I almost forgot the very small coin show today sponsored by a small local club with mostly US/modern collectors. While eating lunch I remembered for some reason and traveled the whole ten miles not really thinking I would see anything. I didn't even take my Nook with collection photos which ended up being a mistake. There was one dealer there with ancients and I ended up adding four coins to my collection and two additional duplicates (I forgot I had them but my trade stock is low now so that was no big thing). I really need to find a better way to reference my coins so I know which I have and which I don't. I was attracted to this Caracalla AE23 from Alexandria Troas for several reasons (most pretty silly). The portrait is well done. The legends each have minor oddities proving that planning ahead was not a regular practice. The obverse reads M AVREL ANTONINV with no room for he final S or any title. This type coin usually has COL AVG around the top and TROAS in exergue. The die cutter started a bit to far right and ran out of room so the G ended up down with TROA. I probably would have crowded it it at the top but breaking legends at 'sensible' points was a concept not universal by this time in history. The wolf and twins could be more bold but overall the coin is good enough for my collection standards. Show your Troas coins.
I have only one. Antiochus Hierax Mint: Alexandria Troas AR Tetradrachm 242 to 227 BC Obvs: Diademed head of Antiochus Hierax with prominant cheekbone. Revs: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ on r., ANTIOXOY on l., partially nude, with slight drapery on thigh, Apollo seated l. on omphalos, testing arrow and resting l. hand on grounded bow that has pellets that symbolize the handle. Horse symbol in exergue and two control monograms in left field. 29x30mm, 16.35g Ref: Sear GCV 6919, SC Vol.1 877.2
Great coin Doug. Why don't you put together an online galley, like on Forvm, that you can easily access from any device.
That's a nice-looking coin and interesting, too. Here's one of mine from Alexandria Troas, an anonymous civic issue I bought because of the statue of Marsyas on the reverse: Alexandria Troas, time of Gallienus, c. AD 253-268 Autonomous civic issue, Æ23, 5.9g, 6h Obv: ALEX TRO CO, turreted and draped bust of Tyche right; to left, vexillum inscribed CO/AV in two lines Rev: COL AVG TROA, Marsyas standing right on pedestal, holding wineskin Refs: Bellinger A497; SNG Copenhagen 103; SNG von Aulock 1463.
I just did a quick VCoins search and found several other provincials with wolf and twins reverses, including Antioch, Laodcea ad Mare, Tarsus, Cilicia and Capitolina. I have a small (~14mm) provincial in very rough shape with a WaT reverse that's been laying around for years awaiting identification, which is why I asked.
I don't have an inclusive list but: Antioch, Pisidia, Severus Alexander and several others Ninica Claudiopolis, Maximinus AE31 Several Severans had wolves in smaller size from Nikopolis ad Istrum. This AE16 is Septimius.
Nice... that's an easy coin to like. I'm away from my books for a couple of weeks, but recall that Bellinger's catalog of types for Alexandria Troas had single entries that covered multiple obverse and reverse legend variations, particularly for 3rd century issues. They seem to have played extra fast and loose at that mint. My first coin from this city is still my favourite one. SEVERUS ALEXANDER AE24. 6.97g, 24.6mm. TROAS, Alexandria Troas, 222-235 AD. Possibly unrecorded : SNG Cop –; SNG von Aulock –; SNG München –; cf. Bellinger A338 (obv A338, rev A225, Type 44). O: IMP SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust left, holding spear & shield decorated with head of Medusa. R: COL AVG, horse grazing right, herdsman (Ordes?) behind holding pedum (shepherd's crook), tree to left, TROAC in exergue.
That's so cool and probably the first time I noticed that kind of 'mistake' on both sides of a coin. My three examples seem to have been better planned---two of Tyche and the last of Gallienus:
Great coin Doug, it's very interesting when we get to see some variance based on the die-cutters inability to fit in all of the titulature.
I only have a couple Troas coins... perhaps minted 500 years apart from each other: TROAS Neandria AR Obol 4thC BCE 0.56g 8mm Laur hd Apollo r - NEA N Ram stdng right within incuse sq SNG Cop 446 RI Valerian I 253-260 CE AE 20mm Alexandria Troas mint Horse Grazing
Troas, Alexandreia. Valerian I Troas, Alexandria. Caracalla AE23. Apollo Smintheus Troas, Alexandria. Apollo Smintheus AE18
Nice coins guys! I just got my first Troas. I could not find the same example on the internet, but maybe Elagabalus? Æ21 Elagabalus AD 218 – 222 Alexandria, Troas Obv: (?) M AVR ANTONINVS Laureate head right. Rev:COL AVG TRO ALEX Horse advancing right, grazing.
Here is another interesting provincial coin of Caracalla: CARACALLA laureate head r. “IMP M AVR ANTONINVS”. Rev.: Bull standing r., purple shell before, vexillum with “LEG / III / GAL” inscribed behind. “SEP TVRVS METRO COLONI», AE26, Mint:Tyre, Phoenicia 211-217 AD, (26 mm, 12.93 gr.)Ref.: BMC 377, SNG Righetti -, Mounted in ancient times. Legionary issues were often used by the legionaries themselves for decoration, so this coin may have been in use by a soldier of the Third Legio. The Legio III Gallica was one of the oldest, most venerable legions, formed under Julius Caesar during the conquest of Gallica. She was stationed at Raphaneae and Damascus and existed until the 5. Century AD - more than 450 years! The bull shown on this coin was her emblem. View attachment 698297
Here is one from Laodicea ad Mare: Diadumenian, son of Macrinus who reigned 16 months in 217-218. 30-29 mm. 16.72 grams. M OP ANTONINOS NOB CAES ROMAE FEL, wolf and twins right Lingren and Kovacs 2099. Sear Greek Imperial --, SNG Copenhagen --, WEbe --, McClean --, BMC -- I think the white is from lead in the flan.
@dougsmit Nice OP coin and I also like the second set of three. In particular the Septimius Severus Provincial.
I have only dabbled with Troas and each of my purchases were not based on anything other than self justification of the purchases. 1) I always have been a sucker for Caracalla in his scaled armour... he just looks so brutal for some reason TROAS. Alexandria. Caracalla (AD 198-217). Ae24. Obv: M AVREL ANTONINVS IOV, Laureate and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. Rev: COL ALEXAND AVG, Eagle flying right, holding forepart of bull in talons right Bellinger -. SNG Cop -. 2) A Max. Thrax (and you can see it's him even with the low grade of the coin) with two errors on the obverse legend (a 3rd M and a retrograde S) TROAS. Alexandria. Ae27. Maximinus Thrax Obv:- IMP MAXIMIMVS(retrograde and sic), PIA, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev:- A in upper left, V in upper right, TROAS in exe, Horse facing right, grazing, tree behind Bellinger A364 3) A civic issue. Primarily bought because of the scarring of the flan created during preparation of the blank. Alexandria, Troas, AE23 Obv:– CO-L TROA, turreted bust of Tyche right, vexillum behind; Rev:– CO AVG TRO, eagle, with open wings, standing right on forepart of a bull Minted in Alexandria, Troas, c. 253 - 268 A.D. reigns of Valerian and Gallienus 22.38 mm. 5.22 gms.
