I picked this up last week from a CT member. The photos are great, not mine either, but they do not do the coin justice. The write up is also from the seller. Smyrna was an ancient city located on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Ancient Greek legend has it that the Amazon Smyrna founded the city, along with Ephesus. But Smyrna also means myrrh, which was the region’s main export, so perhaps the name of the town had a double meaning. For those of you interested in Biblical collecting themes, Smyrna was one of the earliest centers of Christianity, likely on account of Paul’s preaching in Ephesus. It is also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. This coin would have been in circulation during the time of the early church. Here’s an absolutely beautiful little bronze with a bust of the Amazon, and a lion on the reverse. This is a pretty rare coin. IONIA. Smyrna. Pseudo-autonomous (Late 2nd century). Æ19, 4.4g, 6h. Obv.: CMVPN; Turreted and draped bust of the Amazon Smyrna left, with bipennis over shoulder. Rev.: SMVPNAIΩN; Lion advancing right. Reference: RPC IV online 329; SNG Copenhagen 1268. Copied in part from Wikipedia: Smyrna (Ancient Greek: Σμύρνη or Σμύρνα) was a Greek city dating back to antiquity located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. This place was renamed to İzmir, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. Two sites of the ancient city are today within the boundaries of İzmir. The first site, probably founded by indigenous peoples, rose to prominence during the Archaic Period as one of the principal ancient Greek settlements in western Anatolia. The second, whose foundation is associated with Alexander the Great, reached metropolitan proportions during the period of the Roman Empire. Most of the present-day remains of the ancient city date from the Roman era, the majority from after a 2nd-century AD earthquake. In practical terms, a distinction is often made between these. Old Smyrna was the initial settlement founded around the 11th century BC, first as an Aeolian settlement, and later taken over and developed during the Archaic Period by the Ionians. Smyrna proper was the new city which residents moved to as of the 4th century BC and whose foundation was inspired by Alexander the Great.
Tons of eye-appeal on that cool bronze....and I love both the lion and the 'Amazon' I guess one of my best coins with a lion is this example from Massalia, Gaul...... AR drachm of Massalia, circa 130-125 BC 2.82 grams, 19 mm Artemis wearing pennant and pearl necklace, head right, bow and quiver over left shoulder. MASSA; A in exergue Lion advancing left, palm tree under right paw. SNG COP 777, BN 1121
Congrats @Collecting Nut ! That is a great lion! I have a couple walking lions that I really like: Roman Imperatorial Marc Antony 43 BCE AR Quinarius 13mm 1.67g Lugdunum Winged bust Victory-probly Fulvia Lion DVNI LVGV Craw 489/5; Syd 1160 Makedon Alexander Alexandrine Babylon Di-Shekel Tet LIFETIME issue 328-311 (Gamma above) Baal-Lion
Hey, that is cool... I have a couple of those: RI Aemilianus 253 CE AE24 Viminacium mint Moesia Bull-Lion - Damnatio Memoriae Stolen from @John Anthony RI Hostilian 251 CE AE 27 Viminacium Moesia Bull-Lion Yeah, I probly pilfered this from the J-Man too...
Just a few of my pride of lions IONIA, MILETOS AE17 OBVERSE: Head of Apollo right REVERSE: Lion right, head reverted, star above Struck at Miletos 350-300 BC 4.69g, 17mm Lindgren 513 LYSIMACHUS KING OF THRACIA AE 20 OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right REVERSE: BASILEWS LUSIMACOU, above and beneath lion running right, small caduceus, spearhead below Struck at Uncertain mint, Thrace 305-281 BC 6.1g, 20mm SNG Cop1149-51 M. VOLTEIUS M.F. ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS VOLTEIA AR Fouree Denarius OBVERSE: Laureate & helmeted bust of Attis right; shield behind REVERSE: Cybele seated right in chariot drawn by two lions; OQ above Rome 78BC 2.9g, 18mm Cr385/4; Syd 777, Volteia 4
I wonder how many different lion coins there are. I know there are several hundred but question saying a thousand. Of course a lot depends on how different we require them to be to be counted. I did a search on my database and found 80 coins using 'lion' in the text but some of those are duplicates. Below is my most recent lion addition. It is a diobol of Alexandria under Commodus.
