This is probably the tiniest coin that I own. Considering how small it is, I'm actually impressed with the photo. Would I be correct in describing the obverse as Athena in Corinthian-style helmet? Any idea what is on the reverse? It looks like I-Lambda-I on the right. Not sure about the left. ~7.5 mm, 0.5 g. Thanks for any help/advice that you can offer about any of these 4 tiny Greek bronzes.
Agreed; Troas, Ilion. Read about the archaic statue of Athena depicted on the coins, pretty cool history!
Ralf identified this one for me, also from Ilion, just this week: Larger than your specimen. About 18mm.
Yep, thats Troy! Here is my only coin I got from there; I was inspired to get this coin by listening to the Iliad on audio book a few months ago. Greek Troas. Ilion 301-281 BC. Bronze Æ 11 mm., 1,82 g Very Fine As others have said, Ilion(Troy) had an archaic cult of Athena in the city. Also they were on very good terms with the Seleucids and set up a ruler cult to my boi Antiochus I after his victory over the Gauls in 275 BCE. An inscription dedicated to Antiochus I from Troy: "Whereas King Antiochus, son of King Seleucus, when he first took over the kingship and adopted a glorious and noble policy, sought to restore the cities of the Seleukis, which were beset by difficult circumstances on account of those who were in rebellion, to peace and to their former prosperity, and, marching out against those who attacked his kingdom, as was just, (sought) to recover his ancestral empire; wherefore, embarking upon a noble and just enterprise and having not only his friends and forces eager to support him to the end in his struggle for the state but also the supernatural as a kind ally, he restored the cities to peace and his kingdom to its former condition; and now, coming to the area on this side of the Taurus (mountains) he has with all zealous concern at once established peace for the cities and brought his affairs and his kingdom to a greater and more brilliant condition, mostly thanks to his own virtue, but also thanks to the good-will of his friends and his forces...." Source http://www.columbia.edu/itc/classics/bagnall/3995/readings/b-d2-1b.htm
Yo @Nicholas Molinari That beaded-border obverse example doesn't look like any of the ones I've accumulated, is it a later issue? Know anything about it? Looks like a scarce one. Nice size too!
Very rare. I don’t have the attribution in digital format and I’m not near my notes, unfortunately. I believe it is a bit later.
Some say 350-300 BC, others 281-261 BC. https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1370411 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3052333
Thanks, another one to look for! Stylistically I'd lean toward the 281-261 date range too but what do I know, haha. And thanks to you others for sharing your examples, they truly are rather historically titillating little nuggets that even most laypeople can understand and relate to (Troy 'n all).
Thanks to everyone who wrote. I agree it's Ilium. I didn't recognize the statue on the reverse because the top half is off the flan. Has anyone seen another example this small? I can't find one.
