I got an email today from an eBay seller who just received this strange, very crude coin, which I think is actually a coin weight. Here are some images. 84 grams I assume this object is bronze, and at 84 grams, would equal 7 shekels @ 12 grams/shekel. Any thoughts? Thanks
I tried to directly paste the images into my post. That used to work before, but apparently no longer. So, I put them in Photoshop and saved them a jpegs. They should appear now.
Interesting object! Are you able to identify the portrait? When I’m thinking shekhels, I’m thinking Melquart. What about 20 drachma? 20x4,2=84 grams I think we ned @EWC3
I'm incline to think it is Ptolemaic - from one of those old boys - but I can't say for sure. The flan measures, according to the seller, between 32-35 mm. I don't know if there's any loss to it, since it is so crude to begin with. It is massive, given its size.
That's a fantastic object! That weight might also be adequate for 20 AV Solidi (especially if it's lost a few grams over the centuries). Makes me want to finally pull my copy of Hendin's Ancient Scale Weights down and check to see if he describes any like this... Very cool, an 84 g weight, wow...
@robinjojo It does not look like a coin weight to me. Most of the scale weights I have seen are smoothed more than this piece. I would expect to see adjustment marks to bring the weight to some standard. I am not familiar with Greek weights. Most scale weights do not match a standard unless the person who cleans the weight cleans off just enough to match the standard desired. This lead weight is a bit heavier than yours. The seller described it: One quarter Mina (Tetarton) scale weight, Levantine region of Northern Syria, circa 250 – 100 BC. It weighs 114 grams. Your piece is close to 3 Roman ounces = 82 grams. The scale weights below are machined. The first pic is 3 ounces. The second pic has 3, 2, 1 and half ounce weights. How did your seller describe the piece?
It almost looks like on the reverse the coin was set in the weight from the round circle edge on the inside , but from the front it doesnt look like it. Very interesting piece for sure, looks like a mother/child on the reverse..