Today's Franklin's World comic inspired me to post this coin of Pergamon. Post your coins from this city, coins celebrating Asklepios, or anything you feel is relevant! Mysia, Pergamon, ca. 133-27 B.C. Greek Æ dichalkon, 16.4 mm, 3.74 g, 2 h. Obv: Laureate head of Asklepios right. Rev: AΣKΛHPIOY ΣΩTHPOΣ, serpent-entwined staff. Refs: BMC 154-157; SNG Cop 368 ff; SNG France 1828-48; SNG von Aulock 1373.
Delicious frozen snake on a stick. This is mine: Mysia, Pergamon. Asklepios bronze coin. (133–27 B.C.) Obverse: Laureate head of Asklepios right Reverse: Serpent entwined around staff of Asklepios. ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ.
Mysia, Pergamon. AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, Struck ca. 76-67 BC. Obv.: Cista mystica, with serpent issuing l. from beneath half-open lid; around, wreath of ivy. Rev.: in field l.; Bow-case, ornamented with floral scroll, and containing strung bow; in front and at sides, two serpents with tails intertwined and heads erect facing one another with monogram between and ΦΙ above; in field r., thyrsus with serpent coiled round it. 12.6g, 29mm, 12h Cf. Pinder 119, Kleiner Hoard 50; SNG BnF 1754-5 Ex. Aethelred ; Ex. Curtisimo
M AVREL ANTONINUS PIVS AVG GERM Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla right, seen from behind P M TR P XVIII IMP III COS IIII P P S C Asclepius, nude to waist, standing facing, head left, holding snake-entwined staff, Telesphorus at his feet to left, globe to right Sestertius, Rome 215 30 mm; 22,22 gr RIC 538b, BMCRE 280, CSS 1449 var., Sear 6933 var.
Snake on a stick on a flying snake: THRACE, Pautalia. Caracalla CE 198-217 AE29, 16.4 gm Obv: AYT K M AY CEY ANTΩNEINOC; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: OYΛΠIAC ΠAYTAΛIAC; Asklepios seated right on back of winged serpent Ref: Varbanov 5007 And a typical Pergamon cistophorus from a large mixed lot: MYSIA, Pergamon 76 BCE 12.4 gm Obv: cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath Rev: bow-case with serpents; snake-entwined staff to the right; monogram left; AΠ above; monogram & star above Ref: Kleiner, Pergamum 25; Pinder 122
Why has the snake staff on coins of Pergamon such a bulge that is never seen at snake staffs on coins from other mints? Any ideas?
Really? I can deal with chicken impersonating snake but chocolate??? The 'bulge' suggests the die cutter had seen snake handlers with hooks. This would make it a lot easier to display a snake on a staff.
Pergamon was the home to one of the larger and more important temples to Asklepios, where the sick would come for healing. I have a few from a Kairos lot that was too cheap *not* to bid on, but only have one image handy Interesting thing is that this one is the usual ~16mm, but the portrait looks like it was intended for a smaller coin.
