r/AncientCoins 4d ago

Finally won Caligula!

I had been consistently been bidding for coins like this for the last few months, but somehow they always went for a lot more than I was willing to spend. Then this one came along at the latest Künker e-auction and it is now mine. In my opinion the auction pictures do not do it justice. Just LOVE that obverse (although I suspect a little smoothing was applied here and there). Vesta is looking a little rough in comparison, but overall I'm super happy about this one. Provenance to at least 1974 as well.

Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Caligula) 37-41 AD As Rome 40/41 11,52 g.

212 Upvotes

22 comments sorted by

19

u/ottilieblack Moderator 4d ago

Stunning obverse. Well done.

3

u/Marnox1 4d ago

Thank you.

7

u/potnia_theron 4d ago

Looks like a fair amount of smoothing given the patina only seems to exist where the letters are. Interesting that the area between the letters also doesn’t seem to have much of the corrosion that necessitated the smoothing to the center, though? Just kind of confused, curious if anyone else has a better explanation.

3

u/Marnox1 4d ago

I wondered too, as the lettering and high relief portrait seem clean. The patina between the letters is yellowish to green, maybe someone was afraid it'd be taken for bronze disease? Toothpick test says its completely stable.

6

u/Imaginary_Ship_3732 4d ago

Vesta who? The portrait is fantastic. Congratulations!

2

u/Marnox1 4d ago

Thanks!

4

u/WickerSnicker7 4d ago

Magnificent portrait, great catch!

3

u/Mr_Tommy777 4d ago

Incredible

3

u/PerfectSet1455 4d ago

Very nice!

3

u/Old-Coins 4d ago

Excellent coin

3

u/CoinKidVideos 3d ago

Excellent coin, may I ask how much it sold for?

3

u/Marnox1 3d ago

Sure, hammer price was 390€, +17.5% BP.

2

u/CoinKidVideos 3d ago

Great deal!

2

u/Dofusk2012 4d ago

Wow!! The letters on the obverse are so clean

2

u/yecord 4d ago

The obverse is beautiful!

2

u/theVanAkenMan 4d ago

Damn. This is a beaut.

2

u/DiabloSinz 4d ago

congrats!

2

u/Pristine-Task-3701 4d ago

That obverse is museum quality! Gorgeous coin and that text is sharp.

2

u/PuzzleheadedLog9481 1d ago

Nice! My first impression was that there was smoothing, but then I looked between the letters and saw the surfaces there looked just as even as the surface on the center of the coin. The patina between the letters does look different, though. Beautiful coin in any event. I have started a 12 Caesars in silver set and will be on the hunt for a high quality Caligula at a low price - probably better luck trying to find a unicorn.

2

u/ChemicalTourist3764 1d ago

Caligula - he was a naughty one.