History Coins
Imperial Coinage
Visit the Flavian page for coins from Nero, Galba, Otho, Vitellius & Titus
For further great Emperors such as Augustus & Tiberius visit the Provincial page
To enlarge the images, just click on the pictures.
Philip I, Silver Antoninianus, Rome, AD 245-247
Obverse: Radiate bust of Philip I, right, IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG
Reverse: ANNONA AVGG holding corn-ears and cornucopiae, modius at feet
Ref: S8922, RIC 28c
3.58g, 22mm
Grade: VF+
Prov: Ex Roma Numismatics
£60 (P&P FREE, other locations please ask first)
Philip I, Silver Antoninianus, Rome, AD 245-247
Obverse: Radiate bust of Philip I, right, IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG
Reverse: AEQVITAS AVGG holding scales and cornucopiae
Ref: S8918, RIC 27b
4.06g, 22mm
Grade: EF/VF
Prov: Ex Roma Numismatics
£65 (P&P FREE, other locations please ask first)
Elagabalus, Silver Denarius, Rome, AD 219, Victory
Obverse: Laureate and draped bust, right, IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS AVG
Reverse: Victory advancing right holding wreath and palm
Ref: S7553 var
3.09g, 19mm
Grade: VF
Prov: Ex Dr. Busso Peus Nachf.
£110 (P&P FREE, other locations please ask first) #274
Elagabalus, Silver Denarius, Rome, AD 221-222, Sacrificing, Horned
Obverse: Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right, IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. Horned headdress in this version.
Reverse: Elagabalus in priestly robes, standing left, sacrificing over a tripod-altar holding branch, elongated star to left field, remnants of old star to right, SVMMVS SACERDOS AVG
Ref: S7549, RIC 146
1.94g, 20mm
Grade: VF+
Prov: Ex Savoca Coins
Note: The extended star may be Halley's comet which appeared that year.
£160 (P&P FREE, other locations please ask first) #299
Severus Alexander, Silver Denarius, Annona Reverse, Rome 222-8
Obverse: Laureate and draped bust, right
Reverse: Annona standing facing, head left, holding cornucopia and sacrificing over altar to left
Ref: RIC IV 133
Grade: VF/AEF. 19mm, 3.07g
£95 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask)
Julia Maesa, Silver Denarius, Fecunditas Reverse, 218-222
Julia Maesa was the Grandmother to Elagabalas and Severus Alexander; as the power behind the thrones, she restored the Severan dynasty to power.
With a Fecunditas reverse, the god of fertility.
2.67g, AEF, RIC249
£65 (P&P FREE to UK other locations ask) #997f
Faustina Junior, Silver Denarius, Rome, AD 161-164
Obverse: Faustina Junior facing right, FAVSTINA AVGVSTA
Reverse: Hilaritas standing left, holding long palm frond and cornucopia
17.5mm,3.2g
Grade: AEF/EF, slight scrape to face
£95 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask)
Theodosius II & Honorius AE Follis, Two Emperors, c408-423, Constantinople Mint, SCARCE
Obverse: pearl diademed and draped head right, star behind, DN HONORI [VS PF] AVG
Reverse: Two emperors looking at each other, holding shield and spear, GLORIA ROMANORVM, CONS(Gamma) in ex
15mm, 2.19g. Grade: AVF slight edge loss, sandy deposits, a scarce Eastern type
Ref: RIC X 399/400, S21015
£65 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations ask)
Antoninus Pius Copper As, Clementia, AD140-144
Obverse: ANTONINVS-AVG PIVS P P, laureate head right
Reverse: TR POT-C-OS-III, Clementia standing left, holding patera, S-C across fields
27mm, 10.50g
Grade: avf some smoothing on fields
Ref: RIC RIC III 699 Rome, SCARCE
£70 (P&P FREE to all locations)
Constantine II AE Follis, 323-324, London Mint
Obverse: laureate head right, CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C
Reverse: VOT. X laurel wreath around, CAESARVM NOSTRORVM, PLON u(Control)
20mm, 3.31g
Grade: VF
Ref: RIC 292
£75 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations ask)
Severus Alexander, AE Dupondius, Libertas, Rome, AD232, Rarely Seen
Obverse: Bust of Severus Alexander, radiate, draped and cuirassed, right, IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG
Reverse: Libertas, draped, standing left, holding pileus in right hand and cornucopia in left, LIBERTAS AVBVSTI, S-C
24mm, 10.42
Grade: AVF, rarely seen for sale, only 2 on RIC
Ref: S8097, RIC IV 582
£170 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask)
Nero, AE Dupondius (Orichalcum) Rome, Temple of Janus, AD 62-68
Obverse: Head of Nero, radiate, left, IMP NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P P P
Notes: Orichalcum is a naturally occuring, but scarce, alloy of copper which is very hard, often used for armour.
The Temple of Janus had walls and door(s) but no roof. When Rome was not at war the doors were closed (this can't have happened much then!)
Reverse: Temple of Janus, with latticed window to left and double doors to right with garland hung across ('ubique door'), PACE P R VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, S-C
29mm, 12.38g
Grade: VF despite some corrosion and deposits, details are still quite good. A very rare example, only one other on RIC.
Ref: RIC I (2nd Ed) 340
£350 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations ask) #66
Septimius Severus, Silver Denarius, Emperor Standing, Rome, AD 202-210
Obverse: SEVERVS PIVS AVG, laureate head of Septimius right
Reverse: FVNDATOR PACIS, Septimius Severus, veiled, togate, standing left, holding branch in extended right hand and roll in left hand
3.43g, 18mm
Ref: RIC 265
Grade: VF
£85 (P&P FREE to UK, other locations please ask)
Probus, Billon Antoninianus, Emperor & Jupiter, Ticinum, 276-282, RARE
Obverse: Radiate and draped bust, right, IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG
Reverse: Emperor standing right, holding eagle-tipped sceptre, receiving globe from Jupiter, standing holding sceptre; VXXT in exergue.
22mm, 3.92g
Grade: EF, this silvered bronze example has much of the silvering intact
Note: RIC V Probus 386, this rare coin has only one depicted on RIC with this mint mark for Ticinum
£130 (P&P FREE to Uk other locations please ask)
Antoninus Pius, Bronze Sestertius, Liberalitas, Rome, AD 145
Obverse: Laureate head, right; ANTONINVS AVG P P IMP
Reverse: COS IIII above emperor seated left on curule chair on top of a platform with officer standing behind, Liberalitas holding abacus and cornucopia, citizen standing right at foot of platform, holding out fold of toga. [LIBERALITAS AVG III] in two lines in exergue. S C either side in field
30mm, 26.54g
Grade: VF, unusual obverse legend of IMP instead of TR P
Ref: RIC III 774, S4187.
Prov: Ex TimeLine auctions
£300 (+P&P, non-UK locations please ask) #8
The Imperial Coinage continues here
The period between the outbreak of civil war between Caesar and Pompey at the beginning of the 49BC and Octavian becoming Augustus in 27BC, contains the 'Imperatorial' coinage.This was a transitional stage of coinage running alongside that produced by Rome and as yet only had the names of those in power and not their portraits. Julius Caesar was the first to make this innovative step, unfortunately he was assassinated only three months later, but the idea stuck and later issues all had the ruler's portraits on them and the Imperial coinage evolved. The Imperatorial coins of Pompey, Caesar, Octavian and Anthony etc will be added to this area for convenience, when available.
The Imperial Coinage of Rome covers over
500 years, from the establishment of Octavian (Augustus) to the transformation and rise of Constantinople to Byzantinian coinage with Anastasius I. Those coins produced at provincial mints
are separated, as are the Byzantine
coins.
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