I was excited to grab this coin not long ago. Not just for the artistry of the portrait, though that's what first got my attention. But it's also got a lot of cool history behind it, and moreover happens to be an ex-BCD Collection coin and the first specimen cited by RPC Online. And to top it all off, it is an exceptionally rare type, with probably fewer than half a dozen specimens known. CORINTHIA, CORINTH Time of the Roman Republic AE (17.1mm, 4.38g, 3h) Struck 44-31 BC Obverse: Head of Poseidon right, with trident over left shoulder Reverse: Pegasus flying right, CORINT below References: RPC I 1225 (1st spec. this coin); BCD 507 (this coin.) Ex Fritz Rudolf Künker Auction 97, lot 628 (Mar. 7, 2005); Ex Lanz Auction 105, lot 507 (Nov. 26, 2001). From the BCD Collection. For a hundred years, the once-great city of Corinth lay in ruins after it was besieged and destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC, until it was re-founded and rebuilt by Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Over the subsequent years under Roman authority, Corinth again prospered, eventually becoming a provincial capital and one of the greatest cities in the Roman world. This coin is an early Roman provincial issue, minted in the newly rebuilt Corinth around the time of Julius Caesar and the other great imperators including Pompey, Antony, and Octavian. Feel free to comment and/or post your own related coins!
Gotta love those winged horsies. Very cool! I had a lovely Corinthian stater some years back. Sold it to pay off some debts. Miss it. I need to get another someday. It is one of those "must have" ancient coin types. Greece (Corinth): silver stater; Pegasus and Athena, ca. 345-307 BC; control mark of Artemis Phosphoros with torch Obverse: Pegasus flying left, koppa below. Reverse: Helmeted head of Athena (or Aphrodite) left, Artemis Phosphoros w/torch left. Composition, diameter, weight: Silver, 20.3 mm, 8.468 g, die axis 180º. Authority/ruler: Corinth. Catalog info: Pegasi I 451; Ravel 1076; HGC 4, 1848. Grade, cert. info: NGC AU; Strike 5/5, Surface 3/5; cert. #4280918-002. (“XF” per Forum.) Provenance: Forum Ancient Coins, 6/5/2017, raw. Prior provenance to Classical Numismatic Group. Notes: Forum’s description: “Superb style, some luster, light marks, areas of porosity.”