Turkeys were an absent species in the ancient world. So, for our numismatic feast on this Thanksgiving morning I'll have to make due with this eagle from Lugdunum. Vespasian Æ As, 10.23g Lyon mint, 77-78 AD Obv: IMP CAES VESPASIAN AVG COS VIII P P; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.; globe at point of bust Rev: S C in field; Eagle stg. front on globe, wings outstretched, head r. RIC 1237 (C3). BMC 848. BNC 849. Acquired from London Ancient Coins, November 2021. Late in Vespasian's reign the mint at Lyon (ancient Lugdunum) struck a fairly large issue of bronze at a time when the mint at Rome was winding down its own bronze production. Presumably this late issue was produced to address a shortage of bronze coinage in the Western provinces. Many of the types were recycled from earlier issues from both Rome and Lyon. This iconic eagle on globe type copies a similar reverse struck under Tiberius for Divus Augustus. The connection to Augustus demonstrates Vespasian's worthiness as his successor. The type is fairly rare at Rome and more commonly found from the mint at Lugdunum (Lyon). It is almost exclusively reserved for the As issues at both mints. Please post your birds!
Going further in time, I consider this beautiful and one of my best purchases in 2021 even if it didn't make it in my top 10. Constans AD 337-350. Siscia Follis Æ 19 mm, 2,06 g RIC VIII Siscia 232 Date Range: AD 348 - AD 350 Obv: D N CONSTA-NS P F AVG, bust of Constans, pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed, right / Rev: FEL•TEMP•REPARATIO, Phoenix, radiate, standing right on rocky mound. Mintmark ΓSIS• Already posted my Istrus obol/trihemiobol with eagle and dolphin on 2 topics, so I will let some time pass. But this Faustina, that made in my top 10 and it was a pleasant surprise in hand, deserves another mention Diva Faustina I AD 140-141. Rome Denarius AR 17 mm, 2,56 g RIC III Antoninus Pius 384a (denarius); RSC 175; BMC 473 AD 141 Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved in several loops round head and drawn up and coiled on top. / Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock, walking right, head turned back left This coin bought last year didn't get enough attention from me Bronze Æ 11 mm., 1,19 g. Kyme, Aeolis, c. 350-250 BC. Eagle standing right / K-Y to left and right of cup with one handle. BMC 16-20; SNG von Aulock 1625; SNG Newcastle SNGuk_1301_0449. BMC 16 And because size doesn't matter ... Ionia. Miletos circa 525-475 BC. Tetartemorion AR Cf. Rosen 407/8. Klein 430; SNG Tubingen 3001; Head of a roaring lion l. R/ Quail standing l. within incuse square 5 mm., 0,08 g. Possible Caria Mylasa
Despite the wear on your high-relief coin it is very attractive . Pictured below is my favorite eagle clutching a Thanksgiving Day drumstick .
The bird is the word!! Here's my Flavian eagle. Titus as Caesar, AD 69-79. Roman AR Denarius, 3.27 g, 18.5 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 76. Obv: T CAESAR IMP VESPASIAN, laureate head right. Rev: COS V, Eagle standing front on garlanded altar, thunderbolt in claws, wings open, head left. Refs: RIC.191a; RIC2.861; BMCRE 191; CBN 166; RSC.59a; RCV 2438. And in case you need help with the bird, Curly demonstrates how to stuff it!
This is my favorite phoenix, on a Cyzicus Fel Temp. This is only an 18x16mm coin, so quite a nice job given the space. The eastern mints depict the phoenix like this, as a graceful long-legged stork-like bird, while the western ones show it as a much shorter one, more suitable for the Thanksgiving table.
this recent acquisition has an owl on the reverse. Constantine I A.D. 313 quarter follis 13x14mm 0.9g IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bare head right. SAPIENTIA PRINCIPIS [Wisdom of the Prince] Altar with owl, spear across altar, shield to left and helmet to right. in ex. R[P] RIC VII Rome 16
Constantius II (337-361AD) AE3 - 2.73 gram - 17 mm Antioch mint, struck 348-350 AD Obverse: DN CONSTANTIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, cuirassed and draped bust right Reverse: FEL TEMP REPARATIO, TURKEY, radiate, standing right on globe, star in right field, ANB in exergue Reference: RIC VIII 129 var
Here’s another tasty looking bird. Happy Thanksgiving all. Commodus, AD 180-192. LYDIA, Attaleia. Obv.: AV KO-MOΔOC; Laureate bust right. Rev: ATTA-ΛEAT-ΩN; eagle standing facing on ground line, head left, wings spread. RPC temp 1178; BMC 19, LS 45, no. 1
My favorite Greek bird: Macedon, Alexander III (under Philip III Arrhidaeus), AR Drachm, Miletos mint, 323-319 BCE. Obv. Head of beardless Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress / Rev. Zeus seated left on stool-throne, holding long scepter in left hand, with eagle standing right with closed wings on his right hand; KH monogram (Price Monogram 476) in left field; in right field, AΛEXANDROU. Price 2121 [Price, M., The Coinage in the Name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhidaeus (London, 1991)]; Pella database at http://numismatics.org/pella/id/price.2121?lang=en; Müller 847 [Müller, L., Numismatique d'Alexandre le Grand; Appendice les monnaies de Philippe II et III, et Lysimaque (Copenhagen, 1855-58)]. 16 mm., 4.21 g. Purchased from Harmer Rooke Numismatists, Ltd., New York City, 21 Feb. 1986. My favorite Roman Republican bird: Roman Republic, Q. Cassius Longinus, AR Denarius, 55 BCE [Crawford] or 53 BCE [Harlan], Rome Mint. Obv. Young male head of Genius Populi Romani [Crawford & RCV] or Bonus Eventus [RSC & RRM II] right, with flowing hair, scepter behind, border of dots / Rev. Eagle, with wings spread, standing right on thunderbolt, lituus [curved augural staff used in reading auspices] to left and capis [jug used in same rituals] to right, border of dots; Q • CASSIVS in exergue. Crawford 428/3, RSC I Cassia 7 (ill.), Sydenham 916, Sear RCV I 391 (ill.), Harlan, RRM II Ch. 23 at pp. 180-187, BMCRR Rome 3868. 19 mm., 3.77 g., 6 h. [Footnote omitted] Plus these little birds on an anonymous issue: Roman Republic, Anonymous AR Denarius, 115-114 BCE. Obv. Head of Roma right wearing winged Corinthian helmet; below, ROMA; behind, X [despite earlier change from 10 to 16 asses in value] / Rev. Roma, wearing Corinthian helmet, seated right on pile of shields, holding spear in left hand; helmet on ground between pile of shields and her right foot; before her, she-wolf right, suckling twins Romulus and Remus; on either side, birds flying. Crawford 287/1, RSC I 176 (ill.), Sear RCV I 164 (ill.). 20 mm., 3.07 g. Ex. Silbury Coins, UK, Jan. 3, 2019. [Footnote omitted.] My favorite Imperial birds: Divus Marcus Aurelius, AR Denarius, 180 BCE, Rome Mint. Obv. Bare head right, DIVVS M AN-TONINVS PIVS / Rev. Eagle standing right on globe, head left, wings raised, CONSECRATIO. RIC III 273 (Commodus), RSC II 91 (MA), Sear RCV II 5974 (Commodus), BMCRE 20 (Commodus). 19 mm., 3.32 g. [Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 214th Buy or Bid Sale, Dec. 2020, Lot 242.] Diva Faustina II [Junior] (wife of Marcus Aurelius & daughter of Antoninus Pius), AR Denarius, after 175 AD, Rome mint. Obv. Draped bust right, DIVA FAV-STINA PIA / Rev. peacock standing right, CONSECRATIO. RIC III 744, RSC II 71. 19.18 mm., 3.23 g. Divus Septimius Severus, AR Denarius 211 AD, Rome Mint (struck under Caracalla). Obv. Bare head right, DIVO SEVERO PIO / Rev. Eagle standing three-quarters right on globe, head left, with wings spread and tail showing beneath wings to left, CONSECRATIO. RIC IV-1 Caracalla 191C, RSC III Severus 84a, Sear RCV II 7051 (ill. at p. 545). 19 mm., 3.28 g. Diva Mariniana (deceased wife of Valerian I), Silvered Billon Antoninianus. 254-258 AD, Viminacium [Rome?] Mint. Obv. DIVAE MARINIANAE, Veiled and draped bust right on crescent/ Rev. CONSECRATIO, Peacock standing, head right, tail in splendor. RSC IV 4, RIC V-1 4, Sear RCV III 10068. 21.5 mm., 3.9 g. My favorite Roman Provincial birds: Philip I Billon Tetradrachm, 247 AD [Year 3], Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, ΑΥΤΟΚ Κ Μ ΙΟΥΛΙ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Eagle standing right, wings spread with left wing behind leg, head right and holding wreath in beak, ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ ΥΠΑ ΤΟ Γ [= Year 3]; in exergue in two lines: ΑΝΤΙΟΧΙΑ/ S C. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Vol. VIII Online 29005 [temporary ID number] (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/29005 ); Prieur 368, McAlee 908 (Series 4, Group (b), Type 2). 26.5 mm., 10.40 g., 7 h. Philip II, billon Tetradrachm, 248-249 AD, Syria, Seleucis and Pieria, Antioch Mint. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, AYTOK K M IOΥΛI ΦIΛIΠΠOC CEB / Rev. Eagle standing facing, head right, wings spread, holding wreath in its beak, ΔHMAΡX EΞ OYCIAC YΠATO Δ [4th consulship]; ANTIOXIA / S C in two lines below eagle. Prieur 474 [Michel and Karin Prieur, Syro-Phoenician Tetradrachms (London, 2000)]; BMC 20 Syria 560 [Warwick Wroth, A Catalog of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Vol. 20, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Syria (London, 1899) at p. 218]; McAlee 1042 [Richard McAlee, The Coins of Roman Antioch (2007)]; RPC VIII No. 29020 (https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/29020). 27.15 mm., 14.00 g. Ex. CNG Electronic Auction 466, April 22, 2020, part of Lot 728. Trajan Decius, billon Tetradrachm, 249-251 AD, Syria Coele, Antioch Mint. Obv. Radiate bust right, three pellets below (•••), ΑΥΤ Κ Γ ΜƐ ΚΥ ΔƐΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Eagle standing left on palm branch, wings spread, wreath in beak, ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ƐΞΟΥϹΙΑϹ [= Tribunicia Potestas], in exergue: S C. [Group II, Officina 3.] RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] Online IX 1644 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/9/1644 ); Prieur 540 (11). McAlee 1120c. 24 mm., 12.85 g. I admit that all the eagles and peacocks get repetitive, but I like them anyway! I've never eaten either, though. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Lovely coins shown!.....Here's a 'Dove'...... LAODICEA AD LYCUM (Phrygia) 14mm/4.0gr. Ca 200-100 BC. Obverse: Draped bust of Aphrodite right, wearing stephane, hair in bun. Reverse: ΛAOΔIKEΩN. Aphrodite standing left, holding dove, rose with stalk to left. BMC Phrygia (p.284)27, SNG Copenhagen 497; SNG München 340; HGC 7, 744 SCARCE (R1 per HGC) Laodicea ad Lycum mint
I forgot my stork! Explanation of its presence in boldface Roman Republic, Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, AR Denarius, 81 BCE. Obv. Head of Pietas right, wearing diadem; below chin, stork standing right / Rev. Elephant standing left, wearing bell around neck; in exergue, Q•C•M•P•I [Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Imperator]. Crawford 374/1, RSC I Caecilia 43, Sear RCV I 301 (ill.), Sydenham 750, BMCRR Spain 43. 18 mm., 3.9 g.* *See Sear RCV I at p. 128: “The issuer strikes as imperator in Northern Italy where he was campaigning on behalf of Sulla. The following year he was to be the dictator’s colleague in the consulship.” See also Crawford Vol. I p. 390: “This issue was produced by Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, serving as a Sullan commander in the fight against Carrinas, Norbanus and Carbo. The obverse type [of Pietas] . . . alludes to his cognomen, acquired for his part in securing the restoration from exile of his father Q. Caecilius Metullus Numidicus.” The stork depicted in front of Pietas “is an emblem of family piety and an occasional adjunct of the goddess.” Jones, John Melville, A Dictionary of Ancient Roman Coins (London, Seaby, 1990) p. 243, under entry for Pietas. (Apparently, the Romans believed that the stork demonstrated family loyalty by returning to the same nest every year, and that it took care of its parents in old age.) Crawford also states at Vol. I p. 390 that “[t]he reverse type of an elephant recalls the capture of Hasdrubal’s elephants by L. Caecilius Metullus in 251 [BCE]” (also commemorated by an elephant denarius of C. Caecilius Metullus Caprarius in 125 BCE; Crawford 269/1, RSC I Caecilia 14). The elephant continued to be associated thereafter with the family (see the elephant denarius of Q. Caecilius Metullus Pius Scipio issued in 47-46 BCE; Crawford 459/1, RSC I Caecilia 47). The family was known for its opposition to Caesar.
Domitian, as (?) Obv.: (counter-clockwise) IMP CAES DOMITIANVS AVG P M, laureate head right. Rev.: S C, eagle standing front on globe, wings spread, head right. A curiosity, this AE coin must be an unofficial imitation. Counter-clockwise legends occur only on Domitian's silver and gold coins.
