Aside from the new style Athenian tetradrachms, which have been previously posted, I have no other stephanophoric tetradrachms to add your thread. The coins you posted are indeed a pinnacle of Hellenistic art.[/QUOTE] robinjojo, Thank you for the kind words, & thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread ! This was the 1st serious thread I put together in a long time & enjoyed doing it .
Beautiful examples, and thanks for the list of reading resources. Here's three more. Aigai, Herakleia, and Smyrna.
Another Magnesia: Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Circa 155-145 BC. AR Tetradrachm (30mm; 16.86 gm; 11h), under the magistrate Pausanias son of Pausanios. Obv: Diademed bust of Artemis to right, with bow and quiver at her shoulder Rev. ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩΝ / ΠΑΥΣΑΝΙΑΣ / ΠΑΥΣΑΝΙΟΥ Apollo standing left on maeander pattern, holding filleted laurel branch with his right hand and leaning his left elbow on a tripod behind him; all within laurel wreath. Jones 8. SNG Copenhagen 844.
P.B., Thanks for posting this stunning, mint sate Magnesia Tet ! The perfect centering of the obverse adds to the medallic appearance of the coin. The fact that so many of these Stephanophoric Tets are still in choice condition shows that they were highly treasured by their owners .
Smyrna Ar Tetradrachm 155-145 BC Obv Head of Tyche wearing turreted crown. Rv Inscription within wreath. Milne 156 16.62grms 32 mm Photo by W. Hansen I have always been impressed by these coins. Though quite late in the chronology of Greek coins they are superb especially when comparing them to most of their contemporaries.
I considered building a collection of Stephanophoric Tets some years back but decided I had too many collecting interests already. I did buy a few but was forced to part with them. Myrina Kyme Magistrate Metrophanes Magistrate Kallias
Terence, That's the finest portrait of Tyche I've seen on any coin from any period ! A spirit guide must have been directing the hand of that engraver .
Martin, I love the 2 Tets of Kyme ! The top example looks like it was done by the same hand as the coin I posted from CNG . It must have been tough parting with those coins....
If you look at the Kyme Metrophanes tetradrachms on search engines you can see the start of the die flaw on Amazon's cheek-or fighting scar. Mine has quite a developed scar. The two examples above show the development also. Aeolis Kyme Tetradrachm c 146 BC Obs- The Amazon Kyme facing right wearing taenia Die flaw on cheek 16.80gm 32 mm A Stephanophoric tetradrachm Rev - Horse prancing right raised forelock, below one handled cup Right Field : ΚΥΜΑΙΩΝ Exergue ΜΗΤΡΟΦΑΝΗΣ magistrate All within wreath
John, It's nice to see another Tet of Kyme ! Good observation on the facial mark too . It's rather romantic to think of that mark as a battle scar, but that's what I'd tell my friends while showing off the coin .
My Myrina. I too contemplated collecting Stans but they begin to get really pricey as they get rarer. I'm surprised that no one seems to have a Lebados. I believe Boehringer identified all the wreath bearing states and similar types in his book. It's in German and beyond me and google! Aeolis Myrina Tetradrachm c 155BC Obs- head of Apollo facing right 3 tight braids Severe early style 16.8g 33.19mm A Stephanophoric tetradrachm Simplified severe 3 tight braided hair style similar to Sacks 13 Rev- Apollo Grynios standing right in himetion, RH holding phiale, LH holding branch and filaments Right field Ompholos and trophy at feet, ΜΥΡΙΝΑΙΩΝ monogram TKAN -unknown in Sacks All surrounded by wreath Obs- head of Apollo facing right 3 tight braids Severe early style 16.8g 33.19mm
John, That's a great example of the early style of Apollo . The reverse die impression is exceptional for the type .
Thank you for the interesting write-up, I did not know this. And, obviously, I dont have any to share. Just WOW! This is one of these coins, that when browsing a coin auction late at night and with a few too many wines had, you simply stop scrolling when it appears. No matter what your collecting interest may be, this one mesmerizes every collector with to it's sheer beauty. (Ok, I'll stop now.)
Ok; so now I'm confused. I always thought that stephanophoric had something to do with wreaths or leaves in a more or less circular pattern but then I looked up the word and.... noun; a movement made by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position, accompanied by a shifting of the weight of the body in the direction of the new position, as in walking, running, or dancing. such a movement followed by a movement of equal distance of the other foot: The soldier took one step forward and stood at attention. ,,,Which if you look at the position of the foot of the figure on the op coin seems to more or less comply with that definition. but nowhere are wreaths or leaves mentioned. Or is this just a common usage definition particular to (ancient) coins?
Bad Axe, PeteB hit the nail on the head, you were close . Playing with semantics in regards to ancient Greek words can lead to many different tangents . With a name like "Bad Axe" I'm guessing you're a guitar player?
Actually it's because we have a farm in Bad Axe Michigan, but I always thought that Bad Axe would be a kick-a$$ name for a rock group. When I was a kid, like all kids my age, there was a forced tour of duty to learn how to play the piano...but no guitar...at that time it wasn't considered to be a "worthy" instrument. Piano or violin; those were the choices and since a piano was also a magnificent piece of furniture to impress neighbors and friends then any/every self respecting middle class family of the day must have three essential items or be held in lower esteem: good china, good silver (eating utensils), and a piano. Of course the higher rated families would have an entire silver serving set beside just "the good silver". My job was to clean the silver so it didn't tarnish which is now referred to by coin collectors as "toning"...I now prefer ancient bronzes... As far as collecting ancients I'm just a rookie so we'll see how this goes.