Telesphorus is the god of convalescence, a fitting coin for today's world (while we are still not out of the woods yet, at least we have a way out (vaccines) that we didn't have this time last year. I saw a coin of Telesphorus many moons ago on this site and thought what a curious coin, but at that time when I looked up on ebay and vcoins, they were all overpriced (idk if those types were really rare) so I didn't buy one. However early this month I came across this coin on an ebay auction, so I put a last second bid and won this for just 15 usd! I initially thought this belonged to the BC era Greece, but after a bit of digging I found out it's actually a Roman era coin from the Conventus of Pergamum. Issued under Antoninus Pius, Magistrate- I. Pol(l)ion (strategos for the second time, asiarch and neokoros) 147-161 AD Obverse- ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩN. bust of Athena. Reverse- ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡΑ Ι ΠΩΛΛΙΩ ΤΟ Β. Telesphorus standing, facing. 2.12g Post your Telesphorus or any creepy looking coins!
That's a cool one Jay! Here is 3 more small ones... Lydia, Acrasus. AE14. Herakles/Telesphorus Moesia, Markianopolis. AE17. Elagabalus/Telesphorus Thrace, Hadrianpolis. AE16. Geta/Telesphorus
By coincidence, I came across this interesting Roman figurine on Twitter just now: https://twitter.com/DrJEBall/status/1418260803560644632?s=19
I have the same type as @ancientone. Elagabalus, AD 218-222. Roman provincial Æ assarion, 2.36 g, 16.1 mm, 12 h. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 218-222. Obv: ΑVΤ Κ Μ ΑVΡ ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC, laureate head, right. Rev: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Telesphoros standing facing, wearing hooded cloak. Refs: AMNG I 910; Varbanov 1421-22; Moushmov 652; SNG Budapest 191.
With Asclepius (to the left) on a sestertius of Caracalla. I did a search of Roman imperials on OCRE and found only 11 examples with Telesphorus, all for Caracalla, in various metals. Other than these, Telesphorus apparently only appeared on Provincials: http://numismatics.org/ocre/results?q=fulltext:Telesphorus Caracalla Æ Sestertius (215 A.D.) Rome Mint [M AVRE]L ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / [P M TR P] XVIII IMP III [COS IIII PP] SC Asclepius standing facing, resting on serpent-entwined staff, Telesphorus standing left, globe on ground to right. RIC 538a. (23.61 grams / 31 x 29 mm) eBay Mar. 2021 "Before establishing his military head- quarters at the Syrian capital of Antiochia in 215, Caracalla...found time to visit the shrine of Asklepios in Pergamum...This visit was of such importance to Caracalla that it was commemorated by a special emission of coins in all three metals from the Rome mint in 215..." @Julius Germanicus Coin Talk Sep. 2017
He reminds me of this fellow: Billiken Good Luck Coin with All-Seeing Eye Copper, 38 mm, 26.20 gm Obverse: Billiken sitting GOOD LUCK POCKET PIECE Reverse: All-Seeing Eye at top and various "good luck" symbols
I find it somewhat funny and revealing about our postmodernist perspective the fact that we're making fun of a representation that was intrinsically good. There are not many such deities in the Hellenistic worldview, and yet here we are making fun (although granted, lovingly) of the silly caped kid that would spook anyone who has seen Children of the Corn.
I always thought Telesphoros was kinda cute! Looks like my Caracalla Nikopolis is a double die match to @dougsmit's:
From a current online auction: Ancient Roman Bronze rare figure of Telesphoros. 1st-2nd century AD. Bronze Height 4,7 cm H and 8,9 as mounted. PROVENANCE: - Private collection, Toulouse. Acquired 1970 - 1980.