Medusa and other monsters

camelsus! that's awesome!

 

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Had this interesting type from Athens pass through my hands many years ago:


Attica Athens Circa 140/150-175 AD. Æ Drachm
Ox: Head of Athena right
Rx: AQHNA-IWN, Theseus, holding club in his right hand, left hand holding a horn of the Minotaur kneeling right, whom he is preparing to slay

 

Nothing new to add. Just some examples most are bored of seeing.

Mysia, Parion, Silver hemidrachm

Obv:– Facing Gorgoneion, surrounded by snakes.
Rev:– PA / RI, bull standing left, looking back right
Minted in Parion, 350 - 300 B.C.
Reference:– BMC Mysia p. 95, 14
2.427g, 13.8mm



Apollonia Pontika, Drachm

Obv:– Facing Gorgoneion, wearing taenia
Rev:– Inverted anchor, crayfish left, A right
Minted in Apollonia Pontika. 450 – 400 B.C.
Reference:– SNG Cop 454





Abdera, Silver Drachm

Obv:– Griffin springing left.
Rev:– GR-W-TH-S, laureate head of Apollo left in linear square, within incuse square
Minted in Abdera, 365 - 345 B.C.
Reference:– May 324



And a my favourite of my Papius. Multiple mythological creatures combined...

L Papius Denarius Serratus

Obv:– Head of Juno Sospita right, wearing goat skin tied under chin. Behind head, Dolphin wrapped around anchor.
Rev:– Gryphon running right; in ex., L. PAPI.; in field, Hippocamp
Minted in Rome from . B.C. 79.
Reference(s) – RSC Papia 1. RRC 384/1. RCTV 311.
Symbol variety – RRC -. Babelon -. BMCRR -.

A previously unknown symbol pair and the only known example.

 

Welcome @Ed Snible ! I have spent untold hours on your web pages.

I fell out of my chair...


Cilicia, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Gallienus. Æ27. Athena/anguipede Giant
Obv: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: Athena advancing right, brandishing spear and shield at anguipede Giant, raising both hands.
27mm, 7.9 gm.
SNG Levante 789


Mysia, Parion. Bust of Parios AE22. Capricorn.
Obv: Youthful male head r. of founder Parios.
Rev: CGIHP / Capricorn r., holding globe, behind cornucopia.
Time of Valerian (253 to 260 A.D.)


Uncertain AE14. Griffin
Obv: Head right, border of dots.
Rev: Griffin seated right.
11mm., 0.5g.


Ionia, Island of Chios. Pseudo-autonomous AE14
Dichalkon, Civic Coinage of Chios, Ionia.
Reign of Augustus - 150 AD
Obverse: XI-W-N, Sphinx left, forepaw raised.
Reverse: DIXA-LKON, amphora, dotted border.
14mm and 1.8gms
BMC Ionia 114 (Sold)


Pamphylia, Perge. Æ16. Sphinx/Artemis
PAMPHYLIA, Perge. Circa 260-230 BC. Æ 16mm. Sphinx seated right / NANAΨAΣ ΠΡEIIAΣ, Artemis standing left, holding wreath and scepter. SNG France 369 (sold)

 

Some wonderful coins there. You know, I've always thought of you as a Septimus/LRB collector.

 

I'm pretty sure that Martin has 50+ examples of those sweet L Papius alone, eh Martin?

... well, maybe not the dog & snake combo, but most of the others

 

The obverse of this coin has Medusa in the face of Alexander the Great. Reverse shows a butting bull heading right. BMC 62 - SC 21. It was struck under Seleukos I circa 300 BC. Weight : 6.2 g. _ 17 - 18 mm.

 

... is that your new camera?

 

yes it is, but I think there was some problem with the"smile" button and the Flash. I'll try to shoot a better photo.

 

I think an anguipede giant qualifies as a monster, although I suppose his family and friends might disagree:

 

Wow Volodya, that's a total winner!!



Hey, I forgot that I had this cool monster-addition ...

=> Scylla

Sextus Pompey, Son of Pompey the Great,
AR Denarius (Sicily, Messana)
42-40 BC
Diameter: 18 mm
Weight: 3.5 grams
Obverse: MAG PIVS IMP ITER, galley adorned with aquila, sceptre and trident before the Pharos (Lighthouse) of Messana, decorated with a statue of Neptune
Reverse: PRÆF CLAS ET ORÆ MARIT EX S C, the monster Scylla, her torso of dogs and fishes, wielding a rudder as a club
Refernce: Crawford 511/4a; CRI 335; Sydenham 1348; RSC 2
Other: very cool





Ooops, sorry ancientnut (I went back and noticed that you'd already posted Scylla on Athena's helmet) ... oh well, you can never have too many Scylla examples, eh?

 

Here are 2 more.

 

Wow TJC => I love both of those babies (especially Sandan on top of the good ol' horned lion)

 

Thanks Steve.

 

What Steve said

 

This mini-monstrosity from Corinth arrived yesterday. The flan is just 9.5mm at its widest, so it's almost mind-boggling how the die engraver packed so much detail into the little gorgoneion on the reverse. Though the pegasos is weak (typical), IMHO the gorgoneion more than makes up for it. I'm not always fond of crystallized surfaces, but I really love the reticulation on this one.


CORINTHIA, Corinth
AR Trihemiobol. 0.61g, 9.5mm. CORINTHIA, Corinth, circa 450-400 BC. BCD Corinth 47-8; SNG Cop 25. O: Pegasos flying left. R: T-P-I-H, facing gorgoneion in incuse square.

 

@zumbly, I agree. That coin is just at the point where I love what I see and don't feel the surface conditions detract at all but add character and interest...

 

The little Corinth Pegasos/gorgons are really nice. They often come crystalized. Here is mine:

 

The gorgoneions come in quite a variety of styles, but that is one of the nicest I've seen. The Pegasos is unusually excellent too!

 

A couple more Scylla's.