Athena and Perseus w/ head of Medusa 30mm bronze

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by MerlinAurelius, Mar 17, 2017.

  1. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    20170317_230811.jpg 20170317_230813.jpg 20170317_230842.jpg 20170317_230901.jpg 20170317_230903.jpg Just got this coin Friday and enjoy it so much. From Sinope in Northern Turkey on the Black Sea from the time of Mithradates IV after the 3rd Punic War almost to Caesar's time ~105-85 BC.

    Gorgeous bust of Athena, and Perseus, son of Zeus and the human Danae holding the severed head of Medusa on the reverse. Large, hefty 30mm bronze coin, I can't stop looking at it.

    And I got it for only $102!!! I know the value is at least twice that. I bought the coin to sell it but I can't bring myself to post it on Ebay.

    Behold~
     
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  3. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    That's a real beauty. I know Steve and I think TIF have one he has shown before. I do not, but I want one.
     
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  4. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    oh yeah, nice coin! i've admires posted here as well but don't have one myself. i didn't remember that they were that big! big AE is sweet...sweet coin merlin.
     
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  5. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    Thanks guys. I'm really happy with the purchase. I love the myth of Perseus and Medusa and the coin is in great condition for the price.
     
  6. icerain

    icerain Mastir spellyr

    Awesome looking coin, really like the obverse details. I would like one too, put me on the waiting list.
     
  7. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    Check. I just had my first son 20 days ago and am selling coins for extra income. If/when I decide to sell this I will post here first. Might have to give Bing first dibs as he posted first~~
     
  8. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

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  9. ancientcoinguru

    ancientcoinguru Well-Known Member

    That's an awesome coin!
     
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  10. Jwt708

    Jwt708 Well-Known Member

    Careful offers to buy/sell/trade are not allowed in this part of the forum.
     
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  11. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    That's a handsome Athena portrait, for sure.
     
  12. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  13. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    Merlin => congrats again (and again) on your sweet OP-addition ...

    Yah, I've shown these babies many times ... but hey, let's get 'em out again for one more road-trip, eh?

    Bring-on the gory Perseus-Medusa heads!!


    Sinope Medusa.jpg Pontos Amisos again.jpg Pontos amisos number two.jpg Pontos Amisos Version three.jpg pontosg.jpg pontosh.jpg

    :rolleyes:
     
  14. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan 48-year collector Moderator

    I've never had one of these. Tsk, tsk. :(
     
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  15. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    I love these coins! The reverse scene is so unambiguous :D

    Somehow I've ended up with three of them, all from Pontos :oops:

    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]

    I was determined to get one and overpaid for my first one (the first picture here). Very soon after, I found the second one in a local jewelry store for about $50. It was covered in various copper minerals and became my biggest (and perhaps only) cleaning success story. Pre-cleaning pictures, which look like a trippy black light poster :D:

    [​IMG]

    The third example was purchased fairly recently. While waiting for another lot to hit the auction block, this one came up and it was going rather cheaply so that darned bidding finger clicked the button...
     
  16. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Congratulations on your first son. I wish him health and happiness for his entire life. My son's are all grown and may even be older than most on this forum. I miss the days when they were young. We had fun back then (at least I did). Spend as much time as you can with him. The time goes by way too quick. Oh, and when you decide to sell, just PM me. I'm sure we can come to agreement. Again, congratulations.
     
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  17. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    When looking for these, I consider three things important. The rest of you can have the unworn coins. I want coins that show a bold strike of Medusa's headless body with gushing blood, a clear strike of the cutting tool in Perseus' hand and Perseus' head on flan. There should be a space right of the corpse to proove it is headless and no just off flan, Of the coins shown, TIF's first and Steve's second are winners. In the best of all possible worlds, I would also ask for facial features on the severed head but that is not something you see on one coin in a thousand or so. Most seen are from Amisos so your Sinope carries added interest but I'm not sure how many people really care where their coin was from as long as it has the scene shown clearly.

    My Amisos is a typically poor example with weak body but decent obverse with Pegasus. The Sinope is better but the body is underweight and anemic (or is it a sign of low blood pressure?). The search continues.
    g61470b00608lg.jpg g61505bb3106.jpg

    It strikes me that my requirements here are the ancient equivalent of US collectors who want Standing Liberty Quarters with full heads and Jefferson Nickels with full steps. Not all coins left the mint as we might have preferred.
     
  18. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    Sorry I am new. Others mentioned business before so I thought it was ok. Will be careful from now on~
     
  19. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    Stunning collection. Cornering the market in Perseus w/ Medusa's severed head coins huh?!

    I wonder what drew you to this coin?

    Excellent coins. Must have been expensive.
     
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  20. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    Wow those might be the best representations of the reverse I have seen so far! Outstanding. Makes me want one like that. Thanks for sharing!!
     
    TIF likes this.
  21. MerlinAurelius

    MerlinAurelius Well-Known Member

    Thank you so much. The world changed the day he was born. I appreciate that advice. What a great accomplishment to raise several sons. Highly underrated. Respect. I was actually thinking you might not even want it~ Felt stupid for assuming you would.
     
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