Hope that title doesn't count as "click bait." Apologies in advance! My local library discards stuff all the time, including patron donations. The other day I got two massive world stamp albums for $4, chock full o' stamps. When I was 11 I would have killed for this. I culled out old stuff, reliving my misspent youth, and while doing so found that quite a few stamps feature ancient coins. Aureus of Tetricus (Goldmunze!): Greek drachm: Not a coin, but our old friend Glykon, the puppet-headed snake god: Byzantine Gold something or other: Last but not least, a sestertius of Trajan, with the actual coin to match (to try to preserve a shred of integrity to this post): Trajan Æ Sestertius (105-107 A.D.) Rome Mint [IMP CAES NERVAE TRA]IANO AVG GER DAC [PM TRP COS V P P], laureate bust right, draped left / [SPQR OPTIMO PRINC]IPI S-C, Victory standing right, shield on palm tree inscribed VIC DAC. RIC 527; Cohen 542cf. (25.86 grams / 32 mm) Again, with apologies.
Cool! Here is a very comprehensive list of stamps that depict coins. For example, the elephant denarius of Julius Caesar:
No apologies needed at all for for me @Marsyas Mike - excellent information - and great stamps featuring ancient coins.
Very interesting stamp information by you also @Roman Collector - That JC denarius on a stamp is precious.
Interesting thread. Fun fact to see there is a stamp of the Trajan sestertius that we both own Trajanus, sestertius. 33 mm, 27,36 g. Obv. IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P: Bust of Trajan, laureate, right with aegis. Rev. S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI S C: Victory, naked to waist, standing right, left foot on helmet, holding stylus in right hand and with left hand attaching shield inscribed VIC DAC to palm-tree. RIC 528
#2 and #3 are Romanian stamps. The stamps are worth close to nothing. Would be an interesting collection theme: stamp+coin. I do not remember seeing this done. http://www.filatelistul.ro/index.php?route=product/product&path=20_89&product_id=475 And https://timbrelemele.blogspot.com/2011/06/timbre-arheologie-din-romania.html?m=1
Thanks for sharing,Mike. I wonder if you keep 'm, sell 'm or even extend your collection ? I still own a collection of a couple of hunderd stamps with coins depicted on 'm. here are some of 'm :
Way cool, @Marsyas Mike ! I know @ancientcoinguru ’s husband is a big collector of stamps! This looks like a big crossover for his and her collections!
No apologies necessary @Marsyas Mike, fabulous post. Between you & @Andres2, makes for a new dimension in collecting. (Well, maybe not totally new - I'm sure someone is doing this already.) On a side note, I was @ Barnes & Noble recently & noticed the book Ten Caesars by Barry Strauss - I bought it & I think I'm having an epiphany!
Thank you all for such a warm response to my non-coin post. And wow, what a lot of stamps featuring ancient coins. I had no idea. The albums I have are stuffed with stamps, so I probably missed some, but here are three more, from Israel. I think these are Roman era rebellion issues (I'd like to have some real ones!)
Thanks for sharing this, Marsman. Now everybody can see what a nice VIC DAC sestertius looks like! It is beautiful.
How cool, especially that you have the matching Trajan coin! @Roman Collector, thanks for that link. I never would have imagined there were so many stamps depicting coins. That might be something fun to collect (ancient coins depicted on stamps)... with a bonus of being easy to store .