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 Replies: 147 / Views: 45,906 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2703 Posts |
I have been looking for a Nero denarius for some time. I wanted one which showed his stubbly beard. I totally forgot that I had placed an internet bid on this one. Usually I get outbid. However this afternoon I received an email telling me that I ended up the winner!   On the reverse is a legionary eagle between military standards. Does anyone else collect Roman silver denarii? Please post some pictures of them if you have any. Edited by t360
10/18/2008 10:26 am
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
671 Posts |
Wow, am I jealous...  Nice find!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Very interesting coin from an historical perspective, and great photo! I guess Nero didn't care about a flattering likeness?  |
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Moderator
Australia
16842 Posts |
Quote:I guess Nero didn't care about a flattering likeness? The early Empire was a time of realism for coin portraiture. If the emperor was ugly, the coins showed him as ugly. This contrasts strongly with the "idealism" of Greek coinage, which minimised flaws and accentuated beauty, and the "abstraction" of later Roman and Byzantine coins, where the portrait is intended to show the power, majesty, grandeur and authority of the office of emperor, rather than the identity of the emperor himself. You could take an early Roman Empire coin, and use it to pick the emperor's face out from amongst a crowd. Quote:
Does anyone else collect Roman silver denarii? I have 42 of them, ranging from the early Republic period (my earliest is attributed to 157 BC) up to the mid-200's AD, by which time the denarius was fast becoming obsolete. Quote:
Please post some pictures of them if you have any. Four of them are already in my gallery: this one of Caracalla...  ...another one of the same emperor...  ...this one of Elagabalus....   ...and this one of Hadrian, which I only seem to have scanned the reverse of...  I've just added a fifth to the gallery - my most recently acquired denarius filled a hole in my OFERE collection (one from each Roman emperor): Nero's successor, Galba. This one also dates from 68 AD:  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
Edited by Sap
10/16/2008 04:14 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1415 Posts |
Excellent collection Sap! Pics are great also  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Those denarii are in beautiful condition...impressive! Sap, thanks for the info Edited by KurtS
10/16/2008 2:21 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1015 Posts |
G'Day all and yes I collect denarii,I only have 27 posts and only been here for 12 day so my denarii photos will have to wait so until I get the O.K. to post then I'll post some regards harry |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
671 Posts |
Quote:
I have 42 of them WOW, compare that to my large group of three.  I do actually have quite a few silver "double-denarii" (commonly known as antoniniani), my favorites being of Philip the Arab and his son Philip II. Edited by Sir Ferrari
10/16/2008 6:45 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
671 Posts |
Also, to nuggethill, you can post pictures as much as you want! There is no post or time requirment to do that.
Lets see those denarii!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6391 Posts |
I have just two denarii. I've posted them before but this is a good time to bring 'em out again! The older is Naevius Balbus, dating from 79 BC, depicting Venus on the obverse and a 3-horse chariot (Triga?) on the reverse. This is a "serrate" denarius with the notches around the edge.   The other is from 220 AD and shows Julia Paula (wife of Elagabalus) on the obverse and Concordia on the reverse.   Edited by Jaobler
10/16/2008 7:09 pm
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Valued Member
Canada
464 Posts |
Jaobler, the Naevius Balbus you posted is amazing!
Edited by gawd0wns
10/16/2008 7:27 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2703 Posts |
Very nice denarii, Sap! So the 'S' in COS was entered backwards on the Hadrian?
What do the seven stars and crescent represent?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2703 Posts |
Beautiful coins, Jaobler! The Eagle holders might work for me too. Often the relief is too high on denarii to fit them into airtights.
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Moderator
Australia
16842 Posts |
Quote:
So the 'S' in COS was entered backwards on the Hadrian? Yep. The die engraver must have been a trainee, or in a hurry, or had a cold or something - the S is backwards, the O is filled in, the stars are randomly scattered about instead of a neat hexagonal pattern like they normally are on this type, and the centration hole which was supposed to be masked by one of the stars, is showing as a small "8th star" in the centre of the coin. All in all, a very sloppy job. Not that I'm complaining, mind.  Quote:
What do the seven stars and crescent represent? I don't think we know for sure. Unlike the "comet coins" of Augustus, I don't think it records a particular astronomical event, because this reverse can be found on coins of several emperors. I've always imagined the Moon symbol was linked with the cult of the goddess Diana/Artemis, and the seven stars represent the seven hills of Rome. Thus the coin symbolizes Diana embracing and protecting Rome. 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
United States
2703 Posts |
Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. Even as an old man, he always maintained a youthful portrait on his coins.   |
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Replies: 147 / Views: 45,906 |
Posted 10/15/2008 10:53 pm
