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Replies: 21 / Views: 2,424 |
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1790 Posts |
Hello , to commemorate the 2000 year anniversary of the death of Augustus Caesar I purchased a Cauis and Lucius denarius from VCOINS . To my novice eyes the coin looks amazing and it was fairly cheap ( considering all Julio-Claudian denarii are on the rise ) . I would like the experts opinion on this coin and if it was a good buy . Thanks Weight-3.7 Grams Diameter-18mm  An a close up on the Man himself. 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
Even with the reverse very much off centered the coin is superb.
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1790 Posts |
Thanks. It looks like Lucius or Gauis has a crack on his chest though .
Edited by Augustus Maximus 08/20/2014 6:47 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
Doesn't bother me much.
I had not even remembered to think that it is 2000 years to the month even.
We should have some sort of commemoration of sorts
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1790 Posts |
Yeah , Augustus died yesterday and Agrippa Postumus died today .
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Even though the coin is off centered and there is a flan crack, the details on this coin are super. I would love to have one of these in my collection. Congrats.
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1790 Posts |
Thanks very much . On another note , why do denarii from the Julio Claudian period cost so much ? For example,for the price I payed for this denarius I could have bought multiple Roman Republican denarii .
Edited by Augustus Maximus 08/20/2014 7:50 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts |
One reason the Julio Claudian denarii are very expensive is due to the scarcity of them. Nero despite being a bit of a clown actually did a few intelligent things ....... Not many but a few. Silver purity had always been a point of pride for the Romans and the denarius was pure silver. Until Nero that is. Nero reduced the purity to 90%. As the empire was not in any financial distress and in fact the period is concidered one of prosperity the motive is believed to have been practical and not devious. Ninety percent is much more durable and resistant to wear and tear. In fact it remained the approximate standard for good silver up until recent times. As part of the new standard all earlier issues were recalled and reissued with Nero's beautiful face. Earlier Republican issues we find and collect today were probably already 'lost' and buried away. Some have noticed that Augustus seems to be more common than the other early emperors. One theory is that there was a sort of "Kennedy" effect. Much like the 1964 silver half dollar people had a tendency to want to keep them for sentimental reasons instead of spending them. The silver coins of Caligula and Claudius are extremely hard to find. As these were probably the most commonly used at the time of the recall it makes sense.
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1790 Posts |
Wow !  Thanks for the info .
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
 congruently with echizento.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4973 Posts |
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Moderator
 Australia
16868 Posts |
The other reason these coins are more expensive than other, scarcer types is demand. Coins of Augustus are wanted in particular by two groups of thematic ancients collectors: "biblical coins" and "the Twelve Caesars".
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
Netherlands
1204 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Excellent portrait! 
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Wow! I don't care that it is off centre, or about the crack. That portrait is absolutely stunning. Well done.
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Replies: 21 / Views: 2,424 |