Creepy little kid- Telesphorus

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by JayAg47, Jul 22, 2021.

  1. JayAg47

    JayAg47 Well-Known Member

    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!
    TELE ΠΕΡΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ ΕΠΙ ϹΤΡΑ Ι ΠΩΛΛΙΩ ΤΟ Β.jpg

    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!
     
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  3. robanddebrob

    robanddebrob New Member

    looks like the killer from Don't Look Now!
     
    JayAg47 likes this.
  4. ancientone

    ancientone Well-Known Member

    That's a cool one Jay!

    Here is 3 more small ones...
    h6.jpg
    Lydia, Acrasus. AE14. Herakles/Telesphorus

    x.jpg
    Moesia, Markianopolis. AE17. Elagabalus/Telesphorus

    hadrianopolisTelesphorus.jpg
    Thrace, Hadrianpolis. AE16. Geta/Telesphorus
     
  5. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    If you see this kid in your corn field better run.
     
  6. dltsrq

    dltsrq Grumpy Old Man

    Last edited: Jul 22, 2021
  7. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    Caracalla, AE assarion, Nikopolis
    pm1225bb2967.jpg
     
  8. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    I have the same type as @ancientone.

    [​IMG]
    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.
     
  9. Marsyas Mike

    Marsyas Mike Well-Known Member

    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 Sest. Asclepius RIC 538a Mar 2021 (0a).jpg

    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
     
  10. willieboyd2

    willieboyd2 First Class Poster

    He reminds me of this fellow:

    [​IMG]
    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

    :)
     
  11. hotwheelsearl

    hotwheelsearl Well-Known Member

    Never forget big daddy Asclepios, who was the father of Telesphoros.
    Gallienus AR Ant RIC Milan 511.JPG
     
  12. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    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.
     
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  13. sand

    sand Well-Known Member

    It looks like a trick-or-treater, but you wonder, if maybe it's not a costume.
     
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  14. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    I always thought Telesphoros was kinda cute!

    Looks like my Caracalla Nikopolis is a double die match to @dougsmit's:

    03223Q00.jpg
     
  15. Bob L.

    Bob L. Well-Known Member

    From a current online auction:

    Telesphorus.jpg
    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.
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2021
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