Are there any red flags with this coin? My brother was driving thru Kansas and stopped at an antique store. Bought this one. It looks ok to me but thought I would check with the experts. Post anything relevant. originally sold by Aegean Numismatics Mentor Ohio.
The size, weight, inscription, portraits, and finish all look legit. If it's the same Aegean Numismatics listed on vCoins then everything should be good.
Finally got a chance to do a little research, it didn't take me long to find one for sale. My brothers coin is a little rough in appearance and can't really tell if it has been tooled or if it has just had a hard life. Maybe it had a bit of corrosion, I don't know. He said that he paid 80 to 90 depending on tax. This one is georgous. He isn't much of a collector so at least I can send him some more info. Kings of Cappadocia, Ariarathes IX Eusebes ... - Bertolami Fine Art (bidinside.com)
Below, I've posted one of mine (but with a slightly later date) -- or two, depending who you believe. I like these ones for the portrait: Sometimes they are described as "with the features of Mithradates VI of Pontos" or "with Mithradatic style portrait." I don't claim to know much about this specific topic, but according to a recent CNG sale (though using one of their own older descriptions), it may apply even more so to your coin. Discussing a coin of the same type as yours (Simonetta Ar. IX, 6), I believe, they write: "Ariarathes IX was the son of the Pontic King Mithradates VI. Mithradates murdered his nephew Ariarathes VII, and placed his 8-year-old son on the throne of Cappadocia. According to Mørkholm (in Essays Robinson and QT 1975), the obverses on the last two years of Ariarathes' mint A coinage carried a portrait of the Pontic king rather than his son. The purpose of the change is uncertain, but it may have been done in relation to the revolt of Ariarathes VIII. Ariarathes VIII was the brother of Ariarathes VII, who was living in exile in the Roman province of Asia. Mørkholm believed that a group of Cappadocian nationalists revolted against the Pontic king, and recalled Ariarathes VIII, who they promoted as king. This revolt was quickly suppressed. As a reaction to this event, it is possible that Mithradates had his portriat placed upon the coinage as a more overt pronouncement of his rule over the Cappadocians via his son." I recognize the follow-up coin that you linked (from Bertolami 109): It is from the Alberto Simonetta Collection, begun by his father Bono Simonetta, and probably the most important private collection of Cappadocian coins ever formed (published in many articles and books c. 1958 - 2007). Here's my Ariarathes IX from that same collection (A.M. Simonetta), but dated to his Regnal Year 13 ("IΓ," instead of "E" = 5): I'm waiting for the 2007 Simonetta collection volume to arrive from Germany; this coin is reportedly no. 13/3. (It was added by the son, Alberto, in 1997.) Apparently there is still debate about whether this is Ariarathes VIII or IX? Otto Morkholm called it Ariarathes IX; Bono Simonetta said it was Ariarathes V. (He & Morkholm different vehemently on this one!) Lately, I've seen others called it Ar. VIII, though...I think that's what HGC says, though I still need to get a copy: It always amazes me that published coins from a famous collection like that can be purchased for about the same price as comparable coins with no collection history. So, I made a point of buying several of the coins from that collection when it was sold a couple years ago. Here's a group photo of them that I've posted before: I just love seeing all the different regnal portraits together -- like a late Hellenistic portrait album!! I can see why people love to collect these types. (I've got a couple others, but I want more now!) The 1977 book with 3 of the "plate coins" from the Bono Simonetta collection (the "cover coin" is NOT mine, though, sadly!): @Sulla80 has a blog post that discusses some of the debates between Otto Morkholm and Bono Simonetta (which became exceedingly contentious at times -- and quite entertaining!), and a bibliography of the most important references: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/attributing-cappadocian-coins (see also: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/a-father-s-support) There are several more articles and chapters out there for those who are really into the Morholm & Simonetta debates, including several by Simonetta in the Revista Italiana Numismatica (RIN). These three have my coins above published inside (the same is likely true for anyone with B. Simonetta's collection coins of the period -- I recall ACCLA-Mike posted at least one B. Simonetta coin from the 1977 book): Simonetta 1958 = Simonetta, B. 1958. “Sull’ Attribuzione delle Dramme di Ariarathes IV e di Ariarathes V,” RIN 60: pp. 11-20. PDF issue on RIN Archive; the barbarous coin above (bottom) cited on p.17, Ariarathes V, No. 12, ex. 3 Simonetta 1970 = 1970, "A proposito di alcune attribuzioni di monete dei re di Cappadocia proposte dal Dr. MØRKHOLM," RIN 72: pp. 45-61. PDF issue on RIN Archive; my favorite may be this Ariarathes IX (per Morkholm) or V (per Simonetta), a gift to Bono from Hans von Aulock: Simonetta 1974 = 1974. “Osservazioni su talune emissioni barbariche dei re di Cappadocia,” RIN 76: pp. 95-105. PDF issue on RIN Archive; the barbarous coin illustrated on Pl. III, “Dramma barbarica … di Ariarathes V,” No. 10 I tended to focus on articles that were directly in debate with Morkholm (and that published my own coins) but there are others for different rulers. See also these fived Morkholm articles linked on Sulla's Biblio linked above, incl.: Simonetta 1961; Morkholm 1962, 1968, 1969, 1979; A few others from my bibliography that I didn't see in the linked blog: Simonetta 1964 = B. Simonetta. 1964. “Remarks on Some Cappadocian Problems.” Numismatic Chronicle, vol 4: 83-92. Mørkholm 1964 = O. Mørkholm. 1964. Some Cappadocian die-links . NC, 7th series, vol 4: 21–25, Pl. 1. Simonetta 1967 = B. Simonetta. 1967. “Some Additional Remarks on the Royal Cappadocian Coinage.” Numismatic Chronicle Seventh Series, Vol. 7, pp. 7-12. Mørkholm 1978 = O. Mørkholm. 1978. The coinages of Ariarathes VI and Ariarathes VII of Cappadocia. SNR 57: 144–163.
A great collection of coins from Cappadocia @Curtis, I will continue to regret forgetting to bid when these coins were up for sale Thanks also for sharing the link to my notes on these coins - you prompted me to update and fix a few typos as well as to add the additional references! I think I am still short of the full 15 articles that Mørkholm references - will have to go back to his bibliography and see which I am missing. It is the connection to L. C. Sulla's trip to put Ariobarzanes back on the throne that first drew me to these coins. As well as the first diplomatic encounter between Parthia and Rome! https://www.sullacoins.com/post/sulla-in-cappadocia-first-meeting-with-parthia
And interesting that Ariarathes IX was a fictional name, which I had somehow (repeatedly) overlooked! I wasn't quite sure why Mithradates VI was father to the Cappadocian king, but that's helpful to learn
I'm really getting into the Cappadocian coins. I got this coin which was purported to be Ariarathes V (163-130BCE) AE Drachm 17.7mm / 4.06g Need to dig into this more. My pic late night: As sold:
