Tiny masterpieces/Great things in small currencies

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Ryro, Jun 30, 2021.

  1. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    As the first item for sale in the latest AMCC (shameless plug) reminds us; the ancients could do a LOT on 12 mm of metal!:artist::wideyed::cigar:
    Seeing that beauty made me think of some of my favorite "miniature masterpieces":pompous:... or at least some of my favorite little diddies.

    Punk rock kitty is a stone cold showstopper at a miniscule 7mm:
    1566551_1606944808.l-removebg-preview.png
    Hekatomnos
    Satraps of Karia, AR Hemiobol. Circa 395-377 BC. Forepart of lion right, head reverted left / Forepart of facing lion; trident head below. SNG Keckman 837-840; SNG von Aulock 1819 (Miletos). 0.42g, 7mm, 3h.
    Very Fine. Well centered and toned. Ex: Savoca blue 2020

    Silenos and one of the most wild winged thunderbolts in my collection is smaller than the nail on my pinky toe!:
    20190326_100616_23B2AF21-7047-4765-81C1-E1694880F4C5-406-0000006F832BF807.png
    Sicily, Katane
    AR Litra. Circa 415/3-404 BC. Head of Silenos to left, wearing ivy wreath / ΚΑΤΑΝΑΙΩΝ Winged thunderbolt between two shields. Boehringer, Kataneische LI 6-7. Rizzo pl. XIV, 18 var. SNG ANS 1266. 0.71g, 10mm, 6h

    My main man Bes!

    IMG_4054(1).JPG
    CILICIA, Mint Uncertain
    400-350 BC. Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.58 g, 1 h). Female head facing, turned slightly to left, wearing earrings, necklace and flowing hair (Arethusa?). Rev. Facing head of Bes. Göktürk 44. SNG Levante 233. SNG France 486. Fine metal and attractive on both sides. Very fine.
    Ex: Leu auction 4 Ex: Nomos Obolos 14

    One of my first little beauties:
    IMG_0256(1).PNG
    THRACE, Chersonesos.
    Circa 386-338 BC. AR Hemidrachm (11mm, 2.26 g). Forepart of lion right, head reverted / Quadripartite incuse square with alternating raised and sunken quarters; pellet over AΓ monogram and cicada in opposite sunken quarters. McClean 4096 (described as fly); SNG Copenhagen –; SNG Berry 503. Good VF, minor porosity.

    And lastly, my not so masterful version (but still a millimeter smaller and pretty stunning) of AMCC3's coin #1:
    20190326_180639_75847B6A-9A84-482C-B7F2-01245F85A231-406-000000EEA2634EE3.png
    BRUTTIUM, Rhegion
    Circa 415/0-387 BCE. Æ 11mm (1.76 gm). Lion's head facing / PHΓIN[...], laureate head of Apollo right. Cf. SNG ANS 702; HN Italy 2524. Good VF, dark green patina.

    If you have small stunners to share I'd love to see them all!
     
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  3. Clavdivs

    Clavdivs Well-Known Member

    Amazing examples!!!
    Well I have a few tiny coins .. but this one is my favorite.

    upload_2021-7-1_0-56-54.png
    Kyzikos, Mysia. Hemiobol. Silver, 0.71 grams, 10.49 mm. After 480 BC.
    Obverse: Forepart of running boar left, retrograde E on shoulder, tunny
    fish swimming upwards behind.
    Reverse: Head of roaring lion left, within shallow incuse square.
     
  4. JayAg47

    JayAg47 Well-Known Member

    Not really ancient, but this fanam from Mysore kingdom tried to capture Narashima, the lion headed incarnation of Vishnu on a 5mm flan, 0.35g. circa 1600s.
    17th.jpg
    24946777551_b76b8f6332_o.jpg
     
  5. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    I love small coins. When I joined CT I knew some things about Roman coins (SOME or to be precise, some)

    Started reading here more seriously about Greek coins and decided to learn about them. Then I got myself some tiny treasures.
    upload_2021-7-1_11-22-48.png


    Attica. Athens circa 454-404 BC.
    Hemiobol AR
    6 mm., 0,27 g.
    Obv. Helmeted head of Athena right. Rev. AΘΕ ; Owl right head facing, wings folded, olive-leaf and berry behind, all within an incuse square. Sear SG 2531

    upload_2021-7-1_11-23-39.png

    Mysia. Kyzikos circa 480-400 BC.
    Hemiobol AR
    9 mm., 0,40 g.
    Forepart of boar left, retrograde K on shoulder, to right, tunny upward / Head of lion left, to upper left, head of panther facing, all within incuse square.Rosen 522
    Von Fritze II 13; SNG Ashmolean 540; SNG France 386.


    upload_2021-7-1_11-25-21.png

    Ionia. Miletos circa 525-475 BC.
    Tetartemorion AR Cf. Rosen 407/8.
    Klein 430; SNG Tubingen 3001; Rosen 407
    Head of a roaring lion l. R/ Quail standing l. within incuse square
    5 mm., 0,08 g.

    upload_2021-7-1_11-26-6.png


    Hemiobol AR 7 mm., 0,46 g.
    Caria, Kasolaba(?), c. 420-400 BC. AR Hemiobol. Ram’s head right / Youthful male head right within incuse. Konuk, Kasolaba 5; Klein 496-8 (Uncertain)

    upload_2021-7-1_11-27-10.png

    Obol AR 7 mm., 0,52 g.
    Islands off Troas, Tenedos AR Obol. Circa 5th Century BC. Janiform head of female, facing left, and bearded male (Philonome and Tenes), facing right / Labrys (double axe) within shallow incuse; T-E across fields. SNG München 340; SNG Copenhagen 509; HGC 6, 387; SNG von Aulock 7666.


    Just some under 10 mm.

    The Miletos Tetartemorion, especially, was shocking. 5 mm and under 0.1 grams. AND such details. And there are even better examples of it!
     
  6. IanG

    IanG Well-Known Member

    As my main collecting area is now Greek, I have a number of small coins, both silver and bronze. Here are a few:


    Phokaia.png

    Ionia, Phokaia.

    Diobol, circa 500-480 BC, 9mm.

    Teos.jpg

    Ionia, Teos.

    Diobol, circa 320-294 BC, 9mm.


    Parion.jpg

    Mysia, Parion.

    Circa 200-100 BC, 10mm.
    .
    Adramytteion.jpg

    Mysia, Adramytteion.

    Circa 300-100 BC, 9mm.
     
  7. Ed Snible

    Ed Snible Well-Known Member

    Do you have a theory about why ancient people made tiny bronze coins?
     
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  8. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    I have this obol of the Bactrian king Eukratides I (c.171-145 BC), that is just 10 mm diameter:
    Bactria Eukratides I obol.jpg
     
  9. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    I recently won a lot of Greek silver fractions from Roma. I'm just now getting around to IDing them. Here's a quick shot of them that I made when they first arrived:
    temp.jpg
     
  10. Ignoramus Maximus

    Ignoramus Maximus Nomen non est omen.

    Noooooooooo, not another nice @Ryro thread with lovely coins!!!:(
    I'm running out of things to show...

    Then again: great coins. I'll join!:):):)

    Not a bad reverse portrait on this one, I thought, considering it's less than 5mm tall (and please feel free to skip the obverse; it's an anticlimax).
    Dynasts of Lycia, Ddenewele..jpg rev.png Dynasts of Lycia, Ddenewele. obv.jpg
    I just love those satrapal coins and portraits (well, it's a dynast, really).
    Wish I had more, wish they were cheaper as well.

    An Achaemenid Phoenician fraction.
    Sidon, AR fraction.jpg Ever seen a lion do a Muhammed Ali impression, boxing gloves and all?

    And lastly: happy summer to all on CT!:)
    hangmat.png
     
  11. Ignoramus Maximus

    Ignoramus Maximus Nomen non est omen.

    Nice coin. I'm no expert, but with that weight and size, isn't this a hemitetartemorion?
     
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  12. ambr0zie

    ambr0zie Dacian Taraboste

    I asked myself the same question when I started reading about the Greek denominations. And I know there are many similar "problems" here on CT as for some denominations it is impossible to say precisely what it was. I prefer to keep it in my catalogue with the attribution provided by the auction house, in this case.
     
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  13. IanG

    IanG Well-Known Member

    Ed Snible asked if I had a theory about why ancient people made tiny bronze coins. I am sure there are people on this forum who would know a lot more than me but my reasoning has always been:

    1. Originally coins were issued in precious metal; electrum, gold or silver. They were supposed to be worth their weight in metal. A large coin would be of considerable value but as people needed small values to make small purchases, small coins such as obols were made, frequently 10mm or less. Then later on cities introduced token bronze currency but in many cases they were made by the same mints that were producing the precious metal coinage. If the population was accustomed to very small coins and the mints were set up to produce very small coins why not make them in bronze as well if that was advantageous to the issuing authorities in terms of saving copper, ease of manufacture, or whatever? And when one city saw that another city was issuing such coins without problem, they would do likewise.

    2. Many cities issued coins of an identical type in different sizes. Take the city of Neonteichos in Aeolis as an example. It only ever issued bronze coins with a helmeted Athena on the obverse and an owl on the reverse sitting on the city monogram but it issued them in two sizes, roughly 10mm and 17mm. Presumably the different sizes had different purchasing power, so that issuing the smaller coin was a bit like issuing a halfpenny with the larger coin being the penny.
     
  14. Finn235

    Finn235 Well-Known Member

    Back before the boom in coin prices, I used to pick up large lots of Greek AR fractions, and would usually keep the best ones for my collection. Some favorites of mine:

    Kyme, Aiolis AR Diobol/Trihemiobol, Unique
    Kyme Aiolis AR Trihemiobol unique.jpg

    Archaic style Lampsakos diobol
    Mysia Lampsakos archaic diobol Janiform Athena.jpg

    Kyzikos diobol
    Kyzikos AR diobol.jpg

    Phokaia AR Tetartemorion
    Ionia phokaia tetartemorion archaic apollo.jpg

    Chersonesos AR Hemidrachm
    Thrace chersonesos hemidrachm tripod VE.jpg

    Lampsakos diobol in Classical style
    Lampsakos AR hemidrachm.jpg

    Pisidia Selge AR obol
    Pisidia selge AR obol intermediate.jpg

    Thessaly Larissa AR hemidrachm
    Thessaly Larissa hemidrachm.jpg

    Troas, Abydos AR tetartemorion
    Asia minor uncertain tetartemorion eagle star.jpg

    Either Miletos or Caria, tetartemorion
    ZomboDroid 12022020204121.jpg
     
  15. Andres2

    Andres2 Well-Known Member

  16. Alegandron

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

    [​IMG]
    Iona Kolophon
    AR Tetartemorion
    530-520 BCE
    Archaic Apollo
    Incuse Punch
    0.15g 4.5mm-
    SNG Kayhan 343

    [​IMG]
    ARKADIA Tegea AR Tetartemorion 0.2g 6mm 423-400 BCE Helmeted Hd Athena Alea T within incuse BCD Peloponnesos War 1721 HGC 5


    [​IMG]
    IONIA Teos AR tetartemorion 0.2g 6mm Hd griffin R mouth open - Quadripartite incuse SNG Turkey 602


    [​IMG]
    Ionia Miletos AR Tetartemorion 5.6mm 0.21g Roaring Lion Hd - Bird Klein 430 SNG Kay 941


    [​IMG]
    Aeolis Elaia AR Tetartemorion 460 BCE Athena L - Olive Wreath 7.8mm 0.16g SNG Cop 166
     
  17. cmezner

    cmezner do ut des Supporter

    Impressive small coins all!

    Usually I fall for larger ones, but I do have a few small just because they caught my eyes.

    This is my smallest one, an example of the very earliest form of coinage; a type-less electrum globule, weighed to a specific standard, with a simple square punch mark on one side (two or three punch marks on larger denominations):

    EL 1/12 stater, uncertain Ionian mint, ca. 650 - 600 B
    1.168 g, 7.7 mm
    SNG Kayhan 676; SNG Von Aulock 7763; Rosen 324; Boston MFA 1750;
    Ob.: smooth plain globular surface
    Rev.: incuse roughly square pyramidal punch;
    upload_2021-7-1_13-7-31.png
     
  18. Silphium Addict

    Silphium Addict Well-Known Member

    Perfect timing on another great topic! As I read this, I realized I had just recently added two of the smallest coins in my collection.
    TinyGreek ARs.jpg

    jt879.jpg
    Spain, Uncertain mint
    AR hemitartemorion or 1/36 shekel
    late 3rd Century BC
    0.08 gm, 6 x 5 mm
    O: laureate head Apollo right
    R: star of 6 pellets in crescent
    ACIP 531

    jt882.jpg
    Kyrenaika, Kyrene
    AR hemiobol
    480-475 BC
    0.35 gm, 5 mm
    O: silphium fruit
    R: star/floral rosette (silphium viewed from above?) in incuse square
    BMC 33 (IV:31)

    I agree the amount of detail on these tiny coins is very impressive as I need a magnifying glass just to see them well.
     
    Last edited: Jul 2, 2021
  19. Pavlos

    Pavlos You pick out the big men. I'll make them brave!

    Wonderful! What do I love these tiny coins, often with masterpieces and nice designs. Just strange to realize they used these tiny pieces as currency.

    My favorite is obviously my profile picture! It was worth more back in the days then anyone could think of such a tiny fraction.
    [​IMG]
    Islands off Caria, Kos. EL Forty-eighth Stater, Phokaic standard. Circa 625-600 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Crab.
    Reverse: Incuse square.
    Reference: Stefanaki Series I, unlisted denomination; HN Online –; cf. HGC 6, 1295 (1/96th stater).
    0.34g

    Some other pieces:
    [​IMG]
    Thrace, Thasos. AR Obol, circa 435-411 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Two dolphins above one another, swimming in opposite directions; pellet above and below.
    Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
    Reference: HGC 337. Le Rider, Thasiennes 9.
    0.52g; 9mm

    [​IMG]
    Bruttium, Rhegion. AR Litra. Circa 415/0-387 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Lion's mask facing.
    Reverse: PH within olive sprig.
    Reference: Herzfelder pl. XI, J. HN Italy 2499.
    0.73g; 10mm

    [​IMG]
    Islands off Mysia, Lesbos, Methymna. AR Tetartemorion. Circa 500/480-460 B.C.
    Obverse:
    Facing head of Silenos.
    Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
    Reference: Hauck & Aufhäuser 14 (1998), 75. Leu Web Auction 11 (2020), 859.
    0.31g; 6mm

    [​IMG]
    Ionia, Ephesos. AR Hemitetartemorion (?), circa 500-420 BC.
    Obverse:
    Bee.
    Reverse: Head of an eagle to right within incuse square.
    Reference: Karwiese Series IV, Type 1. SNG Kayhan 130.
    0.12g; 8mm

    [​IMG]
    Kyzikos, Mysia. AR Obol. Ca. 450 - 400 B.C
    Obverse:
    Forepart of boar left, retrograde E on body, tunny fish swimming upwards behind.
    Reverse: Head of roaring lion left, within shallow incuse square.
    Reference:
    SNG Von Aulock 7333
    0,93g; 14mm

    I have this tiny bronze coin from Tenedos, an island, quite scarce. It weights only 0.6g! I know some other other cities from Asia Minor for example that struck bronze coins under 1g as well. Apparently there was a demand for these coins, perhaps on the market they were useful for a daily grocery. Another interesting note about the coin, it was struck very early, way before many other cities switched to bronze coinage, and that for an obscure island...

    [​IMG]
    Islands off Troas, Tenedos. AE Chalkous. late 5th-early 4th century B.C.
    Obverse:
    Head of Artemis to right, wearing stephanos.
    Reverse: T E Labrys.
    Reference: SNG Aulock 1589. SNG Cop. 522. SNG München 348.
    0.64g
     
  20. cmezner

    cmezner do ut des Supporter

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  21. Spaniard

    Spaniard Well-Known Member

    Great little coins shown!....Amazing the detail that can be portrayed onto such a tiny flan.
    Excuse my laziness here but I've had this coin for a couple of years now and never looked into it in any depth....5.2mm x 0.37gr Mysore Fanam.
    Maybe similar type to @JayAg47's post?.....A nudge in the right direction would be appreciated.
    GOLD.jpg
    gold white.jpg
     
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