Tray of Crappy Copies of Crappy Coins

Virtual Tray of Roman Imitation Nummii from Sri Lanka and the a host coin found at the bottom of a gem mine.
These are imitative examples, remnants of the vast amount of small Roman coins of the 4th century. Together the Roman AE4 and the subsequent indigenous imitations circulated for more than 400 years. The imitations are thought to be direct copies of the Roman AE4 already heavily worn when the task was undertaken. Most of the original coins devices and legend where long gone and provided little information to those seeking to reproduce it. As a result we can enjoy the implied legends and the reconstruction of the details that would have been missing. A true numismatic curiosity. All of these coins exist in relatively poor condition, a testament to their longevity. The original Roman coins are extremely rare in Sri Lanka although deemed common in the western world. This humble, worn and otherwise busted common Roman coin would gather little interest if it had not traveled to the ends of the Earth. The imitative coins represent 5 of the 7 which I bought from my dude in Sri Lanka, these come from a hoard of 28 coins of which these where hand selected for their surface and completeness. Enjoy my friends.

 

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Very interesting coins. Thanks for the great writeup.

 

interesting indeed! did you ever figure out what the upper right coin was imitating? i think you said it was a vot/wreath...it is round. i wonder if they were trying to do some campgate bricks or something?

 

Maybe vot/ wreath but the campgate thought is fun. Since we are not sure what it imitates I would like to think that the mint staff had no idea either.

 

Very nice images and virtual tray

 

Very interesting array of Roman imitations A-noob.....and I love your background write-up!!!

The thought that they would ....."travel to the ends of the earth" is fascinating all on its own.

 

I agree these are nicer than most but I can not see them as worn. They look more mis-struck or flat with sharp ridges in places that should have smoothed over like the original Roman shown at the top did. I see nothing approaching 400 years circulation.

 

These are cousins to the minimae found in the Levant. The minimae are tiny imitations of Roman and Greek types. They are exceedingly rare. Tom Wood of Ephesus Numismatics showed me a tray of them earlier in the year at the Baltimore Show, but he wouldn't part with any. Evidently researching them is one of his pet projects.

That's a great set, AN, and I agree with Doug - I don't see much circulation wear, just a lot of flat strikes typical of imitations.

 

Wow, Noob => I really like your virtual tray of crappy-coins ... sweet effort!!

Man, I've got to learn how to make those virtual trays (it is a pretty neat way of grouping your coin-types, eh?)

........ oh well, maybe one day? (apparently, the last thing that I'm gonna do in the near future is "increase" my ancient-coin-time!! ... stated the sweet wife!!)

 

Do you mind if I add my own tray of crappy copies? You know what they are - Nabataeans. I don't want to detract from the conversation about Sri Lankan imitations.

 

Sri Lankan Imitations and Nabataeans?

Answer => Ummm, what are coins that I'll never collect

 

You have at least one Nabataean, Steve. Don't lie.

 

I'm with ya little bro. I just have no interest. There are enough Greek and Roman coins to keep interested till the next life.

 

Please add your crappies!

 

Ain't that the truth!!!!

 

Agreed Doug, Probably right. The Romans were in use for about 250 years and this imitative type for about 150 after that. I doubt these particular examples are worn to that degree as well. These examples certainly have shallow strike like you said. Most of what I was shown of the hoard was worn out blank slugs chipped and otherwise destroyed coins of little numismatic value. These are by far the best of the find.

 

ahaha => hey, I'm merely bugging you coin outliers!! (JA, they're all the same in God's eyes)



Oh, and yes ... I do happen to have a Naboteneezer around here somewhere, eh?



... you guys "ROCK" ... keep-up the good work, Noob!!

 

Ok, well my tray of crappy copies chronicles the development of the earliest Nabataean coinage, 12 coins. I'll try to keep it brief for the sake of a succinct overview.

Coins 1-4 are known as the Proto-Nabataean overstrikes. The Athena/Nike typology of Alexandrian staters was borrowed to strike these small bronzes. Sometimes they come in larger sizes, like coin 1, but typically they are smaller, like coins 2 and 3. Coins 1-3 are struck over Ptolemaic bronzes. Coin 4 is struck over a Seleucid issue. The overstrikes date to about the mid-third century BC and later, ending sometime in the late second to early first century. It's possible these coins were produced at Gaza.

At that point, coins 5 and 6 are minted in Damascus by Aretas II, still copying the Athena/Nike design, but now struck on blank flans. They exhibit a "high Greek" style.

During the early part of the first century, the style changes to resemble coins of Alexander Balas (coins 7 and 8). The bust becomes masculine, wearing a Boeotian helmet, rather than the Corinthian helmet of Athena.

Coins 9 and 10 are barbarous. The busts are distinctly Arabic in character, and Nike is drawn rather like a stick figure. I believe these coins represent the first minting efforts at Petra.

Coins 11 and 12 are not properly Nabataean, but Damascene City issues of Aretas II. When he was invited by the locals to be their protector at Damascus, the mint simply put his name on various coins of Seleucid design. These aren't copies per se - just a continuation of older city coins with a new ruler.



That sums up the overstrikes/copies of early Nabataean coinage. In the late first century BC, Malichus I begins minting the first truly Nabataean coins, with Nabataean script (an offshoot of Imperial Aramaic), a life-like bust of the king on the obverse, and variations of Greek motifs on the reverse, in this case an eagle...

 

Wow, ANoob, you are nof officially the "King of Crappies" !
Do not have any in the same category. So just slightly related; it's tiny (11 mm, 0.92 grams), shows a bust and i have no idea what the reverse is supposed to be.