I picked up an interesting coin recently. This uncia, is 1/12 th of a Roman As, and is the heaviest I found on line. It is listed as Rare or Very Rare. I found 20 online and there are 44 examples in Haeberline, so it in not that rare. Mint – Uncertain Central Italy, see below. Denomination - AE Cast Uncia Mint date - 280-260 BC Obv – Pitcher (also called Jug, Jug with handle, Capis, Oinochoe, Oenochoe, kanne mit Henkel1); pellet (mark of value) to left. Rev – Shephards crook (also called Pedum, Sistrum, curved club); pellet (mark of value) to left. Vecchi ICC 308 Vecchi places this coin under Unknown Mints in Central Italy, Central Itallian Issues not in Recognizable Series, 3rd century BC. 31.32 grams, this is the heaviest coin I found in web searches. Only two of 44 coins in Haeberline were heavier. 30.5 X 31.2 X 8.1 mm RR. Very rare. A superb cast in high relief. Dark green patina. Good VF. The words Capis & Oinoghoe were used to describe the obverse. I found this description. An oenochoe, also spelled oinochoe (Ancient Greek: οἰνοχόη; from Ancient Greek: οἶνος oînos, "wine" and Ancient Greek: χέω khéō, "I pour"; plural oenochoai or oinochoai), is a wine jug and a key form of ancient Greek pottery. Wikipedia David: slinging at Goliath -- David, with pedum in left hand, swings sling in right hand. Stone strikes forehead of Goliath, in mail, wearing broad helmet, removing sword from scabbard. Pierpont Morgan Library. Manuscript. M.638. Old Testament Published/Created: Paris, France, ca. 1244-1254. The coin is not listed in Crawford, Sear or Grueber. You can see the 9 references I found in my blog: http://rrdenarius.blogspot.com/ Comparing the size of scale weights and coins of the same denominations:
Very cool, RR! One coin with an oinochoe and another with a herdsman carrying a pedum... MACEDON, Terone AR Tetrobol. 2.59g, 16.2mm. MACEDON, Teron, circa 490-460 BC. Hardwick Group II or III, pl. 29, 6; HGC 3.1, 709 (R2). O: Oinochoe. R: Quadripartite incuse square. SEVERUS ALEXANDER AE24. 6.97g, 24.6mm. TROAS, Alexandria Troas, 222-235 AD. RPC Online Vol. VI temp #3994; cf. Bellinger A338 (obv A338, rev A225 Type 44). O: IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust left, holding spear & shield decorated with head of Medusa. R: COL AVG, horse grazing right, the herdsman Ordes behind holding pedum (shepherd's crook), tree to left, TROAC in exergue.
I've not seen this particular uncia before and don't recall seeing a pedum on any other pre-imperial Roman coins (other than some of Vibius Pansa). Cool coin!! I wonder how it was determined that the device depicts a pedum? A pedum is a shepherd's crook. They are used to control sheep and other herd animals (by hooking their necks?) and can double as a mild weapon or even as a cane or crutch. A lagobolon is very similar in appearance but seems to be thicker and shorter, with less of a pronounced hook on the end. It's a throwing club used to cudgel hares (λαγωβολον; λαγως = hare, βολονς = throwing/catching). The device on your coin looks more like a curved and knobby club to me, like these: ILLYRIA, Apollonia c. 1st century BCE AR 15 mm, 1.25 gm Obv: AI-NEA; fires of the Nymphaeum of Apollonia; dotted border Rev: AΠOΛΛΩ-NIATAN, lagobolon; dotted border Ref: BMC 44; Maier 121 KINGS OF MACEDON, Antigonos II Gonatas 277/6-239 BCE, struck after 270 BCE, Amphipolis mint AR tetradrachm, 31mm, 17.06 g Obv: head of Pan in center of Macedonian shield, lagobolon over shoulder; shield decorated with stars within crescents Rev: BASILEWS ANTIGONOU, Athena Alkidemos walking left, brandishing thunderbolt and shield; helmet left, EMP monogram right Ref: SNGCop 1200v, EMP (maybe); R. Martin, "A Third-Century B.C. Hoard from Thessaly at the ANS," ANSMN 26, 536 (same obv. die). ex Demetrios Armounta Collection Pan is often portrayed carrying a curved stick or club. Is it a lagobolon or is it a pedum?? Some attributions call it one thing, some another. Maybe there isn't as much difference between the two as a strict definition would suggest. Maybe it's not important. Maybe the engravers didn't know either. Here's an example where Pan's curved stick is called a pedum (not my coin, but not for lack of trying ). It looks rather long and skinny, not knobby like the lagobalons shown above. https://www.sixbid-coin-archive.com/#/en/search?text=Dionysopolis pan pedum PHRYGIA. Dionysopolis. Pseudo-autonomous. Time of Septimius Severus to Caracalla (193-217). Ae. Obv: Draped bust of Dionysus right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev: ΔIONVCOΠOΛЄITΩN. Pan advancing right, holding grape bunch and pedum. SNG Copenhagen 345. Very rare Weight: 3.51 g. Diameter: 18 mm. Here's another depiction of Pan carrying a similar skinny and hooked stick. In the attribution (that I copied ) it is called a lagobolon. But is it? Is it instead a shepherd's crook or pedum? Hmm. THRACE, Hadrianopolis. Gordian III AE 22 mm, 5.18 gm Obv: AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC; radiate head right Rev: AΔPIANOΠOΛЄITΩN; Pan advancing left, holding syrinx and lagobolon Ref: Varbanov 3945 corr. (cantharus in place of syrinx). Very rare.
Wow, @rrdenarius nice find! I really enjoy those cast Italia / Roman pieces. Very nice that you have them side-by-side with the weights, great graphic. I imagine after a little too much wine from the Jug, you would HAVE to have a Shepherds Crook (or @TIF 's club) to get you back into control! Here are a couple Aes Grave cast Unciae that I have: Luceria AES Grave 10.1g Anonymous 217-215 BCE Uncia 7.35g Frog-Corn Ear pellet retrograde L T-V 285 (8 listed on ACSearch) RR Aes Grave Uncia 269-266 BCE Astragalus knuckle-bone - knuckle-bone Thurlow- Vecchi 21 (12 listed on ACSearch)
I often wonder how we really know what is on a coin. Some are obvious like the plumb bob below. I remember your rabbit stick, but do not remember seeing pedum until this coin. Turns out I have another pedum on this Pansa.
It's not listed in those references because it is an "Italian" issue, not a "Roman" issue. In Historia Numorum Italy, Rutter lists it among the "uncertain" central Italian issues. He identifies one piece in the Museo Archaeoligico, Chieti. HN 386. Nice coin! Congratulations.
