A few coins from my personal collection

I don't really collect "for grade" or as an investment. I tend to buy coins for my personal collection that, for various reasons, catch my eye.

With that said, I tend to look for coins of Caracalla. I like the fact that you can follow his portraits as he ages from an innocent looking child to a frightening looking adult.

I also collect his brother Geta, just to remind me that my brothers and I didn't have the market on sibling rivalry cornered....although we never really took it as far as they did.

Please note that none of the coins on these pages are for sale : )

Caracalla AR denarius
OBV: IMP C M AVR ANTON AVG P TR P
REV: IVSTITIA
Justice seated left holding patera and sceptre
Laodicea mint
RIC 335

This is the first silver coin that I picked up. If you are interested, there is a story behind this coin. You can read it here

Caracalla, AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
VICT PART MAX
RIC 168a

Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm.

This coin is toned to a nice silver-grey color, often referred to as "old cabinet toning"

Caracalla, AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: PART MAX PONT TR P IIII
RIC 54(b)

Trophy flanked by two seated captives

Caracalla, AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: PONTIF TR P VI COS
RIC 71

Roma, in military dress, standing left, holding spear and Victory

Caracalla AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: VOT SVSC DEC PON TR P V COS
RIC 68

Caracalla, veiled as priest,sacrificing over altar.

This coin was struck to mark the 5th anniversary of his rule.

Have you ever gone to a coin show, and had a coin that just jumped out at you? Thats what this one did for me. I knew that it wanted to come home with me. The pouty expression....had he just been told that he was going to have to share the throne with his brother?

Caracalla AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: INDVGENTIA AVGG
EXG: CARTH

Dea Caelestis on lion springing right. Refers to the building of an aquaduct in Carthage in AD 203

Caracalla AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: PONTIF TR P X COS II
RIC 92

As I mentioned, one of the things that I like about the coins struck for Caracalla is the way they so clearly show the changes as he ages from early youth through his adulthood. This is a nice teenage portrait. This coin was struck around AD 207, when Caracalla would have been around 19 years old. His coins feature him with a beard shortly after this point.

Caracalla, AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: VOTA CEPTA X

Caracalla, veiled as priest, sacrificing over altar.

This coin was struck to mark the 5th year of Caracalla's reign, ca. 202AD

Caracalla, AR Denarius. 3.07g
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG
REV: PONTIF TR P X COS II
RIC 96

Caracalla standing left, reclining river god and captives at his feet.

Caracalla AR denarius
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT
REV: PM TR P XV COS III PP
RIC 192

Hercules standing left, holding branch, lion's skin and club.

Like many of his older portraits, this one shows the intense gaze of the mature Caracalla.

Caracalla denarius. 2.84g
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG BRIT
REV: MARTI PACATORI
RIC 222

Mars standing left, offering olive branch, holding spear and shield behind.

What a wonderful piece of propaganda! Mars, the god of War, offering peace, and yet keeping his weapons nearby.

This particular coin was from the Pristina hoard, which is believed to be a military payroll. It was buried around 225 AD, and consisted of over 12,000 coins, many of which were found to be in exceptional condition.

A decent, if somewhat over-cleaned, Caracalla provincial. The reverse is really much too ugly to put up here : )

Caracalla, AR Denarius. 3.22g
OBV: ANTON PIVS AVG BRIT
REV: PROFECTIO AVG
RIC 226

Caracalla, facing right, holding spear and legionary standard. Soldier standing behind him.

This coin refers to Caracalla's departure for Germany.

Caracalla, AR Denarius. 3.04g
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS FEL AVG
REV: MARTI PROPVGNATORI
RIC 235

Mars, advancing left, holding spear and trophy

Caracalla, AR Antoninianus. 4.34g
OBV: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM
REV: PM TR P XX COS IIII PP
RIC 285c

Jupiter, standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre.

The "Antoninianus" (often shortened to "Ant" or "double denarius"), was introduced during the reign of Caracalla. It is believed that it was valued as being worth two denarii, although the weight was only about 1.5x that of a denarius. The silver content had fallen to around 60% or so. This was an inflationary measure, likely due, in part, to Caracalla doubling the pay of the army.

Caracalla, AR Tetradrachm. 14.97g
OBV: Bust of emperor right
REV: Eagle facing left
Antioch mint

Caracalla, AE Provincial issue
29mm, 17.46g
Serdica, Thrace

Figure standing left, sacrificing over altar, holding snake entwined staff

Plautilla (wife of Caracalla) AR denarius
OBV: PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA
REV: VENUS VICTRIX
RIC 369

Venus standing left, holding apple and palm, a shield at her side. Cupid is at her feet, holding a helmet.

Daughter of C. Fulvius Plautianus, Praetorian Prefect of Severus, she married Caracalla in AD 202. She was banished to Lipari ca AD 205, and executed by order of her husband in AD 211.

Geta, AR Denarius. 3.1g
OBV: P SEPT GETA PIVS AVG BRIT
REV: LIBERALITAS AVG V
RIC 88

Liberalitas standing left with cornucopiae and abacus.

Geta, the younger brother of Caracalla. He and Caracalla were to share the empire, but this was intolerable to his jealous brother. Geta was murdered just short of one year into their joint reign.

Septimus Severus, AR Denarius. 3.67g
OBV: L SEPT SEV AVG IMP XI PART MAX
VICTORIAE AVG FEL
RIC 719(v)

Victory advancing left, holding a shield.

Septimus, the father of Caracalla and Geta. His dying instructions to his sons was for them to share their reign, and be at peace with each other.

Well, it was a thought.....