My latest "nothing anyone will recognize" coin seems appropriate for a "Saturday Night Free For All". I'm searching for a reference that will help me read the symbols on the side to confirm the date range for this "coin". Burma, The Kingdom of Lannothai (Chiengmai, 1290-1556), K'a K'im AR Tamlung (4 Baht) struck at Chiengsen City (AD 1350-1545) which today is in Thailand near the borders with Laos and Myanmar, 62g, MN 2750-59, bent bar with mint name, value ‘4’, and issue mark or dynasty symbol stamped twice along edge. Note: ex Private collection, ex Joel Anderson (2001) from a hoard that had been put away by a US Serviceman while based in Thailand during the Vietnam War.
Today is a really nice sunny warm day and I wonder why I am indoors. I just got my second covid shot and had the sore arm syndrome for a few hours afterward. I have been putzing around on a project and ran across this coin. Ptolemy III Ae Hemiobol Paphos Mint 246-222 BC Obv Head of Zeus Ammon right Rv Cult statue of Aphordite standing facing. Sv 1007 CPE B 449 5.30 grams 18 mm Photo by W. Hansen This coin is a part of a series known from at least 5 denominations of which this coin is more or less in the middle. This series does away with the standard eagle reverse substituting that of an image of Aphrodite.
This one is a bit mundane for a "Faustina Friday" but it's good for a Saturday night free-for-all. Bought this one at a local show in early May but had to treat it for bronze disease. It is done soaking in distilled water and it appears to be cured. It isn't exactly FDC nor does it have 5/5 surfaces, but it's harder to come by than you might think. It dates from AD 143-145 and was issued in conjunction with the dedication of the Temple to Diva Faustina. Faustina I, AD 138-140. Roman orichalcum sestertius, 24.87 g, 31.2 mm, 11 h. Rome, AD 143-145. Obv: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: PIETAS AVG S C, Pietas, veiled, draped, standing left, dropping incense out of right hand over lighted 'candelabrum-altar', left, and holding box in left hand. Refs: RIC 1146Aa; BMCRE 1442-44; Cohen --; Strack 1241; RCV 4631; Hill UCR 382.
I don't typically post in this thread, but I thought why not give it a shot! Here's my latest coin. I've been looking for this type for a while and found it in Leu's web auction. I thought I was safe adding my bid in the last 5 seconds, but alas someone entered a bit in the last 2 seconds which shot my bid right up to my max....which is never fun. In any case, I was able to win the coin at my max. It's a beautiful coin in hand with very deep toning....darker than what my photograph suggests. Augustus (27 BC-AD 14) AR Denarius Date: 19 BC Obv: CAESAR AVGVSTVS, bare head right. Rev: OB CIVIS SERVATOS in three lines within oak-wreath with ties inward. Diameter: 19mm Weight: 3.91 grams Mint: Uncertain Spanish mint (Colonia Patricia?) RIC I 177a Ex Leu Numismatik Web Auction 16 (24 May 2021), lot 3341.
The GENIO POPVLI ROMANI coins of the first and second tetrarchies are among the most common large ancient coins. They were minted at 14 mints starting in late 293 and continuing for more than a decade. Here is one from the Second Tetrarchy with Galerius as Augustus: 27-26 mm. 9.16 grams. Struck 1 May 305 - 25 July 306 at Nicomedia. IMP C GAL VAL MAXIMIANVS PF AVG GENIO POPVLI ROMANI SMNA in exergue RIC VI Nicomedia 39b. Sear IV 14544. This coin is from Nicomedia which minted coins of a different style than most. Nicomedia had portraits with extreme bull necks. For more GENIO POPVLI ROMANI coins of Galerius, see my page: http://augustuscoins.com/ed/tetrarchy/Galeriusfolles.html
A pre-reform coin of Diocletian with a somewhat special reverse that I bought recently and haven't shown yet: Diocletian, Roman Empire, AE antoninianus, 285 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG; radiate, draped, cuirassed bust of Diocletian r. Rev: IOV ET HERCV CONSER AVGG; Jupiter, standing r., holding globe in r. hand and sceptre in l. hand, and Hercules, standing l., holding Victory in r. hand and club and lion's skin in l. hand; in central field, crescent above B; in exergue, XXI. 19 mm, 3.89g. Ref: RIC V Diocletian 323.
Nice one, RC. But nothing is too mundane for Faustina Friday! No doubt I am wrong, but I have mine attributed to the "1st Phase" deification timeframe, 140-143? Not sure why I went with this, but I checked the reference and there is a notation on Phase II stating: "The portrait-type of Faustina wearing the stephane commences with this group." No stephane, so I went with 1st Phase: Here is mine, I think. Nice green patina over a very worn coin: Faustina I Æ Sestertius 1st Phase: funeral, deification (c. 140-143 A.D.) Rome Mint [DIVA] AVGVSTA FAVST[INA], draped bust right / [PIETAS AVG] S C, Pietas, standing, left, sacrificing over candelabrum-altar left, holding box of incense in left hand. RIC 1146Aa. (25.07 grams / 32 x 30 mm) Here is another similar type, RIC 1146ac (veiled with stephane). Because of the stephane I went with 2nd Phase Dedication of Temple... Faustina I Æ Sestertius 2nd Phase: Dedication of the Temple to Diva Faustina (c. 143-150 A.D.) Rome Mint DIVA AVGVS-TA FAVSTINA veiled and draped bust right, wearing stephane / [PIETA]S [AVG] S C, Pietas standing left, dropping incense over altar. RIC III 1146Ac (w. stephane). (22.48 grams / 30 mm) Not following my own logic, I have another veiled one, but with no stephane (RIC 1146Ab) - I kept it in 2nd Phase, probably out of confusion between the two veiled types, or general bewilderment and sloth: Faustina I Æ Sestertius 2nd Phase: Dedication of the Temple to Diva Faustina (c. 143-150 A.D.) Rome Mint [DIVA] AVGVSTA [FAVSTINA] veiled & draped bust right, (no stephane) / P[IETAS] AVG S C, Pietas standing left, dropping incense over altar. RIC III 1146Ab (no stephane). (25.42 grams / 31 mm) eBay Aug. 2019 I am easily confused...you probably straightened me out about these in an earlier post, if so, my apologies!
It simply means the stephane is not used in the first phase. It appears that for any particular reverse type, the various bust types were used simultaneously. These Pietas issues are all from the second phase.
Never knew there are 1st and second phase Pietas sestertii No idear in which catagory mine falls: @Romancollector youre coin is indeed from Colonia Patricia , Cordoba mint
I believe the "phases" come from: Martin Beckmann’s Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces. I don't have a copy of the book, but I have seen excerpts. It is great stuff, but I sometimes misinterpret things, as in my post above!
There were various phases of issues for Diva Faustina, not for the Pietas issues in particular, though the PIETAS issues appear in the first (AD 140-142) and second (AD 143-44) phases. I want to apologize to @Marsyas Mike for leading him astray with my answer above. He remembered correctly. After reviewing the primary source, the non-stephaned versions of the Pietas before altar / candelabrum begin in the first phase, while the portrait-type of Faustina wearing the stephane does not appear until the second phase. The Pietas before altar / candelabrum type continues into the second phase. That is not to say that the coins without the stephane could not have been issued in the second phase, though; they appear to have been issued over a period of some years.
Thanks again, RC. Here is my "phase" cheat sheet on that - the "cont." on 2nd Phase is the bit that confused me: 1st Phase – Themes of Faustina’s funeral and deification Commenced: 140 Obverse: DIVA AVG(VSTA) FAVSTINA PIETAS AVG Pietas before altar / candelabrum Av, Ae 2nd Phase – Dedication of the Temple to Diva Faustina Commenced: 143 Obverse: DIVA AVG(VSTA) FAVSTINA The portrait-type of Faustina wearing the stephane commences with this group. PIETAS AVG (cont.) 1 Pietas before altar / candelabrum Av, Ae
Renato d'Angio (Rene d'Anjou), the last Angevin king of Naples (il Regno), on a quattrino of L'Aquila, ca. 1435: + RЄnATVS : DЄI : GR : RЄS ; Cross pattee, lily in 2nd quarter + DЄ : AQVILA : compass ; Lion to the left. CNI 41-61 d'Andrea/Andreani n° 63; Perfetto n°350-364.
A few days ago I was commenting on the what the image might mean on a stater from the mint of Thasos. What I didn't discuss was that how other cities may have used other motifs to signal the same basic concept. As noted Greeks assume that chaos is the natural state of the world and that order as created by cities is the exception. Thus we have this coin. Akanthos Ar Tetradrachm 470-430 BC Obv Lion on top of and biting into the hindquarters of a bull. Rv Quadripartite incuses square. Anepigraphic. Desneaux 63 HGC383 17.67 grams 29 mm Photo by W. Hansen On this coin we see a lion the exemplar of chaos launching what looks to be a successful attack on a bull representing domesticity and order. Like the Thasian coin this coin advertises that this city is on the fringe of the civilized world and beyond its borders all that exists is rule by brute force and not by law.
Money we really don't need it We make out alright Letting the other guy feed that Jukebox Saturday night Enjoying coins that OTHER people own ...
Even though it is finally cooling down a bit around here it is still much too hot for my comfort zone. Still I continue to work on my collection. Massalia Ar Drachm 125-90 BC Obv Bust of Artemis right wearing stephane. Bow and quiver over shoulder. Rv. Lion prowling left with fore paw raised. Maurel 653 2.72 grams 15 mm Photo by W. Hansen As noted above in my discussion of the tetradrachm from Akanthos , the lion is the exemplar of chaos. It is possible that this is the symbolism behind the image on the reverse of this coin. However, we cannot be so sure. Artemis especially in Asia Minor was linked with various mother goddesses including Kybele. She does have a lion as a familial animal. As Massalia was founded by settlers from Phokaea, it is possible that this version of Artemis is being honored.
A recent "snack" I haven't posted before: Carinus, Roman Empire, AE antoninian, 283–285 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: IMP C M AVR CARINVS PF AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust of Carinus r. Rev: VIRTVS AVGG; Carinus standing r., receiving Victory on globe from Jupiter or Carus standing l.; in fields, star and ΕΔ; in exergue, XXI. 20mm, 3.61g. Ref: RIC V Carus 325. I bought this coin for the officina number. It is from the ninth officina but instead of using the letter theta (Θ) as numeral for nine, the engraver combined an epsilon (Ε, for five) and a delta (Δ, for four). The theta was considered unlucky because the Greek word for death (Θάνατος) starts with this letter.
I am reading about this large AE24, 21.31 grams, the largest of 3 denominations reported in RPC (5409, 5410, 5411). Is it a dupondius? This coin is RPC I 5409 which averages 19.02g. This coin is visually similar to the Macedonian tetradrachms of the Roman Quaestor, Aesillas. Here's the Tetradrachm: RPC notes: - none of these have been found in Macedonia - two were puchased in Beirut, Lebanon, so they land on Syrian origin - the symbols are all associated with the rank of quaestor propraetore (Grant, M (1946) "From imperium to auctoritas", p.13) and are not only found in Macedonia - 5409 is brass while 5410 is bronze No shortage of competing views on who is on the obverse: - "Princeps Felix" coinage from Cilicia (RPC 4082-4083) identified as Augustus have similar portrait style, possibly even same engraver - Freilander (1865) and several others including attributed the portrait to Brutus - Affoldi and other identified the portrait as Augustus - M. Grant "From imperium to auctoritas" & M. Price, "Coins of the Macedonians" identified the portrait as Caesar - RPC concludes Octavian/Augustus - aligned to "Princeps Felix" coins of Cilicia (RPC 4082-4083) Asia Minor, Uncertain, Octavian(?), circa 30 BC(?), Æ, (25mm, 21.31g, 12h) Obv: Bare head right Rev: Fiscus (the emperor's chest), sella quaestoria (magistrate's chair), and hasta (spear) on left side of coin; Q below. Ref: RPC I 5409 Note: smoothing and cleaning marks