A coin illustrated in RPC! I didn't even know!

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Roman Collector, Mar 29, 2020.

  1. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    In the course of researching this coin ....

    [​IMG]
    Otacilia Severa, AD 244-249.
    Thrace, Bizya Æ 23.5 mm, 6.89 gm, 7 h.
    Obv: M WTAKEIΛIA CEBHPA CEB, diademed and draped bust, right.
    Rev: ΒΙΖVΗΝΩΝ, Artemis standing right, holding arrow and torch; stag at her feet.
    Refs: Tachev, Bizija 5 (this coin); Moushmov 3514; Sear GIC 3991; Varbanov 1592; Lindgren II 759; Jurukova 147; Mionnet Suppl 2, 193; RPC VIII, (unassigned; ID 48718); CN 9242; Milano IV/3 --; BMC Thrace --; SNG Tubingen --; SNG Copenhagen --;Wiczay --.
    Notes: Double die-match to RPC specimen and to Lindgren II 759.

    ... I was looking at the examples in RPC for a die-match and came across this one, which is noted to be Tachev, Bizija 5. It weighs 6.89 g and is 24 mm.

    Otacilia Severa Bizya, Tachev Bizija 5 (RPC).jpg

    I noticed that it was not only a double-die match, but that it was the exact same coin, albeit a very poor quality photo!

    So, I have a coin in RPC! How cool is that? Have you had a similar experience? Tell us about it!

    Show coins you unexpectedly found in reference works/websites or anything you feel is relevant!
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2020
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  3. Limes

    Limes Well-Known Member

    That is neat @Roman Collector! I dont have an illustrated coin to share....
     
  4. Julius Germanicus

    Julius Germanicus Well-Known Member

    Bildschirmfoto 2020-02-11 um 17.48.48.png

    illustrated in Banti (I Grandi Bronzi Imperiali, Vol. IV-2):

    IMG_20200211_174209.jpg
     
    galba68, Broucheion, Orfew and 12 others like this.
  5. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

  6. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Spaniard and svessien like this.
  7. Alegandron

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

    LOL, WELL, THAT IS WHAT YOU GET for capturing all those Roman Coins! It was bound to happen. LOL, great coin, and super congratulations! VERY fun find!

    Well. Umm. That actually happened to me, also.

    I "needed" a reasonable Man-Faced-Bull, showing a face. I was in a mood one evening, and did a drive-by-shooting, and captured this coin. It was purdy cool, and what I was looking for: Different, AE as opposed to AR, somewhat obscure, etc. I have shown this one before, but the thrill has not gone away.

    I posted it for the first time, then received a response:
    @Nicholas Molinari :
    "Your first coin is a plate coin in Potamikon, number 343 in our catalog so Sambon 663; Taliercio IIIa.16; MSP I, 343, featuring Acheloios Sebethos as a man-faced bull. Taliercio cited three examples of this type, so yours is the fourth known of that particular variety."
    "According to my notes, ACR E-Auction 28 lot 12."


    Yeah, I have his book, Potamikon... purdy cool! This was the version they had photographed for the plate coin.

    I like Achelous / Acheloios...
    [​IMG]
    Campania, Neopolis
    275-250 BCE
    AE 18, 4.99g
    Obv: Laureate Head of Apollo, NEOPOLITON (in Greek), Theta at r.
    Rev: Achelous advancing r, crowned by flying Nike, IOTA SIGMA under Achelous
    Ref: Sambon 663; HN Italy 589; SNG ANS 474; SNG Copenhage - ;
    Comment: Achelous was a river god from the Achelous River (largest river in Greece). Derivation of his name predates the Greeks, and later the River God became the god over all rivers, lakes, streams, and waters not controlled by Neptune.
    Provenance: Plate coin in Potamikon, number 343 in our catalog so Sambon 663; Taliercio IIIa.16; MSP I, 343, featuring Acheloios Sebethos as a man-faced bull. Taliercio cited three examples of this type, so yours is the fourth known of that particular variety.
    ACR E-Auction 28 lot 12.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2020
  8. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Very cool! And kudos to @Nicholas Molinari , the resident man-faced bull expert!
     
    Nicholas Molinari and Alegandron like this.
  9. Ocatarinetabellatchitchix

    Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Well-Known Member

    I bought this one a few years ago. As usual, I checked wildwinds to find the exact attribution...and it took me 30 seconds to see my coin was in fact the Wildwinds example. It s not a rare specimen, but asses with the reverse IMPERATOR II are scarcer.

    0CFCDF5C-4773-41A3-8E58-9209F664C2DB.jpeg

    36BAD308-12BC-4AA7-B55B-C778D849CCC5.jpeg
     
  10. Factor

    Factor Well-Known Member

    Roman Collector likes this.
  11. Barry Murphy

    Barry Murphy Well-Known Member

    Concerning the original post in this thread, I'm not convinced those are the same coin. In fact I am 95% certain they are not the same coin. The hole in the back of the head is different and there is a hole in the bust of the smaller photo that's not on the larger photo.

    Barry Murphy
     
  12. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    The "hole" in the back of the head is the shadow of part of the hairstyle, as is the "hole" in the bust -- that's a shadow of the drapery. I think the RPC coin was simply photographed with very oblique lighting.

    Look at the flan shape and the relationship of the dotted border to the edge of the flan in both coins. Look at the flan crack on the reverse at the 12:30 position. They are superimposable. The coins weigh the same, too.

    Otacilia Severa Bizya.jpg
    Otacilia Severa Bizya, Tachev Bizija 5 (RPC).jpg
     
    Bing likes this.
  13. Barry Murphy

    Barry Murphy Well-Known Member

    I agree they are the same die, there are quite a few differences though that can't be explained if they are the same coin.

    I also don't like the B in CEB (on your coin complete on other missing the top)

    The N at the end of the legend on the reverse is weak on your coin, bold on the other.

    The I in BIZ is different.

    Theres a large depression on Otacilia's eye on the second coin

    I suspect 1 or both of these is cast
     
  14. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    Thanks for your opinion. A $40 coin isn't worth being sent to NGC ancients to get examined and slabbed, though.
     
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