Coin Talk

I am a big fan of Matthew Boulton and the Soho Mint. I might even go as far as to say that he and, to a slightly lesser extent James Watt are my numismatic heroes. I am enamored with the scientific ingenuity, ambition, and artistic ability so boldly on display by the products of the Soho mint. In my opinion, Boulton’s application of steam-powered presses paved the path for an era of artistic expansion and increased quality of the numerous tokens, medals, and coins he produced. Take, for instance, his regal English copper. These high-quality coins were mass-produced with a standard weight, diameter, and thickness. Boulton’s copper coinage was far superior in terms of both strike and design than the contemporary copper products of the Royal Mint. At the time, the Royal Mint rarely produced copper coinage, which in part was due to the slow production rate using hand-operated presses. When they did manage to produce copper coinage, they were of considerably lesser quality, often poorly...

I've recently added two coins to my collection depicting desultors. These new acquisitions join a third desultor coin that I've owned for some time. I'd like to share some background information on desultors, followed by the coins!

Desultors were equestrian acrobats who thrilled crowds by controlling two horses and leaping from one horse to another at full gallop. This acrobatic riding was not necessarily the work of professionals, as Suetonius reported that young men “of the highest rank” engaged in the practice during the games of Julius Caesar’s triumphal celebrations (Suet. Deified Julius XXXIX). The practice, with four horses, is referenced in the Illiad (II.15.680), so likely dates to Homeric times or earlier, and may have evolved from Minoan bull leaping and similar acrobatics with animals. Livy references that Numidian cavalry took two horses apiece and, like circus performers, jumped fully armed from a weary mount to a fresh one (Liv xxiii 29).

A Roman desultor, as...

Whenever amateur and professional historians think of the really bad Roman emperors, Caligula and Nero immediately come to mind with a possible dishonorable mention for Caracalla. There is another bad boy who does not get that much press, Elagabalus. Some historians believe that he may have been the worst emperor of all.



Denarius of Caracalla: Obverse: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG (Antoninus pius (name he used) Augustus) Reverse: INDVLGENTIA AVGG IN CARTH (indulgence to the emperors of Carthage) Dea Caelestis holding a thunderbolt and scepter, seated riding a lion leaping over water with water rushing from a rock. Sear 6806, Ric 130a

This design shows some sort of favor from the emperors to Carthage, which was the capital of Severus’ native province. It might be related to the city’s water supply, perhaps a new aqueduct, but the details are not known. The female deity riding the lion, known to the Romans as Dea Caelesits, the...

Today got a splendid newly released book in the mail, Portraits: 400 years of Hellenistic Portraits, by Andreas Pangerl. A few years ago I got his corresponding book on Roman coin portraits and loved it--fabulous coins, fabulous pictures, and great color, plus some articles. So, when I heard about the Hellenistic book I tried to order it immediately, but shipping from Europe was expensive and problematic. However, I found that David Fanning of Kolbe & Fanning ( https://www.numislit.com/ ) had a shipment coming, so I ordered it from him.

This new book is massive, 10" x 11 3/4, with the first 194 pages wonderful greatly enlarged portraits on coins, one or four to a page. (The reverses, also enlarged but not so much, are on page plates near the end.) Pages 199-367 are well-illustrated "Studies" by various authors, most in German but three in English. One in English is "From symbol to likeness: The development of Coin portraits in the Graeco-Persian world," with a...

Charles de Solier

By Christoph Weiditz, c. 1530-31.


Silver, 58.7 mm Ø, 87.7 g

Obverse: Bust of Charles de Solier facing slightly left, bearded, wearing a decorated hat and gown with fur collar. Around, ✿ CAROLVS • DE • SOLARIO • DNS • MORETY • ANNV • AGENS • L (Charles de Solier, Lord of Morette, Aged 50).

Reverse: On the left, a rearing horse with saddle facing right on a rocky shoreline. On the right, a dolphin in the water holding the reins of the horse in its mouth. In the background, a cloud. Around, ✿ VIRTVS • ET • FORTVA • VIROS • EXERCET • ET • ORNAT (Virtue and Fortune Drive and Adorn Men).

Charles de Solier (1480-1552) was a French diplomat, serving as French ambassador under Francis I to the English Court of Henry VIII from 1534 to 1535. There is also a painting of de Solier by Hans Holbein the Younger, with the sitter dressed the same and in a slightly differing...

SILVER PAPAL MEDAL - CANONIZATION OF THE TWENTY SIX JAPANESE MARTYRS AND MICHAEL DE SANCTIS
Year: 1862



This silver Papal State medal was minted under Pope Pius IX by the prolific and talented Bonfiglio Zaccagnini in 1862 for the canonization of Michael de Sanctis and the 26 martyrs of Nagasaki Japan.


Depicted on the Obverse is a Female Allegorical Figure of the church, seated on a throne, holding two palms and a martyr's crown in her right hand and a papal cross, tiara and a key in her left hand. She wears a cloak with a Chi Rho monogram (christogram), representing the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek XP. The Holy Spirit is above her in the form of a dove. In the background are intricately detailed buildings in Rome such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Palace among others. B. Zaccagnini EQ. TORQ. F. just below the feet and above the inscription....

Well.....
I've been collecting ancient coins now for many years and had managed to keep myself focused and steadfast on a few areas, Roman Imperial , Asian and the odd Iberic coins, right to the end!
That 'end' came about 10 weeks ago and I remember it like it was yesterday!
Normally, whilst on the hunt, blinkers on, never once looking left or right at the forbidden 'G' letter, homing in on my Roman, Asian, or Spanish prey!.....Then......
It was a Saturday, late afternoon, strong winds and pouring with rain, lockdown and complete silence outside. There I was, sitting in front of my log burner, it was glowing and crackling in time to Debaussy's 'Clair de lune' and I was half way through a decent bottle of red 'Lagrimes'.....Flicking through a couple of my favourite sellers on vcoins with my defences low the inevitable happened, I purchased my first ever GREEK!....


So here's my first ever Greek coin!.....
This is the start of a 12 Olympian gods set in bronze that I'll be working...

After Margaret II d'Avesnes died in 1356, the County of Hainaut entered the sole domain of Wilhelm III, her eldest son from her marriage with Ludwig IV der Bayer, Holy Roman Emperor (1328-1347). With this inheritance, Hainaut changes hands from the House d'Avesnes to the Bavarian House von Wittelsbach.

County of Hainaut in relation to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany.

Wilhelm did not rule much, he succumbed to fits of insanity in 1357 and was consequently retired to Chateau Le Quesnoy, while the Bayern-Wittelsbach realms, including Hainaut, were put under the stewardship of his brother Albert (Albrecht I von Bayern-Wittelsbach). Not much is known about the life of duke Wilhelm after 1358, but his sudden fits of rage and insanity were deemed dangerous to himself and others and he had to be restrained. Apparently in between these episodes of mental illness, Wilhelm was aware of his condition and deeds, at...

Step 1: Have a friend such as @Spaniard PM you about the existence of a coin he thinks you'd be interested in.

Step 2: Look at the seller's photo and say to yourself, "I've never seen anything like that!"



Step 3: Have a healthy skepticism about the seller/previous collector's attribution, which attributes it to the city of Poroselene in Aeolis.



Step 4: Investigate possible matches to coins in Poroselene and find one with a youth riding dolphin reverse, RPC IV.2 10103, but notice that the dolphin is swimming right and the style is very different.



Moreover, the reverse inscription on that coin reads ΠΟΡΟϹƐΛΗΝƐΙΤΩΝ, which is incompatible with the few letters on the reverse of the unknown coin. Search for...

There was a post last year on this type of anchor and dolphin from Domitian by @Orfew that included a reference to an interesting blog (Hazelton Collection) on related, and more rare, coins of Domitian. While my coin is not a Flavian rarity (C2 in RIC II), is a type referenced by Domitian. It is from Titus in the year that the Colosseum opened, AD 80, that connects ancient Rome and the modern world.

The reverse of this coin is a visual reference to the adage and oxymoron, "festina lente" or "make haste slowly". For centuries, publishers have reused this symbol, which, apparently, is just as applicable to making good books as it is to a successful Roman military and government....