Featured Follow the coin theme GAME - ancient edition - post ‘em if you got ‘em

Here's a fairly big Ptolemy III drachm.

Ruler: Ptolemy III
State, City: Egypt
Coin: Bronze Drachm
Obv.: Laureate head of Zeus right
Rev.: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ BAΣIΛEΩΣ - Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopiae in left field
Mint: Alexandria (ca. 246-221 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 71.63g / 41mm / 0h
References:

• CPE B395
• Svoronos 964

Acquisition: Naville Numismatics Online Auction NN Live 52 #111 22-Sep-2019





Next - Zeus

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Septimius Severus, AD 193-211.
Roman provincial Æ tetrassarion, 26.5 mm, 10.12 g, 1 h.
Thrace, Odessos.
Obv: AV K Λ CЄΠ CЄVHPOC, laureate head right.
Rev: OΔHCCЄITΩN, Zeus wearing himation, standing facing, head left, sacrificing with patera over altar to left and holding cornucopiae.
Refs: Moushmov 1596; Mionnet suppl. 2, 902 var. (bust type); Varbanov 4348-9 var. (bust type); AMNG I-2, 2262 var. (bust type); SNG Cop 672 var. (bust type).

Next: Provincial of Septimius Severus.

 

Julia Domna, Augusta
CILICIA. Irenopolis-Neronias., (193-217 AD)
AE Bronze, (19.7 mm, 4.84 g,) year ΔMP (144) = 194-195.
Obv: IOYΛIA ΔOMNA CEB Draped bust of Julia Domna to right.
Rev: IPЄNOΠΟΛITΩN ETO ΔMP Veiled and bearded head of Herakles to right. Karbach 55. SNG France 2265. SNG Levante 1612. very fine. Purchased from Lydia Numismatics July 2021

Next up: Julia Domna provincial

 

PTOLEMY IV


Egypt Ptolemy IV 221-205 BCE AE 37mm 42g Drachm Zeus-Ammon Eagle Tbolt SV 974

Next... ooops, what @Ryro said

 

Sardis, Lydia, AE29 /urn with city described as 'golden flowered'.

Next: a coin with more than one line of legend not around the edge

 

Ae Sestertius of Caligula with OB Cives Servatos reverse...

next - same again with 2 or more lines of legend....

 

That coin is jaw-dropping!!! What a beauty!

 

I can hit 10 lines of legend, I wonder if anyone has one with more?

Sultanate of Rum
Three Brothers Period
650 AH (1252 AD)
AR Dirham | 2.76 grams | 23mm wide

​

Next: More multiple lines of text

 

I recently posted an example from Thrace, so here's a two-line legend from Moesia Inferior:

Philip II, AE Tetrassarion, 247-249 AD, Moesia Inferior, Tomis [now Constanţa, Romania]. Obv. Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from rear, Μ ΙΟΥΛ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟC ΚΑΙCΑΡ / Rev. Griffin seated left with right paw on top of wheel [representing Nemesis*], ΜΗ-ΤΡΟ-Π-ΠΟ, continued in exergue in two lines: ΝΤΟΥ ΤΟΜΕ/ΩϹ (ME ligate), Δ in right field [signifying the denomination, 4 assaria]. 27 mm., 12.22 g. RPC [Roman Provincial Coinage] VIII Online 28171 [temporary ID number] (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/type/28171) [this coin is Specimen 7, used as primary illustration for type, see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coin/156187 ]; Varbanov 5781 [Varbanov, Ivan, Greek Imperial Coins And Their Values, Volume I: Dacia, Moesia Superior & Moesia Inferior (English Edition) (Bourgas, Bulgaria, 2005)]. Purchased from Herakles Numismatics, Jan. 2021; ex. I-Nummis, Paris, Mail Bid Sale 6, Nov. 7, 2008, Lot 399 (see https://www.coinarchives.com/a/openlink.php?l=239902|348|399|a3b582d0b87f863b39d084dd851a7a89). [“Scarce”: 11 specimens in RPC (including this coin), 6 examples in ACSearch (including this coin).] [Footnote omitted.]


Next, more of same.

 

Here's a dupondius of Germanicus with SIGNIS RECEPTIS DEVICTIS GERM to commemorate the recovering of the lost standards.

 

I assume we're on the same theme?

AR Denarius, Augustus. Circa 19 B.C., uncertain Spanish mint



For the next theme, how about a different tack: A Robert Ready (and sons) electrotype.

 

12

Next up: thick thighs

 

next: Palladium

 

Julia Mamaea, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 222–235 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IVLIA MAM[AEA] AVGVSTA; bust of Julia Mamaea, diademed, draped, r. Rev: VES[T]A; Vesta, draped, standing l., holding palladium in r. hand and sceptre in l. hand. 30mm, 24.40g. Ref: RIC IV Severus Alexander 708.

Next: Severan sestertius

 

Severus Alexander (Augustus, 222-235 CE) Æ Sestertius (28.5mm, 22.23g, 12h). Rome, c. 231-235 CE.
Ob: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG Laureate bust right, slight drapery over shoulder.
Rev. PROVIDENTIA AVG / S-C in fields. Providentia standing left, holding cornucopiae and corn-ears over modius.
Refs: RIC 642. C 503.

Ex Elvira Clain-Stefanelli Collection (possibly Vladimir's, too).

NEXT: Another ex-Clain-Stefanelli or any other museum curator (e.g., Vermeule of BMFA, Y. Meshorer of the Israel Museum, Houghton at Getty, or others we might not know as well -- such as Phil Peck, who I believe curated Chase Manhattan Bank's Money Museum -- etc.).

 

Here's another Clain-Stefanelli coin, which I didn't know when I bought it, spotting it on page 60 of Elvira Clain-Stefanelli's "Life In Republican Rome On Its Coinage".

Moneyer: Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius
Obv.: Q. METELL / SCIPIO IMP - Head of Africa right, wearing elephant's skin, corn stalk before, plough below
Rev.: EPPIVS / LEG. F. C. - Hercules standing facing, naked, hand on hip, leaning on club set on a rock
Mint: Africa (ca. 47-46 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.90g / 17mm / 0h
References:

• RSC 50 (Caecilia)
• Sydenham 1051
• Crawford 461/1
• HCRI 44

Provenances:

• Ex. Clain-Stefanelli Collection

Acquisition: Mike Vosper Online shop 15-May-2018

Notes: Jun 26, 21 - Coin struck in the names of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio, commander of the Pompeian forces in Africa and Marcus Eppius. The inscription "LEG F. C." is probably best translated as "LEGATUS FISCI CASTRENSIS" - Legate of the camp treasury. The coin was struck in 47 or early 46BC. The Pompeians were badly defeated in the Battle of Thapsus in February 46BC and Scipio committed suicide in its aftermath. Eppius survived to strike coins in Spain for Sextus Pompey.



Next... another coin with a personification of Africa

 

Cestius and Norbanus
43 BC



NEXT: More interesting headgear

 

That's a great find @akeady ! Very few of the C-S coins were sold with prior provenance. I happened to find one that was published in her 1987 "Fractionals" article, and noticed others were sold by Naville (maybe NAC too) with the collection noted but without noting that they appeared in the article.


Here's another RRC with some interesting headgear -- the same interesting headgear on both sides in fact:

Roman Republic. L. Thorius Balbus, c. 105 BC. AR Denarius (19 mm, 3.87 g, 12 h).
Obv: I•S•M•R Head of Juno Sospita to right, wearing goat-skin headdress. Rev. Incuse of obverse.
Refs: Cf. Babelon (Thoria) 1, Crawford 316/1, RBW 1168 and Sydenham 598.
Prov: Ex- ANE-Calicó (15 Dec 1981), Lot 508 [Schaefer Binder #22, p. 2]; Aureo 89 (4 Mar 1998), Lot 1345 [Schaefer Binder #22, p. 2]; Colleción Alba Longa (J. F. Molina), vol. II, Aureo y Calicó 339 (14 Nov2019), Lot 1398. Images of this coin included twice in ANS RRDP "Schaefer Binders" (first two sales above).



NEXT: Another brockage

 

Nero from Alexandria:

Type: Billon Tetradrachm, 25mm 12.73 grams

Obverse: NERW KLAY KAIS SEB GER, Radiate crowned head facing right.

Reverse: AVTO-KRA, Draped bust of Egyptian god Serapis facing right, wearing Kalathos (basket) on head, date LI (year 10)

Reference: Milne 222, Koln 160, RPC 5274, BMCGr 156: Sear 2001.



Next: Another Kalathos

Edit: Time passed me by! Another brockage

 

Now, if we could get a brockage Kalathos that would really be something! Since it's more often on the reverse, I only see two on ACSearch.