I picked up this Coin this past Saturday. I loved the feel and size. In a pinch it doubles as sling shot ammo. The card it came with, identifies it as Sicily, Syracuse, under Timoleon 344-336 BC. I checked on Wildwinds and it looks like it should be attributed to Syracuse under Dionysios I 405-367 BC. Any confirmation will be appreciated. As an extra bonus, I met Doug Smith, who was shopping at the same table, while I purchasing this artifact of numismatics. It was nice to meet a fellow cointalk member.
Great coins, fellas ... congrats on your new Syracuse scores I also have one of those sweet examples (wanna see it?) ... ... you gotta love these sweet sprue-coins from Sicily, eh? (very cool)
Great coins guys! I have some PHAT Syracuse coins: Sicily Syracuse Timoleon Third Deocracy 344-317 BCE AE Hemidrachm Zeus Thundrbolt Syracuse Tyrant Gelon 458-478 BCE AR Tet 24mm 16.7g Slow Biga Victory Artemus-Arethusa 4 dolphins Sear-Greek 914
From the shape of the planchets, can it be assumed that these coins were cast? Or at least the planchets cast?
Mmm mmm good... I love all Syracusian coins and this thread has some nice big bronzes! One of these days I want to get one these large double dolphin bronzes! Dionysios I, 405-367 BCE, although I've seen slightly different date ranges. Here's a CNG example similar to your coin: https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=272409 I don't have a Syracuse bronze in this large denomination but do have some smaller ones: SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I (405-367 BC) Æ 20 mm, 8.23 gm Struck c. 390 BCE Obv: head of Athena left, wearing wreathed Corinthian helmet pushed back on head Rev: hippocamp left Ref: Calciati 35. SNG ANS 426 As with most Heritage lots, this coin was slabbed and upon returning home it was freed within minutes. NGC gave it the baffling grade of MS 5/5 strike, 4/5 surfaces, Fine Style. "Mint State"... I think we've discussed that nonsense many times before. I wanted it simply because of the exceptional hippocamp Here's a smaller bronze from that era: Sicily, Syracuse. Dionysios I c. 390 BCE Æ tetras, 14 mm, 1.8 gm Obv: head of nymph facing slightly left, wearing necklace Rev: octopus Ref: CNS 29; SNG ANS 385
The planchets were cast in a ball form with sprues linking several together. When struck with dies, they flattened out a different amount according to how hard they were hit. Mine is a weak strike with a lot of rounded over egde and not much flat space on the top. That means there is no legend. Below is TIF's linked CNG coin with a heavy strike with flat fields including legend SYPA. The sprue placement will vary according to how they fell between the dies. Few are that nice or sell for $3500+fluf (seriously, people!); few are as weakly struck as mine ($37.50 in 1987). Of course a rough surface can erase legends that were once there. Of those shown here, my coin is thickest and demonstrates how the flans were made.
When I bought mine, Timoleon was the standard ID from Sear. I do not know who is responsible for the change.
nice norm! i love a THICK AE ancient...one of these is high on my list. I'll get one in 2017 if i can't pull it off these year...almost a promise there.
