MAN-FACED BULL TIMES TWO!

THE CITY: Laos,or Laus, was located at the mouth of the Lao river, which was the ancient boundary between the Italian regions of Bruttium and Lucania. Coins of the city which bordered these regions are usually listed as Laos, Lucania, but sometimes as Laos, Bruttium. Here is the Lao river in modern times:


THE COIN:

Laos, Lucania, AR stater, c 490-470 BC, 17mm, 8.06 g, 9h. OBV: River-god, as man-faced bull, standing left, with head reverted to right, on exergual line; ΛAΣ (retrograde) above / REV: River-god, as man-faced bull, standing right on exergual line; ΛAΣ (retrograde) above. Sternberg 9 (V8/R8); SNG ANS 135; SNG Munchen 920; Weber 728; SNG Fitzwilliam 445, (all from the same dies); SNG Copenhagen 1146 (same obverse die); Historia Numorum Italy 2275; BMC 2; SGC 232.
Purchased January 9, 2015 from Edward J. Waddell, Ltd. at the New York International Numismatic Convention. Ex: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. website purchase, February, 2006, Inventory #161406.

The local god of the river Lao appears on all known silver coins of the city. His importance to the health and economy of the city would justify his appearance on both the obverse and the reverse of this coin.

Lacking photographic facilities I am unable to provide photos displaying two interesting features of the flan. First, at 3 mm the coin is much thicker than normal for its diameter of 17 mm. Second, the edges are not rounded and rough, with splits and defects, as with most silver coins of Magna Graecia, but are sharply cut and have smooth, level facets all around. This was apparently done to the flans before striking and is not unusual for the type. The description of the Laos stater In the Lockett Collection Catalogue, Glendining & Co., October 26, 1955, Lot 252 includes this statement:
“…an especially interesting specimen, having the edge contemporaneously hammered with facets before striking.”

TYPES: In addition to the type above, Laos staters are also found with an acorn in the obverse exergue:



Another type has a reverse ethnic of NOM, instead of LAS:



RARITY: All staters of Laos are rare and seldom offered, especially in choice condition. In 1978 David Sear, in Volume 1 of Greek Coins and Their Values, #232, valued them at £1,250. At acsearch.info and other online sources I have found perhaps 10 Laos staters of all types. Here are selected Magna Graecia cities with the total numbers of all types of tetradrachms/staters in the American Numismatic Society collection as listed in SNG ANS Volumes 1-4:

Tarentum 454
Metapontum with obverse head 232
Gela 66
Messana 51
Leontini 50
Katane 24
Kamarina 5
Laos 4

We posted man-faced bull coins in a previous thread. Please post coins which have similar devices on both the obverse and reverse.

 

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What a super duper coin!!

Isn't this Laos stater the only coin with a man-faced bull on both sides?? Given its rarity, I think you'll be the only person posting a coin in this thread .

 

What a wonderful array of coins---especially with the same devices on both obverse and reverse (whichever is which LOL).

I seem to be lacking a 'times two' type, but I'll check again!!

 

TIF:
To clarify, I intended to invite the posting of any ancient coins with similar devices on both the obverse and reverse

 

I'm very excited! Just after I posted this thread, I won an even rarer Magna Graecia stater in a Swiss auction. Now I have to start working on another thread...

 

Hmm. Not sure what to say. The Laos staters are the only ancient coins with MFBs on both sides. Did you mean on MFB on either side?

 

I said that we had already posted man-faced bull coins in another thread and collectors were invited to post "any ancient coins with similar devices [instead of man-faced bulls] on both the obverse and reverse."

Thank you, Zumbly, that was the idea.

 

I think he means to include those without MFBs at all. Something like this?...


SIKYONIA, Sikyon
Circa 431-400 BC
AR Drachm
5.03g, 18mm
BCD Peloponnesos 180-4; HGC 5, 206
O: Dove alighting left; S-E flanking
R: Dove flying left within wreath.
Ex BCD Collection

@ancientnut : fabulous x 2! Shame about not being to get a pic of the edges... it sounds like a fascinating aspect of the issue.

 

OH!! I get it now

Nothing in my collection fits but I look forward to seeing what other folks come up with. Sikyon has a few. Brockages could be construed as fitting.

 

CORINTHIA, Corinth
Circa 375-345 BC
AR Diobol
0.86g, 11.5mm
BCD Corinth 195; SNG Fitzwilliam 3451
O: Pegasos flying left.
R: Pegasos standing right, A-P below.

 

LOL, and we hear the theme song to the Twilight Zone in the background...

 

Bitchin coin, never seen that type before myself.

Coins like that would make the younger generation give coin collecting some more thought, not shitty Morgans or Wheats.

 

I've got an aes grave with a boar on both sides. It's pretty heavy, almost 90 grams, feels great to hold.

280-269 BC
AE aes grave quadrans 89.92gm - 42 mm
Boar running left, three pellets below
Rev: Boar running right, three pellets below
Ref: ICC 36, Cr. 18/4, SR545, T&V 11

 

Still love your two-sided man-faced bull @ancientnut, such a wonderful rarity

 

Which one is you in the boat picture? :>)

 

I'm the one holding a metal detector disguised as an oar!
I spent a week in Rome a year and a half ago, but didn't get to Sicily...

 

yah, I'm pretty sure that you guys are gonna call me on all three of these babies, eh?

 

Ummm, how 'bout and anchor on one side and an anchor countermark on the other? (does that squeak-by the judges?)

 

Hmmm, All I have is my modest 'legionary' brockage':

 

Hmmm...Double-sided devices... a couple recent ones:

Roman Republic
Æ Aes Grave Sextans
Anonymous Issue
Circa 270 BCE
37mm, 55.28 g, 12h. ....12.3mm THICK! Cast bronze
Libral standard. Uncertain mint.
Obv: Head of Dioscurus right; two pellets (mark of value) behind
Rev: Head of Dioscurus left; two pellets (mark of value) behind.
Crawford 18/5; ICC 37; HN Italy 283.
Comments: attractive dark green patina.
Ex: CNG; Auktionshaus Meister & Sonntag 2 (20 September 2004), lot 1031


Roman Republic
AE Aes Grave Uncia astragalos (Knuckle-Bone)
Anonymous Issue
269-240 BCE
22mm, 10.1g, Cast bronze
Obv: astragalos (knuckle-bone)
Rev: astragaols (knuckle-bone)
Comments: Olive-brown patina, I feel it may be a later issue as it is "light" for a knuckle-bone.