Artistic portraits on ancient coinage: Name your top 3 through space and time

Please list your favorite ancient portraits by culture through time in order of your favorite artistry with examples if possible.
Don't get all philosophical on me and not share coins... or do if you'd like... but with coins
You have 3 selections from 10 categories to choose from: Greek: Archaic, Classical, Helenistic, Roman: RR, Imperial, Provincial, Byzantine, middle east and Asia, China, jk and everything else.
When it comes to portraits there are plenty of stellar examples. So, certainly my collections best examples aren't as strong in some areas (or any) as others who specialize in a different area as myself. But that's the fun, hopefully, of this thread.

I LOVE everything archaic. And this Apollo(?) Is no exception:

IONIA. Kolophon. Obol (Circa 530/25-500 BC).
Obv: Archaic head of Apollo (?) right.
Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.
Cf. SNG Kayhan 352 (tetartemorion); cf. SNG von Aulock 1811 (hemiobol).
Very fine 0.82 g.
Diameter: 8 mm. Numismatik Naumann Gmbh

My best early classical. Greek portrait, and one I lean back on probably too much considering the wear:

SICILY. Syracuse. Deinomenid Tyranny
485-466 BC. AR Tetradrachm (24mm - 17.45 g). Struck circa 480-475 BC. Charioteer driving walking quadriga right, holding kentron and reins; Nike flying above crowning horses / Diademed head of Arethusa right, surrounded by four dolphins swimming clockwise. Boehringer 134 (V60/R93); SNG ANS 38 (same dies); Randazzo -. rev sl off-ctr, sl surface imperfections,most notably a horizontal scratchlike flaw in obv right field.

I targeted this one for that wild
Herakles portrait and have never regretted it:

Alexander III the Great
336-323 B.C. AE 20 (19.5 mm, 5.74 g). Uncertain mint in Western Asia Minor, ca. 323-310 B.C. Head of Alexander the Great as Hercules right, wearing the lion-skin headdress / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, bow in bow-case above and club, the weapons of Hercules; torch in field below.

What's my fav MSC? Ask me tomorrow and it will be different:

Macedonia under Roman rule
AR tetradrachm- 16,21 gram,31 mm, struck after 168AD at Amphipolis
obv: diademed head of Artemis Tauropolos facing right with quiver over shoulder in the center of a Macedonian shield, shield decorated with seven eight-pointed stars within double crescents
rev: Club of Herakles within oak wreath, monograms and legend around, thunderbolt at left
AMNG III, 159, SNG Cop 1314, BMC 2
Ex NB-Numismatics

Easy go to on Roman republic coins, though something I may like more is on the way....:

Creperius, Rocus
Denarius. 68 BC. Uncertain mint. (Ffc-657). (Craw-399-1b). (Cal-522). Obv: Bust of the back of the Sea Goddess to the right, C to the right, to the left crab. Rev .: Neptune with trident, in biga pulled by hippocampi to the right, below Q CREPER M (F) / ROCVS. Ag. 3.61 g. Usually struck off center. Very scarce. VF.
Ex: Tauler & Fau

I am certain that some of you have some Gaius ridonkulus looking sestertii of Nero, Trajan and or Hadrians (correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the consensus is that portraiture was at its zenith under Hadrian... at least for Rome that is). And cannot wait to see them
But for me portraits on silver just have a little more magic. Like this Trajan Big D from my good buddy and Saturn of the year @bcuda :

Trajan Decius, AD 249-251. Struck between July-Dec, 250 AD. Silver Antoninianus (4.12 g) minted at Rome, AD 250. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Trajan Decius right. Reverse: Abundantia (Abundance) standing right, emptying her cornucopiae. RIC 10b, RSC 2. Meticulously detailed portrait. Ex El Iberico Collection. Saturnalia 2020 gift from @bcuda

Man O man are the provinces resplendent with wonderful reverses. Well, they also have some really fun portraits. My China doll Domna:

Julia Domna (Augusta) Pisidia, Antiochia. AD.193-217. Æ (21mm, 5.20g). IOYΛIA ΔOMNA AVG. Draped bust right, hair in horizontal waves, large bun on back of the head. / ANTIOCH MENCIS COL. Mên standing right, with foot on bucranium, wearing Phrygian cap, holding long sceptre and Nike; behind his shoulders, crescent; at feet, cock standing left. Krzyzanovska II/5; SNG France 1133 (same dies); SNG Copenhagen 39.

I am no Byzantine guy... but I am starting to enjoy the strange style of them since I got my first gold, "HHRMmmmm, fouree." He slid in under a clearing of the throat, byz coin.

A tricky and vast area to choose from, but I'm just fine with:

CILICIA, Mint Uncertain
400-350 BC. Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.58 g, 1 h). Female head facing, turned slightly to left, wearing earrings, necklace and flowing hair (Arethusa?). Rev. Facing head of Bes. Göktürk 44. SNG Levante 233. SNG France 486. Fine metal and attractive on both sides. Very fine.
Ex: Leu auction 4 Ex: Nomos Obolos 14

Post your favorite portraits (and yes of course you can post multiple from one categorie) thoughts and observations
Happy 2021! Bluer skys ahead

 

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Some of my favourite Roman Imperial portraits

Claudius


Antoninus Pius


Maximinus I

 

I will try...
I am not sure how to classify this one.. I guess Hellenistic:



Roman Republican:


Roman Imperial:

 

My favorite Classical is this Hemilitron of Syracuse. Tiny Treasure!


" Everything else: Ryro you ignorant slob, you missed my favorite area"
I would not have started it but you did ask so here is my favorite Parthian.

 

Great topic and coins, @Ryro. I have to disagree a little on this point, and I feel like I should put in a good word for 3rd Century Roman portraits. There were many beautiful, artistic Roman portraits in the 3rd Century which I think are just as pretty as the Nerva-Antonine era (and are usually much more reasonably priced). Here are some of my favorite 3rd Century Roman portraits:

Caracalla


Another Caracalla

Maximinus Thrax (my avatar coin)

Trajan Decius

Otacilia Severa


Herennia Etruscilla

Gallienus


Julia Maesa

 

I have multiple favourites!
Starting from the archaic Greek, Ionian 1/12th stater. I love the bold strike of the lion's face with the beautiful floral incuse on the reverse.

Next this Syracuse second democracy onkia depicting an octopus and the Nymph Arethusa, it's still an eye candy even for its condition!

Now we move on to the Hellenistic period, the obverse portrait of Heracles on this Alexandrian drachma is just satisfying to look at!

And the Romans are no less in making exquisite portraits as well! a lovely bust of Nerva with a life like depiction.

Also, don't forget the abstract depictions of the frankincense trading Himyars!

And last but not least, these Asian coins are not just always busts of kings and texts, but also they tell a story, like this coin of Madurai Nayakas depicting baby Krishna dancing on a demon snake!

 

Portraits mean a lot to me when I’m buying a coin. I can live with a less then perfect reverse if the obverse is good. Didn’t feel very original with my vote though.
Classical:




Roman Imperial:



Byzantine. They may look cartoonish at times, but I think there’s a lot of personality in them. I like enface portraits. It’s something about being face to face with history.

 

Ryro, It's tough picking 3 favorite portraits on coins , but here are 3 I look at often lately .


Ionia, Magnesia ad Maeandrum, circa 155-145 BC, Artemis (goddess of the hunt). AR Tetradrachm: 16.89 gm, 31 mm, 12 h.

 

The portrait is not usually the thing that draws me to a coin, but the First Meris tet below was an exception. Out of the entire series, there were maybe three obverse dies with a portrait of Artemis that appealed to me. After a little waiting, I managed to acquire an example struck with the die I liked the best.


MACEDONIA as Roman Protectorate
AR Tetradrachm. 16.84g, 32.7mm. MACEDONIA (as Roman Protectorate), First Meris, Amphipolis mint, circa 167 - 149 BC. SNG Cop 1313; Prokopov 127. O: Diademed and draped bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder, in the center of a Macedonian shield. R: Club; monogram above, two monograms below, MAKEΔONΩN above, ΠPΩTHΣ below; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to left.

 

Let's face it (silly pun, I know). A really nice portrait can sky-rocket the desirability and price of a coin. There are many styles that define portrait art, and none is necessarily better than the other. It is just a matter of taste. Some people prefer archaic with the out-of-space eyes, some others prefer realism and like Hellenistic portraits that are so well done that you would recognize the king/deity if he/she was walking down the street. Here are some examples of mine that have really nice portraits. I have posted them before many times, but I only have 20-something coins to choose from..

 

Lovely coins Ryro. I really like the portrait of Alexander, your AE 20.

I will post two coins: Roman imperatorial en imperial. Because I believe these two have the best portraits of all the coins in my collection for these specific periods in time, and my collection consists mainly of Roman imperatorial and imperial.

 

I've always loved the rugged charm of archaic-style Greek coinage- the same that is found on black figure pottery. Tough and expensive field, though!







And who can resist classical Greek?

 

As much as I love Roman Republican coins, it's more for the fascinating reverses than the obverses, with some exceptions. So here are a few of my favorite Roman Imperial coin portraits (all posted before, of course):

Tiberius



Galba



Trajan



Julia Domna



Pupienus and Balbinus

 

And of course Roman

 

First of all, great coins all!

In my opinion, if a portrait is on the coin, I would choose the portrait over the reverse design.
For example in this coin, what would be more important, the head of Mithradates VI, or the reverse of a nike standing right? I chose the portrait of the poison king

Ionia, Smyrna. Circa 88/85-75 B.C. Æ coin. Mithradatic Wars issue. Hermogenes and Phrixos, magistrates.
Obverse: Diademed head of Mithradates VI of Pontos right
Reverse: Nike standing right, holding wreath and palm frond; ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙΩΝ to right, EPMOΓENHΣ/ΦPIΞOΣ in two lines to left.
Reference: Milne, Autonomous 340.
14.39g; 25mm

Like you @Ryro I really like Archaic, it is has a very distinct and typical style that I really enjoy (eye and hair style, forwarding face etc.)

Ionia. Phokaia. AR Diobol, circa 521-478 B.C.
Obverse: Head of a nymph to left, wearing sakkos adorned with a central band and circular earring.
Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
Reference: Klein 452. SNG Copenhagen 389-94. SNG Kayhan 522.
1.32g; 10mm

But then of course I can't say no to beautiful Hellenic art of Rhodos and of the Hellenic kings.


Seleukid Empire. Alexander I (Balas), 152/1-145 BC. AR Tetradrachm. Tyre mint. Dated SE 167 (146/5 BC).
Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of Alexander Balas right.
Reverse: Eagle standing left on prow of galley, palm-branch over right shoulder; club surmounted by monogram to left, ΙΞΡ (date) and monogram to right.
Reference: SNG Spaer 1545-1546; Newell, Tyre 79; Houghton 749.
13.73g (Phoenican standard)


Antiochos III Megas (223 - 187 B.C.). AR Tetradrachm. Antioch mint. Series 3, circa 204–197 B.C.
Obverse: Diademed head of Antiochos III to right.
Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY. Apollo seated left on omphalos, holding arrow in his right hand and resting his left on grounded bow; to outer left, bow in bowcase.
Reference: SC 1044.5a; Le Rider series 3-4, obv. A12; BMC 27; HGC 9, 447u.
17.07g


Islands of Caria, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 250-229 BC. AR Didrachm. Mnasimachos, magistrate
Obverse: Radiate head of Helios facing slightly right.
Reverse: Rose with bud to right; MNAΣIMAXOΣ above, P-O flanking stem; to left, Athena Nikephoros standing left.
Reference: Ashton 208; HN Online 395; HGC 6, 1439.
6.70g

As a bonus, are the Byzantines. The style is quite cool on the faces.

This is a trachy made during the Latin Empire, after the sack of Constantinople, 1204-1261 AD.

 

Severus denarius, which has an excellent portrait for the period.

Pupienus sestertius, which captures an almost furtive look for an ephemeral ruler...









Anyway, a couple of favorites from the 3rd century.

 

I collect Greek, so the first three options are my favourites. I'll add a couple of coins here I haven't shown pictures of before. Not necessarily my favourites, but don't want to show the same one's all the time.

Archaic drachm from Knidos with Aphrodite.


Archaic tetradrachm from Athens with Athena of course.


Early classical tetradrachm from Leontini with Apollo.


Bit later from Syracuse with Arethusa.


Bit later still from Thuruim with Athena again.


Early Hellenistic tetradrachm from Phillip III with Zeus.


And lastly a coin from Ptolemaic Egypt (which I have shown before).

 

Beautifull coins everyone

Here are a few of mine.....threw in a Transylvania favorite to boot.

 

ALEXANDER III
AR Drachm
OBVERSE: Head of Herakles right in lionskin headdress
REVERSE: ALEXANDROU, Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding eagle and sceptre. Forepart of Pegasos left in left field, X on W monogram beneath throne
Struck at Abydos 325-323 BC
4.2g, 17mm
Price 1505

PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHOS
AR Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Ptolemy II right, wearing aegis around neck
REVERSE: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ [ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ], eagle standing left on thunderbolt, to left, club surmounted by Tyre monogram
Tyre 285-260 BC
25 mm., 14.14 grams
Svoronos 644; SNG Copenhagen 482-3
ex. JAZ Numismatics

ANONYMOUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Didrachm
OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Mars left, oak-sprig behind
REVERSE: ROMANO on tablet below head of bridled horse right, ear of wheat behind
Struck at Metapontum, 280-276 BC
19 mm, 6.55g
Cr13/1, Syd 1

TI QUINCTIUS ROMAN REPUBLIC
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Bust of Hercules left, wearing lion's skin headdress, club over shoulder
REVERSE: two horses left, rider on the nearer horse, dot X; TI Q and rat below, DOS.S in incuse on tablet in ex.
Struck at Rome 112-111 BC
3.92g, 18mm
Cr297/1;Quinctia 6

L VALERIUS FLACCUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS VALERIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Draped bust of Victory right, star under chin
REVERSE: Mars walking left, carrying trophy; L. VALERI./ FLACCI. and a flamen's cap before and grain-ear behind
Struck at Rome 108-109 BC
3.7g, 18mm
Cr306/1, Syd 565, Valeria 11

NERO
AR Drachm
OBVERSE: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GERM, laureate head of Nero right.
REVERSE: DIVOS CLAVD AVGVST GERMANIC PATER AVG, Claudius' laureate head right
Struck at Caesarea, Cappodocia, 63/4AD
3.6g, 17mm
RIC 621, RSC 3, RPC 3648

GALBA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP SER GALBA CAESAR AVG P M - Laureate head right
REVERSE: VICTORIA P R - Victory standing left on globe, holding wreath and palm
Struck at Rome, Oct/Nov 68AD
3.2g, 18mm
RIC 234

DOMITIAN
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG - GERM P M TR P VIII Head laureate right
REVERSE: IMP XVII COS XIIII CENS P P P Minerva fighting right with spear and shield atop capital of rostral column, owl at her feet
Struck at Rome, 88-89 AD
3.55g, 18.44mm
RIC 657 (R )

 

Doug touched on the "other" a bit, but the non-classical civilizations do deserve appreciation for their contribution to numismatic portraits.

Parthia, Mithradates II AR drachm - IMO just as fine as any contemporary Greek portrait


The first two rulers of the Sassanian Empire took great care to ensure that their coinage hearkened back to a bygone era of exceptional portraiture

Ardashir


Shapur (a personal favorite of mine)


The coinage of India and Central Asia also had intermittent moments of inspiration

1st century BC Bukhara, "Hirkod"


1st c AD Proto-Kushan "Heraios"


1st/2nd c AD Kushan Wima Takto AKA "Soter Megas"


5th century Gupta, Kumaragupta (these range from almost Greek in inspiration to comically schematized)


ca. 7th century Chach, unknown ruler (one of the most fascinating portraits in my collection - note the combined bearded portrait left with the 3/4 facing youthful portrait!)


8th century Khwarezm, Sawashfan (with apologies to @AnYangMan this is not my coin, but this is my photo and I'll continue to use it )


ca. 8th century Nezak Huns, Napki Malka