Panticapaeum (variously spelled) was a city on the northern Black Sea coast at the east end of Crimea (formerly Ukraine, recently annexed by Russia). Normally when we first think of superb Greek numismatic art we think of Syracuse, but this remote city had some splendid coins, including gold staters. Its silver is rare (and often faked). On the other hand, its copper is available and beautiful. Be aware that the locals are masters at tooling and smoothing. Many, perhaps the majority, of coins offered from there are somewhat tooled. But, there are some coins that are not tooled. The city used the head of Pan on the obverse (some scholars argue that it is a satyr and not Pan, but I think it is Pan) with various reverses in sizes from 12 mm to 16 mm to 20 mm to 25 mm. Here is one of the large ones: 25 mm. 14.01 grams. Nearly black. Bearded bust of Pan left, ivy wreath Bow over arrow right over legend ΠANTI Anokhin 110. Stancomb 539. MacDonald 59. Struck c. 314-310 BC. What a portrait! Show us a coin from the northern Black Sea region!
Great coin! The coins from Cimmeria have an unique style compared to other Greek coins. I still need to get my first one!
The gold coins are amazing. Here is a bronze: THRACE, PANTIKAPAION AE Tetrachalk, 21mm, circa 314-310 BC. Obv: Head of old Pan right. Rev: PAN; Legend around forepart of griffin left, sturgeon below. Anokhin Bosporus 111. Here is a closeup of the above coin that appears 3D if viewed with blue/red glasses. I did the image in 2013 after taking a class by Gerald Marks. The 3D image is created by combining multiple images taken on a flatbed scanner.
Sweet!! I'm still wanting to pick up a countermarked example. Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus, Panticapaeum. Ca. 304-250 B.C. Æ20 (20 mm, 7.05 g). Obv: Head of Pan or of a satyr left. Reverse: Arrow pointing right below strung bow, ΠAN (Pi + AN) below. SNG BM Black Sea 894; MacDonald 116/1 Ex. BAC Numismatics
That is an attractive coin of fine style, I also need to get one! The northern Black Sea region, with the intermingling of peoples and cultures, was an interesting place in the classical world. I appreciate the reverse of these coins as well, which I'd like to think specifically represents a crucial component of the Scythian toolkit. Here's a pile of artifacts and "coins" from that part of the world; Scythian (some Cimmerian) bronze arrowheads, barbed iron spearhead, iron Akinakes dagger, beastly strap fitting/mount, some 7th-5th c. BC arrow-coins, and a pod of 6th-4th c. BC Olbian dolphin coins including an APIXO and a possible ΘΥ. The little "goose head" dolphin, weighing in at 0.68g, is particularly amusing to me for some reason.
that's a great coin and history V,and you also Ed,...reminds me of the coin of the river god of Obia kinda..likely cause i'm not familiar with it.
Pan coin from Panti(however you want to spell it) is on the list for sure. Somebody beat me to a dolphin, so how about a Byzantine coin from Cherson? Justinian I. A.D. 527-565. Pentanummium O: DN IVSTINIANS PP AV, pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; R: VIC-TOR, Emperor standing facing, head left. holding spear and globe. Cherson mint. SB 197, 18x15 mm, 3.0g
It's dangerous enough to my savings just looking at all the lovely coins posted here, and now thanks to you a hard copy of the Barrington Atlas has been added to the list. Y'all are a delightfully bad influence!
The Barrington atlas is well worth the investment, especially if you're into provincials. I only have the hardbound edition, although a PDF would be handy - the physical one is huge!
Nice coin and map @Valentinian . My Pan... is courtesy JA Auctions. CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS, Pantikapaion. Æ18, 4.9g, 12h; c. 325-310 BC. Obv. Head of Satyr left. Rev. Bull's head, ΠAN.
My only example (I should own more): Cimmerian Bosporos, Pantikapaion, 310 – 303 BC Æ20, 7.31 grams Obverse: Bearded head of Satyr right. Reverse: PAN, Forepart of griffin left, fish below. References: Anokhin 1023 // MacDonald 69 // HGC 7,113 Provenance: CNG 372, April 2016, Lot 135. And since Olbia was also mentioned: Skythia, Olbia, 310 – 280 BC Æ25, 12.19 grams Obverse: Head of river god Borysthenes left. Reverse: Ax and bow in case, OLBIO right, monogram left. References: SNG BM 466 Provenance: Ebay, 2015.
I just won this one today! Now I got my first Cimmerian coin. The obverse is not that nice but I couldn't say no to the reverse, it looks amazing, also the price was not that expensive (in my opinion). Cimmerian Bosporos. Pantikapaion circa 310-303 BC. Obverse: Head of Pan left, wreathed in ivy. Reverse: Π-A-N, Head of lion left, sturgeon below. Reference: MacDonald 70; HGC 7, 114.
Here's an exceptional portrait of Borysthenes: BOSPORUS. SCYTHIA: Olbia. Bronze ca. 330-300 BCE, Head of river god Borysthenes left / Ax and bowcase; monogram to left, ΟΛΒΙΟ. (12,15 g. 24 mm.)
I have one. The type is: Panticapaeum, 20 mm. 294-284 BC according to Anokhin and Frolova says "beginning of the third century B.C." Young head of Pan left with ivy wreath Lion's head left over sturgeon, ΠAN around Sear Greek 1701, Anokhin 125, MacDonald 70 "c. 325 -310 B.C." Here is one countermarked: Also 20 mm. 6.66 grams. Same type, countermarked with large star in a circle on the obverse and a bowcase on the other. Countermark struck c. 285-275 according to Anokhin 130 and a bit earlier according to Bill Stancomb who dated the type earlier than Anokhin. Not in MacDonald. The countermark is associated with an economic crisis, variously attributed to decline of external trade (Gajdukevich, Golenko, Brabich), wars with the Scyths and civil wars of Bosporan kings (Shelov), and the charge in relative value of gold and silver (Karyshkovskij). The next type issued had the same size and obverse (not as well engraved) but the bow and arrow as the design. 21 mm. 5.73 grams. Sear Greek --. Anokhin 133. Not in MacDonald.
Years ago Frank Robinson had a bunch of these countermarked coins which he sold as pairs. One in each pair was a cast made from coins that were countermarked. I still have the cast from my pair but sold the struck coin to Bing who showed it above in this thread. I know nothing more about these casts. I have no idea if they were official mint issues or barbarous products.
