The untold story of Poseidon's escape from Hades in pictures and other tales

SICILY. Syracuse. Hieron II, 275-215 B.C. AE Litra, 263-218 B.C. NGC Ch VF.
HGC-2, 1550. Obverse: Head of Poseidon left, wearing tainia; Reverse: Ornamented trident head; downward dolphin to left and right, I to lower left, AΠ to lower right. Well centered and struck, this example features yellow-brown surfaces and some scattered spots of green.
From the Poseidon Collection.
Purchased from Stack's Bowers Aug 2021

I've always just LOVED the reverse on the type. The dolphins swimming along the sides of Poseidon's trident and his strong portrait have made this a must for my Sicilian collection... oh, and it dates to the beginning of Rome's second war with Carthage!



There are not enough coins of Poseidon out there. So the types that are good are usually really goooooood.
Here's another one that I've been waiting/too busy to share:

Demetrios I Poliorketes, 306-283 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 29 mm, 16.59 g, 3 h), Chalkis, circa 291-290. Diademed and horned head of Demetrios I to right. Rev. ΔHMHTPIOY - BAΣIΛEΩΣ Poseidon, nude, standing left, his right foot set on a rock, holding a trident in his left hand and resting his right on his right thigh; to outer left, monogram; to lower left, dolphin downward. Newell 146. SNG Alpha Bank -. SNG München -. Very rare. Test cut on the edge and with numerous light scratches, otherwise, fine. Purchased from Leu Numismatiks Aug 2021
From a European collection, formed before 2005.

Another all time fav:

Creperius, Rocus
Denarius. 68 BC. Uncertain mint. (Ffc-657). (Craw-399-1b). (Cal-522). Obv: Bust of the back of the Sea Goddess to the right, C to the right, to the left crab. Rev .: Neptune with trident, in biga pulled by hippocampi to the right, below Q CREPER M (F) / ROCVS. Ag. 3.61 g. Usually struck off center. Very scarce. VF.
Ex: Tauler & Fau



So please share your coins of Poseidon/Neptune, coins you've recently freed, thoughts or anything that is a release after an eternity in Hades/day of work!

 

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Kudos on breaking Poseidon free of that plastic tomb!

I have 3 coins featuring Poseidon/Neptune. As a sailor, I have a bit of an affinity for the salty guy.

Oldest to Youngest:

Syracuse, Sicily
Hieron II
275-216 AD
AE19
Obverse: Head of Poseidon left, wearing taenia
Reverse: IEΡ-ΩNOΣ to left and right of ornamented trident. AΓ monogram at lower left



Hadrian
126 AD
AE Sestertius
Obverse: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate head right
Reverse: COS III S-C, Neptune standing left, foot on prow, holding aplustre and trident



Gallienus
AE Antoninianus
Antioch Mint
266-267 AD
Obverse: GALLIENVS AVG, Radiate and draped bust right
Reverse: P M TR P XV P P, Neptune standing left, right foot on small prow, right forearm resting on knee, holding a tall trident behind him. dot VIIC in ex

 

Splendid presentations fellows.........

 

nice one of Herion ll Ryro..

 

Just a lovely patina on that Hieron IIand excellent detail of the artistry
Sorry for the poor photo, but it would make sense for this to be Poseidon, as Phoenicia relied heavily on Poseidon's peaceful waves:

Phoenicia. Arados
136-51 BCE. Bronze Æ 16mm., 3,2g. Jugate heads of Zeus and Hera or Poseidon and Amphitrite right / Prow left surmounted by Athena standing left, Phoenician lettering above and date in Phoenician below. very fine Cf. BMC 346

 

Beautiful looking coins!

Here is an As of Agrippa with Neptune reverse , struck under Caligula...


And of course, wherever Neptune went, he was followed by his dolphins as in this RR Aes Grave Triens , c. 280 BC.

 

Lovely coin, @Ryro, freed from its plastic tomb! WTG!!

Here's one I haven't posted in a while:

Claudius II, AD 268-270.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 4.12 g, 20.6 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, 1st emission, AD 268-269.
Obv: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate and draped bust of Claudius Gothicus, right.
Rev: NEPTVN AVG, Neptune, standing left, holding dolphin in right hand and trident in left hand; A in exergue.
Refs: RIC 214; MER/RIC temp 1018; Cohen 183; RCV 11353; Hunter 78; Huvelin 1990, 5.

 

I know I've said this before, but I believe it does require repeating.........I most love the way you guys 'catalogue' your coins.........so 'librarian-ish', (made that up, and it shows ) such the way for true preservation.

 

This is my only coin with Poseidon on it. Stater from Poseidonia in Lucania c. 440 - 430 BC..

 

Not great, but here’s mine

 

What a great post and coins!!

Rough but wonderful:

IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG
NEPTVN AVG
Neptune standing, holding dolphin and trident.
Antioch

 

Antigonos II Gonatas Ar Tetradrachm Amphipolis? 246/5-229 BC Obv. Head of Poseidon rightwreathed in sea weed. Rv, Apollo seated left on prow. Panagopoulou Period 3 Group 45/225 HGC 1051 16.95 grms 31 mm Photo by W. Hansen
Katarina Panagopoupou's new book the Early Antigonids places most of this coinage previously attributed to Doson to the later part of the reign of Gonatas. This I think is one of the most impressive images of Poseidon and given his rather unique wreath gives one the impression that he has just stepped out of his dominion. A fascinating coin and one of the more difficult to purchase. This is because on this coin both the obverse and reverse are an artistic tour de force.

 

Great coins @Ryro and great to see you bust it out of there and give it a proper home in your stylish trays.

In honor of your Poseidon with trident reverse I will show my great bronze with a trident on the reverse.

Thessaly, Krannon
AE Chalkous, struck ca. 350-300 BC
Dia.: 15.4 mm
Wt.: 2.41 g
Obv.: Thessalian rider and horse, rearing right
Rev.: KPAN Bull butting right, trident above
Ref.: BCD Thessaly II 118.5; HGC 4, 391
Ex zumbly collection; Ex BCD collection with tag stating “V. Ex Thess., Apr. 94, DM 35”; Ex AMCC 2, Lot 5 (Nov. 9, 2019)

 

My teenage daughter assured me that meant Snap Chat!!
She's always right ...so.....

 

When my daughter gets off her phone I will ask her to clear this up for us!
Will report back circa 2024..

 

Nice Neptunes in this thread. Here's Hadrian:

Hadrian Denarius
(125-128 A.D.)
Rome Mint
HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate bust right, drapery on far shoulder / COS III Neptune standing left, cloak over right thigh, foot on prow, holding trident & acrostolium.
RIC 158d
(3.08 grams / 18 mm)
eBay Jan. 2015

Syracuse:

Syracuse Litra (Æ 17)
Hieron II
(c. 274-216 B.C.)
Diademed head of Poseidon left / IEPΩ-NOΣ, ornamented trident head flanked by two dolphins; Δ(A? or P?) lower right.
BAR Issue 60; HGC 2, 1550.
Note: ΔP or ΔA possible for letters at lower right reverse.
(8.16 grams / 17 mm )
A-Z Dec. 24, 2020

 

Love your posts @Ryro ! The passion and imagery keep me following, even if I don't have time to add.

I recently was looking into these as I have two (uglier coins) that for which I've been trying to nail down attributions and dates. The summary is that there are two sizes but they all appear to be minted at the end or just after the reign of Hieron II.

Anyway, interesting information in this article on the series: https://www.academia.edu/31045525/I...ons_of_a_big_sample_of_Syracusan_bronze_coins