Featured Finally succumbed to the Greeks! The 12 Olympian gods..

Maximinus I. 235-238 AD. THRACE, Anchialus. Æ (26mm, 12.24 gm, 1h). Obv: Laureate and draped bust right. Rev: Ares standing facing, head left, holding spear and shield. Varbanov 597 (R4).

 

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Here is an UNhelmeted version of ARES


The Mamertini, Sicily, c. 288 - 278 B.C.
Mamertini or "children of Mars," was the name taken by a band of Campanian (or Samnite) freebooters who about 289 B.C. seized the Greek colony of Messana at the north-east corner of Sicily, after having been hired by Agathocles to defend it (Polyb. 1. 7. 2).
Bronze pentonkion,
Calciati I p. 93, 3/1; SNG ANS 402; BMC Sicily p. 109, 3; SNG Cop 434 var (on reverse Φ left), gF, some corrosion and pitting,
Messana mint, weight 16.288g, maximum diameter27.5mm, die axis 270o, c. 288 - 278 B.C.;
obverse APEΣ, laureate head of Ares right, Macedonian helmet behind;
reverse MAMEPTINΩN, eagle standing left on a thunderbolt, head left, wings open

 

This is what I like about the CT Forum, all the different coins posted which are related to an OP coin gives a thread real depth exhibiting different types with different ideas and allowing everyone to hopefully learn something new or maybe purchase a coin they didn't even know existed...So thanks to all posters, really appreciated and some lovely coins shown..
As @Alegandron said this type is an easy to obtain coin but I do like the style, showing the god himself with 2 of his famous symbols the trident and dolphin all on one coin..
There are a lot of different types being referenced by their control marks? and I also see there is a definite difference in the legend break......Also exists a slightly more uncommon type which has the portrait facing right....Here's showing a couple of differences using the OP coin Alegandron's and one that @Bing posted earlier...Note the OP coin has a different legend break to the others?...
Is there an easy internet reference link to this type coin??

 

Very nice acquisition for your Olympians collection, @Spaniard ! What an attractive coin!

Here's a Neptune coin:

Claudius II, AD 268-270.
Roman billon Antoninianus, 4.12 g, 20.6 mm, 5 h.
Antioch, 1st emission, AD 268-269.
Obv: IMP C CLAVDIVS AVG, radiate and draped bust of Claudius Gothicus, right.
Rev: NEPTVN AVG, Neptune, standing left, holding dolphin in right hand and trident in left hand; A in exergue.
Refs: RIC 214; MER/RIC temp 1018; Cohen 183; RCV 11353; Hunter 78; Huvelin 1990, 5.

 

This was exactly the coin I had in mind but Provincials of Maximinus are not 'Greek' enough for the project as proposed. I am a little surprised this on was listed as an R4.

 

@dougsmit.....@PeteB.....Reverse looks like a die match?....Nice coins..
Actually so does the obverse?

 

LOL, Yeah, watch out. This is not a formal forum. Rather, I really enjoy the very casual club /pub / bar approach. Everyone has a chance to show coins, and share in the enthusiasm of Ancients collecting. Where else can that truly happen? Everyone KNOWS that folks that do not collect, just have their eyes glaze over when you start talking about your coins! So, I never feel bad that the threads get out of control!!!

 

Maybe I have a Poseidon after all, and must be one of the oddballs that wouldn't mind this as the only example. Doesn't meet the goals of @Spaniard, however another Poseidon. Senior calls this a Zeus, but I see that CNG are calling it Poseidon - trident re-assessed?

Indo-Skythians, Azes, circa 58-12 BC, AR Tetradrachm
Obv: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΖΟΥ, King on horseback right, raising right hand, holding whip in left; I to right
Rev: Maharasa Rajarasa Mahatasa Ayasa, Poseidon standing right, raising right hand, holding trident in left; monogram to left, Si to right
Size: 9.42g, 24mm
Ref: type of Senior 99.60T-99.70T although the obverse letter appears to be one not listed
Note: Obverse, Greek legend starts at furthest back hoof of the horse, and reverse, Kharoshti legend starts at left foot of Poseidon

 

Wow, like @zumbly was discussing earlier... interesting that a water deity is on couns of a landlocked country.

 

I looked up 'Clair de lune' and listened while reading your post.
Congrats on your new path. You made a wise decision to focus of parts of the Greek coin world.

 

Thanks Doug. My blunder. I failed to notice that the thrust was to Greek coins.

 

There is a similar reverse with no trident that is not Poseidon.

I see no reason to doubt this issue was made by one die set. Someone can prove me wrong by posting one that is not a link to these.

 

Interestingly he seems to still call the series with trident Zeus.

 

Excellent!

....Hope it relaxed you and then gave you the drive to buy a GREEK coin

 

What nerve! Imagine Zeus impersonating his own brother.


Azes, Silver tetradrachm, Zeus right reverse
Weight: 9.64 gm. Diameter: 23 mm Die axis: 10 o'clock
King mounted on horse right, holding whip, Kharoshthi letter ti at right,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Zeus standing right, holding right hand outstretched, holding sceptre in left,
monogram at left, Kharoshthi letter si right, Kharoshthi legend around:
maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 828, Sen 99.61T
Mitchiner identifies the deity on the reverse as Poseidon, perhaps on the strength of the trident-like sceptre, but Senior identifies the figure as Zeus.

I know nothing but I own the Mitchiner book and can blame him for my ignorance. I do find it odd that Senior calls both poses Zeus but allows the third variety to be Athena. In all honesty my guess would have been local gods with completely different names and the use of the Greek names is just another example of scholars guessing. I do not know enough about the religious beliefs of Azes to have an opinion. The other Zeus pose follows the two AE coins in Coin India. BTW, I do accept the theory that there was just one Azes based on the Senior report of an overstrike of a I coin on a II undertype. We will just add this to the 10,000 (Wansui - using Chinese number theory) things I don't pretend to understand.

 

Not my collecting area ....

....I pretty much agree and can't see any resemblance to Zeus or Poseidon??...But I'm all ears!

 

Thanks @dougsmit, for the smile on Zeus impersonating his brother. I also don't know enough to have an opinion on Zeus/Poseidon, I will settle for owning a coin of Poseidon, according to Mitchiner. I definitely buy your thinking that local names could have varied.

I think Senior makes a strong case for the 1 king Azes, here are three other arguments (more exist): of many known inscriptions, none attempt to disambiguate the name Azes, the correction to Gandophares I's reign to start at 12 BC reduces/eliminates the need for a second king with the same name, and postumous and imitative coinage by Vijayamitra explains some of the coins with a corruption of Azes' name.

 

Some really interesting posts have been made....Thanks to everyone who's following and adding to this thread...
OK....Here's the next...
Well this god was always going to be a tough one to acquire in decent condition within a tight budget. I'd been initially looking at a couple of Tragilos coins with the classic rose reverse and nearly pulled the trigger on one when this appealing little coin popped up...Its not only the oldest coin in my collection but also my sole Griffin, my favourite coin of the set so far. It's a nice looker for the type and has a lovely green patina. It shows Hermes wearing the classic Petasos hat and has an interesting depiction of a Griffin on the reverse.

Fourth of the dozen....
HERMES.
Hermes was the son of Zeus and Maia (1 of the Pleiades - The 7 daughters of the Titan Atlas). He was the messanger of the gods being able to move freely between the worlds of the mortal and the divine using his winged sandals - Nice touch...
God of boundaries, roads and travelers, commerce, thieves, athletes, shepherds and a Psychopomp (responsible for escorting newly deceased souls from Earth to the afterlife)..
Symbols associated with him are the Talaria (winged sandals), caduceus, tortoise, lyre, rooster, Petasos (Winged helmet).
His Roman counterpart being Mercury.
This coin was minted in Phocaia (modern day Foca,Turkey.) the Northern most Ionian city on the West coast of Ancient Asia Minor (Anatolia). Situated near the mouth of the ancient river Hermus and, having two natural harbours, became a major seafaring city as the Phocaeans were the first Greeks to make long sea-voyages founding and colonising Massalia (Modern day Marseille, France), Emporion (Modern day Empuries, Catalonia Spain) and Elea (Modern day Velia, Italy). In subsequent readings it seems that the Griffin was quite an Iconic symbol of early Phokaia. Archeologists have been unearthing huge statues of the Griffin in and around the area dating back to pre 500 BC...
I must admit that I'm finding the historical ride quite enthralling!.
Here's the new arrival...
Ionia, Phokaia, c. 350-300 BC. Æ (15mm, 4.36g, 11h). Phokleon, magistrate.
Obverse..Head of Hermes facing left wearing a Petasos hat tied at the back.
Reverse..Forepart of a griffin springing left. ΦΩKAEΩN (PHOKAEON), name of the magistrate below.
SNG Copenhagen 1039ff (magistrate); BMC 101.

As always, please feel free to post your favourite coins portraying Hermes/Mercury.


Here's the set so far.....All 4 together..

 

THRACE, Ainos. Circa 464-460 BC. AR Diobol (1.3 gm, 9h, 9mm). Obv: Head of Hermes right wearing petasos. Rev: A-I, caduceus; all within incuse square. May 34 (A19/P-); McClean 3810.

 

@PeteB.....Nice little coin....It always amazes me the detail that was portrayed on these small flans..