Featured Follow the coin theme GAME - ancient edition - post ‘em if you got ‘em

Elymais, Kamnaskires VI (late 1st - 2nd c. AD), Seleucia on the Hedyphon, billon tetradrachm.
Obv.: No legend. Diademed bust left, in field to right star, crescent and anchor
Rev.: Small schematic bust left, traces of blundered Greek legend

Next : more oriental coinage

 

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I've shared this coin once before, but in a different post, so I'll give it its one showing here.

I'm quite fond of this little Persis Hemidrachm, with portraits of Manuchtihr III (a Triskeles behind his head) and his father M. II (probably) on the reverse (AKA Minuchetri AKA Mančihr).

Ex-Gonnella, Franke, Cleff Collections
"Plate coin" in van’t Haaff 644b (this coin illustrated on p. 196), Catalogue of Persis Coinage (2010/2020, Lancaster, PA: CNG).
Also: This coin = PDC 47121 (Peus 393, Lot 320) = PDC 39483 (Peus 388, Gonnella, 273).​

NEXT:
Another Greek (or "Greek") AR Fraction
that you really like​

 

Even though it is not beautiful I love this hemiobol from Magnesia ad Maeandrum because it was struck under Themistokles and the open question about the portrait. I tend to lean towards Hephaestus but if it is Themistokles it would be one of the earliest self-portraits on a coin.


IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum
Themistokles, AR Hemiobol, struck ca. 465-459 BC
Dia.: 8 mm
Wt.: 0.24 g
Obv.: Head of Hephaistos? right, wearing laureate pilos; Θ-E flanking /
Rev.: ΘE monogram in dotted square border within incuse square.
Ref.: Nollé & Wenninger 5a; Cahn & Gerin 8 = SNG München 585; SNG Copenhagen;
Very rare.
Ex Gerhard Plankenhorn Collection of Ionian Coins, Ex Numismatik Naumann 97, lot 1025 (Jan. 6, 2020)

Next: A portrait coin of any of the 12 Olympian gods.

 

Great little fraction!

I'm on the fence about this type, I don't find it hard to believe it's him (or Themiso. as Hephaestus), and it would help explain his name being on both sides. (I've got this same Hemiobol type.)

I'm really looking forward to seeing Hans Christoph von Mosch's new article in JNG 72, "Die vielen Gesichter der Lykomidai. Themistokles und Archepolis in Magnesia und Athen," pp. 13-92. My local university library only has up to issue 71 at present, and I haven't been able to find it online yet (his newest doc on Academia.edu is 2021, though I guess I could email him), but it's on my list to keep checking for.

 

Here's one of my newer additions to the Olympic Pantheon.... and it's from Olympia!

Hera keeping an eye on Zeus' (Cleopatra's?) eagle.

ELIS, Olympia Æ Dupondius-Diassarion (?) (25-27mm, 12.56 g, 1h), temp. Antony & Cleopatra, c. 31 BCE.
Obverse: Head of Hera right, wearing stephane & necklace.
Reverse: Eagle standing right on thunderbolt; F-A across field, monogram (K or Y + Retrograde Γ = Ꞁ) to lower right.
Ref (BCD): BCD Olympia 307 (same monogram, different dies);
Prov: Philipsen (Hirsch XXV (25 Nov 1909), 1300); Warren (Naville Ars Classica XV (2 Jul 1930), 809); RK Morcom; Christopher Morcom; P. R. Franke. ​

NEXT: More Olympians
(including more of those same Olympians)​

 

I’m going to have to post my representative portrait for Apollo. A coin struck my Maussolos of mausoleum fame.



Next: More Olympian portraits.

 

Thank you! I did quite a bit of research on this little fraction which was quite fun. Whenever you get a chance to read von Mosch’s paper I’d be interested to know what you thought of it.

 

Does Neptune count? If not, there's a proper Thessalian Poseidon holding a dolphin on a Skotussa Hemi. too. (Actually, a double-Olympian, Artemis too.)

Rubrius Quinarius, 87 BCE, Crawford 384/4. This coin = RBW 1325 = JQA / Charles Francis Adams / MHS Collection, probably ex John Lindsay, Esq. of Cork (Sotheby's 1867, 526 [part], using Joseph Curt as agent...need to order a page from the Roy. Belg. Lib.'s hand-named catalog to verify).


Thessaly, Skotussa. AR Hemidrachm (2.17g, 14mm, 11h). Probably 3rd Cent. BCE. Obv: Artemis with a "melon" cut (that's actually what the ancient hairstyle is called). Rev: ΣΚΟΤΟΥΣΑΙΩΝ. Poseidon sitting on rocks holding dolphin & trident (missing the trident head, though, which is kinda pointless).

NEXT:
A Roman version of an Olympian​

 

I already posted my favorite Carthage EL Stater in a previous turn (https://www.cointalk.com/posts/24650854, 17 Jul 2023), so here is my second favorite Carthage EL Stater (of two, total):

N. Africa. Zeugitania, Carthage EL Stater, (19mm, 7.39g, 12h), struck c. 290 BCE.
Obv: Head of Tanit left, wearing wreath of grain, triple-pendant earring and necklace with nine pendants.
Rev: Horse standing right on ground line.
Ref: Jenkins & Lewis group VI, 314 or similar; this coin featured in Classical Numismatics Video on Youtube (20 Oct 2021), “Ancient Coins: Gold Coins Ep. 1 (7:50-8:25).”
Prov: Artemide Aste LII (2019), 107.
​

NEXT:
A coin that you have two of
(or more, of at least roughly similar type)​

 

Here are two eastern imitation owls, probably of Persian origin. The coins have different countermarks, but I think at least the obverse dies match.

Persia (?) imitation tetradrachm based on an intermediate Athenian owl, countermarks, circa 333 BC.
16.84 grams



Persia (?) imitation tetradrachm based on an intermediate Athenian owl, countermarks, circa 333 BC.
17.06 grams



Next: More "duplicates"

 

That's a great pair! I would feel confident in saying a double die match. If anything, the reverses may be in a slightly different "die state," but I think one die.

 

Here are two Philip I / Adventus types. I gave the top coin to a good friend and kept the second one due to the excellent provenance.



Ex David Kallai (ca. 1908-1924) with old tag; Ex arnoldoe Collection; Ex AMCC 2, lot 194 (Nov. 9, 2019).

Next: A coin you gave away as a gift.

 

Gifted to Deacon Ray 2019


ANTIOCHUS VII (Seleukid Kingdom)
Prutah
OBVERSE: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ; Anchor, date below, ΑΠΡ (year 181)
REVERSE: Lily
Struck at Jerusalem, Judea 132-130 BC
5.2g, 16mm

Next: Any coin from Judea

 

ATHENS ATTICA
AR Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right
REVERSE: Owl standing right, head facing, on overturned amphora; to left, eagle standing right on thunderbolt; Gamma on amphora, ΗΡΑ in exergue; all within laurel wreath
Struck at Athens Epigene-, Sosandros and Eume(nes)-, magistrates. September-October 126/25 or 125/24 BC
16.8g, 30mm
Thompson 477a

Next: Coin showing name of magistrate(s)

 

Oh, that's a good one! Hard to choose, many of my favorite Greek & Roman Provincials come right to mind. (Even Republican & early Imperial "Moneyers" should probably qualify as "magistrates.")

ΑΡΙΣΤΟΚΡΑΤΗΣ = Aristokrates

The little "Pseudo-Rhodian" Drachms (copying the earlier Helios/Rose coins of Rhodos) could only fit one official's name on their smaller canvas, unlike the "New Style" with their 3+. (And in this case they didn't even fit the first two letters!)

Struck for mercenaries (probably Cretan) in Third Macedonian War. We don't know for certain by/for which side (but prob. Perseus). Perseus & Rome probably both used Cretan mercenaries and may have both paid in Pseudo-Rhodian coin!

This one is a "plate coin" in one of Richard Ashton's many articles on Pseudo-Rhodian coins, most of which are available free on JSTOR.org (worth registering free w/ your email if you don't already have access), and ex 1992 Thessalonike Area Hoard (CH VIII, 426):


Excerpting Ashton (2002, NC), “Clubs, Thunderbolts, Torches, Stars and Caducei…”

NEXT:
FACING PORTRAIT / HEAD
("3/4 facing" acceptable; whether deity or mortal ruler; Greek, Roman, Byz, or Other!)​

 

Why do you think they are imitations? They look very much like genuine Attic owls of the early 4th c. BC.

 

Arcadius, AE3, Antioch

Next : an earlier emperor carrying spear and shield