[ancients] Elagabalus / river god

This was one of those "what did my finger just do?" purchases. I was bidding on a couple of other coins in the recent Pecunem auction. I had this one on my radar because the reverse was unusual but it didn't make the short list. It hit the block and wasn't getting much love... so now it's mine.

I don't have many Roman coins but I do have one other Elagabalus, also from Nicopolis ad Istrum (Priapus). I haven't posted that one here because I thought it might get censored (it is very... detailed...)

Anyway, this coin is rather worn but it is still interesting. The reverse appears to be uncommon- I'm not finding it in various auction archives, wildwinds, coinproject, etc.



MOESIA INFERIOR. Nicopolis ad Istrum.
Elagabalus (218-222)
AE. 26 mm, 11.1 gm
Obv: AYT K M AYP ANTΩNEINOC.
Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: VΠ NOBIOV POVΦOV NIKOΠOΛITΩN ΠPOC ICTPON.
River-god reclining right, holding branch; prow at side.
Varbanov 4055.
ex Falter Collection, Nature Gods

 

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Great reverse TIF. I'm still envious of most of your recent purchases. One of these days.....

 

I've been fortunate to be able to buy some interesting coins lately. Having so much fun!

Still waiting on my Gorny & Mosch purchases I've asked for tracking info three times now and they haven't provided it. Hopefully it will arrive soon. There's a mixed lot (ie, mystery lot) in the group and I'm looking forward to seeing if there is anything interesting in it.

 

Glad to know I'm not the only one who is still waiting for the G&M purchases... It so far isn't as bad as NGSA last year which took two months to get my winnings to me! Having had two packages go missing from Europe this year (thankfully insured so no loss), I hate the waiting period of hoping it arrives...

 

that's a very cool reverse TIF, haven't seen one just like it. looks like there may be a spot there at 5 o'clock on the reverse where they could fit another letter below the prow.... mabye.

nice color also.

 

Lovely coin. He has alot of cool provincials. Sadly I have none, just imperials.

 

Chrsmat-- LOL (as usual), I love your funny posts

AJ-- sorry to hear you're in the same boat but it's also reassuring.

I'm also chomping at the bit to see my mixed lot from Stack's but they haven't even sent an invoice yet. Last time it took them a couple of weeks to get it in the mail. I suppose it makes sense to wait until all of the sessions have ended but... Then another week to ship... Guess I'm spoiled by Pecunem's super speedy shipping.

Mat-- nice! A 'horned' Elagabalus is on my list.

Speaking of Elagabalus, who has so many 'emperor sacrificing' reverses, what's the deal with that? Can any of you educate me as to the meaning of and symbolism of holding a patera over a little altar? What exactly is being sacrificed?

 

Usually whats being sacrificed is incense, from what I remember.

With elagabalus, could be anything. He was one nut job.

In his early youth he served as a priest of the god Elagabal in the hometown of his mother's family, Emesa.

 

It's a great coin. It could also be Varbanov 4056, with the obverse legend AYT K M AYPH ANTΩNEINOC. Hard to tell from the wear.

 

John, do you have the book or are you finding this info online?

 

I have all three volumes of Varbanov.

 

BTW, my latest arrival was a coin of Nikopolis ad Istrum, Septimius Severus with a fantastic rendition of Hermes...

 

Nice Septimius! Is that bag an udder?? (edited-- I must've overlooked this when you posted it recently, definitely would've clicked the like button)

RE Varbanov-- Since I don't have a ton of Romans it hasn't been put on my list. Then again, the Romans I do have (and would like more of) are provincials...

Think I should buy a few SNG Cop volumes first though. I gravitate towards Asia Minor and North Africa "Greeks", so I'm on the lookout for those volumes. Other suggestions are welcome though.

 

The analyses in Varbanov are minimal and quite general, but the catalogs include thousands upon thousands of coins. How does anyone have enough time to catalog that many coins?? A lifetime doesn't seem enough.

 

AJ-- G&M finally responded to my emails. Shipped by DHL. Yesterday. Yesterday!

WTF? I paid them three weeks ago. When I called last week the woman said it had been shipped and she would email me the number.

When I pasted the tracking number into DHL's tracking a few minutes ago, I got this:

Looks like the email should have said "Dear TIF, we are thinking about shipping your coins and in the future plan to use label number XXXXXXXXXXX, whenever we find time to deal with it."

(Edited to add) I wrote back and asked why there was a long delay. She responded with a correction, saying she was confused and that my coins were shipped last Tuesday. I clicked a provided link which did confirm some type of shipment, but it was initiated on Saturday, two days ago. Not sure what to believe. Hopefully they will arrive by the end of the week...

 

Hope they get to you soon, TIF.

Waiting on my G&M coins as well, but since they're likely to be the last ones I receive for the rest of the year, I don't mind if they take a little longer to arrive. In the meantime, my drawer has plenty of other coins I could stand to pay more attention to.

Z.

 

Good attitude to have, Z. I also have plenty to photograph, catalog, admire, etc, but I'd really like to see what's in the mixed lot as it might contain some specific types I'm after-- and if so, I don't need to bid on those in some upcoming auctions.

Oh well, sounds like they'll be here soon.

 

Good luck, fellow lover of mystery lots! Mine are a bunch of $15 coins, but I'm curious to see what will turn up.

Z.

 

ahaha => man, that sounds familiar!!

Great new Elagabalus!! ... oh, and I love the good ol' River God reverse!! (he's just kickin-back, branch in his hand, enjoying the afternoon)

=> here are a couple more examples (geeesh, that zany ol' E-Dawg, eh? ... life o' the party!!)

 

Not for nothing but this auction has some straight up lowsy service. I will take this all into consideration when planning where to spend my swiss franks.

TIF- as far as buying coins stay with the Roman Provincials for now. There is nothing 'North African Greek" that's worth buying...not interesting at all...even if the piece your looking might have an extinct plant species on it... stay away from anything with the spelling "Kyrene, Cyrene or Kyrencia or anything like that they are all mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.

Oh and here is my Elagabalus he doesn't get a lot of love but he is rare (9 known examples) of a left facing Elagabalus. And he is my sole wildwinds contribution.

Billon Tetradrachm
Antioch, Syria
s.219/20 AD
23.7 mm x 11.40 g
refrieur 268