Graceful Three Times Over

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by furryfrog02, Jan 16, 2021.

  1. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    Just like my fondness for any coin depicting Nike/Victory, my fondness for the Three Graces stems from a visit to the Louvre in 2003 and seeing a statue of them there.
    [​IMG]
    Louvre Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    [​IMG]
    © 2014 Musée du Louvre / Philippe Fuzeau


    I didn't know that the Graces were on ancient coins until reading through a really great thread here on CT that was started by @Roman Collector a few years ago.

    I looked and looked but couldn't find one that was within my small coin budget. Finally I saw on that I liked and watched it on vcoins for several months before it finally went on sale to make it affordable enough for me. There were several headaches with the purchase because of another coin that I bought along with it. I've yet to receive a decent answer as to what the seller was doing on that end...but whatever. I'm over it.

    Anyways, after journeying through the hell that is the current state of the USPS, my coin arrived today. I couldn't be happier with it. It is obviously not in the best condition but I think it is a good representation and will be a great piece until I can upgrade sometime down the road.

    Gordian III
    AE24
    Markianopolis
    Obverse: M ANT ΓOΡΔIANOC AYΓ, laureate, draped bust right
    Reverse: MAΡKIANOΠOΛITΩN, the three Graces dancing together, the left one holding a kantharos
    Gordian III, AE24, Moesia, Marcianopolis, 3 Graces.png


    Feel free to post your Graces, Nikes, coins from Markianopolis, coins in your collection that were inspired from seeing a piece of art/reading about something. Whatever you want! Thanks for looking!
     
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  3. svessien

    svessien Senior Member

    What a great coin, @furryfrog02 ! Thank you for reminding me to look for a coin with the three graces.
    It may be a good time to let the graces remind you to focus on the things we can be grateful for, and let go of the other one and the story behind it. Those feelings can be represented by the goddess Hera:

    Bruttium.jpg
    «One of Hera's defining characteristics is her jealous and vengeful nature against Zeus' numerous lovers and illegitimate offspring, as well as the mortals who cross her.»
     
  4. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    @furryfrog02

    They can also be found on medals like this 1803 specimen.
    1803 Italian Medal OBV.jpg
    1803 Italian Medal REV.jpg
     
  5. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

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  6. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    The Nike of Samo- thrace is a piece of art that's one of the highest on my bucket list to see in person.
    Pictures from my bathroom (minus the grotto;))
    20210116_162201.jpg
    20210116_162717.jpg
    The coin above the ladies:kiss: is:
    IMG_2672.PNG
     
  7. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    We might need to take care to separate three graces from three monetae or even the sisters of Caligula (which I do not have).
    monetae (Septimius Severus sestertius)
    rj4845bb2731.jpg

    graces (Gordian III AE24 Marcianopolis)
    po2000bb1913.jpg

    more graceful graces (Caracalla from Pautalia AE32 - ex PeteB, 2000)
    pm1310bb2100.jpg
     
  8. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    I like that Monatae and the Caracala Graces. Of course that G3 looks good as well but perhaps I am partial ;)

    Also, I have been teaching FFIVN about the Three Graces tonight and he can't get past the point that they are *gasp* naked...and how gross that is. I guess there are some things that a 9 year old boy just can't get past, no matter how interested he is in history. :)
     
  9. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Point out that some gods of mythology use different dress codes (among other rules) than people. Naked people are not common on coins. Has Braeden seen the George Washington in the Smithsonian. While he is not 'naked', the statue was controversial when it was outside on the Capitol grounds.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_(Greenough)

    I hope this is the most serious matter you two have to 'get past' this week.
     
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  10. scottishmoney

    scottishmoney Buh bye

    They have also appeared on paper money:
    denmark5.jpg denmarkdetail.jpg
     
  11. furryfrog02

    furryfrog02 Well-Known Member

    We've been down to the Smithsonian a few times. That statue of George has never bothered him. I think maybe it is because they are ladies who are naked. We are reaching "that" age lol. I also hope that this is the only thing we have to "get past" this week.
     
  12. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    You mean, beefcake Washington?
    And then more recently Poot's infamous shirtless riding a horse pic
    tenor-2.gif
    When will they understand there's only one male leader that the world NEEDED to see shirtless in all his glory:
    D5lsuFwW0AAw-6m.jpg
    My, sadly, shirt wearing best T-rage coin:
    20190326_095209_11A3BD10-D14F-49BC-AC90-934B17A5DFC2-406-0000006AC71CBFB9.png
     
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  13. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    When was this statue made?
    [​IMG]
     
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  14. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    Actually, it wasn't that expensive. I think it was about $50 on the eBay auction about 15 years ago.
     
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  15. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Shortly after having it requisitioned:wacky:jk

    The British museum appears to have picked it up in 1805 and date it within the years of his reign.
    How come?
     
  16. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I have two examples of Domna from Marcianopolis with Three Graces on the reverse. Mark Staal has identified seven different obverse dies and seventeen different reverse dies of this coin.

    [​IMG]
    Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
    Roman provincial Æ triassarion, 23.3 mm, 8.55 g.
    Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211.
    Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟ-ΜΝΑ CΕΒ, bare-headed and draped bust right.
    Rev: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, statuary group of the Three Graces side by side, Graces 1 and 2 heads left, Grace 3 head right, arms positioned upward with empty hands.
    Refs: SGI 2313; AMNG I 603; Moushmov 417; Hristova & Jekov 6.17.26.2; Staal p. 107, 15.5.6a.
    Notes: Obverse and reverse die match to Hristova & Jekov 6.17.26.2.

    Domna Marcianopolis Three Graces with Kantharos Agora.jpg

    Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
    Roman provincial Æ triassarion, 23.1 mm, 7.82 g, 1 h.
    Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211.
    Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ-ΔΟΜΝΑ CΕ, bare-headed and draped bust right.
    Rev: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤ-ΩΝ, statuary group of the Three Graces side by side, the center Grace from the reverse with arms extended around the shoulders of her companions who are both facing frontward and holding objects in their hands.
    Refs: SGI 2313; AMNG I 604 var.; Moushmov 418; Staal p. 107, 15.1.--.
    Note: Reverse type not among the 17 types noted by Staal.
     
  17. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    Here is my Julia Domna Three Graces. Looks like the reverse is a bit different from @Roman Collector examples.
    JuliaDomna 3 Graces.jpg
    Julia Domna, AD 193-217.
    Æ 25mm, 7.74g, 6h.
    Roman provincial: Marcianopolis, Moesia Inferior.
    Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ CΕB, draped bust to right.
    Rev: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, the Three Graces standing facing with arms interlocked; the outer two each holding cantharus.
     
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  18. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    But it's an obverse die match!
     
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  19. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    That's true... first time I see an obverse die match! :)
     
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