Anonymous, Didrachm, 269-266 BC
Silver - EF(40-45) - Crawford:20/1
Sold
Head of Hercules, right, hair bound with ribbon; club and lionskin over shoulder.
She-wolf standing right, head turned towards two suckling children.
A rare didrachm with a patina of blue and gold highlights. It was minted in the Romano-Campanian region. Hercules is depicted on the obverse with his main attributes, the lion skin, which he obtained after killing the Lion of Nemea (the first of the twelve labors he had to perform) and the club, which he carved himself from the trunk of a wild olive tree. His presence on coins is explained by his widespread cult, and by the fact that he is the most famous hero of Greco-Roman mythology. It can also be explained by the fact that he is the patron deity of the Gens Fabia, one of whose members, Caius Fabius Pictor, was consul in 269 BC. The she-wolf and the two children on the reverse correspond to the founding myth of Rome. The two boys are twins, Remus and Romulus, sons of the vestal Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. Thrown into the Tiber on the orders of their great-uncle, who had just usurped the throne of Alba Longa, they are taken in by a she-wolf who nurses them. The twins were of great importance as Rome was finally founded in 753 BC, after the death of Remus, killed by his brother Romulus, who gave his name to the city. Our coin therefore depicts one of the famous passages in the life of Rome's founder. The iconography on the reverse may also be inspired by a statue on the Palatine, carved around 295 BC, depicting a she-wolf and suckling twins. Our coin precedes the appearance of Roman denarii and is influenced by the founding myths of the city of Rome. Very interesting! HN Italy 287; HGC 1, 230; Crawford 20/1 and Sydenham 6. Faune d'Argent Collection.
ROMANO
7.03 gr
Silver
Silver can fall into your pocket but also falls between copper and gold in group 11 of the periodic table. Three metals frequently used to mint coins. There are two good reasons for using silver: it is a precious metal and oxidizes little upon contact with air. Two advantages not to be taken for granted.
Here is thus a metal that won’t vanish into thin air.
It’s chemical symbol Ag is derived from the Latin word for silver (argentum), compare Ancient Greek ἄργυρος (árgyros). Silver has a white, shiny appearance and, to add a little bit of esotericism or polytheism to the mix, is traditionally dedicated to the Moon or the goddess Artemis (Diana to the Romans).
As a precious metal, just like gold, silver is used to mint coins with an intrinsic value, meaning their value is constituted by the material of which they are made. It should be noted that small quantities of other metals are frequently added to silver to make it harder, as it is naturally very malleable (you can’t have everything) and thus wears away rapidly.
The first silver coins probably date back to the end of the 7th century BC and were struck on the Greek island of Aegina. These little beauties can be recognized by the turtle featured on the reverse.
The patina of silver ranges from gray to black.
The millesimal fineness (or alloy) of a coin indicates the exact proportion (in parts per thousand) of silver included in the composition. We thus speak, for example, of 999‰ silver or 999 parts of silver per 1 part of other metals. This measure is important for investment coins such as bullion. In France, it was expressed in carats until 1995.
An “EF(40-45)” quality
As in numismatics it is important that the state of conservation of an item be carefully evaluated before it is offered to a discerning collector with a keen eye.
This initially obscure acronym comprising two words describing the state of conservation is explained clearly here:
Extremely Fine
This means – more prosaically – that the coin has circulated well from hand to hand and pocket to pocket but the impact on its wear remains limited: the coins retains much of its mint luster, sharp detailing and little sign of being circulated. Closer examination with the naked eye reveals minor scratches or nicks.
