Altro semisse anonimo

[L. Licinio Lucullo]

Cari amici, ho acquistato questa monetina all'ultima asta Tintinna. Ottimo rapporto qualità/prezzo (15 euro !!!!!!!!!!!)

Peso 15,17 gr. Diametro 26 mm.

Secondo voi come va classificato, considerato che come peso è ai limiti (inferiori) dello standard sestantale?

Modificato 25 Ottobre, 2013 da L. Licinio Lucullo

[romanini]

Hai ragione, ottima qualita' prezzo!

[gpittini]

DE GREGE EPICURI

Niente male, e l'hai pagata meno di...1 euro al grammo!! Concordo sul periodo, come data lo metterei fra il 189 e il 180 a.C., ma non chiedermi il n° del Crawford perchè a casa non ce l'ho.

[ahala]

This is a second Punic war anonymous semis, related to Crawford RRC 50 anchor (i.e., this is an anchor semis but missing the anchor). Here are pictures of the anonymous coins, which you can compare with pictures of the anchor types.

I have studied these anonymous coins in great depth, and have written a 200 page analysis of them that will soon be published. I will share the paper once it is published. I want to make clear that we should forget about "sextantal" standard, for anonymous bronzes. Between 215 to 208 BC, at many small mints near the war locations with Hannibal, in Apulia, Rome, Sardinia, Sicily, Calabria, Campania, different bronze types were struck at weights ranging from a 100 gram as to a 20 gram as. Many are overstrikes over captured coin, and the weight of the coin is the weight of the undertype. All these circulated at the same time. So during the second Punic war we should just forget about "sextantal" meaning an As of 50 gram, and instead it is better to understand that, at Rome, good quality heavy coins were struck, and also at some provincial mints, e.g. near Tarentum, or in Etruria, but at the same time in Apulia, Sicily and Sardinia, the Romans were striking very light coins on top of captured Carthaginian coins. The heavy coins and the light coins circulated at the same time. I think some were struck in large volumes to pay military e,g. the types I show below (related to the anchor series) as well as coins struck at Rome and near Tarentum. But other coins were struck in small numbers, or were emergency overstrikes, and are of light weight. So it is complicated. Once my paper is published I will share it. A very short summary, that shows the main types, is available here: I have discussed this arrangement with Michael Crawford, and he supports it, as a better replacement for the "Crawford 56" series which covers so many different types, but not in any organsed way.

http://andrewmccabe.ancients.info/RRC056.html

Andrew

[ahala]

In fact, I think your semis is NOT anonymous. There is an anchor before the prow on your coin! It is Crawford 50/4 semis, which is a very rare coin! Well done!

However, even if there was no anchor, I'm sure it was struck at the same mint as Crawford 50 anchor.

[L. Licinio Lucullo]

Thank you both, @@gpittini and @@ahala.

I have an as from with the "anchor" (mm 33, g 27,9) but I think the style is the same of the lighter series (RRC 194/1). What do you think about?

[ahala]

Yes this is Crawford 194/1.

[L. Licinio Lucullo]

Yes this is Crawford 194/1.

Thanks

[gpittini]

DE GREGE EPICURI

@@ahala, thanks for your very interesting link; I will read it as soon as I can. About overstrikes, I know a lot of overstriked SESTANTES, but very few of other specimens; and for sestantes, the old coin has generally a suitable weight for a sestans (so as punic bronzes "bull-star" of Sardinia, or Poseidon-trident of Sicily). Are perhaps other overstriked numerarii very, very rare?

Modificato 25 Ottobre, 2013 da gpittini