I just love to rummage through the pick-bin, find some that are interesting for me and then work on the attribution. This one was easy because the details are all there: Regal Coinage of Pergamon issue in the name of the dynasty's founder, Philetairos; however, there is no attribution to a particular reign. Æ 13 Mysia, Pergamon, 282-133 BC, though some numismatists date it to the time of Eumenes I to Attalos I ca. 260-133 BC 13x12 mm, 1.82g BMC Greek, 55-56; SNG Stockholm 2085; SNG Copenhagen 348; SNG Tuebingen 2372; SNG BnF 1682-7; Sear 7233 Ob.: Anepigraphic. Head of Athena to r. wearing crested attic helmet Rev.: Bow; ΦIΛE-TAIPOY above and below. Bee in upper right field. Please share your pick-bin coins that you picked or anything relevant
Congratulations on your find! I do have some coins from Mysia/ all are from Kyzikos. Here is one.... Ionia/ Mysia EL Hekte ND (550-500BC) Kyzikos Mint Ibex/ Tuna
@panzerman it looks like a tuna fish is on the obverse of your Hekte, can't say what's at the left of the fish. Edited: Now I see, it is an Ibex Kyzikos location was ideal for tuna fishing. Schools of tuna passed every spring to enter the Marmara Sea to spawn; schools passed in the fall going back to the Mediterranean. In the archaic period, the tuna catch was the main source of income for the city. Thus, on all of the coins of Kyzikos, large or small, was engraved the tunny-fish (θυννος). The tuna fish was a symbol for Kyzikos. Got one from Kyzikos some time ago: EL Hemihekte or 1/12 Stater Mysia, Kyzikos (Kapu Dagh, Turkey), civic issue, ca. 600 - 550 BC 8.7 mm max. diameter, 1.301 g Hurter-Liewald III 5.2; SNG Von Aulock 7255 (fish above off flan); BMC Mysia p. 18, 2 (Hekte); According to members at the German numismatic forum, the incuse on the reverse can help to estimate the date, but the estimate is not definitive, it is subjective. Based on the dating of diobols from Phokaia, a quadripartite incuse could as well be dated to ca. 550 - 500 BC. Ob.: head of tuna fish left, jaws closed, backbone protruding from truncation at right, pellet as eye, two pellets right, smaller tuna fish to right above Rev.: irregular quadripartite incuse square Picture courtesy Forum Ancient Coins
For some reason/ I used to think Tuna swam in Tropical Oceans. Bu then there used to be "Lions" prowling S. Europe. We do have Pumas were I live/ but the MNR always denies that. MNR= "Ministry of Natural Resources". I do see lynx tracks out here in the boonies when walking the Rottie.
Great find for a Pick-Bin! Interesting that those little bronzes in the name of Philetairos may have been issued posthumously for a long time. I'm a huge fan of small Greek coins in general, including bronzes. Here's a little 10mm, 1.01g bronze from Mysia, Pergamon (c. 310-284 BCE, the period right before Philetairos), with Athena on the reverse. (At least one or two other cities struck a very similar type.) I liked this one because it's unusual to see Herakles with even a hint of smile like this (Athena's smile is more typical): That wasn't a "pick-bin" coin though. Here's one of my favorites ever from a "pick-bin." $20 at the Chicago coin fair (CICF), 2014 I think. But I ended up selling it (for more!). Septimius smiles admiringly (from the obverse) at Priapus' absurdly oversized phallus, while he points at it proudly:
I have an Augustus with Priapus on the reverse; not a pick bin: Æ17 or 1/3 Assarion Mysia, Conventus Adramyteum, Lampsakos (today Lâpseki, Turkey), 27 BC – 14 AD Lampsakos was notable for its worship of Priapus, who was said to have been born there. 16 x 17 mm, 3.172 g, 6h RPC 2276; BMC 77 corr; SNG France 1263 Ob.: CЄBACTOY Laureate head right, lituus before; border of dots Rev.: ΛΑΜΨΑ-ΚΗΝΩΝ Ithyphallic Priapus standing left holding cantharus (?) in his right hand, and his left placed on his hip; border of dots Picture courtesy cng
