Featured HEAVY METAL: Gargantuan Olbian gorgons, early Roman graves, massive cockles & stranger things still

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ryro, Apr 2, 2021.

  1. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    My coins bigger than yours. I know, I know. It's not the size of the coin but what you spend it on.
    Buuuut
    anigif_longform-original-27881-1430324110-4.gif

    Now that we have that over with, UNLEASH THE GORGON!!!

    Screenshot_20210331-160503_PicCollage-removebg-preview.png
    SKYTHIA Olbia - Gorgoneion Proto Money
    437-410 BC
    Obv: facing gorgon's head. Rev: sea eagle flying right. 65.4 mm, 89.7 grams. Poor. Scarce.
    Provenance
    Property of a European collector; acquired in 2007; previously in a Dutch collection formed in the 1980s-1990s.
    Literature Sear 1682. Purchased from Timeline Auctions Feb 2021
    speechless-impressed-attractive-girl-take-off-glasses-drop-jaw-from-amazement_176420-25561.jpg
    Screenshot_20210331-160424_PicCollage.jpg
    (I lift this bad boy 3 sets of 10 each day and my biceps are looking swole! But seriously, in hand it is a BEAST)
    This highly sought after type is the largest coin type for size, period. The reverse is more than likely a love song to Perikles who secured trade with them and democracy for them on his naval expedition the very same year these coins began being minted. aaand, did I mention it's really BIG:cigar:

    To learn more check out @ancientcoinguru 's tour de force write up in her Imperator championship winning bid for @Curtisimo 's dazzling cointest!
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ch...-vs-27-severus-alexander.325787/#post-3219066
    (Sorry to bring back old pain @Severus Alexander. That Alexander wins any other coin posted that year...)

    An oldie but a goodie that I picked up a year or two ago that I personally have used to stop Ne'er-do-wells in their tracks, rescue kittens from trees and other acts that are to graphic to document herein...
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/an...r-formatum-and-ways-to-catch-villains.351497/
    20191124_124707_5CABBCE4-7662-4979-AE35-EA8C90F9AFA3-996-0000020E61838C43.jpg
    ROMAN REPUBLIC
    Aes Formatum. Centuries VI-IV BCE CENTRAL ITALY or LAZIO. Anv .: Element in semicircular shape on one side and serrated on the other./ Ancient Batarang
    Condition: Very Fine 83.41 gr 56.70 mm Former Ares

    And yet, STILL, she is my favorite coin to hold in hand.

    IMG_4234.JPG
    ROMAN REPUBLIC. Anonymous. AE Aes Grave Triens (92.37 gms), Rome Mint, ca. 225-217 B.C. VERY FINE.
    Cr-35/3a; TV-53. Obverse: Helmeted head of Minerva left; four pellets (mark of value) below; all set upon raised disk; Reverse: Prow right; four pellets (mark of value) below; all set upon raised disk. A pleasing specimen despite its crudeness, with charming green surfaces. A test cut across Minerva's face is noted for completeness.
    Ex Stacks & Bowers

    ...though not as round, my heaviest (and girthiest) monetary unite is below. Let's be honest, with prices for the "pretty" coins being so silly it was time to focus on quality in quantity!
    I practically stole this juggernaut at the latest Artemide auction:

    1725735_1614760850.l-removebg-preview.png
    Aes formatum. AE solid cast cockle-shell, Central Italy, 6th-4th century BC. Vecchi ICC pl. 90,5; cf. G. Fallani, IANP Publication 8, 1986. pl. 6, 2-2c.. PB. 124.00 g. 44 x 41 mm. Heavy and attractive example. Earthen light green patina. Good VF.
    Purchased Artemide March 2021
    latest.jpg


    Anybody else have a drawer or separate place for those really BIG boys n girls?
    20210402_191222.jpg

    So. Whoes got the


    And, YES, this is an invitation to post your massive lunks of metal (size and weight) used monetarily from any point in time... or space!
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

  4. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    You are definitely takin' that ride!!! Awesome acquisitions for your collection, @Ryro!

     
  5. David@PCC

    David@PCC allcoinage.com

    Don't know if I'll ever get an Skythia but I sure want one.
    20190110_211557.jpg
    3110g, 140mm
     
  6. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    Awesome behemoths! I want one of those Olbian monsters too... who doesn't?!
     
  7. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Wow, you are assembling quite the collection of cast monsters! And now an Olbian gargantugorgon, awesome!!

    I'm still light in the cast department. :( So I'll haul out my big bad 93.27g oktobol!
    ptolemy octobol.jpg

    I ran outta gas!! :arghh: And the best coin (and best librarian) won. :D
     
    octavius, Theodosius, Egry and 13 others like this.
  8. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    Massive indeed, across the board!

    D-Camera Eye agate, Monte Lake BC - Surprise! Reduced size.jpg

    Now, my Gorgoneion has feelings of inadequacy.

    D-Camera Olbia., Gorgoneion, Ca. 400-380 BC. Æ cast 36mm, 20.1 grams, 9-17-20.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2021
  9. JPD3

    JPD3 Well-Known Member

    You get many more brutes like them and you'll have to house them in a storage shed. Reminds me from the line in "Jaws"---
     
  10. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    o wow Ryro!...many a piece in one fell swoop of ultra kool early stuff!...super score bro! :)
     
    Ryro likes this.
  11. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ..after about 50 years..i just recently got to watch the movie..but i've listened to that song forever! super kool sound track that never grows old :)
     
    Roman Collector, Alegandron and Ryro like this.
  12. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    Dang Ryan! First a Seleukos / Nike type and now a MONSTER Olbia! 2021 has been kind to you my friend. Love these giants. Hard to beat the history and what I am sure is a one of a kind in-hand experience. Congrats buddy!

    Speaking of monsters I was glad to see your prize Oktobol. I believe this one still sits at the top of the CoinTalk leaderboard :)
     
    Theodosius and Ryro like this.
  13. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    I still love it, but it's been knocked clean off the podium! You must have missed the drama during your hiatus from CT. Here's the current oktobol leaderboard:

    1) @Edessa 97.75g
    2) @PtolemAE 95.66g
    3) @Paul M. 94.14g
    4) @Severus Alexander 93.27g
    5) @David@PCC 93.26g
    6) @Pellinore 92.26g
    7) @TIF 91.8g
    8) @Broucheion 91.17g
    9) @AnYangMan 90.53g
    10) @dougsmit 90.1g
     
    Pellinore, Curtisimo, Edessa and 2 others like this.
  14. Alegandron

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

    Congrats, @Ryro ! Very cool collection! Love the Gorgon.

    He is one of mine... :)

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Roman Republic
    Anonymous.
    Aes Grave Triens
    46mm 90.3g 9.3mm thick
    280-276 BCE
    Thunderbolt / Dolphin. Rome.
    Obv: Thunderbolt; •• •• across field.
    Rev. Dolphin right; •••• below.
    Crawford 14/3; Haeberlin pl. 39, 7-10. Thurlow & Vecchi 3;
     
  15. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    A spectacular example of a near legendary coin type:artist::bookworm:! Thanks for showing her off:woot:
    ... though, still weighing more than your exquisite example and my Skythian... combined edited*times 10:wideyed: the 3110 gr of monetary value that @David@PCC dropped on us is heavy weight king.
    AnxiousPinkHoneybee-max-1mb.gif
    (Joe Louis, greatest heavyweight of all time)

    Which currently is #1 on the weight list. That doozy nearly triples the weight of my younger massive cockle:cigar:
    Also, excellent titans from @Alegandron and @Severus Alexander:woot:
    I knew Gandy sleeps on a bed of massive bronze coins. The patina of your largest is mesmerizing:singing:
    And also, like @Curtisimo, had thought Sevy was still king of the leader board for noncast ancient bronze. But y'all musta forgot https://www.cointalk.com/threads/the-official-cointalk-octobol-leaderboard™.367009/
    I still favor the look of yours though.
    My Skythia Olbian did come with a smaller friend I didn't have room for on the OP. She's just a shade shorter at 63.1 mm:

    20210401_110418.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2021
  16. Alegandron

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

    LOL, thank you.
     
    Ryro likes this.
  17. David@PCC

    David@PCC allcoinage.com

    You have a typo there ry man. It's three thousand one hundred ten grams, or the closest I can measure without a scale that measures that high in grams. Using 327 grams for one libra, makes it a 9.5 pound aes.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2021
    Ryro likes this.
  18. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Fixed... and thoroughly gobsmacked:jawdrop:
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page