Early Cistophoric Coin with Leopard

Although I happily use digital resources, I do enjoy a nice hardcover book...The Early Cistophoric Coinage by Fred S. Kleiner and Sydney P. Noe, ANS, NY, 1977 arrived in the mail today - a bargain, barely used, for $20 and a complement on the shelf to Metcalf Later Republican Cistophori. Here's the Early Cistophoric coin that came a few days earlier - not quite as good a bargain.

Obv: Cista mystica with half-open lid, from which a serpent issues to left; all within ivy wreath
Rev: Two coiled serpents with heads erect; between them an ornamental bow-case with strap at right, containing a strung bow. To left, EΦE, head of leopard right
Size: 12.77g 29mm
Ref: Kleiner & Noe: Series 1:1-a p.41

The 1 (as in 1-b) indicates the obverse die and the b indicates the reverse dies. I find it somewhat surprising that all known dies are in fairly brief book - but sure enough my coin is a double die match with the coin on Plate XI. Kleiner (also available online) mentions that as of publication there were only 11 known coins from Ephesus Series 1 & 2.

Leopard in general not a common feature on ancient coins. Here's a closer look at the leopard head, tangled with serpent.


Share your cistophori books or coins, coins of Ephesus, leopards or anything else you find entertaining or interesting.

 

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Cistophoric

Nice capture @Sulla80 !


Mysia, Pergamum (Pergamon) 85-76 BC
Cista Mystica or Cistophoric
AR Tridrachmae 12.46g x 26 mm
Obverse: Cista mystica with serpent; all within oak / ivy wreath
Reverse: bow-case with serpents, PRE monogram to left, KP / PRY monogram above, serpent-staff right.
Ref: Kleiner 36

 

Cistophorus:


Antony and Octavia.
AR cistophorus, 25.6 mm, 11.71 gm.
Ephesus, 39 BCE.
Obv: M ANTONINVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, Jugate heads of Marcus Antonius and Octavia to right; he wears ivy wreath.
Rev: III VIR RPC, Cista mystica surmounted by figure of Bacchus, standing to left, holding cantharus and leaning on thyrsus; on either side, coiled serpent.
Refs: SNG Cop. 408; SNG von Aulock 6555; Franke KZR 472; RSC 3; Sydenham 1198; RPC 2202; Sear 1513; BMCRR East 135-137.

 

Here's mine:

 

Wow, @Sulla80 , I have never seen the leopard symbol.

Here is an example with the Medusa symbol:


Mysia, Pergamon, 135-128 BC, Cistophoric tetradrachm 12.38g 27mm
Obv: Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath
Rev: Bow case with serpents; AΣ above, civic monogram to left, gorgoneion to right. Kleiner Series 30, 97a, pl. IX, 1
ex Empire Coins, Fixed Price List 76 (September 1995), lot 74


The Medusa symbol is also rare; there is only one other example on ACSearch.

Noe and Kleiner's book, Early Cistophoric Coinage, has been digitized and can be accessed at http://numismatics.org/digitallibrary/ark:/53695/nnan30795

 

What a great coin that is! The leopard/panther head is a really cool control symbol, and the detail on it is exceptional.

 

Neat leopard head.



Pergamon, Mysia (133 - 67 B.C)
AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm
O: Cista mystica with half-open lid, from which a snake emerges, all within wreath of ivy with berries.
R: Two serpents entwined around bow and bowcase; above, ME, prytaneis monogram, and A (controls), (Pergamon monogram) to left, serpent-entwined thyrsos to right.
11.36g
26mm
Kleiner, Hoard 40; SNG BN 1744

Ex. Glenn Schinke, March 1995

 

Wow! What a great coin. I really like that leopard head popping out between the tangled snake. I have unfortunatly no cistophoric tetradrachm to share.

 

Thanks for sharing the great examples - while I don't want to leave the impression that I find these "most uninspiring of all Greek coins designs" (Jenkins) a bit interesting, here are three other digital references for some of the coins above:

• Kleiner - Hoard Evidence and the Late Cistophori - Plate 12 #16 is where excellent the coin of Pergamum from @Andres2 can be found. as well as the coin of @Mat on Plate XVI
  
• Pinder - Über die Cistophoren - with the coin of @Roman Collector and the coin (Pinder Pergamum 111) of @Alegandron and @Jwt708
  
• Another useful reference: A First-Century BC Hoard of Late Cistophori, Constantin A. Marinescu, Vol. 155 (1995), pp. 325-332

@Ed Snible - excellent Medusa!

 

Wow, @Sulla80, that is a spectacular coin... and spectacular isn't a word that usually comes to mind with this general type of cistophoric tet .

 

Here's mine

 

I have an example that is not great, but is decent. It was purchased 9 years ago without an attribution. I can read that it was struck in Pergamon and I know it is a cistophoric tetradrachm, but can anyone provide a reference cite without too much inconvenience?

Weight: 12.49 grams. Diameter: 27 mm.

 

I think this type is yours:

Pergamum plate 12 #14 p32 (Group 2)
Kleiner - Hoard Evidence and the Late Cistophori
Mysia, Pergamon, 123-104 BC, Cistophoric tetradrachm
Obv: Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath
Rev: Bow case with serpents entwined on either side; HP above, civic monogram to left, serpent entwined thyrsus to right

Some additional info on date:

 

@Sulla80 That is superb! It sure seems to be a match to me. I'm greatly appreciative of your time!!! (And for the link!)