Still waiting on that perfectly imperfect Alexander gold starter that is within grasp of my cheap grinch like fingers to materialize. But for now still no gold... buuut I did just pick up my first real piece of electrum. By real, I don’t mean I have an imaginary one that I show off to everyone like some sort of lunatic... not that I trust you guys enough to talk about anyway. I have had this wonderful tiny, little electrum fouree for a few years (one of the smallest in CT at just 3mm): Ionia. Ephesos circa 600-550 BC. 1/48 Stater EL fourrée 3mm., 0,15g. Lion's paw / Incuse punch. nearly very fine Karwiese series I / Type 1 (for prototype). And I’ve been on the lookout for at least a year or so now for a buddy for him. A REAL friend for him to play with. And I finally scored one! But first, a little history: Electrum, for those that don’t know, is a naturally occurring alloy of everyone’s favorite metals, gold and silver (and for the one Avatar fan out there about to say,(in my best Jerry Lewis voice) “Unabtanium is my favorite alloy.” To you, sir, I say, get a girlfriend. (Whoa! That’s a Frank Franzetta!) Almost as amazing as when chocolate and peanut butter first naturally were mined from the rich hills of Reeses and manufactured into pieces; Electrum was used in Greece, the Middle East and even all the way back to old kingdom Egypt. Priests would pour electrum onto the mummified remains of high ranking officials! The first coins were almost assuredly EL. At first just little gobs of metal that we eventually would stamp images onto. This probably was first done by Croesus in Lydia. Though there are small debates to be made here for the eastern Greeks and the coins found under the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus. But it’s a moot point as no one living today, our own @dougsmit aside, was around to verify for us today. Eventually, as people began to take out more of the gold content and the people realized this and stopped utilizing the alloy, electrum ceased to be used much like rubbers (or the term rubbers for that matter). But enough about the Trojan war. You were kind enough to read this thread and check out my new itty bitty really old coin. Without further ado: IONIA, Uncertain Circa 550-500 BC. EL. Condition: Very Fine Weight:0.38gr Diameter: 6 mm Ex: Zeus Numismatics You may notice the difference in color between the new guy and the fouree. That would be the difference in gold content. Really excited with just how much gold content the new guy has. Please share your thoughts, laughs anything that bares being in this thread and most importantly that sweet sweet electrum
Why do modern collectors lurk and troll up in here. A guy has a limited amount of time to try to have fun and gets rude comments. Go read up on pennies and dimes and go kick your own dog elsewhere
Congrats, @Ryro ! Welcome to the EL-Club! Gold is always cool to me, but the Electrum nuggets are a special form of candy! Agreed, I am amazed at all the Moderns guys posting here, that have to comment, but have no appreciation for Ancients. I left collecting them 30 years ago, cuz how can you get excited over a date change, and the government cut production down to 15 billion pieces this year! LOL.
Thanks Gandy! Next in the electrum sphere of the ancient world, I HAVE GOT to get some of those AMAZING coins of LESBOS! Probably my favorite art on EL comes from Lesbos. Yeah, it just stink. Ok. I am pretty weird and like to have fun with my posts. It is one of my very few outlets while trying to get myself and my family by. Doesn't that negate their negativity anyway? If I make fun of myself then their insults carry less venom? But no. They are the first 2 to respond to a post, that I figured wouldn't get a ton of traction due to the rarity and uniqueness of electrum, and are total jerks about it. We are in a tough time and depression is up folks (mine included) and this kind of meanness just makes me want to crawl into a hole and for them to lick doorknobs. So, @physics-fan3.14 and @non_cents eat a bag of the lower half of Herms.
Did you guys ever think that many modern collectors come here to read, learn and have fun. Many collectors appreciate all coins. Major overreaction on your part. Calling people trolls and telling them to get out? Really? Jerks, lick doorknobs? Really? There is no need for you to be acting like this.
It is the small people that have to insult. They are lacking. It takes a bigger person to offer kindness under any circumstance. I always enjoy your posts. Humor implies intelligence. No worries. You have two excellent milestones in Ancients Collecting: an amazing tiny fouree, and an EL coin. Very nice. Stay on YOUR course in life, and just step aside from the turds in the road.
Really, you are pilling on as well. Come to the back up their negative behavior cause they liked a thread of yours. If they come to learn then post learned things, positive things or intelligent comments or jokes that aren't at someone else's expense. Not rude things to bring a guy down. Ps, thanks for the condescension: Did you ever think? Yeah, once or twice. Thanks bud...
Here is one of my EL coins. Yeah, you know I enjoy Carthage History due to the world power struggle between Rome and Carthage... this one was struck at the height of Carthage’s power and trade empire. You know I also enjoy the tiny tetartemorions... I am fascinated with your EL’s. Well done. Africa, Zeugutana, Carthage Anonymous BCE 310-290 EL Dekadrachm - Stater 18.5mm, 7.27g Obverse: Wreathed head of Tanit left, eleven pendants on necklace; pellet before neck Reverse: Horse standing right; three pellets below exergue line Ref: MAA 12; SNG Copenhagen 136
OK, ok. I take it back...I might like Carthaginian artistry better on EL. Still need one of the Lesbos electrum coins as well though.
As a collector of both modern AND ancient coins (maybe check that next time before making baseless claims?) I think the coin you shared is cool, but if you get upset about a tinfoil hat joke in response to a post that included a tinfoil hat, I don't know what to tell ya. With all that being said I'll leave on a nice note: Nice electrum, hope its one of many more.
Lovely @Ryro! I don't own an EL. But I do own a copy of the book 100 Greatest ancient coins, by Harlan J Berk. In this book, there's an interesting note on EL. He notes that Lydians developed coinage, starting with electrum. Some 100 years later, king Croesus first started issueing gold and silver coinage. Each gold coin had a silver coin in the same weight, with an actual rating system. The book contains some really nice pictures of the first coins, including an Ionia EL stater from approx 650 BC. It's not the same as having a real one of course
Do you mean electrum or natron? Natrun in mummification The key ingredient in the mummification was natron, or netjry, divine salt. It is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, sodium sulphate and sodium chloride that occurs naturally in Egypt, most commonly in the Wadi Natrun some sixty four kilometres northwest of Cairo .
Great question! I LOVE the list of ingredients that make up natron. Very cool. One of my favorite “great courses” is done by Bob Brier, Mr Mummy, and he actually used a cadaver using as much of the ancient method that we know to create a true modern mummy! To answer your question, yes I did mean electrum. I wasn’t even aware some mummies were anointed with electrum until I was researching for this write up! The image that I shared is indeed an ancient (Roman period) mummy with electrum on its face.
