Ancients - Black Sea Challenge

I can contribute only a little to this Black Sea challenge:



BLACK SEA AREA
THRACE, Apollonia Pontika
AR Reduced Drachm
450-400 B.C.

2.86 grams, 13 to 14 mm
Obv: Anchor with crayfish to right, A to left
Rev: Gorgoneion (Gorgon) with extended tongue
Grade: a gF coin with nice old toning with claims to VF with the Gorgon reverse struck off center
Other: Similar to Sear 1655. From Fairchester Numismatic Properties, Vincent Blume, August 2013.

 

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Good thinkin, Collect89

 

If we're going to circle the Black Sea, this is going to be a long thread. Not that there's anything wrong with that


THRACE, Apollonia Pontika
Mid-late 4th century BC
AR drachm, 10 mm, 3.2 gm
Obv: Facing gorgoneion
Rev: Upright anchor; A to left, crayfish to right
Ref: Topalov, Apollonia p. 348, 11

 

Of course a Black Sea challenge would be incomplete without a fake:





BLACK SEA AREA
THRACE, Mesembria
AR Diobol
450-350 B.C.
1.14 grams, 10 mm
Obv: Crested helmet facing
Rev: M E T A in the four quarters of a radiate wheel.
Grade: EF POS. Obverse perfectly centered & detailed. Reverse shows all details and is slightly off center.
Other: Fake & returned to seller August 2013.

 

Dislike the fake, but appreciate the edumacation.

 

The Black Sea laps at Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Russia also. I have one from Amisos also - only bought it because I like the design of it. But it is not imaged.

 

APOLLONIA PONTICA AR Drachm
OBVERSE: Gorgoneian facing with snakes for hair and a protruding tongue
REVERSE: An anchor flanked by letter A and a crayfish, which represents the minting city of Apollonia, the major fifth century BC Greek colony on the west coast of the Black Sea, modern Sozopol in Bulgaria
Struck at Apollonia 450-400 BC
3.13g, 14-15mm
BMC IX, Black Sea 150-151

 

THRACE AE-14
OBVERSE: Crested Corinthian helmet facing
REVERSE: META between four spokes of wheel
Struck at Mesembria 400-350BC
1.80g, 14.35mm
SNGBMC 274

 

How about a Roman Provincial from that region:

SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS AE27
OBVERSE: AV K L CEP CEVHPOC, laureate and cuirassed bust right
REVERSE: OVLPIANWN AGXIALEWN, city gate, flanked by two battlemented towers, four arches on wall; N in ex.
Struck at Anchialus, Thrace, 193-211 AD
27mm
Varbanov 205

 

Here's one from Heraclea Pontica in Bithynia (modern day Karadeniz Ereğli, in the Zonguldak Province of Turkey) on the southern shores of the Black Sea. The city was sacked and destroyed by the Romans during the Mithridatic Wars.



BITHYNIA, Heraclea Pontica
Circa 250 - 200 BC(?)
Æ (3.35g, 18mm)
Stancomb, Autonomous 7a, dies A2/– (unlisted rev. die); SNG BM Black Sea 1631; HGC 7, 489.
O: Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin.
R: HRAKLEWTAN, Lion right; monogram above, facing boukranion between forelegs, club below.
Ex Ronald J. Hansen Collection

 

Odessos is on the Black Sea, western coast.


THRACE, Odessos. Circa 125-70 BC
AR tetradrachm, 32mm, 16.70 g, 12h
In the name and type of Alexander III of Macedon
Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin
Rev: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; ΔH above knee, monogram below throne
Ref: Price 1180; Callataÿ group 1, dies (D2/R3); Topalov, Odesos 67

 

=> according to David Sear, I've got myself an authentic example ...

 

Very nice coins. One day I'll get some Greek coins.

 

Here is my Odessos coin:
THRACE Odessos
Pontic Kingdom
Mithradates VI (The Great)
AR Tetradrachm
83 – 82 B.C.

15.97 gms, 27 mm
Obv: Portrait of Mithradates as Alexander III as Hercules.
Rev: Zeus seated on throne holding eagle on outstretched arm. ΛA monogram below arm and partially obscured monogram OΔH (Odessus) in exergue. BAΣIΛΕΩΣ AΛEΞNΔΡOY.
Grade: aVF with good centering and strike. Nicely toned good silver.
Other: This Odessus coin type was minted in between 125-70 B.C. This particular coin may have been struck 83-82 B.C. However, it is a point of speculation whether it was minted previous to the second Mithridatic War or during it to finance the battle. Price 1191. Ex Harlan J Berk, Ltd., Dec 2013.

 

Nice coins all! Sadly I have none from the Black Sea area, so keep posting!

 

Bithynia, Kalchedon AR Siglos
circa 340-320 BC
Diameter: 17 mm
Weight: 5.31 grams
Obverse: KALC (KALX) ... Bull standing on grain ear
Reverse: "mill-sail" incuse
Reference: SNG Cop 348

 

Istrus, Moesia

 

Thrace, Byzantion




=> ummmm, hopefully those last few examples are legit? (Basically, I was lookin' at an old ancient Black Sea map and then finding a few choice coins from my collection (I like this ... thanks, fun thread))

 

At one time none of us did. In fact I owned none until after I visited the Black Sea. It is one of the most amazing "lakes" ever. There are even intact Roman era shipwrecks in deep water - so dark and free of micro-organisms that they even still have the top masts. I toured through some of the archaeological digs in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi(ancient Tyra) as recently as 2008. Was planning to go to Kherson just this month until all the unrest in Crimea and E. Ukraine postponed our trip.

 

Here is a batch that is currently for sale. It apparently includes some left head inverted, left head not-inverted, eagle to right, and eagle to left examples. If anyone is interested, I'll send you the link.