Cornucopias Revisited

Thanks for doing the research I was too lazy to do myself! So it's just a strange coincidence, applicable only to the coins I happen to own.

 

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Alexander II Zabinas, Æ Double
Seleucis and Pieria, Antiochia ad Orontem, 128 - 123 BC

20.54 mm, 7.97 g
BMC 23; Babelon Rois, 1303; Houghton SC 2237.3;

Ob.: Diademed and radiate head right
Rev.: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, double cornucopia oriented to right, tied together with fillet, A above wreath to left, Π to right

 

Great thread DR and wonderful coins all around with horns-of-plenty a-plenty.
One of my favorite corny coins is my big win from the rock fest of an auction called AMCC 3!

LUCANIA, Thurium as Copia (193-150 BCE) AE As. 9.40g, 22mm.
Obv: Laureate head of Janus
Rev: COPIA in right field; Cornucopia, caduceus and I (mark of value) in right field.
HN Italy 1935. Very rare

 

Great coins and presentation @Deacon Ray . Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

Here are some cornucopia from my collection.


Roman Empire
Hadrian (AD 117 – 138)
AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck ca. AD 134 – 138
Dia.: 17 mm
Wt.: 2.98 g
Obv.: HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP; Laureate head right
Rev.: AFRICA; Africa with elephant headdress reclining left, holding scorpion and cornucopia, basket of grain at feet
Ex L. Rose Collection


Roman Empire
Hadrian, AD 117-138.
AR Denarius, 18mm, Rome mint, struck AD 134-138.
Dia.: 18 mm
Wt.: 3.15 g
Obv.: HADRIANVS AVG COSIII PP; Laureate head right.
Rev.: ITA-LIA, Italia standing left, holding sceptre and cornucopiae.
Ref.: RIC II 307; BMC 853; RSC 869
Ex DePew Collection


Roman Empire
Aelius as Caesar (AD 136-138)
AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck AD 137
Dia.: 17 mm
Wt.: 3.24 g
Obv.: L AELIVS CAESAR Bare head right
Rev.: TR POT COS II Felicitas standing left holding caduceus and cornucopia
Ref.: RIC II 430 (Hadrian)
Ex Pars Sale 3, lot 357 (Oct. 2019), Ex Numismatik Naumann 75, lot 643 (Mar. 2019), Formerly slabbed by NGC


Roman Empire
Faustina I
AR Denarius, Rome mint, struck AD 138-141
Dia.: 18 mm
Wt.: 2.77 g
Obv.: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA; Draped bust right.
Rev.: CONCORDIA AVG; Concordia standing left, holding patera and cornucopia.
Ref.: RIC 335 (Antoninus Pius)
Ex Collection of a Hanseatic Roman-friend. Ex Auktion Münzzentrum 94, Lot 420 (Cologne; May 13, 1998)


Egypt, Alexandria
Antoninus Pius
AE Drachm, Alexandria mint, struck RY 13 (AD 149/50)
Dia.: 34.2 mm
Wt.: 23.9 g
Obv.: ΑVΤΚΤΑΙΛΑΔΡΑΝΤωΝΙΝΟCEBEVC; Laureate head right
Rev.: TPIKA (date) IϚ (16); Nilus reclining left holding reed and cornucopia from which emerges a pekheis; crocodile below; L in left field
Ref.: Emmett 1621.13
Ex Theodosius Collection


Egypt, Alexandria
Elagabalus (AD 218-222)
BI tetradrachm, struck RY 4 (AD 220/21)
Dia.: 23.9 mm
Wt.: 12.56 g
Obv.: Α ΚΑΙϹΑΡ ΜΑ ΑΥΡ ΑΝΤⲰΝΙΝΟϹ ƐΥϹƐΒ; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: L Δ; Homonoia standing left, raising hand and holding double cornucopia
Ref.: Emmitt 2937.4, RPC online 10082
Ex zumbly collection; Ex CNG Auction 407, Lot 460 (Oct. 11, 2017); Ex Hermanubis Collection.

Hasmonean Dynasty of Judea
John Hyrcanus I, 134-104 BC
AE Prutah, Jerusalem mint, struck ca. 129-122 BC
Wt.: 1.82 g
Dia.: 15 mm
Obv.: Paleo-Hebrew inscription in wreath; Greek letter alpha above
Rev.: Double cornucopia with a pomegranate between horns
Ref.: Hendin 1132


Roman Empire
Constantius I (as Caesar, AD 293-305).
AE Follis, Siscia mint, 2nd officina, struck AD 295
Dia.: 28 mm
Wt.: 9.79
Obv.: CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES Laureate head of Constantius to right.
Rev.: GENIO POPVLI ROMANI /B /*SIS Genius standing left, holding patera and cornucopia.
Ref.: RIC 90a

 

Concordia loves a double cornucopiae!

 

The question then becomes "is it unique to Concordia?"

 

There are so many, I couldn't even show them all. Here's one I particularily like


Macrinus, Bronze - Nicopolis
AVT KM .... H MAKRINOC, Laureate and cuirassed bust of Macrinus right
V M AGRIPPA NIKOPOLITWNPROC IC TR, Tyche standing left, holding cornucopia and rudder
14.26 gr
Ref : ANMG #1710

Q

 

I have not examined other gods and goddess' attributes enough to determine if it's unique to Concordia, but Concordia represents agreement between two parties, to the advantage of each, and a double cornucopiae represents this mutual benefit.

"Often, the goddess holds a double cornucopiae, indicating prosperity for both parties in agreement." See this thread I have previously written.

 

A less common arrangement of two on one coin is from 'Laodicea' under Septimius Severus.


From 'Emesa' comes the standard crossed pair with grain between. Does anyone have a crossed pair with nothing between?

I forgot this sestertius from Antoninus Pius with horns full of grandchildren.



The use is scarce after the tetrarchies. This is a Constantine FIL AVG. Who has a later one.

 

This one is simply beautiful. And a strong propaganda tool.
Is there a similar design coin with Vespasian, Titus and Domitian or am I remembering incorrectly?

 

Vespasian (AD 69-79). AR denarius. Rome, January-June (and later?) AD 70. IMP CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG, laureate head of Vespasian right / COS ITER FORT RED, Fortuna standing facing head left, with right hand on prow left and cornucopia in left. RIC II.I 18.

 

Cornucopia is feminine, plural is cornucopiae, whic is also genitive see: https://www.online-latin-dictionary.com/latin-english-dictionary.php?parola=cornucopiae

 

PTOLEMY X
AE20
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
REVERSE: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, two eagles standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopiae before
Struck at CYPRUS c 100 BC
6.11g, 20mm
Svoronos 1698

VALENTIA, ROMAN PROVINCIAL
AE As
OBVERSE: Helmeted head Roma right, TRINI L F Q before. T AHI T F behind
REVERSE: Cornucopia on thunderbolt within wreath; VALEN-TIA
Struck at Valentia, Spain 138 BC
11.4g, 27mm
CNH pg. 317, 4; Burgos 2512

ALEXANDER II ZABINAS
AE22
OBVERSE: Radiate and diademed head right
REVERSE: �'ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝ�"ΡΟΥ, Double cornucopia; A-Π flanking, star to lower left
Struck at Antioch, Series 5 125-22 BC
8.2g, 22mm
SC 2237

SINOPE, PAPHLAGONIA
AE16
OBVERSE: Winged head of young Perseus
REVERSE: SINW-PHS, cornucopiae between two pilei of the Dioskouroi, each surmounted by a star
Struck at Sinope, 120-100 BC
4.09g, 16mm
SNG Cop 306, SNGvA 231, Sear 3713
Ex JAZ Numismatics