Hi all! This coin arrived in the post today. It appears to be a Greek quarter drachm from Thrace, Istrus, with the obverse struck quite off-centre The edge: Sorry about the pictures, I'm having trouble photographing such a small coin. It is 11mm in diameter and weighs 1.20g What concerns me most about it is the "I" between the eagle and dolphin, as I can't find any other ones with that. Apart from that, though, I don't see anything wrong with it It came in a lot off eBay (which I know is not the best place to buy ancient Greek coins that I know nothing about), but I got it for quite cheaply (£7), and it came with 3 nice condition LRBs, which I can probably make my money back on (or more), making this coin effectively free. I know nothing about these, or how to tell if it's genuine or fake. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
There are several denomination and field letters not to mentuion barbarous coins in this group. I have not studied the possibilities. I ahve a 0.3g with a T: a 0.8g with a monogram a 3.7g plated piece with A: and a 1.1g obviously barbarous copy with II: I do not say coins are genuine from photos but I see no 'red flags' here. On these, I suspect anything is possible. That would have to include modern fakes but yours strikes me as believable. I have no idea of the meaning of the field/exergual letters. Magistrates???
Fun little coin. I see nothing concerning. Though I do fear for anyone walking below that eagle. That "I" looks more like a "#2" to me
THRACE, ISTROS AR Drachm OBVERSE: Facing male heads, the left inverted (Polydeuces Castor and Pollucs (AKA Dioskuri) REVERSE: Sea-eagle left, grasping dolphin with talons; ISTRIH above, Q between wing and tail, K beneath dolphin Struck at Istros, 400-300BC 5.3g, 19mm AMNG 434
A pair of ospreys roost atop a tall antenna mast near my home. Not only is the numeral 2 sometimes an issue but on occasion, fish fall from the sky!
I don't see anything wrong with the coin from the pictures either. I have come across fakes of these before, but they are of a very different style than the OP coin or the genuine specimens posted here.
Mine looks like a corrupted Kappa Moesia Istros AR Drachm 19mm 5.9g 4th C BCE Facing male hds inverted - Sea Eagle dolphin K Rausch 19 17
