When one She-wolf isn't enough, you got to get two !

[Qcumbor]

Hi friends

Coins featuring the She-wolf suckling twins is among popular collecting themes for us ancient coins enthusiasts !

Since I try to put together some of them (see here), I'm on the lookout to find something I might not already have. A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a Gallienus antoninianus from the Antioch mint, such as the following :

 

But slightly different as it was a reverse brockage, hence showing the Lupa romana on both sides. Despite the sub-par quality, I sort of "smartly" thought I had to have it, since I had never seen such a brockage before :

Gallienus, Antoninianus, brockage - Antioch mint, 265-266 CE
Incuse : [A]ETERNITAS [AVG] she wolf standing right, suckling twins Romulus and Remus. Branch at exergue
AETERNITAS AVG she wolf standing right, suckling twins Romulus and Remus. Branch at exergue
3,31 gr - 21,30 mm
Ref : RIC V-1 # 628, 

 

Please show anything relevant , and of course as many "Lupa Romana" as you would like

Q

[Alegandron]

I always enjoy your Lupa collection @Qcumbor!

Cupla mine:

RR Anon AE Sextans 217-215 BCE She-Wolf Twins Eagle Syd 95 Cr 39-3 S 609 Scarce
 

RR Anon AR Denarius 115-114BCE Rome mint 19.52mm 3.82g ROMA X Seated r on shields spear birds she-wolf Romulus Remus Cr 287-1 S 164

[mcwyler]

I have one of those too, unremarkable but I feel very lucky to have got it.

Why? Well, the seller was a company (I use the term loosely) called Opisthodomus which Vcoins hosted for a while a couple of years back. I ordered a few coins from them, they were not expensive and funnily enough very close to where I used to live in London.

After a few weeks I had still received nothing, and since this was England to England shipping I could see no reason for the delay. I sent increasingly strident messages, and at last, a couple of months later, they arrived. Practically the same day, the store disappeared from Vcoins so I counted myself fortunate!

This was one of them:

Edited Sunday at 04:13 PM by mcwyler

[Alwin]

Probably the most common of all...

Commemorative Series (AD 330-354)
Æ Follis, Treveri, AD 332-333
S 16488 - C 17 - RIC VII, 542
VRBS ROMA, Helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left
She-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus; two stars above; TR●S

[Victor_Clark]

 

wolf and twins on shield

 

Constantine I
A.D. 315
21x22mm 3.1g
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG; cuirassed bust left wearing laureate helmet with wreath on side; shield with wolf and twins on left, Victory on globe in right, presenting wreath to Constantine.
SOLI INVIC-TO COMITI; Sol stg. left, raising r. hand, globe in l.; chlamys across l. shoulder; across fields T/F.
in ex. PLG
RIC VII Lyons 22; Bastien 553

 

 

Maxentius
A.D. 309
25mm 6.4g
IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG; laureate head right.
AETERNITAS AVG N; Castor and Pollux standing facing each other, each leaning on sceptre with outer left arm and holding bridled horse, she-wolf with twins between them.
In ex. MOSTΓ
RIC VI Ostia 16

 

wolf and twins in pediment

Maxentius
A.D. 307
24x26mm 6.8g
IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG; laureate head right.
CONSERV VRB SVAE; Roma seated left on shield within tetrastyle temple, holding scepter and handing globe to Maxentius, standing right and holding scepter, with foot on bound captive seated right; Victories with wreaths as acroteria, she-wolf and twins in pediment.
In ex. AQΓ
RIC VI Aquileia 113

 

 

 

Maxentius
A.D. 309- 312
26mm 6.5g
IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG; laureate head right.
SAECVLI FELICITAS AVG N; She-wolf standing left, suckling the twins.
In ex. MOSTT
RIC VI Ostia 52

 

wolf and twins on shield

 

Crispus
A.D. 320
17mm 2.6g
CRISPVS NOB CAES; Laureate and cuirassed bust left, spear pointing forward, shield with wolf and twins on left arm.
VIRTVS EXERCIT; Standard inscribed VOT/XX with captive seated on ground on either side.
in ex. STR
RIC VII Trier 260

 

 

This appears to be the only known example of Roma with a decorated helmet for the entire series.

 

VRBS ROMA
A.D. 332- 333
17mm 2.5g
VRBS-ROMA; Roma, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak; helmet decorated with a palm branch (or feather) and a volute on the bowl.
Rev.- She-wolf left with twins (Romulus and Remus); above, two stars.
In ex. TR•S
RIC VII Trier 542

 

 

VRBS ROMA BEATA
A.D. 337
17mm 2.0g
Obv. VRBS ROMA BEATA; helmeted and mantled bust of Roma left.
Rev. She-wolf left with twins (Romulus and Remus); above, wreath between two stars.
In ex. branch R Q branch
RIC VIII Rome 55

Struck during the three month interregnum after the death of Constantine I

 

 

 

Ostrogoths, Municipal Coinage Æ 40 Nummi. Rome, AD 526-534. Rome, AD 526-534, draped bust of Roma to right, wearing crested helmet, pendant earring and necklace / She-wolf standing to left, head turned back to watch the two infants Romulus and Remus suckling; XL (mark of value) above, •||||• in exergue. MEC 1, 93-5. 13.39g, 25mm

Edited Sunday at 05:01 PM by Victor_Clark

[hotwheelsearl]

Here's a big fat 34mm wolf twins. Hate the condition on this but it is big and impressive in hand!

[ambr0zie]

An image also seen on provincials 

Alexandreia, Troas, Caracalla 

Laodicea, Macrinus 

Deultum, Thrace, Diadumenian

[Valentinian]

Maxentius, based at Rome, used the wolf-and-twins on many types.


26 mm. 6.26 grams
RIC Ostia 16 "C2". This follis type is common without the wolf-and-twins and common, but less so, with them.
AETERNITAS AVG N


24 mm. 5.60 grams.
The wolf-and-twins is in the pediment. CONSERV VRBS

RIC Aquileia 113P "C" (and when offered, often in very high grade)



26-24 mm. 6.67 grams.
AETERNITAS AVG N
RIC Ostia 41 "R"


25 mm. 7.24 grams.
AETERNITAS AVG N, wolf right
RIC Ostia 39 "R3"



25 mm. 5.96 grams.
AETERNITAS AVG N
Not in RIC with this bust.



24 mm. 5.91 grams.
SAECVLI FELICITAS AVG 
RIC Ostia 52 "r2" with unlisted officina Q (instead of P or T. Other nearby types attest officina Q.)

You might think that with a fairly short reign in the tetrarchal era, Maxentius would have a very limited number of types, but no. He issued many types with rare varieties and competition for them is intense.