I bought this pleasing chunk of Alexandrian bronze last month and finally received it after a bit of a wait. The surfaces have some texture, but it's much nicer and greener than what the seller's pictures suggested and still has plenty of detail left on both sides. I think I could have done worse for under $50 delivered . Question for those with the Emmett book: Is this one in there? I know Emmett isn't used by everyone, but am just curious because I had understood Emmett to be the newest and one of the most comprehensive references for Alexandrian coinage. I already have the Dattari and Geissen numbers from the seller and they both check out. Also, I don't have any of the books yet myself, but seeing so many different references used for these Alexandrian issues - Dattari, Emmett, Milne, Geissen, et al - I've been wondering which one to eventually go for, preferably one in English and with information beyond the numbers. ANTONINUS PIUS AE Drachm 24.24g, 33.5mmm Alexandria, Year 15 (=151/152 AD) Dattari 2892 bis; Geissen 1677; Kampmann/Ganschow (K&G) 35.540 O: ΑVΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟС СƐΒ ƐVС, laureate bust right, slight drapery. R: Tyche reclining left on lectisternium (couch), holding rudder, resting elbow on pile of pillows and propping head on hand; L IƐ (date) above.
Worn and rather grungy, yes, but I'd still happily give it a home! I don't have my Emmett at hand right now but will check this entry later today.
Emmett 1687 rannked common (1) for year 15 I see no reason not to buy Emmett. If you later want to add one of the older, foreign language or expensive books because you are even more deeply into these than you are now that is fine. You will still want Emmett. IMHO it could have more text beyond the catalog but I say that about most books. I trust you saw this one which tells you which bump on your coin is the date: http://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1738650
Great new addition, Z-Bro ... great green colour!! Ummm, I also have a very colourful example of this A-Pius coin-type ... you totally beat me on price, but I may have a few more colours adorning my lil' sweetie? ... great new addition, brother
Thanks for the info on Emmett, Doug. It's not clear from my picture, but in hand the bumps on my coin seem to show the complete date above Tyche, as in these examples: http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/13738/5/ http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=218786 I'm seeing now that CNG has also used Emmett 1687 for head right as well as head left - does the one number cover the head in both directions? I suspect I also have my obverse legend wrong (I got it from RPC Online), could you let me know what Emmett gives for 1687?
Emmett's number just gives the reverse. The introduction explains how you can ammend more to show which legends, date and bust you have but most people don't bother. I'll bet 90% of the people who own the book have never read page xvii. It was an afterthought allowing people to add coins to his list that he had never seen without making the book ridiculously hard to use. I agree LIE is all at the top but that ould not change the number either unless I am missing something. As these go, a coin this nice looking with any readable date/legends is a keeper.
Thanks again, Doug... Emmett is on the buy list. Yeah, I was curious enough about the term to look it up... In ancient Greece and Rome, a lectisternium usually referred to a religious feast held during times of great calamity, the first one in Rome being held in 399 BC. For a number of days, offerings were set out before effigies of gods that were placed recumbent on a couch (the couch itself sometimes also referred to as the lectisternium). At the same time, private citizens would open their houses to welcome guests and lay out tables of food on the street. Debts were forgiven and criminals released from prison. With such a celebration of universal good will, the people hoped to invite the aid of the gods to banish whatever adversity was troubling the state. So, to recap what we've learnt - JA is a god!
