...I came across this 4th-3rd century BC kylix (drinking vessel) of Campania, in which the potter used a Syracusan decadrachm to make an impression into the clay for the central design. I didn't know that was a thing - pretty cool, eh? Here's the link. That is all.
It would be interesting to know if they have identified a die duplicate coin of if they are assuming things here and there.
It doesn't have to be a dekadrachm. Use one of you other nice coins. I'm pretty sure the coin will be okay.
I was at The Frick Collection in New York City today. There is an amazing exhibit of portrait medals on display there for the next three weeks. The kylix reminds me of a gilt silver cup from 1614. Here is the picture from the exhibit: http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/77 The cub was decorated with impressions of then-current coins and also with a medal impression. If anyone is in New York this is probably your best chance to see Renaissance medals. I had previously only seen one or two other than in books. In person many of them are extremely impressive.
I heartily concur with this recommendation - the exhibit of medals (and one sestertius of Galba) at the Frick is spectacular. In a coincidence, I was also at the Frick today to see the exhibit again - did you happen to see Dr. Scher's talk at 2pm?
Thinking this through, if the potter impressed a coin into the clay, wouldn't the image be incuse and reversed - i.e. facing right? This image is facimg left, as on the coins. The image also seems to be in relief, unless the photo/lighting is playing tricks. Maybe they used a dekadrachm to produce a decorative transfer die for the potter, which would produce a relief image facing the same way as the coin.
I was at Dr. Scher's 11am talk. For those who can't make it, here are YouTube videos: Video Introduction to the exhibit: http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/video Stephen Scher's five favorite medals http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/favorites Stephen Scher video lecture at the Frick: http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/scher/lecture_videos
@John Anthony Great piece, thanks for sharing. I think that several of my older books, Sydenham's Aes Grave for one, used pictures of plaster casts of coins. That is an art that went away when digital photography can produce much better pictures. There are folks that do this with coins: http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/mbeau.html or you can go for chocolate:
I was about to drop off the envelope but realized it's only a Kimon and that bowl is a Euainetos. Alas... need to buy more coins!