A pair of reward coins (these ones are actually ancient...)

Hello all! Work has been consuming me lately, but I've finally reached spring break and a chance to relax. There have been a series of coin shows near me lately, but I haven't had a chance to go to any, and I didn't want to wait for something to show up in the mail. So, I went to my local coin store and grabbed these two coins as a reward for surviving the quarter! (Any excuse to buy a coin, right?)

First up is my first Ancient Greek (aside from a couple Alexanders). Some may recall that when I first joined CT I had a couple of Greek coins I inherited from my grandmother, and they were all fake. Greek coins are far outside my comfort zone, but after being here for nearly two years I've felt a little better about any losing style and design (plus I trust the guy at my LCS). Anyway, here she is:


Mysia
Pergamon (after 200 B.C.)
AE19, 19mm x 5.9 grams
Obv.: ΕΠΙ ΠΕΡΓΑΜΟ[Υ] below Helmeted head of Athena right
Rev.: ΠΕΓΑΜΗΝΩΝ right. Nike walking right, holding wreath and palm branch

Only the reverse was visible in the shop, which did have the neat depiction of Nike, but the combination of that and the helmeted Athena sold me on the coin.

Next up is a posthumous Constantine:

Imperial Rome
Constantine I Posthumous, r. 307-337 (337-340)
Antioch Mint, AE4, 16mm x 1.2 grams
Obv.: DV CONSTANTI-NVS PT AVGG, veiled, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev.: No legend, Divus Constantine in quadriga right, the hand of God reaching down to him. Mintmark SMAN[?]

JA had one of these up for auction recently that I almost bid on but didn't. I regretted it at the time, but managed to snag this example. Not as nice as JA's, but the price was right. I am concerned I may not have the mintmark correct - in hand that last letter looks like an 'N' but it does look a lot like an 'R' in this picture. If there is anything after it, then I can't make it out.

Feel free to pile on anything you like, or is related!

 

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Nice @FitzNigel ! NICE turnaround from your initial Greek frustration! I was hit for a fake on here once, and it is like your stomach falls through the floor....

I would like to pile on a Roman Provincial from the Greek world for a "different" coin that I do not see posted often...

Roman Imperatorial
Publius Quinctilius Varus 5-4 BCE
AE20 8.0g Tetrachalkon
Zeus
Tyche Orontes
Antioch Yr ZK RPC 4252 SNG Cop 92

This is the guy who lost the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, 3 legions, and 3 standards in 9 CE. Afterwards, Emperor Augustus lamented this loss until his death.

"Quintili Vare, legiones redde!" (Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publius_Quinctilius_Varus

 

Admittedly, I didn't feel too bad about those coins being fake, seeing as how I didn't buy them! I felt bad for my grandmother, but she had passed on and never knew...

 

Nice additions! Love the patina on both.

 

Varus??

Yours are cool too, Fitz. But I like your awesome medievals better.

 

Thanks Severus - I love the medievals too (obviously), but wanted to mix things up a little.

 

Mintmark on the Constantine coin has to be SMAN. Sacra Moneta Antioch, I think. There are no Constantine coins with SMAR in the exergue. (Of course, right after saying this, I fear @Victor_Clark will chime in and say, "Well...in an unlisted variant from Arelatum..."). But Arelatum mintmarks are typically PARL, TARL, SARL, etc., or some form of Arles's alternate name of Constantina. So SMAN is a safe ID.

 

That is what I was figuring. Thanks Gavin! Now if anyone could make out an officinae mark... (wild winds has an 's' and a theta, but I have no idea if there are more for Antioch... I potentially see another 'S' at the end, but I might be trying to talk myself into it)

 

SMANA HERE: http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/posthumous/

SMANL ? HERE: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/zu...humous_ae_3___hand_of_god/650714/Default.aspx

Looks like you have some options. I doubt you’ll get that officina number. But the mint is some interesting info to have. Nice little coin. Here’s mine. I’m thinking Antioch for mine too, but the stupid horses have trampled all over the mintmark.

Constantine I
306-337 A.D.
Posthumous Issue
AE 4
Off 180°
[DV [Divus] CONSTANTINVS PT AVGG], “Divine Constantine, father [pater] of the Augusti” (-GG refers to the sons Constantius II and Constans.) Veiled head right.
Anepigraphic; Constantine in quadriga galloping right, above, hand of God reaching down for him.
SMAN; Antioch

 

Did I do something wrong???

 

I can't read your workshop letter but they do tend to be a bit higher like the Z and theta on the below Antioch coins.


The link Gavin posted shows SMANI (not L) for workshop I. The choices are Greek numerals a for one through I for ten. My two are 7 and 9. S is six but I am not certain that yours is S. Each mint had their own system of recording the workshops (officinae). Only Antioch had exactly ten shops for this issue so you have to check the books to see what the possibilities are for the coin in hand.

 

Very much the opposite. That was a "WOW!" reaction. Definitely on my list now, but will be tough to get!

 

That is a sweet looking Greek!

Good choice.

John

 

I am not a emoticon guy (beyond smileys), so I can never figure out their meaning. But, thank you very much for the kind thoughts! It was fun to get, expensive for its grade, but satisfying to have that historical person!