Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Finn235, post: 8142910, member: 98035&quot;]Lost steam for a bit, but next list!</p><p><br /></p><p>&quot;Aw, gee, I dunno honey - they just followed me home!&quot;</p><p>(Miscellaneous Impulse buys, lot bycatch)</p><p><br /></p><p>10. Kingdom of Hatra, AE unit</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419561[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>(Seller&#039;s pics - apparently I don&#039;t have this one imaged yet!)</p><p>Hatra wrestled free from Parthian control during Trajan&#039;s Parthian campaign of 117, and established itself as an autonomous kingdom after repelling a Roman seige the same year, and maintained independence until falling to Shapur I in 241. The coin itself spoke to me because </p><p>1. It is a rare example of an autonomous coin-issuing kingdom of the middle east that isn&#039;t Persian, Greek, Nabataean, or Jewish</p><p>2. The coin itself is a mockery of Rome, placing the triumphant eagle over the inverted SC (Antiochene bronzes probably would have been the pre-eminent Roman coin in the area)</p><p>3. The inscription HTR DSMS is in Hatran, a regional Aramaic dialect with its own distinct script, and I believe this is the only coin type in existence to utilize this script</p><p>4. Although the type is anonymous, it features and names Shamash, an ancient Mesopotamian sun God roughly analogous to Helios/Sol.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Kings of Numidia, Masinissa or Micipsa(?) AE unit</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419674[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>As was the case with the above coin, the Numidian Berber kingdom&#039;s coinage is dwarfed by those of Carthage and the Ptolemies, and can be difficult to find in nice condition. As a lot find and with a very old flip with it, this fit the bill nicely!</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Yueh-Chi (proto-Kushan) Sapadbizes, AR unit (hemidrachm?)[ATTACH=full]1419562[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Although Indo Sassanian is my focus as far as Indian numismatics go, I also enjoy building my dabbling and eclectic collection of *other* Indian states and kingdoms - and this is a pivotal coin issued right before the balance of power in India tipped from the Scythians and Indo-Parthians over to the new kids on the block - the Yueh-chi, who would later be unified into the Kushan Empire. This is also a strange paradigm shift, as the more Bactrian Sapadbizes types (exclusively silver) were replaced by the Heraeus types (also exclusively silver) and then by proper Kushan coinage (exclusively bronze and gold; never silver).</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Gupta Empire, Chandragupta II AR drachm</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419667[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Aside from the dashing bust, this coin bears the name of Chandragupta Vikramaditya, who presided over the Gupta Empire at its zenith and initiated what is now considered to be the golden age of Indian art and culture. Paradoxically, his coins are very scarce to rare across the board, especially compared to his son Kumaragupta. Icing on the cake - this was actually mis-identified as a Kumaragupta, which meant I snagged it for much less than half of what a Chandragupta II ought to fetch.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Ptolemy VI-VIII AE28, &#039;Isis Bust&#039; type</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419696[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>I intended to sell this one, I really did. But the high relief portrait in the finest artistic style, coupled with visible flan prep marks all over the coin said otherwise.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Syracuse, 3rd Democracy AE Dilitron</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419698[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>I just felt the itch for a chunky Greek AE that wasn&#039;t from Egypt, and I loved the portrait.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Achaean League AR hemidrachm, Megara</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419673[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Achaean league coins can be pretty wonky in terms of style, but I was immediately drawn to this one, which came as a complete surprise, as it remained hidden in its flip - a ca. 1950s/60s flip from Hans Schulman&#039;s shop on 5th Ave, NYC. With the egregious list price of $1.50!</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Syracuse, Hieron II imitating Ptolemy II AE</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419762[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>A charming and mysterious issue - why would Hieron II issue an entire series in the name and types of Ptolemy II? This one came unattributed, and is in particularly nice condition for the type - I am becoming increasingly drawn to large bronzes with an excellent, even patina.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Ptolemaic Egypt, Cleopatra VII, AE 80 Drachmae</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419671[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Squint your eyes and move back from the screen a bit. Squint harder. There - see it? That&#039;s the mug of <i><b>THE</b> </i>Cleopatra. Easily the ugliest coin on this list, I&#039;m still beside myself that this one showed up in a more or less junk lot.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Babylon, AR Dishekel under Seleukos I</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1419675[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Another unattributed lot find, this thing is <b>THICK</b>! I love the historic significance of being minted under Seleukos I before the Seleucid Empire was a thing. I love the juxtaposition of Persian iconography with the Seleucid anchor. I love that the entire lot cost less than I believe this coin to be worth. This was just an all-around exciting find![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in