Republican As, with vertical I under neck

[ahala]

I've had this photo for several years. I was waiting to publish the type, which I did, in Essays Russo:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ahala_rome/5206575733/in/set-72157650765178127

 

Below an extract of what I said about the coin in my article in Essays Russo. These comments should be read in the context of the full article. The article says that this was among the first Crawford 41 struck bronze asses. It preceded the Crawford 41 bronze asses identified by Roberto Russo in Essays Hersh. It was probably contemporary with the bronze asses with horizontal value marks that Russo published in the Swiss Review

 

QUOTE

Crawford, RRC p.554, note 131, “A.pl.cxii,1 (Paris, A923, 34.34gr.) shows an anonymous As with the mark of value below the head on the obverse; this feature is a relic of an overstrike (Table XVIII, 27)”. RRC table XVIII, 27, “Anonymous As (no. 56/2) overstruck on a collateral Quadrans (no. 39/2). Hersh 48.”.

 

My examination of the coin shows understrike evidence in the obverse field. The undertype is RRC 39/2 Hercules / bull and snake Quadrans. Just under Janus’ left chin one can clearly see the left leg of the bull, the left portion of the snake, and the left of the exergual line, which is parallel to the snake. This obverse over reverse overstrike is just a few degrees from horizontal. The vertical value mark and indented truncation on the coin have no relation to the undertype. The nature of the truncation and the value mark, which are fully struck up, absolutely symmetrical, to the correct scale, of consistent relief with the rest of the type, and with no undertype transitions in this area, show these to be details of the main overstrike As. The angle of the neck truncation is also exactly the same as for the related Semis as is the overall engraving style.

 

Crawford’s consideration of the Semis weighing 54.94g in the Capitoline museum (RRC p.VII,10) may have distorted his views on the expected weight of an As of RRC 41. In fact, the Capitoline Semis is an aberrant coin, and normal weights from these and related dies are considerably lighter. The weight analysis (see below) shows a progressive tokenization of the coins moving from smaller to higher denominations. The Uncia and Semuncia are struck at about 100 grams As weight, the Sextans is struck at about 80 grams As weight, the Quadrans and Triens are struck at about 70 grams As weight, the Semis is struck at about 60 grams As weight, and the As with horizontal mark was struck at about 50 grams. Given the large size of my samples this was clearly a deliberate decision. In this context a trial strike of this vertical value mark type on the heaviest available flan – an example of RRC 39/2 – should not be seen as exceptional. For some reason it was abandoned as an experiment and only one example is known, but it should not be rejected just on the basis of its apparently light 34.34 grams weight.

 

The reverse type of this coin is consistent with group A1 coins in style, with a prominent triangular box shape at keel level, albeit without waves. It does not fit with any other series of Roman Republican anonymous bronzes. Although clearly official, the reverse is less refined than that of the horizontal value mark As, lacking details such as the greyhound inside the fighting platform, and waves. This may explain its rejection as an acceptable replacement for the aes grave As. The reverse is clearly a part of group A1. The obverse engraving style is also consistent with the other Asses of group A1 having a horizontal value mark (fig.A1.As.1), and does not match any other coin series. UNQUOTE

 

The struck as with the horizontal value mark published in the Swiss review is this type:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ahala_rome/5955373101/in/album-72157650765178127/

 

Andrew

[L. Licinio Lucullo]

Very interesting, thank you