Adding new stuff to my collection has been VERY slow going this year. But I am OK with it. Few auctions ago, @John Anthony had this in an auction & since no one else bit at it, I decided to since I owned no Tessera of any sort. Post any Tessera you may have. Asia Minor, (3rd Century A.D.) Pb Tessera O: Draped female bust to right. R: Blank 15.4g 20mm
Don't have one but there was a very large collection of those auctioned off in the recent Leu auction.
Nice, @Mat . I only have one Tessera myself. Rome. Lead tessera c. 1st cent. AD Fortuna standing left, resting rudder on ground with right hand, holding cornucopia in left Large DP Rostovtsev 2307; Ruggerio 808-9; 13mm, 1.39 g, 12h; good VF Ex Tom Vossen collection of Roman lead objects. Ex: Gert Boersema Ancient Coins (NL)
A neat one, Brian. I also got mine because of how heavy it was. I am used to seeing types like yours where they tend to be denarii weight or less.
Congrats on your tessera, @Mat. And, what a coincidence. I just got my first tessera, from the Leu auction mentioned. So, I have nothing in hand yet, just this pic from Leu. And if you like big and heavy ones, better look away, because mine is a featherweight. ASIA MINOR. Uncertain. 2nd-3rd centuries. Tessera (Lead, 10 mm, 1.52 g). Elephant emerging from shell to right; below, grain ear. Rev. Blank. Gülbay & Kireç 40a ("hermit crab"). Naumann 57, 418-419 (same). Very fine. According to Leu: 'The motif of large animals like elephants, lions and horses emerging from a shell was popular in Roman gem engraving. For designs of elephants emerging from a shell, similar to the imagery on our tessera, see Furtwängler XLVI, 35, AG Wien 2130 and Dembski, Carnuntum 1104'. I couldn't find any of the references online, but I did find this. Admittedly a more beautiful example than mine, but then again, mine was probably a lot cheaper...
Even though it's a "featherweight", it's still pretty cool. I admit to never have seen an elephant coming out of a shell, even from kids drawing. Who knew.
Thank you. I got it like you did. I did not have one, and thought it was cool and different from the rest.
Pretty weird design, yes That's what attracted me to it. And I liked the idea of having at least one tessera in my collection. It's fun to speculate what it might have been used for. Though frankly, in this case, I haven't got a clue...
