Ancient coins with faces are....well, as recognizable as faces. Especially when you know a face so well. I have this ATG (top photo) and I now just stumbled across another (photo beneath), that seems to have used the same obv and rev dies. Its for sale out of Germany. I have seen one other coin with the same obv as mine, but not both obv and rev matches. Those are a match...aren't they? The dealer has minimal attribution on the coin. It is over priced, but I am tempted to negotitate. But only if my eyes are not deceiving me. Today is GoT and coin research. Thanks in advance
Lettering is the most accurate way to compare, so the reverse definitely is. The obverse is probably a match, too.
I don't think the obverse is the same die, mainly due to the dissimilarity of the two circled areas below: To my eye, it appears that the second coin has longer branches/twigs/tendrils (whatever they are) than the first coin. Otherwise, however, the obverses do look remarkably similar so maybe it's just the slight different scale that is fooling me.
I believe they are die matches for both sides. They are the phalanges, sinews, and claws of the lion's forepaws-- or at least that's what I assume. The skin was tied around Herakles' head using the forelegs of the lion skin. It's pretty difficult to skin the feet of an animal so there would be some remaining structural elements (which end up looking like chicken feet on these coins )
Thanks. Very helpful. Two coins from the same place and moment in time, handled by the same few men who made it....yet they have lived very different lives since then. I paid $1,000 for mine. The dealer wants almost $400.....which is way too high IMO, at least for my purposes. But I shall make an offer of some sort. I appreciate it. Same here. Watched S1 E1 yesterday and then jumped to S6 E1 today. S6 E5 right now........and researching. My version of heaven.
