Two heads are better than one.

I'm eagerly awaiting my newest purchase. A Nabataean bronze coin of Aretas IV. Are there many ancient coins out there with two heads or two faces? (Double strikes count)

 

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Nice coin, and yes there is many with multiple heads.


Malichus II & Shuqailat II (40 - 70 A.D.)
Nabataean Kingdom
Æ Unit
O: Jugate busts of Malichus & Shuqailatt right
R: Crossed Cornucopia
1. WKLM
2. YQS
3. TL
from r. to l. MLKW / SQY / LT
= Maliku / Shuqailat
19mm
2.51g
SNG X I#I444

Here is one with 4 heads.


KINGS of THRACE, Sapaian. Rhoemetalces I, with Pythodoris, Augustus, and Livia (Late 1st century BC-AD)
Æ 27
O: Heads of Augustus, laureate, and Livia, conjoined right; to right, capricorn right, holding globe.
R: Diademed head of Rhoemetalces and draped bust of Pythodoris, conjoined right.
27mm
13.8g
Youroukova 182-4, 186; RPC I 1708

 

Yes, there are many. Unfortunately, I don't own any, so, no pics from me.

 

two headed coins? Istros, anyone?

 

My favorite double heads as an optical illusion on a hekte:

 

woahh...that's awesome.

here's a nabatean..



Nabatean Kingdom, Malichus II 40 - 70 AD

O: jugate laureate and draped bust of Malichus II and Shuqailat II right R: two cornucopias, crossed and filleted, Aramaic legend, "Malichus / Shuqai/lat" in two lines above and one below cornucopia SNG ANS 1444 16x12 mm 3.1g

 

Ditto

 

Wow!

 

Did anyone see the TV show this week on Nabataeans talking about the significance of women in their society and the number of records showing family lineage through the maternal side? The also mentioned their practice of marrying siblings as was done by the Eqyptians. The problem with such programs and all sources is the need to check accuracy.

 

Fun thread and great posts guys!!

Of course, there are the 'Republican' Janus/Jugate types...so I'll post an AS of Pompey. a denarius of Furius, a fourree (ancient fake) of Fulfia.......and a bronze of Gordian III with Tranquillina.

 

This post has the potential to be endless. Two heads are very common. There are too many to show, and with double strikes, well, endless.....

 

Wow.
A well thought out and sophisticated, yet very simple design.
Fit-Form-Function.

 

How about a double-strike of a double head?

The ultimate two-faced Januform...



Roman Republic
M Furius 119 BCE
ERROR DOUBLE-STRIKE
AR Denarius
Obv: Janus
Rev: Trophy Carnyx
Sear 156 Cr 281/1

 

The unvarnished truth! Three is harder if you require all on the same side. Mine is a drachm of Varhran II the Sasanian with queen and prince.


This Carausius is not mine but is high on my dream list. A dream list is a want list we realize is not going to happen.

 

How about an overstrike that was never INTENDED to be a Double-Head?

This was sold as a Roman Republic Janus Head... none were ever this small. It turns out to be an overstrike of a Roman Sextans over a Syracuse Hieron II.


A) Sicily, Syracuse, Hieron II, 275-215 BCE AE head of Poseidon left, rev. IEP-ÙNOÓ, trident flanked by dolphins, Ó[?] below (SNG Morcom 828 var.), dark green patina.
Obv. Diademed head of Poseidon left.
Rev. IEPΩNOΣ, Ornamented trident head flanked by two dolphins; below, N.

OVERSTRUCK by:

B) Anonymous AE-Sextans, Sicily, 211-208 BC.
Head of Mercury right wearing winged petasos; • • above. Rev. Prow of galley right; grain ear above, IC before, ROMA below.
Crawford 69/6b; Sydenham 310d; BMCRR 280.

19mm / 5.3g

 

These are just a few Roman Republic Janus...

 

If we are counting fire altar attendants:


Kavad I
Sassanian Empire
AR Drachm

 

This interesting coin shows a very large bust of a deity and markedly smaller bust of the emperor-- a humbleness I wasn't expecting from a Roman emperor, but the provinces seemed to enjoy a greater degree of artistic freedom with regards to coin design . This was among the first individual ancient coins I bought and it remains a favorite.


PHOENICIA, Arados. Trajan
CY 375 (CE 116/7)
Æ 22, 9.65 gm
Obv: draped bust of Astarte-Europa right; before, small laureate and draped bust of Trajan
Rev: bull charging left
Reference: SNG Copenhagen 81; BMC 374

...

This jugate obverse bronze from Phoenicia was from a large mixed lot, also an early purchase. A handful of those coins didn't receive proper attention and appreciation and I'm working my way through them again now. Thanks to Martin Rowe (Coins of the Southern Levant) and @7Calbrey and for assistance with the date


PHOENICIA, Arados
Aradian date 130 (130/129 BCE)
AE 16, 4.0 gm
Obv: jugate heads of Zeus and Astarte right
Rev: prow of ship left, with figurehead of Athena; above, Phoenician aleph and nun (right to left); below, date
Ref: Duyrat 2005 No.4263-4290; BMC Phoenicia No.295-296; HGC 10 No.90

...

The next coin is very worn but for some reason it really appeals to me. Like worn Alexandrian drachms, it's a coin that begs to be touched


SYRIA, Laodicea ad Mare. Septimius Severus & Julia Domna
CE 193-211
Æ, 31 mm 18.8 gm
Obv: jugate draped busts right of Septimius Severus, radiate and cuirassed and Julia Domna, set on crescent; countermarks: 1) C(AΓ) within rectangular incuse; 2) COL within rectangular incuse
Rev: Marsyas standing left, right hand raised, holding wineskin over his left shoulder
Ref: SNG Righetti 2114; Howgego 581 and 586
Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection

 

Sure there are numerous "two heads" to be shown. here are some I don't let out so often


Lepidus and Octavian, Denarius Denarius minted in Italy, 42 BC
LEPIDVS PONT MAX III V R P C, bare head of Lepidus right (NT and MA in monograms)
C CAESAR IMPIII VIR R P C, bare head of Octavian right (MP in monogram)
3.78 gr
Ref : HCRI # 140, RCV # 1523, Cohen # 2

The following from forvm catalog : "Lepidus was a faithful follower of Julius Caesar, and he served as Praetor and Consul. When Caesar was assassinated, Lepidus was in charge of the cavalry and commanded a legion. This position secured him a place in the Second Triumvirate along Marc Antony and Octavian. His cut was Africa. When Octavian attacked Sextus Pompey's Sicily, Lepidus' ships and troops supported him. In an uninspired move, Lepidus thought he could force Octavian to leave him the island. The two armies separated and isolated skirmishes occurred, but soon the soldiers sick of yet another civil war, acknowledging Octavian's superiority deserted Lepidus en-masse. Lepidus left the island as a simple civilian, retaining only his priesthood, but he was the only defeated Imperator not to suffer a violent death."



Octavian & Agrippa, AE Dupondius Arausio mint (Orange), 30-29 BC (Colonia Firma Julia Secundanorum Arausio)
IMP DIVI F (IMPerator DIVI Filii), bare heads of Augustus (right) and Agrippa (left), back to back
Prow of galley right, ram's head (?) enclosed in a medaillion above
17.61 gr - 28 mm.
Ref : RPC # 533
Ex. CNG e-auction #181/28, from the Patrick Villemur collection

Following comment taken from http://www.asdenimes.com/ : "Un très bel exemplaire du dupondius d'Orange. Têtes adossées d'Agrippa (à gauche) et Octave (à droite). Très beaux reliefs.
L’as (ou dupondius) d’Orange est très rare et nombre d'exemplaires connus (quelques dizaines) sont souvent de médiocre conservation. Le dupondius d'Orange préfigure le dupondius de Nîmes frappé à partir de 28/27 av. J.-C. et qui reprendra l’avers quasiment à l’identique (y compris les légendes), avec les profils d’Octave devenu Auguste et d’Agrippa. Le revers sera interprété de façon parodique sur l’as de Nîmes, puisque la galère sera remplacée par le crocodile qui garde à peu près la forme générale du vaisseau et dont l’oeil prophylactique (pas visible sur cet exemplaire : voir les as de Vienne page suivante) deviendra l’oeil du crocodile. On y ajoutera la palme pour former le mat et quelques autres accessoires tout aussi symboliques.
La tête de bélier représentée dans le médaillon du revers serait l’emblème des vétérans de la légio II Gallica qui a fondé la colonie d’Arausio vers 35 av. J.-C.
On distingue 2 types de dupondius d'Orange : ceux dont les portraits occupent la plus grande partie de l'avers et ceux qui montrent des têtes plutôt petites".



Nero and Poppaea, tetradrachm Alexandria mint, AD 63-64
NERO KLAY KAIS SEB TEP AY, radiate head of Nero right
TTOTTTTAIA SEBASTH, draped bust of Poppaea right, LI in right field
12.3 gr
Ref : RCV # 2002 v, Emmett # 129



Trajan, Bronze Bronze struck in Laodicea, c114-115 AD
AUTOKR NER TRAIANOC ARICT(KAIC CEB), laureate head of Trajan right
IOULIEWN TWN KAI LAODIKEWN BXR, Turreted bust of Tychee right, IOU in field
9.97 gr
Ref : Sear #1080

Q

 

MN. FONTEIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS FONTEIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Jugate heads of the Dioscuri
REVERSE: Galley under oar
Struck at Rome 108-109 BC
3.9g, 20mm
Cr.307/1, Fonteia 7

MN. FONTEIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS FONTEIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Jugate heads of the Dioscuri
REVERSE: Galley under oar, MN FONTEI above, C below
Struck at Rome 108-109 BC
3.5g, 20mm
Cr.307/1, Fonteia 8