Picked up another batch of snakes, this just happens to be a dirty/crusty kind. Never had this type high on my list, but for $40, I couldn't resist & the crust doesn't bother me. This also seems to be a scarcer monogram. Pergamon, Mysia (133 - 67 B.C) AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm O: Cista mystica with half-open lid, from which a snake emerges, all within wreath of ivy with berries. R: Two serpents entwined around bow and bowcase; above, ME, prytaneis monogram, and A (controls), (Pergamon monogram) to left, serpent-entwined thyrsos to right. 11.36g 26mm Kleiner, Hoard 40; SNG BN 1744 Ex. Glenn Schinke, March 1995
Wow, @Mat ... great Cisto! And at 40 Bucks? Killer! Everything looks great and well defined. Congrats on the capture. Mine Mysia, Pergamum (Pergamon) 85-76 BC Cista Mystica or Cistophoric Tetradrachm AR Tetradrachm 12.46g x 26 mm Obverse: Cista mystica with serpent; all within oak / ivy wreath Reverse: bow-case with serpents, PRE monogram to left, KP / PRY monogram above, serpent-staff right. Ref: Kleiner 36
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 That's a nice one @Mat - I love these a little bit crusty and yours is P E R F E C T !!!!!
Sweet coin @Mat , and the dark toning is so nice on yours @Alegandron . Here's mine: MYSIA, Pergamon. Circa 133-67 BC AR Cistophoric Tetradrachm, 29mm, 11.8g, 12h; Struck 76-67 BC. Obv.: Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath. Rev.: Bow-case with serpents; monogram left, MH and N-monogram-O above, serpent-entwined thyrsos right. Reference: Kleiner, Pergamum 42.
For some reason, these have never really appealed to me all that much as a type, but I used to say that about the Pantakapaion AEs and ended up buying one this year (and liking it very much), so my tastes can evolve. I do think the crustiness here is neat looking. Hey, like you said, for forty bucks, I'd probably have given that one some consideration, too. (Another design element I was previously lukewarm on was bisected animals, and I bought one of those, too. So I guess maybe it's time for me to rethink my semi-uninterested stance on Man-Headed Bulls next, huh? Hmm...)
Here's a dirty and colorful old snake and it was only $15.31. Okay... that's a bit disingenuous since it was part of a group lot and there were plenty of lower value coins in the mix. I don't know much about these other than they are abundant, often poorly or weakly struck, and the dies seemed to be commonly used beyond their ideal lifespan. 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
I've always been fascinated by these coins and they were pretty high on my want list...until I snagged one. I'm interested in what message they were trying to communicate with this design. I assume it was tied to a myth. MYSIA, Pergamon. c. 166-67 BC. AR Tetradrachm, 29mm 12.5, 12h; Cistophoric standard. Struck c. 104-98 BC. Obv.: Cista mystica with serpent; all within ivy wreath. Rev.: Bow case with serpents; above, KP above prytaneis monogram, civic monogram to left, serpent-entwined staff to right. I don't have price data handy, but mine was more than $40.
Some really good deals on these coins. I always have assumed they were expensive but I guess not. Here's a bit of cribbing from Wikipeda... "In ancient Greek mystery cults, the cista mystica were wicker-work boxes which seem to have contained a live serpent, as represented in numerous ancient images, including coins on which a cista is shown half-open with a serpent creeping out of it. These cistra were sometimes oblong, but more frequently cylindrical, for example, as represented in a statue of Silenus sitting on a large drum-shaped cista, holding a wine-jug in his hand. Cistra mystica were also carried in procession in the Greek festivals of Demeter and Dionysus—these boxes were always kept closed in public, and contained sacred items connected with the worship of these deities. The cista mystica was also known to be sacred to Bacchus, but similar cult objects were probably also affiliated with Isis. In the Bacchic mysteries, the serpent was carried on a bed of grape leaves and was used as a stand-in for the god. The characteristic form of the serpent was an important component of the symbolism, and classical sources note it shares its shape with “the forms of men.”
I am not sure about that... I have looked at my coin several times... nope. My snake looks like it is slithering into the toilet for a secret strike on its next potty victim! Naw @ancient coin hunter , the gist of that article was why I captured this coin! I know they were “tetradrachmae” WITHIN Pergamon, but I understand they were TRIdrachmae when tarriffed outside that area. Kennith Harl’s Roman Economy.
Great examples, everyone! That is me, I never had any desire or appeal for them, but for what I paid, felt it was too good to pass up. Agreed too. Same issue with this coin below. Common as heck, often full of issues or broken in half. But it was $30 shipped and between the Mysia and the coin below, I figured the price was right JUST TO HAVE ONE of the type, but if they were much more expensive, I would have passed. Augustus, with Agrippa (27. B.C. 14 A.D.) GAUL, Nemausus Æ As O: Heads of Agrippa left, wearing rostral crown and laurel wreath, and Augustus right, wearing oak wreath, back to back. IMP above, DIVI F below. R: Crocodile right chained to palm branch with long vertical fronds; above, wreath with long ties, palms below; COL NEM flanking vertical palm. Nemausus mint, 9-3 B.C 10.26g 27mm RPC I 524; RIC 1 158
At that price I think it was a steal! I'd love to have one with the upper jaw teeth facing upwards. What was the engraver thinking?!
