Finally landed a nice Perseus/Beheading of Medusa bronze from Pontos

I recently landed an example of a fun type that I've wanted for a very long time: a large bronze from Amisos with the famous gory mythological reverse type showing the hero Perseus after he beheaded Medusa.

On the reverse, Perseus is shown standing over the body of the fallen Medusa, with a blade in one hand, Medusa's head in the other hand, and blood still gushing out from her neck. This is a very popular type, especially here on CT, and it’s pretty easy to see why. It's taken me a long time to find the "right" example, because the common problem is that so many of these are poorly centered. It's not easy to find an example where Perseus, the harpa blade, Medusa's head, and her body with gushing blood all made it onto the flan, but I’ve been holding out for one that shows all of it (can’t believe I just wrote that sentence ). I was finally able to find a nicely-centered example that shows it all…though it has the usual scratches and "adjustment marks", I think it’s a beauty and was definitely worth the wait.




Pontos, Amisos, Time of Mithradates VI Eupator, circa 100-85 BC. (AE, 30 mm, 19.58 g). Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Pegasos. Rev. AMI-ΣOY Perseus standing facing, holding harpa in his right hand and head of Medusa in his left; Medusa's body at his feet, monograms to lower left and right.

I should add that with all of the (well-deserved) focus on the reverse design, I’ve always really liked the obverse design as well. In addition to a well-centered reverse, it was important to me to have a clear rendering of Pegasus on Athena’s crested helmet on the obverse, and this one thankfully has that as well.

As this is a very popular type that has been discussed at length on CT, I don't have much else to add, but I’m very happy to finally have a nice big bronze with this fun, gory reverse.

Please share your examples of the type (from Amisos or any of the other cities), your coins from Pontos/Amisos, coins with Medusa or Perseus, or anything else relevant!

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Great example!
This is a bucket list coin for me.

 

Agreed, great example and on a want list too.

 

Great buy Shea, congrats

Here's mine:

 

That one is indeed exceptional!! Congrats!

 

Sinope:

 

This one is pretty rough.


Pontos, Kabeira, 85-65 BC, AE27, 18.9g
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena right.
Rev: KABH-RWN Perseus standing, holding severed head of Medusa, decapitated body of gorgon to right.

 

As nice as they get, @Shea19, congrats!

Here's mine from Komana. The only thing above average about it is that Medusa's face is pretty clear.

PONTOS, Komana
AE28. 17.47g, 27.9mm. PONTOS, Komana. Struck under Mithradates VI, circa 111-105 BC or 95-90 BC. HGC 7, 278 (R3); SNG BM 1261; Sear Greek 3656. O: Head of Athena in crested helmet ornamented with Pegasos to right. R: KOMA-NΩN, Perseus facing, holding harpa in left, and head of slain Medusa in right hand, her decapitated body below gushing blood; monograms in lower left and right fields.

 

My example is also from Amisos.

It is a coin that was on my wish list, but on the bottom part of the list.
I think it's above average condition (centering issues on the obverse and Medusa's body could have been better) but overall, a good coin.
The funny part with it was, and I mentioned this on CT in the past, that I bought it purely by mistake.
I was watching an auction on my PC and since my wifi adapter failed a few times that day, I was also watching it on my phone.
That part of the auction was not interesting for me so I decided to close the website on my phone. Although I don't have thick fingers, I pressed Bid instead of closing the window on the phone.
Ended up winning the coin. My first reaction was an ooooops followed by some words that cannot be translated in English but after checking the coin (I didn't even look at it) and comparing with other prices, I think 36 EUR was OK.

 

Another city: Amastris. There was a time I wanted to try to get the set of possible cities but that never happened. For those who follow such things: I agree with the idea that it is nice to have all the components present on flan. This one could be better on the blood coming from the body and it could be smoother but it has the best Medusa face of the ones I have. Z showed a better on from the rare city Komana. I believe it is harder to get a well struck, full detail Amisos than it is from the less common cities. I bought mine for what I considered a reasonable price (all things considered) in 2018 from High-Ratings, Low-Prices.

 

In this version, Medusa WON, as she ripped Perseus' head off..


Pontos Amisos Mithradates VI 109-89 BC AE 28 Athena Perseus Medusa Head Body

 

I had a similar ambition until I learned that some are much rarer than the rare ones.

http://www.s391106508.websitehome.c..._Reply.php?Series=SNGuk&AccessionNo=0901_1275
http://www.s391106508.websitehome.c..._Reply.php?Series=SNGuk&AccessionNo=0901_1293

 

Thanks! Yours is one of the best examples I’ve seen…incredible detail on Medusa’s head and body, and great surfaces for the type. A beauty!

 

That's truly the best of this type from Amisos I've ever seen. A really wonderful acquisition. Lots of Kudos for you!
I don't dare to show mine

 

Very nice Amisos example, @Shea19.

Mine is from Komana. Rough coin overall, but a sharp Medusa head.

 

Very nice and iconic

 

and another

 

It looks tooled and smoothed to my eyes. I don't know if that's a deal breaker for you - lots of collectors are ok with that. One should be wary of unusually sharp examples of types that are typically poorly-struck and heavily worn.

 

Nice coins, especially the OP coin!

I was lucky to secure this coin through MA Shops a year or two ago.