Last coin of 2015 - it's been a hoot!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by zumbly, Dec 28, 2015.

  1. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    This coin won't reach me till sometime in January (hopefully), but I thought it would be appropriate to share it now. I'd been actively looking for one of these owl-grasping-hapless-lizard coins of Kamarina since the beginning of the year, so it was fitting that the win of this beautiful example caps my 2015 purchases :).

    upload_2015-12-28_22-1-26.png

    SICILY, Kamarina

    Circa 420-405 BC
    AE Tetras or Trionkion
    3.39g, 14.5mm
    Westermark & Jenkins Period 3, 204; CNS 40; HGC 2, 550
    O: Helmeted head of Athena left; olive spray to left.
    R: [K-A-]MA, Owl standing facing, wings spread, grasping lizard; three pellets (mark of value) in exergue.
    Ex Camerata Romeu Collection

    This coin belongs to a brief two-decade period (425-405 BC) when Kamarina produced a wonderful group of coins - majestic, masterful tetradrachms and other silver issues, and a series of charming, instantly recognizable bronzes. Of the bronzes, this one with the spread-winged owl is rare, but the others varieties and denominations with the closed-wing owl and/or gorgoneion obverse are equally attractive and hopefully, I'll have an example of those join my collection in 2016.

    Feel free to share your Kamarina coins or your favorite owl coins!
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2015
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  3. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Very nice. That is an eye catching coin! :)
     
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  4. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    I will have to wait till I get home tomorrow to post a pic of mine, but yours is a lovely example
     
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  5. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I remember it well, it was good motivation for me to get mine.
     
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  6. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    I like the open-winged owl and should look for one of those :)

    [​IMG]
    SICILY, Kamarina
    420-405 BCE

    AE tetras, 3.11 gm
    Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing winged Phrygian helmet; dotted border
    Rev: KAMA (legend from top to bottom), with owl standing left, lizard in talons; three dots in exergue
    Ref: Westermark / Jenkins 202, SNG ANS -., Calciati III No. 39

    [​IMG]
    SICILY, Kamarina
    420-405 BCE

    AE tetras, 3.34 gm
    Obv: Large head of Athena left, wearing crested helmet with wings
    Rev: Owl standing left, with lizard in talon; KAMA (retrograde) upward in right field; three dots in exergue
    Ref: Westermark / Jenkins 198 (see FIG. Pl. 35 / 198.24), SNG ANS 1230 Calciati III no. 28/4 (dotted-border type)
     
  7. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Both are fantastic, but I really like the one with the Phrygian helmet.
     
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  8. Johndakerftw

    Johndakerftw Mr. Rogers is My Hero

    Awesome coins! Poor little lizard :(.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Erin
     
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  9. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Beautiful, still dont have a coin with a owl as the main reverse figure. Maybe it will change in 2016.
     
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  10. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    That reverse looks like a man in an owl suit. I love the coin! That was a nice one to wrap 2015.
     
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  11. Okidoki

    Okidoki Well-Known Member

    COOL and very nice i like them :D
     
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  12. Eng

    Eng Senior Eng

    Awesome last minute coin Z, my favorite coins Owls. True Story, my wife's Cousins was jogging late after dark and a very large what he thinks was an owl clawed the back of his head. we looked up owl attacks and Oregon had a few mentioned and said they get very aggressive in the Winter.

    I thought i had an owl from Kamarina, but i do have this one from Pergamon.
    Mysia, Pergamon 133 127 BC
    Ae
    Obv. Athena right.
    Rev. Owl standing, wings spread.
    16mm x 2.5g.
    6PcMx7Eo8ZeqbeN4sC9r58jSnAz3Tz_opt.jpg
     
  13. chrsmat71

    chrsmat71 I LIKE TURTLES!

    an owl attack?! i've never heard of such a thing, crazy.

    and that's a crazy coin, look at that owl on the reverse. he looks like trouble doesn't he? i wouldn't turn my back on him for a minute! :wacky: nice coin Z, the owl is cool and the color is great.

    i don't have one of these to share. i ordered one last spring, but it never made it to my house. :(
     
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  14. John Anthony

    John Anthony Ultracrepidarian

    I wasn't aware of a variety with spread wings. All the others I've seen have owls with folded wings. Great find!
     
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  15. stevex6

    stevex6 Random Mayhem

    Wow Z-Bro => that was another CNG target that you ended-up scoring!! (that's awesome ... great pickup ... totally jealous)

    Owls, eh? => well yah, I have a couple of sweet hooters to show-off ...


    ancientowl2a.jpg Pontos Amisos AR Siglos b.jpg kleopatra thea b.jpg Troas Sigeion b.jpg
     
  16. brassnautilus

    brassnautilus Well-Known Member

    I'd like to get a ~475bc transitional style one day, and upgrade the new style one...
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  17. dlhill132

    dlhill132 Member

    Z, nice new coin, it's awesome!
    My only coin with an owl on it.

    Doug Hill
    greek1.jpg

    PS nice coins everyone.
     
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  18. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    I see a lovely coin squeaked in under the wire Z. Congrats and Happy new Year!
     
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  19. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

  20. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Thanks for the kind coinpliments, everyone!

    That sounds bad, but not as bad as an owl flying into your car and pecking at you:
    http://www.fox29.com/trending/63382840-story

    Yeah, the owl on my coin looks psycho enough to do that!

    You were considering this bird too? Man, I'm glad you didn't... I don't think my bid would have survived a x6-attack :D. Anyway, I'm happy I got this one as owls (and lizards) are very poorly represented in my collection. I don't even have an Athens tet to show off yet. So, in the meantime, how about some favorite owls in other mediums...

    upload_2015-12-29_15-57-46.png

    upload_2015-12-29_15-59-17.png

    upload_2015-12-29_16-1-14.png
     
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  21. paschka

    paschka Well-Known Member

    super and very nice i like them:p
     
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