Coin Information: Tantalus S/N 35325
Image Rights: All Rights Reserved
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| This item has been viewed 158 times. | |
| Coin type: | Roman Provincial |
| Entered by: | scottatlaw |
| Added on: | Jul 12, 2009 |
| Ruler: | Hostilian (Caesar) |
| Region, City: | Moesia Superior, Viminacium |
| Coin: | VF- AE Sestertius CVAIHOSTMOVIHTVSCAE - Bare headed, paludamentum draped over cuirass bust right (viewed from rear). PM-S-C-OLVI - Moesia standing, raised right arm holding branch, left hand extended holding globe, between bull & lion (both advancing). |
| Exergue: | ANXII |
| Mint: | (Year 12) |
| Wt./Size/Axis: | 13.12g / 27mm / - |
| Rarity: | R.7+ |
| References: |
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| Acquisition/Sale: | Numismatik Lanz Ebay.com 07/12/2009 |
| Notes: | Aug 6, 09 - Image courtesy of Numismatik Lanz.
This coin is unlisted in SNG Germany and Moushmov. This coin is incorrectly attributed in SNG Hungary as # 471 (or as a variant thereof) and possibly imaged but not correctly cited as #'s 474 and 475. This is image is very good, however, the camera is focusing far too much on the obverse's discoloration on the patina making it look like there is corrosion, when in fact the patina is smooth and simply discolored. The reverse too is far better in hand because the area between the bull's head to the branch held by Moesia is warped on the coin due to a die defect. There is actualy alot more detail in this area of the coin, but due to the topographical warping in the coin, the camera actualy has this part of the coin slightly out of focus. In hand the details here are a bit sharper and you can clearly see the branch in Moesia's hand. This coin is a likely example of the work of my theorized "Master Celator" of Viminacium. True VF or better examples of Hostilian's Viminacium coins are few and far between, and the few higher grade specimens that do show up range very dramaticly in style, but are typicaly quite crude and even cartoonish. This coin is something I've never seen before, a high grade specimen with an unusualy skilled style. Because of the reverse variant on this coin, we can date this coin to the earliest portion of the year 12 production cycle (before the death of Decius and Etruscus). Since this coin is from the begining of the production cycle, it is more likely (IMHO) to utilize the higher quality sample dies created by the master celator. These high quality dies were likely created by a single master (due to thier relative scarcity) and used for teaching samples and as portraits for important coins (first day issues and/or commemorative coinage). Another interesting wrinkle to this coin is the resemblence it bears to the coins of Philip II as caesar (both imperial and viminacium coinage). Because I haven't seen higher grade examples of Hostilian's early coinage in this style, this similarity hasn't been as immediately apparent, but it is now clear that Hostilian's portrait (and likely Etruscus' too) are simply altered portraits of Philip II as caesar. Since this is the first master celator coin I've found for a non-Augusti, I can now infer that master celator examples of Etruscus, Etruscilla, Volusian, and possibly even Marinianae are likely to exist. For a more indepth discussion of this reverse type, please see this coin: http://www.tantaluscoins.com/coins/27214.php |
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