nice. I'm going to work out how to mount it. I'm thinking an acrylic stand.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
Very interesting! Looking forward to hearing what the experts have to say.
Chris, can I have some of your popcorn while we wait? :-)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
sure TIF, I brought enough for the whole class.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I can't make up my mind about this piece. If it was mine, I would submit it to the British Museum Coins and Medals Department for an opinion. That would be an almost a 'no brainer' for me, if I were living in the U.K.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
I might take it to them or send it in. I've got a few coins for them to look at. Depends what the guys at the PAS place say. If they say its an outright fake, then I wont bother.
The seller is also throwing in another roman thing from the same bucket of scrap, but from the description it must be fake. I hope this isn't also fake.
And ddaaaamn, thats a lot of popcorn.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2480 Posts |
LOL Chris, what a picture! College kid in his dorm room with ten pounds of popcorn? Must be a bad case of the munchies.
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
Wow thats a very special one! congrats!
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Very interesting  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
OK thats phat...I don't know what it is but it sure looks phat. Take it to the BM, what are you waiting for!
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Replies: 19 / Views: 4,159 |
Posted 08/20/2013 5:35 pm
