Little Silver Piece, 17 MM, 1.33 Grams, Any Ideas?

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Author	Replies: 9 / Views: 1,058
louisvillekyshop CCF Advertiser United States 1306 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 1:48 pm This was in a large lot of maybe 500 coins that were everything from Greek to Roman to Islamic to middle ages etc so that is no real help. Everything else was mostly bronze aside from the few middle age silver hammered items. Nothing high end. So anyway, I see a horseman with spear I think but the obverse seems like a Greek or Republic type head. I know it is way thin for any of them so anyone recognize this? And if this was a contemporary Roman Republic Denarius, even without the chip, it could never have weighed anything near the weight of a true Republic Denarius so it would never have passed. Edited by louisvillekyshop 02/02/2019 1:52 pm Report this Post to the Staff

chafemasterj Pillar of the Community United States 6514 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 1:57 pm Holy crap is that thing thin. I'm really curious what the gurus have to say about it. Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 Edited by chafemasterj 02/02/2019 1:58 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Matt2727 Valued Member United States 219 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 2:03 pm Very worn Roman Republic denarius. Looks like a metal detecting find or something. Maybe environmental damage caused the weight drop? I doubt it is a fake, but it sure could be a contemporary counterfeit. Edited by Matt2727 02/02/2019 2:16 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Kamnaskires Pillar of the Community United States 7066 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 2:24 pm I believe that crystallinity could account for both the chip and the light weight. Don't know how to account for the thinness other than, as Matt says, excessive wear. From Sayles' Ancient Coin Collecting: "A crystalized coin becomes brittle and can be honeycombed with air pockets. The result is a coin of much lighter weight than normal." Report this Post to the Staff
louisvillekyshop CCF Advertiser United States 1306 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 2:27 pm OK if this is a very worn Republic Denarius, it did lose two grams of weight from the chip and environmental loss, we should be able to find the coin. Do you see the spear down on the side of the horse or is that just me seeing what I want to see? Right behind the horse. Often the spears on Republic Denarius coins are over the head pointing down. Marcius Philippus has one in the style of the way a middle age knight would hold it however. I took two more photos. Report this Post to the Staff
Ben Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 4208 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 2:40 pm It certainly looks like it's republican. Maybe its one of the really early types. My thinking is it's a sestertius, from when Sestertii were 1g silver coins. EDIT: Perhaps a Quinarius is more along the right lines, given the losses. These were about 2g and 16mm across. Edited by Ben 02/02/2019 2:49 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Palouche Pillar of the Community Spain 2752 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 3:04 pm Is that the remnants of a letter below the horse maybe an A? Report this Post to the Staff
louisvillekyshop CCF Advertiser United States 1306 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 4:45 pm Ben; I think you have it perfect with the quinarius and perhaps the second horse is just off field to the right. The placement of the M under the horse legs might be the letter hinted at. Thanks! (Works for weight as it can't have gone up from 1 gram.) Thanks again! (Just an example below to compare as I need those legs closer to the ground..) Roman Republican Coins Anonymous. 211-210 B.C. AR quinarius Rome. Head of Roma right, wearing winged Phrygian helmet; behind, denomination (V) / ROMA in exergue, the Dioscuri on horseback rearing right, each holding couched lance. Crawford 44/6; King 1; Sydenham 141; RSC 3. Edited by louisvillekyshop 02/02/2019 4:48 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34427 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 5:03 pm I don't know how you all do it. Well done! "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
jskirwin Pillar of the Community United States 616 Posts	Posted 02/02/2019 7:31 pm Well played. Now if there only was a Super Bowl of coin ID, I'd have something to watch tomorrow. Report this Post to the Staff
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