zanzi Posted May 14 · Member Share Posted May 14 I've long wanted a female person (not deity) on a coin, but it wasn't quite a main goal for me, more of a "someday" goal. Recently I saw a Limes coin from Lucilla on eBay and decided it called out to me. I've always had an interest in ancient counterfeits, imitations, and fourees so the limes denarii have allured me but prior to this Lucilla coin I had not yet bought one. Lucilla was the daughter of Marcus Aurelius (re: my Cyrrhus provincial coin) and Faustina the Younger. Roman Empire - Empress Lucilla Limes denarius - 2.6 grams, 16.6x18.0mm, 1.8mm thick O: Lucilla right, hair waved and in a bun, LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F R: Vesta left, holding a simpulum and palladium, to the left a lit altar, VESTA Ref: RIC III Marcus Aurelius #788 (OCRE) As a question for the members more informed than I, what would the metal be described as? It is clearly not bronze, nor silver, and I doubt even billon. Is it some kind of potin mixture? I'm not the most informed on metals but it reminds me most of pewter or maybe some kind of white metal. I would appreciate any opinions or information on this. As a callout for more coins, I'd love to see any other limes denarii or coins of Lucilla, or anything related! 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarmur Posted May 14 · Member Share Posted May 14 Here is a Lucilla sestertius with Pietas. She is a pretty coin and her coins are usually cheaper than more popular empresses like a high grade Faustina II 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted May 14 · Supporter Share Posted May 14 Here is a Lucilla, struck at Rome 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Collector Posted May 14 · Patron Share Posted May 14 Fun one, @zanzi! Here's my specimen of that type. The coin dates to 161-162 CE, when Lucilla was 12 or 13 years old. 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted May 14 · Member Share Posted May 14 Limes Lucillas are pretty scarce, congrats. I have some bronzes, but would rather show the rarer reverse types I have. Lucilla (162 - 182 A.D.) AR Denarius O: LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F, Draped bust right. R: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing facing, head left, holding patera and double cornucopiae. Rome Mint 19mm 3.27g RIC III 760. Ex. Cabinet Numismatique, Genève. Rare Lucilla (164 - 182 A.D.) AR Denarius Obv: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right. Rev: FECVNDITAS, Fecunditas or Lucilla seated right, holding child on lap; before her, a second child standing left, reaching towards her. Rome 2.58g RIC III 765 (Aurelius); RSC 19 Rare Lucilla (164 - 182 A.D.) AR Denarius O: LVCILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right. R: IVNONI LVCINAE Juno seated left, holding flower and infant. 3.2g 19mm RIC M. Aurelius 770. C. 36. BMC M. Aurelius 342 Ex. Goldberg Auctions, Sept. 22, 2013, Sale 75 Lot 2706 (part of) 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted May 15 · Supporter Share Posted May 15 Limes are fun. Congrats @zanzi RI Lucilla 164-182 CE issued 164 CE 3rd Hair AR Denarius 18mm 2.8g Rome 166-169 CE Pudicitia arrange across chest RIC III 780 RI Lucilla AR denarius Juno seated flower child in swaddling clothes Seaby 36 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted May 15 · Supporter Share Posted May 15 My Limes RI Hadrian, AD 117-138 Æ Limes Denarius 18mm 3.5mm after AD 125 Genius stndg sacrificing altar cornucopia RIC II 173 9 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zanzi Posted May 15 · Member Author Share Posted May 15 Thank you all for the lovely Lucilla coins, and of course Alegandron's interesting Hadrian limes denarius! It has a strong "cast" appearance to it. I have been trying to decide if mine is cast or die struck. I think it is die struck, but am really not sure. I'm still stumped on what kind of metal alloy it is. This is also the only limes denarius I could find for this particular Lucilla type, RIC 788. It's a purchase I am very happy with, that's for sure. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLTcoins Posted May 15 · Member Share Posted May 15 33 minutes ago, zanzi said: Thank you all for the lovely Lucilla coins, and of course Alegandron's interesting Hadrian limes denarius! It has a strong "cast" appearance to it. I have been trying to decide if mine is cast or die struck. I think it is die struck, but am really not sure. I'm still stumped on what kind of metal alloy it is. This is also the only limes denarius I could find for this particular Lucilla type, RIC 788. It's a purchase I am very happy with, that's for sure. They are usually cast, often in a high-tin bronze that may have looked white(-ish) when new. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zanzi Posted May 17 · Member Author Share Posted May 17 On 5/15/2024 at 2:49 AM, DLTcoins said: They are usually cast, often in a high-tin bronze that may have looked white(-ish) when new. Thanks for the info! I can definitely see the tin in my coin, but not quite as much bronze. It's certainly a neat piece of my collection. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor LONGINUS Posted May 17 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted May 17 Congratulations @zanzi—the empresses are fun to collect. I started out with the five Julias. 6 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted May 17 · Member Share Posted May 17 This is a lowly example, one of the cheapest examples the dealer had, but I have so few empresses, so I trotted out Salonina. Not counting bagged bulk coins, I have maybe a half dozen examples of empresses? Salonina, Augusta. 254-268 AD. AR Antoninianus (3.78 gm, 23mm). Colonia Agrippinensis mint. Struck 257/8 AD. Obv.: SALONINA AVG, diademed and draped bust to right, set on crescent. Rev.: VENVS FELIX, Venus seated left, holding sceptre and reaching for child before her. RIC 7; RSC 115. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor LONGINUS Posted May 18 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted May 18 Fun post, @zanzi I remembered a montage from a couple of years ago, featuring all of my Roman Imperial women of power. And an annual holiday that occurs in March. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted May 18 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted May 18 That's a really nice Lucilla Limes denarius. Very impressive coins posted! This is my only Limes denarius example. Marcus Aurelius, Limes denarius, AD145-160. Roma E-Sale100, lot 1100. 3.40 grams I don't own a Limes denarius of Lucilla. Instead, here's a middle grade sestertius. Lucilla, sestertius, AD 164-169, Roma E-Sale 82, lot 1393, from the Vitangelo collection. RIC III 1742-Aurelius. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anaximander Posted May 19 · Member Share Posted May 19 What I love about this forum is the chance to learn something new. I've never heard of Limes Denarii, much less own one. Thanks, @zanzi! I know of limes and I know of denarii, but Limes Denarii? Here's what I found (click click) online: Limes denarius is a term used in modern numismatics to denote a large number of that time imitations / forgeries of Roman denarii. The metal, size and quality of production of such "coins" were very diverse. The main feature: imitation of the design (sometimes quite remote) of the original denarii of Rome. Limes denarii were struck by official mints in bronze or billon generally on the northern frontier where silver was scarce. There are numerous theories as to their purpose, including that they were minted in the outskirts of the Roman Empire to circulate there, or that they are non-Roman imitative (barbarous) types. Here's my sole example of Lucilla (wife of Lucius Verus, co-Emperor with Marcus Aurelius). 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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