Check out these neat little Greek AE lyre coins. Both of these were bargain bin snags from an ebay lot, only cost about 15 bucks a piece so I went for it. I have several Greek coins, but I don't have any that are from modern Greece...so it was kind of cool to pick some up from this area. Number 1 Boeotia, Thespiai, early 3rd century BC O: Female (Arsinoë III?) head right, wearing modius (off flan) and veil. Rev: EΩN/ΘEΣΠI , Lyre within wreath. 14 mm, 4.2 g I have no idea why a coin from Boetia would have Arsinoe III, a Ptolemaic queen on it. On acsearch there is a reference to an esoteric paper, but I don't know. Anyone know? Number 2 Achaia, Pellene, 3rd Century BC O: Kithra, R: Tripod, Π-E, 12 mm, 2.1g These seems to be a relatively rare coin, though while researching it online, I found out that I'm not the first cointalker to have one! @Ryro ! and thanks @Severus Alexander for the indirect assist! LOL! https://www.cointalk.com/threads/lyre-tripod-greek-coin.307279/ The time to hesitate is through, no time to wallow in the mire......post your lyres!
Great coins! Septimus Severus Denarius. L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP IIII, laureate head right / APOLLINI AVGVSTO, Apollo standing left with patera & lyre. Rome mint RIC 40, RSC 42, BMC 78 e
Nice detailed lyre on the reverse of this Gordian III and Tranquillina marriage issue: Gordian III and Tranquillina Roman provincial AE 25.8 mm, 11.44 g Thrace, Mesembria, AD 241 Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟC ΑVΓ CΕΒ-ΤΡΑΝΚVΛΛΙΝ[Α], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian and draped bust of Tranquillina, wearing stephane, confronted Rev: ΜΕCΑΜΒΡΙΑΝΩΝ, Apollo in long robe, standing left, holding plectrum in outstretched right hand and resting left on lyre set on column Refs: Moushmov 3998; Varbanov 4175-4176.
A little repost action here. But yeah, SA with a great assist! Like yours mine is a Pellene. Sorry for the pic. I wanted to show what you were referencing. Ps, Nice OP coin right there!
Two lyres on one coin: Trajan (98-117). A drachm, struck 98/99 at an uncertain city in Lycia. 19-18 mm. 3.29 grams. Sear Greek Imperial 1046 (no photo) SNG von Aulock 4267. two lyres, owl above AVT KAIC NEP TRAIANOC CEB ΓERM ΔHMCΞ YΠAT B (second consulship)
Hey, neat additions, Chris. Quite a steal for the price! I have one that came in a mixed group lot. It had previously failed to sell as an individual lot in a European auction, which is where my picture of it comes from (still haven't taken my own). The Thespians of Boeotia were the organizers of the Mouseia festival, a kind of song and stage version of the Olympic games dedicated to the Muses of Mount Helikon. It was held every four years, and some scholars suggest that Arsinoë III helped finance the festivals in the late 3rd century.
Nice coins!! And I'm glad to be distantly relevant... sadly, I am sorely lacking in the lyre department. Not through lack of trying...
Ain't got no lyres here (yet) - if I said I did, I would be a liar - but I caught the clever song lyric riff even before I clicked in here.
Caracalla. AR denarius, Rome mint, struck 214 CE; 18mm, 3.03g, 1h. BMCRE 91–2, RIC 238a, RSC 242. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM; laureate head right. Rx: P M TR P XVII COS IIII P P; Apollo, naked to waist, seated left, holding branch and leaning on lyre set on tripod. Good VF. Caracalla. AR denarius, Rome mint, struck 215 CE; 20mm, 3.12g, 6h. BMCRE 107–9, RIC 254, RSC 282. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM; laureate head right. Rx: P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P; Apollo, naked except for cloak from shoulder, standing front, head left, holding branch and leaning on lyre on low base or altar. EF. Gordian III. Augustus 238–44 CE. AR antoninianus, Rome mint, struck 241 CE; 21mm, 4.42g, 1h. BMCRE — (no. 1927,1101.55), RIC 88, RSC 250. Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG; radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rx: P M TR P IIII COS II P P; Apollo seated left, resting his right elbow on lyre set on throne and holding branch in his right hand. Good VF.
Interesting topic! Domitian as depicting emperor sacrificing in front of temple with lyre and flute player.
LYRES: ROMAN IMPERATORIAL PERIOD:: RImp P Clodius Mf Turrinus AR denarius 20mm 3.6g Rome 42 BCE Laureate hd Apollo R lyre - Diana Lucifera torches Cr 494-23 CRI 184 Syd 1117 RImp Octavian 27BC-14AD AR Den mint 32-31 BC Bare Caesar Divi Mercury lyre RIC 257 ROMAN EMPIRE: RI Trebonianus Gallus Ant 20mm 3.0g Apollo Lyre RIC 32 RSC 20 RI Commodus 177-192 CE AR Denarius 17.7mm 2.42g Apollo Plectrum Lyre RIC 218 RSC 25 BMCRE 292 Rare Type
An interesting ethnic type struck in Rome for Lycia. Domitian AR Drachm, 3.22g Rome mint (for Lycia), 95 AD RPC 1503 (2 spec.). Obv: AYT KAIC ΔOMITIANOC CЄBACTOC ΓЄPM; Head of Domitian, laureate, bearded, r. Rev: ЄTOYC IΔ YPATOY IZ; Two lyres with owl perched on top
Nice bargain bin finds, Chris! Benhur and Eduard... wow!! TROAS, Alexandria. Trebonianus Gallus CE 251-253 AE 21 mm, 4.76 gm Obv: IMP VIB TREB GALVS AV; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: COL AV / TROA; Apollo, head right and holding kithara, seated facing on griffin springing right, head left Ref: RPC IX 407; Bellinger A403 THRACE, Sestos (sometimes spelled Sestus) c. 3rd-2nd century BCE AE 16.6, 2.35 gm Obv: Head of Hermes left, wearing petasos; dotted border Rev: chelys; ΣH downward in right field; dotted border Ref: von Fritz, Nomisma 1, 15 (coin 29 on plate 1 in that book) ex Stevex6 Collection Roman Republic moneyer L. Julius L. f. Caesar, 103 BC AR denarius, 17mm, 3.9 gm Obv: Helmeted head of Mars left; CAESAR; ・C (retrograde) Rev: Venus Genetrix in chariot left, drawn by two Cupids; lyre to left; ・C (retrograde) above Ref: Crawford 320/1 ex RBW Collection IONIA, Teos AR diobol (reduced standard), 10 mm, 0.98 gm Obv: seated griffin right, paw raised Rev: lyre, THI, magistrate’s name LESBOS, Mytilene 400-350 BCE AE14, 1.7 gm Obv: head of Aphrodite (?) right, wearing stephane Rev: M-Y, T-I; lyre; tripod (?, looks like an arrow) in left field, monogram in right field Ref: SG 4272?; may also be MacDonald Mytilene #4.
PHOKIS, FEDERAL COINAGE AR Triobol OBVERSE: Bull’s head facing REVERSE: Laureate head of Apollo right, Φ-Ω before, lyre behind Struck at Phokis 357-346 BC 2.50g, 14mm SNG Cop 121 L JULIUS CAESAR ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS JULIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: CAESAR Head of Mars left in crested helmet REVERSE: Venus Genettris with scepter, in chariot drawn by two Cupids left, lyre in field, contolmark above, L IVLI L F in ex. Struck at Rome, 103BC 3.85g, 17mm Cr320/1, Syd 593a. L SCRIBONIUS LIBO ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS SCRIBONIA AR Denarius OBVERSE: BON EVENT LIBO, diademed head of Bonus Eventus right REVERSE: PVTEAL above, SCRIBON below, well-head ornamented with garland and two lyres, hammer at base Rome 62 BC 3.2g, 18mm Cr416/1a., Scribonia 8a