That certainly was true for me with these two purchases-----SIZE DOES MATTER, since I doubt I would've 'pulled the trigger' if they were the more typical bronzes of about 'quarter size', despite averaging less than $45.00 each shipped. Both are about 34 mm----sestertius size or about the size of a modern silver dollar and weigh 16-18 grams respectively. I liked the overall eye-appeal: the dark chocolate and greenish patinas and the cool reverses---confronted portraits and River Gods.... CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Gallienus. 253-268 AD. AE34. 16grams Obv: AV T K POU LIK GALLIHNOC, radiate draped cuirassed bust right Rev: CELE UKEWNWN PROS KALU KADNW (below, above and around), Confronted busts of Apollo, laureate, facing right, laurel branch before, and Artemis-Tyche, facing left, cornucopiae behind. SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. Severus Alexander. AD 222-235. (34 mm, 18 grams. Laureate bust right, slight drapery / Tyche seated left on rocks, holding grain ears; above, star above ram leaping left, head right; at feet, half-length figure of river-god Orontes swimming left. Mcalee Please feel free to pile on with anything relevant...but if you choose to go even BIGGER...I believe @TIF will astound you with her humongous Ptolemaic bronze
Great scores, Mikey. I like them both, and especially so at those prices. I missed out on one of those Apollo and Artemis confronted bust provincials some years ago and am still looking for one. My largest provincial is this Maximinus AE38 of Anazarbus. MAXIMINUS THRAX Extremely Rare. AE Hexassarion. 20.44g, 38mm. CILICIA Anazarbus, circa AD 235-238. Ziegler 663 (Vs2/Rs4), SNG Levante 1480 (same obv. die). O: AY K G IOY OYH MAZIMEINOC CEB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: ANAZ END MHTRO B/G, female figure (Synthysia), holding bipennis over shoulder, standing left before bull standing left, CYNQYCIA OI/KOYMENHC, (ME and NH ligate).
Great provincials, Mikey! The Calycadnum bronze is particularly nice (fantastic prices too). I'll refrain from showing my huge Greek bronzes and instead will post some large provincials later today after some work
Well, surely big is beautiful, but not just size counts... The biggest I can provide here isn't ancient, it's my recently purchased 2d cartwheel already shown in another thread 41 mm and 56 grams Q
Thanks everyone for the kind comments and postings Of course not...but in hand I don't even have to wear my specs to appreciate the devices on the 'big bronzes'...and I'll let @Sallent's video speak for itself I was surprised at the lack of interest myself, expecting to go well beyond $100 but I believe the sellers poor, dark photos kept the bidding down---to my great relief!
Oh yeah, those are sweet MZ! I"ve always loved the style of those cilician provincials with the dual busts on the reverse. My largest provincial coin... ANTIOCH PISIDIA, GORDIAN III 238-244 AD O:Laureate and draped bust of Gordian III right; R: Mên standing facing, head right, foot on a bucranium, holding scepter and Nike on a globe to the right, rooster to left "COL CAES ANTIOCH SR" SNG France 1207. 35 mm, 26.0 g.
Very nice! Largest I've got is 35: Provincial Rome - Cilicia Caracalla, r. 198-217 A.D. Tarsus, AE Tetrassarion, 35.12 mm x 19.1 grams Obv.: AΥT KAI M AYP CEYEPOC ANTΩNEINOC. Bust right, in robes of demiourgos, Π left and right Rev.: ANTΩNEINIANH CEYHP AΔPIA. Emperor standing left, sacrificing over altar, wearing toga, A/M/K left, Γ/B right, TAPCOY/ΛN in exergue
My most recent pick ups are large provincials: Septimius Severus, 193 - 211 AD Æ 8 Assaria, 32mm, 15.31g, 8h; Thrace, Pautalia Mint. Obv.: AV K A CEΠTI CEVHPOC ΠEP; Laureate head of Septimius right. Rev.: OVΛΠIAC ΠAVTAΛIAC; Fourfold coiled serpent with erect head right. PISIDIA, Antioch. Julia Domna. Augusta, AD 193-217. Æ35, 25.8g, 6h. Obv.: IVLIA A-GVSTA; Draped bust right. Rev.: COL CES ANTIOCH; Mên standing facing, head right, left foot on bucranium, leaning on low cippus, holding sceptre and Nike; to left, cock standing left; S R across fields.
These are massive and feel really good and hefty in hand. I have a Caracalla. CARACALLA AE33. 27.03g, 33mm. PISIDIA Antiochia. Krzyzanovska dies XXVII/–; SNG France 1173-4 var. (arrangement of rev. legend; same obv die). O: IMP CAES M AVR ANTONINVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: COL CAES ANTIOCH, S-R across fields, Mên standing facing, head right, left foot on bucranium, leaning on low cippus, holding sceptre and Nike on a globe, rooster standing left. Ex Malter XLIV (29 May 1990), lot 1149
My largest non-Greeks are drachms of Roman Egypt and I have 50+ of them, mostly lower grade. A few examples: Hadrian drachm / Nilus seated left, holding reed, crocodile below right. Emmett 1016, RY16. Hmm. I don't have the weight and diameter recorded on my website and I can't access the coin right now. It's the largest of my drachms though, probably ~37 mm. Hadrian drachm / canopic jars. 35 mm, 24.8 gm. Emmett 933.18 Hadrian drachm / Isis Pharia and the lighthouse of Alexandria. 32 mm, 23.3 gm. Emmett 1002.18 Hadrian drachm / personification of Alexandria, wearing elephant skin head dress, kissing the hand of Hadrian. 35 mm, 24.8 gm. Emmett 964.15 Bunches of Antoninus Pius drachms but I have to get to work.
Well don @Mikey Zee ! Great coins, great price, and GREAT DEALS!!! My biggest Ptolemy: Egypt Ptolemy IV 221-205 BC AE Tet 40mm 7.2mm thick 69.5g Zeus Ammon Eagle My biggest Aes Grave: RR Aes Grave Anon 280-276 BCE Triens 46mm 90.3g 9.3mm thick Tbolt-Dolphin Rome Crawford 14-3 T Vecchi 3 My biggest STAMPED Coin - Carthage: Carthage AE 15-Shekel 45mm dia 7.5mm thick 102.6g 201-175 BCE Hannibal Tanit 4hoove down Horse SNG Cop 400 RARE 1
Wonderful posts!!! It seems all of my 'largest', whether Greek, Ptolemaic or Roman are about 35 mm.... Bronze AE 34, Butcher p. 464 and pl. 29, 29 (same reverse die); SNG Cop 31; BMC Galatia p. 127, 23, VF, well centered on a broad flan, porosity and a few pits, Zeugma, probably struck at Antioch mint, weight 16.594g, maximum diameter 34.2mm, die axis 0o, 16 May 218 - 11 Mar 222 A.D.; obverse AYT K M AY ANTΩNINOC CE, laureate bust right, slight drapery on far shoulder; reverse ZEYΓMATEΩN, tetrastyle temple, peribolos enclosing the sacred grove of trees, statue of seated Zeus within temple, disc on pediment, capricorn right Orichalcum sestertius, Woytek 534v, RIC II 672, BMCRE III 1023, Hunter II 375, Cohen II 352, Banti 106, SRCV II 3192, BnF IV -, aVF, light and dark green patina, some corrosion, Rome mint, weight 25.757g, maximum diameter 35.2mm, die axis 225o, winter 114 - early 116 A.D.; obverse IMP CAES NER TRAIANO OPTIMO AVG GER DAC P M TR PCOS VI P P, laureate and draped bust right; reverseSENATVS POPVLVSQVE ROMANVS, Felicitas standing slightly left, head left, caduceus in right hand, cornucopia in left hand, S - C (senatus consulto) flanking across field; ex Heritage Auction