Yesterday, I received the last coin won in 2020. Kyrene didrachm from CNG eAuction 482, lot 240 12/16/2020 Although somewhat worn, it is a variety I have never seen offered before. The only example I know of is in the BM. According to Robinson in BMC Cyrenaica, it is probably the transitional die between the previous Attic weight didrachms and didrachms of the first Ptolemaic silver weight reduction which Cathy Lorber dates at 305 BC. Apollo Karneios wears a diadem like some earlier, but not later, didrachms. The silphium plant is similar to earlier didrachms and not as stylized as later didrachms (see avatar)
Welcome to CT! Great new addition. Looking forward to seeing more of your collection. Great username as well. Here is my recent silphium silver. Cyrenaica Cyrene AR didrachm, struck ca. 308-277 BC Magas as Ptolemaic governor Dia.: 20 mm Wt.: 7.62 g Obv.: Bare head of Apollo-Carneius right, with horn Rev.: K-Y / P-A, silphium plant, cornucopia in inner right field Ref.: SNG Copenhagen 1234; BMC 228 Formerly slabbed by NGC
Welcome to cointalk! I second Curtisimo's request to see more. I love this series but am still lacking one. John
A rarity indeed - well done. May we see your avatar coin ? I've shown mine before, but will give it another outing : Kyrenaika, Kyrene AR Didrachm. Koinon issue, circa 250 BC. Diademed head of Zeus Ammon right / Silphium plant with four leaves; ibex horn in upper left field, KOI-NON across fields. BMC 1; SNG Copenhagen 1275.
Thanks for the welcomes! I have checked in over the years but find myself reading more regularly recently so decided to join. Here is the avatar coin: AR didrachm 7.79 gm BMC 246 Like it because it has nice details and about half a grade nicer than most Also, have a KOINON didrachm: 7.55 gm, BMC 1(obv)/1b(rev), ex-Prospero, which I later found in Hirsch 1910 & 1913 auctions (finding old pedigrees is another collecting passion) So, you can tell the username is very appropriate!
Doug - I do have most of the early Kyrenaika AEs (which are tough to find in nice condition) and a few AVs Here is one of my favorite AEs with a "triple silphium" AE "unit" BMC 178 Fortunately, the green encrustation is hard with no change over the years, but I am currently treating another Kyrene AE for bronze disease that showed up a year after purchase John
Wow, those are just spectacular coins. It does seem the bronzes are often worn or encrusted badly. John
John Thank you Sometime the only specimen of a very rare type can be in bad shape. Barry Murphy calls them “RBU” - rare, but ugly. I realize others may never pay what I did for an RBU but it still has a temporary home in my collection until I find something better or my collection is sold John
Gorgeous collection, @Silphium Addict . Like you, I lurked and learned for 2years before I posted. Welcome! I only have one Silph... SILPHIUM KYRENAICA Kyrene Æ25 9.6g 250 BCE Diademed Zeus-Ammon r - K-O-I-N-O-N; Silphium plant; monogram SNG Cop 1278 BMC 16-19
Gotta love those thick flan KOINON AEs with the "throwback" style to before Ptolemaic rule. I also like the overstruck KOINON AEs. Here is one and the undertype below: 8.06 gm 24 mm - overstruck on BMC 18 (face Ptolemy I instead of Zeus Ammon / residual rays of thunderbolt at right side of silphium Magas AE 7.68 gm head Ptolemy I / thunderbolt
Right on cue, a RBU (rare but ugly) Kyrene AE from the last Roma auction arrived today. AE unit 12.43 gm 19 mm head Apollo Karneios two silphium plants Asolati 5 Not unpublished, but I have never seen one offered and it is rough. Couldn't resist since it completes my collection of the early AE units BTW, I had told Roma OK to mail after the holidays but impressed that FedEx picked up in London yesterday and got it to rural west coast overnight
