Roman Imperial Coins

Aelius as Caesar. A.D. 136-138. Rome - A.D. 137. AR Denarius. Obverse. Bare head right. Reverse.'TR POT COS II, Concordia enthroned left holding patera & resting on cornucopiae; 'CONCORD' in exergue. Good Very Fine & Very Scarce. Designated Hadrian's successor he died prematurely, the emperor that never was.

Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD, AR Denarius Rome 154 AD. Obv. ANTONINVS AVG PI-VS P P TR P XVII, laureate head right. Rev. COS IIII, Vesta standing left, holding simpulum and palladium. [RIC III 229a; BMCRE 806; RSC 198] Very Fine

Born in A.D. 86 Antoninus was made Caesar after Hadrian’s preferred heir Aelius died in A.D. 138. He succeeded to the throne and earned the title ‘Pius’ (meaning dutiful or respectful). He reigned over a period of unprecedented peace in the empire. We offer Silver Denarius of Antoninus Pius in a Good Fine condition, showing his laureate head on the obverse and various reverses.

Born in A.D. 86 Antoninus was made Caesar after Hadrian’s preferred heir Aelius died in A.D. 138. He succeeded to the throne that year and earned the title ‘Pius’ (which means dutiful or respectful) for two reasons. Firstly, by threatening the Senate with resignation if they did not deify Hadrian. Secondly, as Hadrian had wanted, he adopted young Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius at the start of his reign. What makes him so unusual is that he presided over the most peaceful reign of any emperor, governing well and wisely as a compassionate ruler. He set up charities, built public works for his people, and brought in laws such as ‘innocent until proven guilty’; some historians have argued it could be the greatest collective human happiness in a period of time in history. In Britain, he caused the ‘Antonine Wall’ to be built from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde, north of Hadrian’s Wall, to keep the Picts out. We offer Silver Denarius of Antoninus Pius in a Very Fine condition, showing his laureate head on the obverse and various reverses.

Antoninus Pius. A.D. 138-161., Rome - A.D. 139. AR Denarius. Laur. head R. / 'ANNONA AVG' Modius with 2 corn ears & a poppy. About Very Fine & Very Scarce type.

Caracalla, AD 198-217. AR Denarius, Rome AD 212, Obverse. ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT, Laureate and draped head of Caracalla facing to right. Reverse. P M TR P XV COS III P P, Annona seated to left holding corn ears and cornucopiae, modius at feet. [Sear 6825, RIC 195] Extremely Fine with a wonderful bold portrait of the Emperor on a broad flan.

Born of humble origin around A.D. 245 in Dalmatia near Split, Diocletian bought order to the Roman world after nearly 60 years of chaos. Like many of his predecessors, he had a military career, rising through the ranks to high command. Following the murder of the emperor Numerian, Diocletian was proclaimed emperor by his troops. Then the defeat of Carinus (brother of Numerian) left Diocletian in undisputed control of the Empire. Having realised the empire was too big for one person alone he quickly appointed an old army colleague, Maximian, as co-emperor. He also settled the problem of succession by the appointment of two junior Caesars, one for himself and Maximian. Diocletian spent much of his reign campaigning against Rome’s enemies on the Danube frontier, in North Africa, Egypt and Syria. Although there were Christians at all levels of society at this time, Diocletian worshipped the old Roman gods and was responsible for A savage persecution of Christians. Diocletian was a prolific builder and did much to overhaul the tax system and reform the coinage in an attempt to counter inflation. He abdicated in A.D. 305 and retired to his palace in Split. He died there in A.D. 311 a broken man, having watched his reforms trampled to death by the likes of Constantine the Great and Licinius. The coins we offer here are Billon Antoninianus in Extremely Fine condition with various reverses

Constantius II. A.D. 337-361. Arles - A.D. 357-361. AR Siliqua. Diademed, draped & cuirassed bust right / 'VOTIS XXX MVLTIS XXXX' in four lines within wreath; 'P CON' in ex. About Extremely Fine & Scarce. With this coin the emperor is celebrating his 30th anniversary & hoping for a 40th.

Titus Flavius Domitianus was born in Rome in A.D. 51 to the future emperor Vespasian. Side-lined for much of his youth, the sudden death of his older brother, Titus, in A.D. 81 made Domitian emperor. His tyrannical reputation is due to the historians writing about him being of the senatorial ruling class with whom he clashed politically; he executed at least 12 ex-consuls! But, when all the evidence is considered, including archaeology such as coins, it shows he was a ruthless but efficient ruler who provided the foundation of the peaceful second century. He was loved by the people and the army for improving their lives, for instance he improved the silver quality of the coinage, therefore public trust in money. We have a small group of Domitian’s silver Denarius grading Very Fine that show his bust on the obverse and his patron deity, Minerva, standing on the reverse. She was the Roman version of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategic warfare. Fill this gap in your collection and decide for yourself, Tyrant or Terribly Misunderstood?

Elagabalus (a nickname as he was yet another ‘Marcus Aurelius Antoninus’) was born in A.D. 204 to Julia Soaemias, the niece of the Empress, Julia Domna. He was made emperor in A.D. 218 by his powerful Grandmother, Julia Maesa (sister of Julia Domna). His four-year reign is infamous! He changed the principle god of Rome from Jupiter to his Eastern sun god, Elagabal. He broke taboos by marrying women and men but important among them was a Vestal Virgin, Julia Aquilia Severa, breaking an ancient law of Rome. That is all we can say here so we will leave the rest to your research! Eventually, the people were fed up; they tore him and his mother apart in the street. Julia Maesa had Severus Alexander seamlessly declared emperor. We have a very small group of Elagabalus’ silver Denarius in About Very Fine grade to offer. They show his bust on the obverse with various reverses. With a short four-year reign he is probably the hardest of the Severan Dynasty to get. Fill a gap in your collection with a coin of the infamous emperor.

Elagabalus. A.D. 218-222., AR Denarius. Providentia stg. Very Fine

In A.D. 293 the high-ranking soldier Galerius was adopted and made Caesar by Diocletian, marrying his daughter Valeria (Galeria Valeria) to cement the position. Galerius fought Rome’s enemies in the east, his main focus being the Sassanians who he finally defeated in A.D. 299 with the help of Diocletian. When Diocletian and Maximian abdicated in A.D. 305 Galerius made sure both new Caesars were his allies, meaning he as emperor was in control of ¾ of the empire. But his arrogant blundering meant that shortly, for the only time in history, six Roman emperors ruled at once as people refused to do what he wanted! He gave up in A.D. 309, focusing on fun and building. He died in A.D. 311 of a gruesome illness that Christian writers gleefully claimed came from their god for his persecutions. The coins we offer here are Billon Follis in About Extremely Fine condition showing his laureate bust on the obverse and with various reverses. They are from the same small group as the Diocletian & Maximian Follis also available on our website. Meaning they are big and beautiful and there are few of them so do not miss out…

Publius Septimius Geta was born in A.D. 189 to Julia Domna and Septimius Severus, before the latter was emperor. He was kept as Caesar from A.D. 198 until A.D. 209 when he was finally made joint Emperor with his father and brother, Caracalla. When their father died in A.D. 211 he advised the brothers “Stay friends, be generous to the soldiers and no one else matters”. But, they despised each other; Caracalla become a military ruler while Geta cultivated a philosopher style to emulate previous emperors like Marcus Aurelius. Within the year Caracalla arranged a peace meeting in their mother’s apartments but had Geta assassinated by Centurions. With Geta dead, Caracalla massacred 20,000 of his followers and enacted what we call a Damnatio Memoriae to destroy his memory. This makes his coins Scarce as they were melted down by Caracalla. We offer a Silver Denarius in Good Very Fine condition from throughout his reign. They show his bust on the obverse with various reverses. We have never been able to offer Geta like this before, he is normally too Scarce...

Hadrian was one of the most able and conscientious of the Roman Emperors. He spent his reign visiting the vast majority of his provinces. His most famous work was Hadrian’s Wall, the largest Roman monument anywhere in the world! We offer a Silver Denarius of Hadrian in Fine condition showing his bust on the obverse with various reverses.

Julia Maesa (born AD 160) AR. Denarius. Obv. Draped bust of Julia Maesa facing to rightbust right, Rev. PIETAS AV Pietas standing left sacrificing over an altar holding box of incemse. [Sear 7754] Good Very Fine+. Julia Maesa was the Grandmother of the Emperors Elagabalus and Severus Alexander.

Julia Mamaea (died AD 235) AR Denarius, Rome AD 228. Obverse: IVLIA MAMAEA AVG, Diademed and draped bust of Julia Mamaea facing right. Reverse: FELICITAS PVBLICA, Felicitas standing left holding caduceus and resting on a column. Virtually Mint with lustre, well centered and evenly struck on a broad flan, a wonderful example and rare in this grade [S.8209] Julia Mamaea was the mother of Severus Alexander.

Julia Soaemias (died AD 222) Mother of Elagabalus. AR Denarius, Rome AD 220-222. Obv. Draped bust right. Rev. VENVS CAELESTIS, Venus standing left holding apple and sceptre, star in field to right. [Sear 7719 var.] Good Very Fine & Scarce.

Macrinus, AD 217-218, AR Denarius, Rome AD 217. Obverse. Laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus facing to right. Reverse: SECVRITAS TEMPORVM, Securitas standing facing to left holding a sceptre and leaning on a column [Sear 7365] Extremely Fine and Scarce.

Macrinus. A.D. 217-218., Seleucis & Pieria, Beroea. Billon Tetradrachm. Laur. & draped bust R. / Eagle stg. facing, head L., with wings spread & wreath in beak; mintmark between legs. Good Very Fine & Rare!

PLAUTILLA (Wife Of Caracalla) AR Denarius, Rome AD 202. Obverse: Draped bust of Plautilla facing to right. Reverse: CONCORDIA AVGG, Concordia standing left holding patera and sceptre. Really Extremely Fine and scarce [Sear 7065]

Postumus was the governor of Germany in A.D. 260 when the emperor Valerian was captured in the East. With the Roman world in crisis barbarian raiding parties were crossing the borders but his defeat of one group, the Juthungians, led to him being proclaimed emperor by his troops. He then managed to push the others out of the western provinces and re-established the old Rhine frontier, making him very popular! Gallienus failed multiple times to defeat him so the rebel Postumus was left in control of Britain, Gaul, Iberia and parts of Germany, forming what was called the ‘Gallic Empire’. In A.D. 269, Laelianus, the governor of Germany, rebelled against him and was defeated at the siege of Mainz. Sadly, Postumus was then murdered by his own troops for refusing to allow them to plunder the city! Postumus minted coins that had at least twice as much silver in than the coins being made by Gallienus’ central government in Rome. We offer these Billon Silver Antoninianus of Postumus with various reverses in Extremely Fine condition, meaning very limited wear since they were struck. Due to the crisis at the time that striking can be a little weak so first to order will get the best! It has been a while since we have been able to get a group of these, we have priced them to please, but we cannot guarantee the price will not have to go up in the future…

In A.D. 208 Septimius Severus set off for Britannia to conquer the island but he would never see Rome again! The people and the landscape of Caledonia (Scotland) proved too much and Septimius Severus, exhausted by his efforts, fell ill and died in York in early A.D. 211. His dying words to his sons were ‘stay friends, be generous to the soldiers and no one else matters’. In his reign he had increased a soldiers pay from 375 to 500 silver Denari a year, a good wage in those days! This meant he created over 1000 different denarius reverse types. We offer you these silver Denari with the head of Septimius Severus on the obverse and various reverses from the Roman Emperor who died in York. Offered here in Fine grading.

Septimius Severus was Roman Emperor from AD 193-211. In AD 208 he travelled to Britain to strengthen Hadrian’s Wall and went on to invade Scotland that same year but his plans were cut short when he became ill and died in York in AD 211. We have a few silver denarius in Very Fine Condition minted during his reign. There are different types but all have his portrait on the obverse, and usually a standing or seated figure on the reverse. PHOTOGRAPH IS REPRESENTATIVE OF COIN SUPPLIED.

Severina, wife of Aurelian., Rome - A.D. 275. Billon Denarius. Diad. & draped bust R. / 'VENVS FELIX' Venus stg. L hdg. cupid & sceptre. Good Very Fine with minor silvering & Very Scarce. One of the last Denarius.

Severus Alexander, AD 222-235, AR Denarius. Obverse: Laureate and draped bust of Alexander facing to right. Reverse: P M TR P VI COS II P P, Mars walking right with spear and trophy. [RIC 61, RSC 305] Near Mint with much lustre.