02-29-2004, 05:08 PM
Ave, Dan!<br>
<br>
It sounds like you've got an example of the extremely rare Trajan "Port of Ostia" sestertius. Nero struck one in the mid 60s, showing an bird's eye view of a circular harbor, ships, and other interesting architectural details. It marked the completion of his adoptive father's rebuilding of Ostia to provide a winter harbor for Rome. Unfortunately, the new harbor also proved vulnerable to bad weather, so Trajan underook another rebuilding sometime after the Dacian wars. He, too, marked the project with a coin, this time showing a polygon-shaped harbor. There are probably fewer than 20-30 examples of this type recorded, so it's highly sought-after by collectors of architectural reverse types.<br>
<br>
When I get back to the office Monday, I'll give you some reference numbers on the coin and some examples of sales prices achieved at auction.<br>
<br>
Dan, where are you now? I'm coming over to Munich next week (Thursday, to be exact) and might have a free day or two to do some traveling. I'll be in town to pick up a couple of extremely exciting artifacts, including a complete muscle cuirass! Any chance of getting together? Failing that, are there any reenactors or purveyors of Roman stuff in the vicinity of Munich you could turn me on to? You can contact me off-list at [email protected] . Or, if you feel like spending some of those inflated euros, my phone numbers are (310) 450-8634 (days,work) and (661) 753-9771 (evenings).<br>
<br>
T. Flavius Crispus<br>
Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis<br>
California, USA <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=flaviuscrispus@romanarmytalk>FlaviusCrispus</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/legiovi/vwp?.dir=/Flavius+photo&.src=gr&.dnm=flavhead2.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 2/29/04 6:10 pm<br></i>
<br>
It sounds like you've got an example of the extremely rare Trajan "Port of Ostia" sestertius. Nero struck one in the mid 60s, showing an bird's eye view of a circular harbor, ships, and other interesting architectural details. It marked the completion of his adoptive father's rebuilding of Ostia to provide a winter harbor for Rome. Unfortunately, the new harbor also proved vulnerable to bad weather, so Trajan underook another rebuilding sometime after the Dacian wars. He, too, marked the project with a coin, this time showing a polygon-shaped harbor. There are probably fewer than 20-30 examples of this type recorded, so it's highly sought-after by collectors of architectural reverse types.<br>
<br>
When I get back to the office Monday, I'll give you some reference numbers on the coin and some examples of sales prices achieved at auction.<br>
<br>
Dan, where are you now? I'm coming over to Munich next week (Thursday, to be exact) and might have a free day or two to do some traveling. I'll be in town to pick up a couple of extremely exciting artifacts, including a complete muscle cuirass! Any chance of getting together? Failing that, are there any reenactors or purveyors of Roman stuff in the vicinity of Munich you could turn me on to? You can contact me off-list at [email protected] . Or, if you feel like spending some of those inflated euros, my phone numbers are (310) 450-8634 (days,work) and (661) 753-9771 (evenings).<br>
<br>
T. Flavius Crispus<br>
Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis<br>
California, USA <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=flaviuscrispus@romanarmytalk>FlaviusCrispus</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/legiovi/vwp?.dir=/Flavius+photo&.src=gr&.dnm=flavhead2.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 2/29/04 6:10 pm<br></i>
T. Flavius Crispus / David S. Michaels
Centurio Pilus Prior,
Legio VI VPF
CA, USA
"Oderint dum probent."
Tiberius
Centurio Pilus Prior,
Legio VI VPF
CA, USA
"Oderint dum probent."
Tiberius
