First things first... I'm really excited! I've finally been delivered today 11 lots that I've been waiting for, a total of 24 Roman provincials. Here they are as a group: I wanted to share the excitement with you all! They weren't attributed, so I'll be posting back here with the IDs when I find them, or I'll be asking for some help from our great community. Or, hey, there are many of you that enjoy the hunt for IDs, so why should I be so greedy as to do them all myself. So, if you'd like to "sponsor" the attributing of a particular coin above, let me know which coin, I'll post an individual side-by-side photo of the coin and size/weight and you can have the pleasure of digging for the attribution. It'd be fun for you and you'd be doing me a solid! (24 is a lot of coins and work to attribute...) Do you wanna give it a go? Let me know... This could also be an opportunity to explore outside of your traditional collecting area, if you're not into provincial. (BTW, I did research and know the ID of #12, as I bought that one individually for a decent sum... But do you want to ID it?)
Tooooo easy. If no one else wants to tackle the Alexandrians I'll do it (or offer help), but those would take a mere moment (assuming there is at least some legend on the obverses).
I'll take any you assign to me . And RC's too, if he doesn't hurry up and post the answer . (Fabulous full flan!!)
Mwahhaha! #20 it is! The reverse is a little messed up... Looks like there is a square incuse c/m on the chest of the obverse bust. 25.5mm, 11.4 g
Hmm, that is going to take some thinkin' and searching. Portrait might be SevAlex, Elagabalus, or even young Caracalla. The reverse is pretty far gone... perhaps a prize urn. If I fall asleep soon I'll resume work on it in the morning. Thanks for the assignment .
Right now I'm liking Elagabalus for #20, from Hierapolis-Castabala in Cilicia. The portrait looks like Elagabalus (although we all know how misleading provincial portraits can be ). Also, I think I see "MAV" at 10:00-11:00 on the obverse, which fits. The general style fits with Hierapolis-Castabala. The reverse takes a little more faith but I think I see a prize urn between two torches and there is a hint of legend which I can make fit. The size is in the right ballpark. Here's an example from a recent Agora auction: Cilicia, Hierapolis-Castabala. Elagabalus. A.D. 218-222. AE (28.4 mm, 15.04 g, 6 h). AVT K M AVP ANTΩNEINOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / IEPOΠO KACTABAΛE IEPO[C], prize-crown between two lighted torches. SNG France 1243; SNG Levante 1595. VF, green patina.
I still have a bunch of coins lying around unattributed, so I’ll just be enjoying this thread vicariously. It looks like a super fun provincial pile, though!
@Justin Lee - You see how the reverse of TIF's example is off center? Can you line it up like that for us? @TIF - Wow!! Just, Wow!! Edited to add that i copied the coin and superimposed it in the way I wanted to see it against TIF's example. So interesting. I can't wait to see what TIF decides in the final analysis. I am another who needs to be working on her own attributions, so I will butt out and watch from the sidelines.
Hmm, no... but seeing that image makes me question the prize urn theory. I was imagining it like this: I'll look at it again in the morning with fresh eyes .
Philip I Billon Tetradrachm of Alexandria, Egypt. Yr 1 = AD 244. A K M IOV φIΛIΠΠOC EVCEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Homonoia standing left, raising hand and holding double cornucopia; LA in left field. Emmett 3487; Dattari (Savio) 4884-5; BMCG 1958; Cologne 2699; Milne 3507; RCV 9073.