Hello everyone, First I hope everyone is doing fine with everything that is going on in the world right now. I had no time and budget to buy any coins for almost 3 months (moving etc.), it was hard, I had some withdrawal symptoms , but oh well some things have more priority in life. So far I only had the opportunity to buy coins twice this year, but slowly I have more time now, also to participate in the forum, again, finally. I want to share you my first coins I got in 2020, all within my main collection focuses (Greek Islands and Seleukid Empire): ISLANDS OFF THRACE, Samothrace. 3rd-2nd centuries BC. Trichalkon (?) (Bronze, 20 mm, 5.43 g, 1 h), Pythes, magistrate. Helmeted and draped bust of Athena to right. Rev. ΣΑΜΟ / ΠYΘO Kybele seated left on throne, holding patera and sceptre. Schönert-Geiss, Samothrake 13. SNG Copenhagen 998. From the collection of Jean-Pierre Righetti, inv. no. 10004. ISLANDS OFF CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 88-84 BC. Drachm (Silver, 16 mm, 2.08 g, 11 h), 'Plinthophoric' coinage, Maes, magistrate. Radiate head of Helios to right. Rev. ΜΑΗΣ / P - O Rose with bud to left; to right, headdress of Isis; all within incuse square. HGC 6, 1461. Jenkins, Rhodian, Group E, 246. SNG Keckman 686. SELEUKID KINGS OF SYRIA. Demetrios I Soter, 162-150 BC. Drachm (Silver, 17 mm, 4.13 g, 3 h), Ekbatana. Diademed head of Demetrios I to right. Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ - ΔHMHTPI[OY / ΣΩTHPOΣ] Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in his right hand and resting his left on grounded bow. SC 1735.5. SELEUKID KINGS OF SYRIA. Antiochos VI Dionysos, 144-142 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 15 mm, 1.80 g, 1 h), Antiochia on the Orontes. Radiate and diademed head of Antiochos VI Dionysos to right. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ - ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ / ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΥ Panther standing left, right foreleg raised, holding broken spear in mouth; above, ΣTA. SC 2004. Please share any related coins here! And also please show your first coin of 2020 (yes yes, a bit late ).
My favorite of the four is the Rhodes Drachm. You've purchased two times more than me in 2020, and I have no excuse. I've been looking, but haven't found the right combination of coin detail and price. I would say you've weathered your time on the wagon pretty darn well.
Anyone have any idea what the panther represented? I have the Bactrian coin made out of nickel with a panther on it. Did it have any special symbolism?
The panther was to Dionysos as the owl was to Athena so I would interpret a panther with a vine as a prayer to Dionysos for good grapes. Agathokles Nickel - these also come in a version by Pantoleon.
Doooaah, a TARGET of mine! Fascinating that was one of the few coins everl made of nickel during ancient times. I understand that it was / or thought to be nickel from a meteorite deposit?
I don't think so. Nickel is found in the area. It is a weird story, unknown really. In about a 10 year timeframe, two different Bactrian rulers, (ruling different areas concurrently), struck these. They were the only known nickel coins struck in antiquity, and no one really tried to do it again until the 19th century. The other type has a tripod on the reverse. Mine above looks corroded, but that is red toning. Its actually one of the best of this type I have ever seen. The soil in the region is horribly acidic, plus the dies did not last long at all striking nickel. Most of these types are either very weakly struck, the die is in terrible shape, or the coin is corroded.
@Pavlos, best wishes in these unusual times. All of your coins are interesting, the first one my favorite. Here's a drachm of the Carian Islands, one of several from a short trip outside the Roman Republic from the time of the first Mithridatic War and Sulla. Islands off Caria, Rhodes, circa 88-84 BC, AR Drachm, ‘Plinthophoric’ coinage, Euphanes, magistrate Obv: Radiate head of Helios right Rev: EYΦANHΣ above, Ρ / Ο on either side of rose with bud to left; below to right, Isis crown; all within shallow square incuse Ref: Jenkins, Rhodian, Group E, 240; HGC 6, 1461
This one was my first coin of the year. It has very interesting and somewhat enigmatic iconography. Caracalla, AD 198-217. Roman provincial AE 17.1 mm, 3.44 g, 12 h. Thrace, Hadrianopolis, AD 198-217. Obv: AVT K M AVP CE ANTΩNEINOC, laureate head, right. Rev: AΔΡIANOΠOΛEITΩN, Nude Eros-Thanatos standing right, left leg crossed over right, leaning with right hand and left elbow on inverted lit torch. Refs: Varbanov 3526; Jurukova, Hadrianople 390.2; CN 5217; Moushmov 2615; cf. SNG Cop 271. Notes: Reverse die match to CN 5217 specimen (Nacionalen Arheologičeski Institut s Muzej, Sofia, no. 1566).
@Pavlos and @Sulla80 That Rhodes drachm is gorgeous. I would love to own a Helios (Sun God Titan) and the reverse rose with Isis headdress must be full of symbolism.......Thanks for sharing.
