There have been several threads on Mount Argaeus, but nobody has mentioned how similar the common reverse type looks to the classic board game, Fireball Island! My example is an AE22 of Caesarea, weighing a whopping 12.6g. Please show off your coins that look like board games.
LOL, @hotwheelsearl, it DOES look like the box on that game! I have a Mount Argaeus! It doesn't have the smoothest surfaces, though: Severus Alexander, AD 222-235. Roman Provincial AE 25.0 mm, 10.37 g. Cappadocia, Caesarea, AD 222/3. Obv: ΑV Κ Μ ΑVΡ ϹЄΟΥ ΑΛЄΞΑΝΔΡ, laureate head, right; uncertain c/m behind. Rev: ΜΗΤΡΟΠ ΚΑΙϹΑΡΙ, agalma of Mount Argaeus surmounted by star, atop altar inscribed ЄTA (= year 1). Refs: RPC VI 6735; Sydenham 537-38; BMC 298; SNG von Aulock 6510.
Here's mine -- the mountain does look something like the picture on the box. Lucius Verus AR Didrachm 161-166 AD, Caesarea, Cappadocia. Obv. Bare head right, ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΟΥΗΡΟϹ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟϹ / Rev. Mt. Argaeus (or cult image of same), surmounted by statue of Helios standing three-quarters left with long scepter in left hand and globe in right; flames to left and right on sides of mountain; animal [deer?] bounding left at bottom far left of mountain in front of large rock; tree in front of large rock at bottom far right; smaller rock dotted with trees[?] at bottom center; ΥΠΑ-ΤΟϹ Β [= COS II]. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Online Vol. IV.3 7027 (temp.) [rev. var.] (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/7027); Sydenham 352 [rev. var.] [Sydenham, E., The Coinage of Caesarea in Cappadocia (London 1933)]; Metcalf, Caesarea 131a [rev. var.] [Metcalf, W.E., The Silver Coinage of Cappadocia, Vespasian-Commodus. ANSNNM (American Numismatic Society, Numismatic Notes & Monographs) No. 166 (New York 1996)]; Metcalf Hoard 694-718 & PL 39-40 [rev. var.] [see id.]; SNG von Aulock 6438 [rev. var.] [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, Deutschland, Sammlung Hans Von Aulock, Vol. 2: Caria, Lydia, Phrygia, Lycia, Pamphylia (Berlin 1962)]. 20 mm., 6.70 g., 6 h.
This one is dreadful, but it is really a board game because Mt. Argaeus is sitting on a table! Sort of - an "agalma" set-up on a table-like altar: Severus Alexander Æ 27 Cappadocia, Caesarea ƐΤ Δ = Year 4 (225-226 A.D.) AY K ЄЄ (error for CЄ) [OVH AΛЄΞ]ANΔ, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / MHTPOΠ [KAICAPI], agalma of Mount Argaeus on low, garlanded altar or plinth; Є[T]Δ in exergue. (11.58 grams / 27 x 25 mm) Attribution Notes: Seems to match Sydenham 557; RPC VI 6783 (temporary) However, obverse legend has an error: AY K ЄЄ (error for CЄ)
Ha, nice! This one looks a lot like the game cover: Julia Domna, Cappadocia, Caesarea, (AE 29.5mm., 19.16g). IOVΛIA ΔOMNA AVΓ Draped bust r. Rev. MHTPOΠO KAICAPIAC / ЄT IΔ Mt. Argaeus surmounted by star.
I've developed quite a collection of Mt Argaeus, despite never intending to. I love how versatile the mountain is. I now have more than I ever wanted, but they are really growing on me. Mountain on top of altar. Mountain on top of under-altar eagle: Mountain by itself: Mountain by itself, with a Solar God standing on top: Mountain as a bench for the Solar God:
Won these at AMCC3 and shared before in another thread Septimius Severus, AR Drachm Cappadocia, Caesarea 206 – 207 AD 18 mm, 3.04 g Unpublished in standard references; Sydenham, Caesarea 397 var. (different denomination, bust type); Wildwinds –, Ob.: AY KAI Λ CEΠT CEOYHΡOC Laureate head right. Rev.: MHTΡO KAICAΡI Mt. Argaeus; at summit Helios standing left holding globus and scepter, crescent to right; ЄT IΔ (year 14 = 206) in ex. Gordian III, AE 25 Cappadocia, Caesarea Eusebia, 241 – 242 AD; ЄT Δ = year 4 Sear 377; BMC 345; Sydenham 607 var.; Ob.: AV K M ANT ΓOΡΔIANOC laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III; Countermark on neck Rev.: MHTPO KAIC B N Agalma of Mount Argaeus placed on altar inscribed ENTIX; in ex. ЄT Δ (date) and from the Justin Lee collection, AMCC2 - shared before i another thread: Elagabalus, Cappadocia, Caesarea, dated RY 5 = 221/222 AD
