Yah, I have been pondering buying this coin for quite sometime and I finally decided to fire-up the ol' BBQ, toss-on a few steaks and toss-on a boat-load o' shrimp!! Ionia, Smyrna: AE Chalkous ca. 250 BC Diameter: 13.8mm Weight: 1.66 grams Obverse: Head of Tyche right Reverse: Krator surmounted by vessel containing fire, shrimp to left; [Z]MYP in left field; ΣYMMAXOς (magistrate Simmachos) in right field Reference: BMC Ionia p239, 15; SNG von Aulock 7968; Milne, Autonomous (1923), 29 Other: VF Run Forrest, Run!!!
Great coin Steve! A Krater (note: 'e', not an 'o') is a large vessel that was used to mix wine and water. This coin is from what is considered to be 'Smyra Proper', after Smyra's refounding, possibly by Alexander the Great. In this city, the cult of Roma was founded (later to be shown on coin like my Nero below) around 195 BC. This city became a leading port during the Roman age, as part of the Roman Province of Asia.
Thanks, lil' dawg ... great back-story (you rock!!) Yah, I think that it is a very cool coin ... Obverse => Tyche => cool Reverse => Shrimp and BBQ => OMG, how cool? => amazingly cool, right? (right!!) .... huh? ... yah, ya just don't see coins like this anymore (Beach-Party coins!!)
Hey non_cents => One man's smarts is another man's .... ummm? ... is another man's kinda ... wha? ... ummm, rats ... ummm, another man has my stuff? ... no ... ummm, what are we talkin' about again? ... rats? ... regardless ... thanks, my solid coin-brother
That is a nice coin. The most common shrimp I recall are from Sicily and usually used with crabs or other life. When I saw this heading, I was certain we were going to see one of these. Wrong again!
Ancient coin lots are like a box of chocolate covered candies. You just do not know what you are going to get, till you bite in.
