index

    Interesting ancient coins, offered by Augustus Coins.

If you want to buy ancient coins, you are beginning at the right page. If you want to learn more about them, visit my educational ancient-coin website (begun in 1997 and expanded very many times since then). If you like to learn from books, visit my page of ancient-coin literature.  For more about me, see see here.

Contents: This is the main page with Roman coins and some of newest listings from other series too, at the top. For late Roman, Byzantine, or Greek coins, or books about them, use the links to the left.

Skip down to Republican, 1st C, 2nd C, or 3rd C
3rd C. more precisely: Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Elagablal, Severus Alexander,
  Gordian III, Philip, Valerian, Gallienus, Gallo-Roman, Claudius II, Aurelian,
  Probus, Tacitus, Carus and Family

Recent: 2020, Oct. 11 and 10: Arab-Sasanian of Tabaristan, Hephthalite quarter-drachm, eight Sasanian kings, top of this page.
Sept. 26: Some prices reduced on this page, including the Philip MON VRB (SOLD) tetradrachm. Sold coins, other than the most recent, removed entirely. Byzantine coin prices revised and sold coins removed.
Sept. 16: Constantine with cross and scarce Constantius antoninianus. Both special. (Both SOLD)
August 29: Sold coins removed entirely. Some prices revised.
August 25: Tiberius, Claudius, Agrippina II and others of the North Black Sea region (at the top).
August 16: Prices reduced on the Tetrarchy page.

  Books. If you would like some literature to read, make me an offer. I think my prices are the lowest on the market, but I'd like to sell some of these to someone who would like to look at them. That might be you! Make me a (low) offer. I might well accept!

wwestyc wwestypage

Prices are in brackets: [$xx].

To order, or simply to ask me questions, write me, Warren, at

. (I am on Pacific time, so if you are in the east and write me at 8:00 am it is only 5:00 am where I am.) My page of terms, which are essentially repeated here:

When you write me, please tell me if you are not in the US (it changes shipping costs).
After I confirm I still have the coin,
from the US you can pay with Zelle (preferred) or PayPal to my e-mail address. (I also accept checks.) (Why I prefer Zelle.)
from abroad, you may pay with Transferwise (preferred) or PayPal to my e-mail address. (Why I prefer TransferWise.)

Shipping in the US is $2 for orders under $25, $3 up to $50, $4 up to $100, and an additional $2 for each hundred thereafter.
Shipping to other countries: Shipping is an additional $3 for orders under $200 and payment must be with TransferWise or PayPal. (Thick coins change an "envelope" into a "small parcel" which costs significantly more in postage. I can mail about three denarius-sized coins as an "envelope," but not large Byzantine bronze or sestertii.) When you order, please tell me which country you live in and I will get back to you about shipping before you confirm your order.
More detailed terms are here. All coins are guaranteed genuine.

Purple means "SOLD" and no longer available

Please compare prices with those on acserach and vcoins and any other sites you use. I intend my prices to be below the prices for comparable coins anywhere else. I do not expect you can find one as good or better for less anywhere else.

Sasanian King Ardashir I (224-241), AE 8 chalkoi.
AE 27 mm. 9.40 grams
Ardashir facing his son Shapur I
Fire altar
Göbl, VII/220 "unit". Mitchner ACW, 807-808; Sellwood 11. Very rare.
Two on vcoins as I write, each much less nice, at $295 and $345. A third in terrible shape with no facial details at all, at $125. Better than any acsearch example for details, especially the portraits, and with lots of corrosion which other examples also have.
This one. Rare. [$185]

Sasanian King Shapur II, 309-379
(Julian II died during a battle against him)
22 mm. The smaller size. 3.69 grams. Drachm.
Bust right.

Sasanian King Peroz = Firuz. 459-484
27 mm. 4.13 grams.
Third crown, 467-484
Mint WH = VH = Veh Ardashir = Seleucia
Sellwood 49, page 127. Gobl 51.
Boldly struck with fewer weak spots than most. Nicely centered.
A very nice example. [$59]

Sasanian King Khavad I, 488-496 and 498-531
Second reign.
27 mm. 3.57 grams.
double border on reverse
Mint mint be Ray (Sellwood 52)
The date mint be "4" but see Sellwood page 38ff.
Gobl 189-190
Peus auction catalog 363 (Gobl collection) type of #5311
Types with a double border are unusual. [$85]

Sasanian King Khusru I, 531-579
32-31 mm. Large. 4.09 grams.
Dark adhension at 12:00 on the obverse and 9:00-11:00 on the reverse, but not into the type.
It may be year "44".
Sellwood 54.
ex Persepolis coins at the London Coin Fair May 25, 2002
[$35 SOLD]

Sasanaian King Hormazd IV, 579-590
31 mm. Large. 4.13 grams.
Possibly year 6 at Nihavand (Sellwood page 147)
Sellwood 56. Göbl 200, tables XI, XIV, plate 12.

Single beaded rim on both sides.
Not clipped, as so many are.
Bought by me in Jerusalem in 1972.
[$85 SOLD]

Sasanian King Khusru II, 590-628
There are many alternative spellings, including Xusro II and Chosroes II
He was the king when the Mohammed began Islam and the Arabs burst out of the desert and began conquering the Sasanaian empire. He was also the foe of Heraclius who captured and then returned the "True Cross."
21 mm. Large. 4.12 grams.
Possibly year 34 at Veh Ardashir (Seleucia)
Sellwood 56. Göbl coin 214, table XII, XIV crown type low.
Ex. Francis Rath, June 2, 1974 as "FDC".
Superb. A common type, but impressive size and great shape from a historically interesting king. [$45 SOLD]

Sasanian King
Shapur I, 240-270
The king who captured Valerian I.
Drachm, full size at 26-25 mm and 4.18 grams.
(Do not confuse this type with the much smaller 21 mm hemidrachm.)
Sellwood 12. Gobl 23 plate 2 "241-272."
Bought from a man who bought it from Malter, with the Malter ticket, but ticket not dated.
A broad and thin coin of a historically important ruler.
[$245] Look at all that lettering around! Well-centered. A very attractive coin.

Arab-Sasanian, struck year 130 (era begins 652)
AD 781
25 mm. Hemidrachm. 1.92 grams.
Anonymous Arab governor of the Ispahbads of Tarbistan
Mitchner 1388
ex. Art Noot in 2002 at $50. Now [$59.] Nice toning.
Says "Afzut" (Pehlvi) in front of the bust instead of the name.

Hephthalite. 1/4 drachm. Some call it a half, but it is both lighter and baser than their drachms.
"c. 460-560/576" according to Mitchner ACW page 232
AE16. 1.82 grams. (Not super thin.)
Napki Malik type.
Bust right/a few dots and lines
Rare. [$25]
Mitchner 1495

Kingdom of the Bosporus
(Northern Black Sea area)
Aspurgus/Tiberius c. 35-37 AD
Aspurgus left (retrograde and rare)
Bust of Tiberius right, TIBEPIΩY KAΣIAPOΣ legible
21-18 mm. 6.06 grams.
MacDonald Bosporus 301 variety (retrograde) mentioned page 61
[$149 SOLD]

Kingdom of the Bosporus
(Northern Black Sea area)
Aspurgus/Tiberius c. 35-37 AD
Aspurgus right
Bust of Tiberius right, TIBEPIΩY KAΣIAPOΣ legible
22 mm. 9.75 grams.
MacDonald Bosporus 300
[$169]

Kingdom of the Bosporus
(Northern Black Sea area)
Under Kotys I, 45-63 AD.
22 mm. 5.96 grams.
TI KLAVΔIOY CEBACTOY KAICAPOC
Βust of Claudius right
IOVIAN AΓPIΠΠIAN CEBCTHN
Bust of Agrippina II left, monogram before neck
MacDonald 327 (photo has shorter obv. legend variety, quality about the same)
Anokhin 349 (worse)
Stancomb 970 (worse)
Smoothed. (Look on acsearch and you will see almost all are smoothed) There are not any on vcoins.
Rare and two imperial portraits. [$149]

North Black Sea area
Phanagoria in the name of Agrippia, 14-12 BC
Honorific name for the city adopted 14-12 BC because Agrippa under Augustus intervened in support of Polemo I.
late 1st C. BC.
21 mm. 5.79 grams.
Veiled female head right (Aphrodite Aptura, according to MacDonald)
AΓPIΠ-ΠEΩN prow left
H (H indicates value 8)
MacDonald 275/1 (is slightly worse). RPC I 1935 (is equal quality).
[$95]

North Black Sea area
Panticapaion in the name of Caesaria, 14-12 BC
Honorific name for the city adopted 14-12 BC because Agrippa under Augustus intervened in support of Polemo I.
Veiled female head right (Aphrodite Aptura, according to MacDonald)
KAIA
PEN
H (H indicates value 8)
Anokhin 322a
MacDonald 274/2 (is very slightly less nice)
Stancomb --
Excellent for type [$149 SOLD]

For other imperial coins from the north Black Sea region under the Byzantine empire, see the Byzantine page (at the top)

Syrian Tetradrachms

Portraits of Roman emperors on coins much larger than antoninani. Please compare prices with comparable coins elsewhere. [Edit: Sold examples removed]

Philip I, 244-249
Tetradrachm. Rome mint, struck for use in Syria.
27-26 mm. Large.
MON VRB in exergue on the reverse
which means this was minted in Rome
for use in Syria.
Much larger than an antoninianus.
Year 1 = 244. His first issue.
Prier 304
High grade. Neat MON VRB type! Look at the sharp lettering, Philip's crisp hair, and the eagle's breast feathers. [$175, reduced to $145]

Three [Edit: Sold coins removed] spectacular major rarities! 5th century Roman imperial coins from the region of the Black sea. They say "CON" in exergue for Constantinople, but are found only in the region of Crimea (north Black Sea), which has casued some to attribute them to the Cherson mint.

Leo I, 450-457
AE2. 20 mm. 4.24 grams.
Struck for the region around Cherson (in the north Black Sea)
and never found anywhere else.
DN LEO PERPET AC
SALVS R-PVBLCA [sic]
Emperor with standard and captive
CON in exergue
RIC X 662 "R4" [extremely rare]
This is the way to get an AE portrait of Leo I.
It has good size, especially for the 5th century.
As I write this vcoins has one with much of the flan broken off and missing at $299.
Much better than any others out there for sale [$395]

The three graces
on a coin of Julia Domna from Marcianopolis
Moesia Inferior
24 mm.
Mouchmov 418. BMC --
ex Atlantis in 2004
The three graces, nude, dancing together, the left one holds a wreath, the right one tips a jug.
MAPKIANOΠOΛEITΩN
[$125]

Aspendos, c. 465-430 BC.
A stater, silver, 10.74 grams. 21-19 mm. As thick as a stack of three US cents.
Ancient Greek Silver selected from a hoard of the formerly-rare first-issue of the city of Aspendos on the south-central coast of modern Turkey. Struck 465-430 BC.
Obverse: Hoplite warrior right with spear and shield
Reverse: triskeles, the symbol of the city which has three human legs around a central point running left.
EΣ abbreviating "Espendos" in Pamphylian above.
Sear Greek Coins and Their Values 5381 at 750 pounds in VF.
A remarkable piece of very early ancient money.
The encrustation on the obverse is very hard. I would not attempt to remove it. Thus, the price is much lower. The type is there anyway and many collectors don't mind a bit of encrustation. That's how it came out of the ground! Chunky. Archaic. Old. Neat type! [$95]
For more pieces, see the Greek page.

Roman Imperial Silver and AE

Early Imperial Fourree
A fourree with an especially remarkable reverse. The original would be a very expensive coin, and finding an imitation of it is extremely unusual and the imitation may well be unique of its type.
Search vcoins under "fouree" and "fourree" to see what dull reverse types are offered for. You will probably never see this good type again.

[$49] Augustus/receiving standards back from the Parthians "Signus Receptus" CAESAR AVGVSTVS SIGN RECE hybrid.
This reverse does not normally have a portrait obverse. BMC 71 plate 3.1 for obverse legend and portrait. BMC plates 1.7-9, 2.2, 2.11-12 for obverse. Reverse of RIC 288, plate 5.

More fourrees here.

Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD)

Augustus, DIVVS, struck under Tiberius, c. 22/3 - 30 AD.
29 mm. 8.59 grams. (A little light.)
Small backwards S incuse mark at 7:00 on the obverse.
DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER (PATER = father)
PROVIDENT below altar with paneled door, above flames(?)
RIC Tiberius 81. BMC Tiberius 147.
Overstruck on a coin with something like "AESA" close together at 7:00 on the obverse.
Could this be a very well done ancient imitation? If so, it is much better than the 13 illustrated in Banti and Simonetti.
I like the surfaces. Nice. [$125]

ex Vecchi [London] auction 12, lot 1092 (June 5, 1998)

Claudius, 41-54

Claudius, 41-54
One of the twelve Caesars
27-25 mm. 9.77 grams.
Struck 41-50
TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG PM TRP IMP
head left
Minerva brandishing spear and shield right
Lots of drapery details.
Excellent portrait (look at it closely) in high grade with hair details and no tooling. (Many Roman AE with hair details that look this sharp are actually tooled, but this one is not.) A special coin. [$345, reduced to $265]
RIC 100. BMC 149.
Bought in December 1975 from "Hyland" (by the man I bought it from) with a ticket (included) that says it is from the "1884 Croston Hoard."

Claudius, 41-54 AD.
Roman Alexandria.
26-25 mm.
Good portrait/eagle
[$95, reduced to $69]

Nero (54-68)

Vespasian (69-79)

Vespasian, 69-79.
26 mm. Dupondius
IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG
PON MAX TRPOT PP COS V CENS
double cornucopia
caduceus in middle

RIC 758, AD "74"

[$49, reduced to $35 SOLD]

Titus (79-81)

[SOLD]

Three excellent Domitian imitations are next.

Three unlisted Domitian denarii:

Domitian, 81-96.
22-18 mm. 2.61 grams. Light weight.
IMP CAE DOMIT AVG GERM PM TRP VII
IMP XXI COS XV CENS P PP
Minerva standing left
BMC reverse of 168, plate 65.2, page 333 "AD 90", but the normal obverse ends TRP VIIII not VII, which is from AD 88.
TRP VII is on obverses of 87 and 88, e.g. RIC 521, but IMP XXI COS XV does not appear there until Sept. 90, page 315, e.g. 692

Extremely rare. Possibly an ancient imitation, but awfully nice for an imitation. [$149, reduced to $129].
ex CNG 61 lot 1774 (part)

Domitian, 81-96.
18 mm. 3.28 grams.
IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG GERM V
IMP SV COS XIIII CENS ...
Minerva fighting right, owl at feet.

BMC -- for this obverse legend. IMP XV COS XIIII is "second issue" AD 88, page 326, types 129 only, but not with this obverse.
RIC II.1 cf. 592 page 305 for the reverse, but this obverse legend is shorter.

Extremely rare. Possibly an ancient imitation, but awfully nice for an imitation. [$149, reduced to $129].
ex CNG 61 lot 1774 (part)

Domitian, 81-96
18 mm. 3.10 grams.
IMP CAES DOMITIAN AVG PM counterclockwise
IMP XX COS XVI CENS PPP
Minerva standing left with thunderbolt in right and spear in left with shield below.
Cf. BMC 181, page 335, plate 65.9 which has this reverse, but obverse clockwise. The reveres is of 90-91. RIC II.1 Domitian --, reverse as 726 but obverse legend lacks their ending "TRP XI" and reads outwards, a legend of 91, 14 Sept. to 31 Dec.
Extremely rare. Possibly an ancient imitation, but awfully nice for an imitation. [$149, reduced to $129]
ex CNG 61 lot 1774 (part)

Links: Caracalla, Elagablal, Severus Alexander, Gordian III, Philip, Valerian, Gallienus, Gallo-Roman, Claudius II, Aurelian, Probus, Tacitus, Carus and Family

Second Century

Trajan (98-117)

Trajan, 98-117
Small. 15 mm. 3.21 grams. (Thick)
Hercules right, with legend of Trajan
IMP CAES TRAIANO AVG GERM
boar right
SC below.

RIC 702 "S" page 294
Glossy patina. Excellent boar with curly tail [$35, reduced to $29]

Quadrans. Anonymous. early 2nd century AD
13 mm (small). 3.07 grams.
Bust of Venus right
Dove standing right, S C
Sear I 2924
[$19, reduced to $16]

Hadrian (117-138)

Hadrian, 117-138 AD.
dichalcon. 14 mm. Tiny!
Roman Alexandria, Egypt
his head right/pomegranate
struck for the Pelusium nome.
Good portrait. Some letters, which is about as good as they come. Emmett 1321
Nome coins are rare [$65, reduced to $49 SOLD]

Antoninus Pius (138-161)

Antoninus Pius. 138-161.
Large AE34. Milne 2293 var. year 18.
eagle standing front, wings half spread, head left LI H
Ex. Berk, August 2000.
Large. [$55, reduced to $45 SOLD]

Faustina II, Diva
as. 28 - 26 mm.
crescent moon and stars.
SC below
RIC III 1714, struck after 176
Nicer than many (compare to vcoins) but notice the pit on the forehead.
[$89, reduced to $55]

Commodus (177-193)

Commodus, 180-193
19-18 mm.
Roman provincial from Nikopolis ad Istrum.

eagle, wings half spread
Moushmov 895
Glossy dark patina [$33, reduced to $21]

Caracalla, 196-198-217
20 mm.
beautiful young bust
IIII LIBERALITAS AVGG (4th Liberlity)
Liberalitas standing left holding up counting board with coins (to count the coins handed out to each citizen)
RIC Caracalla 135 "Scarce"
Sear II 6814 variety (different year) Good metal. Very high grade. A specific historical occasion. Look at the detail and style! Nearly perfect. Letters bold. Portrait great. Stunning! [$145. Not reduced, nor should it be! It is an outstanding coin.]

Caracalla, 196-198-217
19 mm. 2.78 grams.
Mint at Ladoicea ad Mare
MONETA AVGG
Struck 198 as Augustus
RIC Caracalla 337d "Scarce"
Uncommon mint. Neat type. [$95, reduced to $79]

Elagabalus, 218-222.
CONCORDIA MILIT, two standards and two eagles.
18-16 mm.
Sear 7505. RIC IV-2 187. Antioch mint, A.D. 218-219. High grade portrait and interesting military connection with four standards.
[$85, reduced to $69]

Severus Alexander (222-235)

Severus Alexander, 222-235
Denarius. 20-18 mm.
Mars walking right
PM TRP VI COS II PP
Dated to 227 by the TRP number.
Gorgeous Very high grade. [$89, reduced to $79]

Samaria, Neapolis. Holy Land coin.
Mt. Gerizim with a temple on top, columnade across the bottom, steps up it.
Severus Alexander, 222-235
23 mm. 12.88 grams.
BMC 113 is similar without the c/m.
Sear Greek Imperial 3375.
[$22, reduced to $17 SOLD]

Philip II. 244-249.
25 mm. 10.40 grams.
AVTOK K M IOVΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC CЄB
(Autokrater Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Sebastos)
The same legend is used by both Philip I and II.
Philip I is bearded and Philip II, a child, was not. However, they can be hard to distinguish if the beard is unclear, so Nisibis did it by having Philip face right and Philip II face left.
Sear GI 4157. BMC Mesopotamia Nesibi [sic] 21, attributed there to Philip I, with a footnote "Some of these may be of Philip Junior, especially nos. 21-4 on which the face appears to be beardless."
ex CCE Sept. 1981 lot 159.

The city is mentioned in Acts 7:2. Nice dark green patina. [$65, reduced to $49]

Rare middle bronze of Otacilia Severa, wife of Philip I (244-249)
25-24 mm. as. 9.55 grams.
Denarii and sestertii of her are common--asses are not.
MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG
CONCORDIA AVGG
SC in exergue.
Sear III 9172. RIC 203b.
A clear example of an unusual denomination. [$129, reduced to $99]

Trebonianus Gallus. A.D. 251-253

Cilicia, Hierapolis-Castabala.
Trebonianus Gallus. A.D. 251-253. Large AE 30 (29.8 mm, 13.82 g, 5 h). AVT K ΓAΛΛOC CEBAC, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / KACTABAΛEΩN IEPOΠOΛEI, turreted and draped bust of Tyche right. SNG France -; SNG Levante 1596 var (obv and rev legends); BMC -; SNG von Aulock -. Fine, rough surfaces.
Large. Rare variety. [$39, reduced to $29]

Struck at Heliopolis, Coele-Syria
25-23 mm, thick, 11.70 grams.
agnostic urn on table with ornamental legs
COL HEL
Sear Greek Imperial --
L&K --, Lindgren III 1283variety (legend), Weber --, McClean 9440 variety, BMC Syria --
SNG Copenhagen Syria -- (439 has urn with no table, SNG Righetti --
[$65, reduced to $43] Ex Colosseum Coin Exchange, list of April 1988, lot 106, with ticket.

[$95, reduced to $69] Gallienus, 30 mm.
Struck at Side in Pamphylia
E countermark over the original "IA" at the neck.
E = 5 assaria. Howgego Countermark 805
Sear Greek Imperial --,
von Aulock -- cf, plate 158, volume II for Valerian
L&K 1174 for obverse
SNG Copenhagen VI Pamphlia -- Supplement 523
Weber III --, SNG Righetti 1309 variety
ex Cederlind at $100, his #345 (list date uncertain, maybe 1990s?)
[$75, reduced to $65]

Aurelian usually comes as a radiate, either pre-reform or post reform. He also comes as a scarcer "denarius"--however almost always VICTORIA AVG. Far rarer, offered less than once a year, I think, is this PROVIDEN AVG denarius type.
None on vcoins. None at MA-Shops.
Roma had one, not better, in e-sale 27 for $143 including fees + shipping. CNG had one in 2010 for $185 + 12% + shipping. Elsen had one in 2011 for $207 + fees + shipping.
IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG laureate bust right
PROVIDEN AVG
Providentia standing left holding wand over globe.
RIC 68 very rare type of an unusual denomination. You have seen his "Victory" reverse denarius, but likely not this type [$85]