Snot Rocket

While browsing one of my favorite auctions the other day I came across a coin that seemed familiar... too familiar. Not only was it an obverse and reverse die match for one of my favorite coins it also seemed to have the exact same scratch in the exact same place (under the nose)... uh oh. These might both be fakes struck from dies made from an authentic master coin with a scratch under the nose. My heart sank.

Completely bummed that one of my favorite coins might be a sham I decided to take it out and give it a good inspection once I got home from the trip I was on. How could you lie to me like that Athena?



But wait.... is that reeeally a scratch?



Hey that's not a scratch! It was part of the die! This is obviously the very, very rare variety of this type showing Athena as the patron goddess of snot rockets!

The cult honoring this aspect of Athena is still alive and well today.



Please post your
Coins with things coming out of noses.
Coins you vindicated of any shinanigans upon closer inspection.
Any relevant coin... Athena, owl, die marks etc.

 

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My snotter.

Glad yours is OK.

Die chip.


Maximinus II Daia (309 - 313 A.D.)
Silvered follis
O: GAL VAL MAXIMINVS NOB CAESAR; Laureate head right.
R:GENIO POPVLI ROMANI; Genius standing left, modius on head, naked but for chlamys over left shoulder, right hand holding patera from which liquord flows; left a cornucopia., A in right field, •SM•SD• in exergue.
Serdica mint
28mm
10.7g
RIC VI 13b RCV 3754v (obverse inscription)

 

Sure am glad to read that one of your top coins is legit, and you've found its bugger buddy...I mean die match.
This 1st one doesn't have anything coming from her nose yet. But judging by the size of her nose and color of the patina, it'll be big and green when something does!

Macedon,Amphipolis
148-32/1 BCE Æ 20 (23
mm, 6.2 g). Diademed head
of Artemis Tauropolos right,
bow and quiver at shoulder /
ΑΜΦΙΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, two goats,
standing on their hind legs,
butting heads. SNG ANS
114; SNG Cop 62

With Vespasian being a country boy and the reverse being what it is, this coin has always made me think of that ol joke, "Why did the hill Billy have crap in his mustache? Cause he was looking for love in all the wrong places!"

 

Ew, gross!!

 

Here's my crazy nose die break LRB!



Constantine I, 312-313 AD

O: IMP C CONSTANTINVS PF AVG, die break on nose, R: SOLI INV-I-CTO COMITI, RT in ex., Rome mint. RIC VI Rome 318. 20 mm, 3.7 g

 

Terrible to be immortalized this way.


Really does look like snot

 

I wouldn't worry about that snot shot too much Curtisimo, that coin of yours is one of the most beautiful coins I have ever seen even with that mark under nose. I have an annoying lump of something hanging of Augustus's nose.

 

Just won this with a lowball bid because I like the reverse. Shame about the snotty-nose obverse.
Trajan Æ Quadrans. Rome, circa AD 109-117. IMP CAES NERVA TRAIAN AVG, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder / She-wolf at bay to right, SC in exergue. RIC 692. 2.66g, 17mm, 7h.

 

Thanks guys! I refrained from posting the die matched coin or a link to it because it is still an active auction and I don't like to bring attention to active lots CT friends may already be targeting.

However, not only is it a match, the die states on both obverse and reverse of the coins are so similar that the coins would have to have been struck very near in time to one another. Struck by the same worker? Same day? Spent time in the same "finished" bucket at the end of the workday? Who knows but it's kind of fun to think about.

lol perfect

Haha maybe Trajan had a cold that day.

This is your famous sol invictus smelly armpit coin. Love it.

Thanks AA!

 

Athena is making quite a spectacle of herself. Perhaps a shot of Ouzo went down the wrong way.

 

Funny thread
My Numerianus has caught a cold......

 

Wow. Even with the unfortunate seasonal allergy issues that is a nice coin!

This is also a great coin LordM. Love the toning. Also glad to see you posting again. Your presence was greatly missed around here these past few months.

I bet I know where she got the Ouzo too... rowdy Athena

 

Although this is an overstrike, Herakles' REALLY has a bad cold...


Carthage LIBYAN UPRISING Mercenary War 241-238 BCE AR DiShekel Heracles Head in Lion's Head- Lion walking R SNG Cop 240f

 

Julia Domna and Athena. I defy any ancient nose to be worse View attachment 852146 than these.

 

Here's Julia.

 

...ahahahahaa.....#snotrocket..>< crack me up Curtisimo

 

What a funny thread .

Can you imagine what a collector of modern coins would think if this was the first Ancients section thread he read? Forget about MS63 vs MS64... here we celebrate coins which have flaws or patina which mimic body functions .

 

Manlia Scantilla needs a Kleenex!