Weird headgear, silly crowns, and ludicrous diadems: if you got them, go ahead!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roerbakmix, Sep 19, 2019.

  1. Roerbakmix

    Roerbakmix Well-Known Member

    So with only 67 days to go for the International Hat Day on November 25th (which is a thing apparently), it's time for an Ancient Headgear themed thread. So, silly hats, ludicrous crowns, over-the-top tiara's, over-sized helmets, etc.: if you got them, post them!

    To avoid just dry, factual coin-posting, there are two rules:
    1. One coin per post, without a too technical description (i.e. provenance, weight, catalogi etc. may be mentioned, but avoid long sum-ups)
    2. Silly headgear should be silly indeed.

    To start the thread, here is a coin of Aethelred II (966-1016) wearing a diadem that looks like a funky punk-style diadem.
    Coin 2.jpg
    Denomination: Penny, minted: England, Winchester, Moneyer: Ælfsige; 978-1017
    Obs: +AEDELRAED REX ANGL. Head of Aethelred II, draped, to the left.
    Rev: +AELFSIGE MO PINT. Voided Long cross without inner circle.
    Weight: 1.74g; Ø:1.9cm Catalogue: Spink 1151

    You can just imagine him sipping a pint of ale after a long day fighting Danes:
    [​IMG]
     
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  3. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    I can imagine a bunch a Sassanian coins showing up, but I think this coin of Constantine I wearing a WWI-era Brodie helmet is, if not utterly ludicrous, at least wildly anachronistic:
    [​IMG]
    Siscia mint, A.D. 318-319
    RIC 53
    Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG
    Rev: VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP - Two Victories, facing each other, holding shield inscribed VOT/PR over altar
    BSIS in exergue
    19 x 17 mm, 3.3 g.
    temp.jpg
     
  4. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Five Sasanian hats for the price of one:
    oa0590bb2599.jpg
     
  5. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    A lot of Parthian coins feature headgear with earflaps. On this coin, the frontal view of the earflaps and the diadem loops makes it look like the king is wearing one of those "kitty ear" knitted hats:
    Meherdates.jpg
     
  6. Sallent

    Sallent Live long and prosper

    Nothing says "manly" like wearing a chamber pot on your head with two feathers glued to it.

    Philippus V Denarius 113 to 112 BCE (1) (1).jpg
     
  7. Ed Snible

    Ed Snible Well-Known Member

    Phrygian cap with griffin-head on top, decorated with wizard stars:
    211225.jpg
    BITHYNIA. Dia. AE (Circa 85-65 BC). Weight: 11.21 g. Diameter: 23 mm.
    Obv: Head of Perseus right, wearing phrygian cap with griffin-crest, decorated with two stars.
    Rev: DIAΣ; Pegasos grazing right; monogram to upper left, upper right and right.
    Ref: SNG von Aulock #344

    Eagle crown, with cluster of flowers or fruit:
    23475.jpg
    Hormizd II. A.D. 303-309. AR drachm (27.4 mm, 3.59 g, 3 h).
    Obv: Pahlavi legend mzdy<s>n bgy hwrmzdy MRKAn MRKA 'yr<'>n MNW ctry MN yzd'n (The Mazda-worshipping Lord Hormizd, King of Kings of the Iranians, whose lineage is of the gods.); Crowned bust right
    Rev: Pahlavi legend NWRA (ZY) hwrmzdy (Fire of Hormizd); Fire altar with attendants and ribbon; in flames, bareheaded bust left.
    Ref: Göbl 85.

    Note that Hormizd II's son Shapur II had a more reasonable mural crown with fruit. This is probably because Shapur II was crowned while still in his mother's womb. There would not have been time to produce anything so elaborate.

    Bull head crown:
    nezak-both.jpg
    Western Turk dynasties, BI drachm, Kabulistan, 630-711 AD 2.23g 28mm
    Obv: Pahlavi lengd NAPKI MALKA; Nezak Malka type, bull's head crown
    Rev: Fire altar with two attendants
     
  8. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    1-20190619_1-normal_1-peroz_together.jpg
    These guys needed strong necks!
    1-20190620_1-sassanian_king.jpg
     
  9. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Oceanus wearing crab claws on his head...

    Hadrian - Den Oceanus.jpg
    HADRIAN
    AR Denarius. 2.98g, 19.1mm. Rome mint, AD 119-125. RIC 75a. O: IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG, laureate bust right. R: P M TR P COS III, Oceanus reclining left on a dolphin, crab claw horns on his head, holding an anchor in his right hand.
    Ex E.E. Clain-Stefanelli Collection

     
  10. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Augustus Agrippa Nemausus gaul croc.jpg
    Not the easiest to see, but Agrippa on the left of these Nemausus pieces wears a wreath in the shape of the prow of a ship.

    @Spaniard I can't remember the source, but a Byzantine in attendance at the coronation of a Sassanian emperor (Khusro II maybe?) noted that the crowns were very much real, and so heavy they had to be suspended from the ceiling by chains; the emperor would slide into the headgear for the coronation. I had always assumed them to be symbolic!
     
  11. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    It's hard to beat some of the ancient nonclassical coins when it comes to funky headgear (although Sallent's Republican is pretty wacky).

    Here's a Nezak huns drachm like one already shown by Ed:

    [​IMG]
    Nezak Huns, Anonymous Napki Malik coinage
    AR Drachm, 25 mm, 2.45 gm
    Sixth Century AD
    Obv: Bust right wearing headdress surmounted by bull's skull
    Rev: Crude fire-altar with attendants
    Ref: Göbl Hunnen Em 198.12. (I have no idea if this reference is right or even if the overall attribution is correct :oops:)

    My favorite, although not very weird compared to many of the coins in this thread:

    [​IMG]
    BRUTTIUM, the Brettii
    216-214 BCE
    Æ quartuncia, 13.5mm, 2.06 g
    Obv: head of Amphitrite left, wearing crab headdress
    Rev: crab; torch above, BPET-TIΩN above and below
    Ref: Pfeiler p. 33, 4a; Scheu, Bronze 51; HN Italy 1944; SNG ANS 123–4; SNG Lloyd –; McClean 1579
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
  12. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    Of course, for sheer weirdness, it's hard to beat a laurel wreath with a dried bull's penis sticking out on top.

    Elagabalus denarius - not my coin or photo:
    [​IMG]
     
  13. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Some wonderful coins all and hard to beat rarities. I'll start with the more obvious weird/strange/hilarious hats:
    Lion
    BF528444-CD69-4459-8CF7-46B98D33D14F.png

    Elephant
    828E14F7-6C53-4360-90BF-F99E66864016.png

    Goat
    5650CF53-FFC2-47F1-8D0C-8A9F769F00BC.png

    Wings
    A26D2027-15F9-45A3-8F5A-486675B7EDBF.png

    Athena can you hear me?
    3DE73137-9D4C-4113-B0A4-04674A68643F.png

    Don't head butt these guys
    D055FAFE-C18E-44DC-A215-E01C0BD67B8D.png
    Wings
    BA1B6E6E-5110-4AF7-907F-BD04FF695CBB.png

    Skeleton Lincoln with top hat
    61900911-3AE4-40F7-86FB-C187A3CCF908.png
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Gotta love the ethnic crown of the kings of Khwarezm!

    Sawashfan AR "dirham", c. 750 AD
    Khwarezm Sawashfan AR.jpg

    Also the Turco-Hepthalite warlord Vasudeva had a crown quite similar to the Nezaks, but derived from Khusro II's crown and replacing the bull head with a leopard or senmurv
    Vakhu deva drachm.jpg

    Although I see this as two separate portraits, some think this distinctive type from Chach depicts the king wearing a hat/mask in the shape of an ancestor
    Chach ae tudun double portrait.jpg
     
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  15. ancient coin hunter

    ancient coin hunter 3rd Century Usurper

    Tyche type from A. Pius. I can't help but think of Carmen Miranda...;)

    ap2.jpg

    ap1.jpg
     
  16. Terence Cheesman

    Terence Cheesman Well-Known Member

    Tetradrachm of Smyrna 155-145 B.C. Obv Head of Tyche wearing turreted crown. Rv.Inscription within wreath.Milne 156 16.62 grms 31 mm symyna2.jpg
     
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  17. Shea19

    Shea19 Well-Known Member

    Looks like there's already a couple of these posted, but I'll have to add another bull's head hat into the mix.

    image00380.jpg
    Hunnic Tribes, Hephthalites. "Napki Malka" coinage. 470-560 AD. AR Drachm (25 mm, 3.37 g), Royal male bust right wearing winged head-dress surmounted by bull's head. Rev. Fire altar with attendants.
    From the W.F. Stoecklin Collection
     
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  18. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    How about NO headgear:

    [​IMG]
    Uncert West Asia Minor Karia 5th C BC AR tetartermorion 5mm 0.15g Female - Frprt Bull r Kayhan 968 exc rght
     
  19. Nvb

    Nvb Well-Known Member

    From the few coin pics I have on my phone..

    IMG_3982.JPG
    IMG_3980.JPG
    IMG_3951.JPG

    Honourable mention for best hair
    IMG_2981.JPG
     
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  20. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    When you have a whole town on your head ...

    Alexandria Troas Marsyas.jpg
     
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  21. Roerbakmix

    Roerbakmix Well-Known Member

    So many excellent funky hats have been posted!

    All cool kids in Parthia wear over-sized earflaps with a fancy star.
    imgonline-com-ua-twotoone-DDIK008LHzDW8pK.jpg
     
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