Pachyderm for my Birthday

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Bing, Sep 19, 2019.

  1. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I recall a thread a long time ago that discussed the depiction of some elephants on coins with "squares" or "diamond" pattern on their back. The discussion revolved around whether the pattern represented a covering or the pachyderm's epidermis. I do not recollect what the consensus ended up on this topic.

    Well, today is my 70th birthday and one of the coins I purchased in the last couple of weeks arrived at my door. The reverse displays an elephant with either a cuirass or it's skin depicted by this pattern. I happen to believe it is a cuirass. What is curious to me is that my new coin actually looks like squares, while others I've seen are more diamond shaped. Also take note of the "spikes" attached to the elephant's trunk. I can only imagine the devastation this caused during a battle.

    This issue commemorates the games mentioned in the Historia Augusta that were were given by Severus in mid 197 prior to his departure on his second
    Parthian expedition.

    And I blame @dougsmit for this acquisition since I remember he posted coins displaying the elephant and patterns (most generally, it's someone's fault here at CT for enticing me to buy another coin).

    Desktop988.jpg
    SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS
    AR Denarius
    OBVERSE: L SEPT SEV PERT AVG IMP VIII, laureate head right
    REVERSE: MVNIFICENTIA AVG, Elephant wearing cuirass walking right
    Struck at Rome, 196 197 AD
    3.63g, 17mm
    RIC 100, RSC 349

    Note: The green seen on the coin is a hard mineral deposit.

    Show those pachyderms
     
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  3. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Happy Birthday & great coin. You don't think the "spikes" on the trunk is maybe flowlines or die shift or something?

    Maybe it's from the same area and my Croc?

    [​IMG]
    Augustus, with Agrippa (27. B.C. 14 A.D.)
    GAUL, Nemausus
    Æ As
    O: Heads of Agrippa left, wearing rostral crown and laurel wreath, and Augustus right, wearing oak wreath, back to back. IMP above, DIVI F below.
    R: Crocodile right chained to palm branch with long vertical fronds; above, wreath with long ties, palms below; COL NEM flanking vertical palm.
    Nemausus mint, 9-3 B.C
    10.26g
    27mm
    RPC I 524; RIC 1 158
     
    galba68, chrsmat71, 7Calbrey and 18 others like this.
  4. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    Happy birthday, Bing! And nice elephant.
     
  5. Jwt708

    Jwt708 Well-Known Member

    Happy Birthday Bing!

    Elephants are a favorite theme of mine and I have a few:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    galba68, chrsmat71, TheRed and 15 others like this.
  6. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Wahoo! A big...
    F493D0C9-A345-45D9-8EB7-2B12046EC0B9.gif

    I do love those wacky pakyderns.
    Here's some of my favs:
    299E019E-8B6C-4E83-B147-177EAAAEF3A4.png
    Antiochos I Soter
    Shield with Anchor Æ20
    6.09 grams 20mm
    Obv. Macedonian with Anchor motif
    Rv. BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY
    Above and below elephant walking right OME monogram
    (obscured by Anchor counter stamp) and club above
    Jaw bone of boar in exergue BMC 37
    Former fvrivs.rvfvs
    A964BF3B-26EF-4594-B7F1-1FFCC8ECD14C.png
    Antiochos III Megas
    Seleukid Kingdom. Uncertain (military) mint 60. 223-187 BC. Struck 202-187 BC Bronze Æ 17mm., 4,60g. Macedonian shield with gorgoneion in central boss / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑNΤΙΟΧΟΥ, elephant walking right, anchor above, monogram of ΠΑ below. very fine SC 1089.3a; HGC 9, 490
    Former: Savoca

    43C6E3F5-01E4-406A-B4BA-67FC9E546991.png
    Antiochos IV Epiphanes
    175-164 B.C. AE 13 (12.7 mm, 2.50 g, 11 h). Ake-Ptolemaïs mint, Struck 175-ca.173/2 B.C. Diademed, veiled and draped bust of Laodike IV right; monogram behind / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, head of elephant left; prow to lower right; monogram above elephant's trunk . SC 1477.2; Kadman 19; SNG Spaer 1102. VF
    AB0BFE63-1CE8-49B3-A094-5814ABDED2B4.jpeg
    Lysias
    BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Circa 130-125 BC. Æ (20x20mm, 8.82 g, 12h). Indian standard. Head of Herakles right, lion’s skin tied around neck, club over shoulder / Elephant advancing right; monograms in exergue. Bopearachchi 8A; SNG ANS 1040-7. VF, dark green patina.Ex: Timeline Auction
    919A53FF-9C1D-45A4-89B0-85B9AFF66A25.jpeg
    Caecilia
    Denarius. AR. Rome. (125 BCE). A / Head of Rome to the right, behind ROMA and in front X. R / Macedonian shield, around M. METELLVS Q. F., all within a laurel wreath. 3.70g. FFC.204. Banker's punch. Limited. BC / BC +. Ex Pliego
     
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  7. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    Interesting elephant @Bing - the spiky trunk does look particularly devastating and potentially unpleasant for the elephant too. Here's a Seleukid, Antiochos IV Epiphanes, elephant (175-164 BC), with best wishes for your birthday!
    Antiochos IV epiphanes.jpg
     
  8. Orielensis

    Orielensis Well-Known Member

    That's a nice coin, @Bing . But most and first of all, happy birthday!

    Here are two pachyderms to congratulate you:
    Römische Republik – Denar, Julius Caesar, Elephant.png
    Roman Republic, Imperatorial Coinage, Julius Caesar, AR denarius, 49–48 BC, military mint moving with Caesar. Obv: [CA]ESAR; elephant walking r., trampling snake. Rev: priestly implements: culullus, aspergillum, axe, apex. 20mm, 3.70g. Ref: RRC 443/1. Ex Artemide, eLive Auktion 8a, lot 208.

    Indien – BI Karshapana, Elefant 2.png
    Satavahana Empire, later Satakarni ruler, BI karshapana, ca. 107–248 AD, minted in northern Deccan region. Obv: Elephant with raised trunk r., remains of legend. Revers: Dynastic symbol. 17mm, 2.58g. Ref: see Mitchiner 4963–4967 (different legends).
     
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  9. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Happy Birthday @Bing!

    And what a great Birthday gift!
     
  10. Orfew

    Orfew Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

    Happy birthday @Bing

    Here is a hippo for you (and yes a hippo is a pachyderm) on a Dattari plate coin.

    Tiberius Dattari 103.jpg
     
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  11. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...happy B-day Bing! :cigar:..while i don't have any elephants(yet) i do have a hippo for the pachyderm order.:D sesteterius Otacilia Severus pachyderm (hippo) 001.JPG sesteterius Otacilia Severus pachyderm (hippo) 002.JPG
     
  12. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    These Septimius elephants woul be a lot more popular were it not for their being issued during the low point of quality at the Rome mint until the time of Gallienus.
    Diamonds IMP VIII
    rj4360bb0825.jpg
    squares IMP VIIII
    rj4420bb0156.jpg
    another squares (weak) IMP VIIII but I liked the pose
    rj4430bb1185.jpg

    These are hard to find with full legend on both sides. The CNG website shows 16 of the coins with two being even close to full legend (one of them was sold twice four years apart). I'll upgrade mine some day if I find one at a price I can swallow. Bing: What makes you think yours is IMP VIII and not VIIII?
     
  13. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    Happiest of Birthdays, @Bing ! And may you have many more that are even happier!

    I really like that spikey trunk! Wow, that would be an impressive weapon.

    Mine only has a bell...

    [​IMG]
    ETRURIA, Arretium (?). The Chiana Valley. Circa 208-207 BC. Æ Quartunica . Head of African right; monogram to left / Indian elephant standing right, bell around neck; monogram below. HN Italy 69; SNG ANS 41 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen 48 var. (no monogram on obv.). rare
     
  14. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

    Compliments of the day, you old rascal. I thought you were way more youthful, but then again collecting tends to keep us all young. :)
     
  15. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I've got two elephants to share:

    Julius Caesar Denarius
    JC Denarius.jpg

    Apollodotus I drachm
    Apollodotus I (Apollodotos I) square Silver drachm, ElephantBull type 174-165 BCE.jpg

    Happy Birthday!
     
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  16. PlanoSteve

    PlanoSteve Well-Known Member

    Happy Birthday Bing! And just in time for Halloween - the skeleton elephant!! :jawdrop::hilarious::p;)
     
  17. Chris B

    Chris B Supporter! Supporter

    I only have one ancient elephant and it isn't much to look at so I will include my favorite non-ancient one also. Happy Birthday @Bing

    Greece Seleukid 222 02.JPG Greece Seleukid 222 01.JPG
    Antiochos III
    Seleukid Kingdom
    222-187 BC
    Bronze
    11.3mm, 1.7g
    Bust of Apollo Right
    Elephant Walking Left

    HGC 9, 517

    GerBad191801.jpg

    Baden-Karisruhe
    Obverse: Winged Elephant
    Reverse: 1 Schoppen Fuldsche Walhrung

    Menzel 12699.2.
     
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  18. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins Supporter

  19. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I'm totally unsure of which it is. To be truthful, I was, and still am, leaning towards VIIII, just by comparing portrait styles between the two. Do you have any idea?
     
  20. jamesicus

    jamesicus Well-Known Member

    Congratulations Bing❗️
    Happy birthday
    Great coin!
     
  21. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Great coin Bing and happy birthday!
    Nice that it arrived right on the day.

    I don't own any elephants.. only tenuous link I can think of is to post my
    humble Alexander the Great - who first faced elephants at the battle of the Hydaspes in 326BC at modern day Punjab, Pakistan.

    upload_2019-9-19_22-8-23.png

    Must have been an incredible and frightening thing to see on the battlefield..
    especially with these bad boys attached:

    upload_2019-9-19_22-11-8.png
     
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