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<p>[QUOTE="robinjojo, post: 8082029, member: 110226"]My near infatuation with owls continued this year, unabated. I am not sure if this is a terminal condition, or if the prognosis is more benign; I have not raised this topic with my doctor, who I have actually not seen in about six years.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is not to say, as many of you know, that I don't have other areas of interest. I do make the occasional foray into Roman provincial territory, as well as Byzantine and Arab imitations, but my interest in the netherworld of owl imitations and all of the variations thereof keeps drawing me into purchasing more and more owls, the vast majority being of non-Athenian origins. I like to tell myself that this undertaking will have an ultimate, constructive purpose, beside filling up coin boxes, and perhaps that will be the outcome of this grand project of accumulation. Time will tell.</p><p><br /></p><p>Okay, so here are some of the coins that crossed the threshold of my humble abode this year. There are a few candidates that have not arrived, so they may show up in next year's list.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. An archaic owl of merit</b></p><p><br /></p><p>I have learned over the years to accept a coin's flaws, as well as its attributes. When collecting archaic owls, this approach is essential, unless one has unlimited funds to sink into a flawless example. I am not a member of that club.</p><p><br /></p><p>Attica, Athens 482-480 BC</p><p>AR Tetradrachm, archaic style.</p><p>Obverse: Head of Athena facing right, wearing an archaic style helmet.</p><p>Reverse: Owl standing right, eyes slightly left and down, olive sprig to left, ΑΘΕ to right.</p><p>This coin has an exceptional reverse, one of the best I have encountered, with a very appealing, plump owl and a quizzical expression. The obverse has some flaws, along with an apparent worn die.</p><p>Good centering on both sides and no test cuts.</p><p>Seltman Group C</p><p>Good VF</p><p><br /></p><p>17.4 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403518[/ATTACH]</p><p>The compromise with this coin, produced in the years approaching the Persian invasion of 480 BC, is clear. The obverse is rough, primarily due to the coin's deposition, but also due to a worn die. It seems that the obverse dies in particular were used well past their useful lives. Centering is also a problem, as it is with many classical and intermediate owls, with the obverse serving as the anvil die, while the owl side (reverse) was the hammer die. Actually the obverse centering for this coin is decent, and Athena's archaic smile is visible.</p><p><br /></p><p>The appeal of this coin is clearly the reverse. I might be a little hyperbolic in the description of the the reverse, but it is very nice and apparently struck with a fairly new die, at least with regards to the owl. There seems to be some erosion of the ethnic.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. What's this? <i>Another </i>archaic owl?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>One day, in the late winter as I recall, when I was puttering around the house, Kirk Davis' catalog came through the slot. Normally I put these catalog aside for a month or two, but this time I opened the envelope to look at his small but excellent selection of coins. Boom...there is was, beckoning like a Siren to wreck my coin budget on the shoals of numismatic desire. Unlike Ulysses I succumbed to the call.</p><p><br /></p><p>Attica, Athens 500/490 - 485/82 BC</p><p>AR Tetradrachm, archaic style.</p><p>Obverse: Head of Athena facing right, wearing an archaic style helmet, hair style of waves above the forehead.</p><p>Reverse: Owl standing right with over-sized eyes and a wide short body, olive sprig to left pointing downwards, ΑΘΕ to right.</p><p>Seltman Group M</p><p>About VF</p><p><br /></p><p>17.23 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403527[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin's appeal rests with the somewhat unusual hair treatment, plus the nicely centered owl on the reverse. As I try to collect one owl for each of Seltman's groups, this is my Group M owl.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>3. An early archaic owl.</b></p><p><br /></p><p>I wasn't sure, initially, if this would be a wise acquisition. This coin is a Seltman group H owl, making it the earlies type in the collection. But I decided to bite the bullet, bought the coin and removed it from the slab.</p><p><br /></p><p>Attica, Athens 525/10 - 515/05 BC</p><p>AR Tetradrachm, archaic style.</p><p>Obverse: Archaic head of Athena to right, wearing crested helmet decorated with chevron and dot pattern at base.</p><p>Reverse: Owl standing to right with head facing, small olive sprig behind head, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square with flat edges.</p><p>Obverse strike off-center. Crest has dots at the base, and the owl die links this coin to Group H.</p><p>C. Seltman, Athens, Its History and Coinage before the Persian Invasion, group H, cf. 292 page 190; Plate XIII, similar to A192-P238.</p><p>NGC Choice VF, with good quality metal.</p><p>Rare</p><p><br /></p><p>17.46 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403532[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>This is very distinctive coin, with the solid crest and dots running along the base, the high relief portrait and the small owl that is fairly well proportioned. Another feature of the group H owls is the flat edges on the reverse that really frame the design.</p><p><br /></p><p>The centering on the obverse could be better, and there are a couple of flan flaw at the bottom, but, were these issues not present and the obverse centering a bit better, I am sure this coin would have been priced well out of my financial means.</p><p><br /></p><p>Seltman states that the artistic style of the group H owls is Doric, of high artistic merit, and likely issued during the reign of Hippias in conjunction with the Greater Panathenaic festival.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>4. A Lihyan imitation owl</b></p><p><br /></p><p>For the past few years I have been looking for a nice example of these unusual and abstract owl imitations. I have had not luck obtaining a silver coin, but I was able to snag a nice AE version.</p><p><br /></p><p>ARABIA, Northwestern.</p><p>Lihyan. 2nd–1st centuries BC.</p><p>Æ Tetradrachm (21mm, 12.89 g, 3h). Imitating Athens.</p><p>Obverse: Schematic head right, two upward crescents on cheek.</p><p>Reverse: Schematic owl standing right, head facing; olive spray to left.</p><p>Huth, Athenian, fig. 5, d; Huth</p><p>A very nice example of this debased imitation coinage.</p><p>EF</p><p>Rare</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403541[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>5. A flashy tetradrachm of Macrinus, Cyrrhestica</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin is part of my on-going, on-again, off-again (more off-again) effort to create a tetradrachm type set of Roman emperors. I like the tetradrachm format, since it provides, much like the large bronzes, a larger canvas for the engraver to demonstrate artistic achievement, or in some cases lack thereof.</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin came to me by way of Roma's XXII auction, so it was not cheap by any means, but it fits the type coin role perfectly.</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Empire, Macrinus, 217-218 AD</p><p>BI Tetradrachm of Beroea, Cyrrhestica.</p><p>Obverse: AYT•K•M•OΠ•CЄ•MAKPIN[OC CЄ], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right, seen from front.</p><p>Reverse: ΔHMAPX•ЄΞ•YΠATOC•Δ•, eagle standing facing with wings spread and head to left with wreath in beak; B-Є flanking bird standing below.</p><p>Lot 546, Roma XXII</p><p>Prieur 891. 15.00g, 26mm, 12h.</p><p>Extremely Fine; struck in high relief, light cabinet tone over lustrous metal. Rare.</p><p>From a private Dutch collection;</p><p>Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction X, 27 September 2015, lot 629;</p><p>Ex Belgian collection, Tradart S.A., Auction 5, 16 November 1995, lot 205.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403543[/ATTACH]</p><p>I must say, that the bird below the eagle does have a strong resemblance to Big Bird.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>6. An artistic Sol Reverse, and a nice obverse to boot</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin came by way of Harlan Berk. I normally do not collect Alexandria tetradrachms, although the series does offer some very interesting reverse themes.</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Empire, dated RY 14, 266/67</p><p>AR tetradrachm, Alexandria</p><p>Gallienus</p><p>Obverse: Laureate, cuirassed bust of emperor right.</p><p>Reverse: Radiate and draped bust of Helios right; palm frond before, L I? (date) across field.</p><p>Dattari-5239, Emmett-3813.</p><p>Ex CNG VI, lot 340, 1989.</p><p><br /></p><p>10.22 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403544[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>For an Alexandrian tetradrachm for this period, the quality of the die work is really nice, and the metal quality is above average, although I am not sure what the silver content actually is.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>7. Lounging by the Danube</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Sometimes a nice type coin comes along with an interesting and historical reverse. I came across this denarius of Trajan while viewing the offerings of a seller that I have done much business with on eBay.</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Empire 107-108 AD </p><p>Trajan</p><p>AR Denarius (3.57 gm, 18mm)</p><p>Rome mint</p><p>Obverse: Laureate bust right, slight drapery.</p><p>Reverse: DΛNVVIVS in exergue, Danube reclining left on rocks, head right, cloak floating above, hand on prow of ship and resting arm on urn.</p><p>RIC II 100; Woytek 277b; RSC 136.</p><p>Lightly toned good VF.</p><p><br /></p><p>Very scarce.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403545[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>8. An appealing Annona reverse</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Empire 156-157 AD</p><p>Antoninus Pius</p><p>AE Sestertius</p><p>Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II, Laureate head right, drapery on shoulder.</p><p>Reverse: TR POT XX COS IIII, Annona standing right, holding rudder, left foot on prow.</p><p>RIC 980 Rome</p><p>Exceptional light/dark green patina, excellent portrait and overall grade.</p><p>Good EF</p><p>31.1 mm., 25.4 grams </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403547[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>9. An unusual bronze from Henna</b></p><p><br /></p><p>A bit off the beaten track with this one, for me, but I was attracted by the portrait of Ceres, as well as the quadriga on the reverse.</p><p><br /></p><p>Roman Republic 44-36 BC</p><p>L. Cestius and L. Munatius (duoviri)</p><p>Æ30 of Henna, Sicily</p><p>Obverse: L MVNATIVS M CESTIVS, veiled head of Ceres left, wearing grain ear wreath; torch behind.</p><p>Reverse: Pluto and Proserpina driving quadriga right; MVN HENNAE above. RPC 661; Calciati 12; SNG ANS -. 16.17g, 30mm, 12h.</p><p><br /></p><p>Very Fine.</p><p><br /></p><p>From a private European collection, acquired from Bertolami Fine Arts - ACR Auctions.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403548[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>10. An interesting Byzantine/Arab fals</b></p><p><br /></p><p>This coin was part of a group lot of Byzantine/Arab coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Umayyad Caliphate</p><p>Uncertain period (pre-reform) AH 41-77 / AD 661-697.</p><p> Æ Fals (follis) Arab-Byzantine type.</p><p>Dimashq (Damascus) mint.</p><p>Struck circa AD 685-693.</p><p>Obverse: Byzantine-style emperor seated facing on throne, wearing crown and holding cruciform scepter and globus cruciger; to left, bird standing right on T; Λ/Є/O to right.</p><p>Reverse: Large M; above, staurogram set on crescent; A/N/O X/Ч/II across field, Δ below M; ΔAMI.</p><p>SICA I -; DOCAB -; Khalili 19; Walker, Arab-Byzantine 4; Album 100.</p><p>Good VF, Great strike. Earthen Patina. Rare</p><p>From Jordan. </p><p><br /></p><p>4.49 grams</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1403550[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="robinjojo, post: 8082029, member: 110226"]My near infatuation with owls continued this year, unabated. I am not sure if this is a terminal condition, or if the prognosis is more benign; I have not raised this topic with my doctor, who I have actually not seen in about six years. This is not to say, as many of you know, that I don't have other areas of interest. I do make the occasional foray into Roman provincial territory, as well as Byzantine and Arab imitations, but my interest in the netherworld of owl imitations and all of the variations thereof keeps drawing me into purchasing more and more owls, the vast majority being of non-Athenian origins. I like to tell myself that this undertaking will have an ultimate, constructive purpose, beside filling up coin boxes, and perhaps that will be the outcome of this grand project of accumulation. Time will tell. Okay, so here are some of the coins that crossed the threshold of my humble abode this year. There are a few candidates that have not arrived, so they may show up in next year's list. [B]1. An archaic owl of merit[/B] I have learned over the years to accept a coin's flaws, as well as its attributes. When collecting archaic owls, this approach is essential, unless one has unlimited funds to sink into a flawless example. I am not a member of that club. Attica, Athens 482-480 BC AR Tetradrachm, archaic style. Obverse: Head of Athena facing right, wearing an archaic style helmet. Reverse: Owl standing right, eyes slightly left and down, olive sprig to left, ΑΘΕ to right. This coin has an exceptional reverse, one of the best I have encountered, with a very appealing, plump owl and a quizzical expression. The obverse has some flaws, along with an apparent worn die. Good centering on both sides and no test cuts. Seltman Group C Good VF 17.4 grams [ATTACH=full]1403518[/ATTACH] The compromise with this coin, produced in the years approaching the Persian invasion of 480 BC, is clear. The obverse is rough, primarily due to the coin's deposition, but also due to a worn die. It seems that the obverse dies in particular were used well past their useful lives. Centering is also a problem, as it is with many classical and intermediate owls, with the obverse serving as the anvil die, while the owl side (reverse) was the hammer die. Actually the obverse centering for this coin is decent, and Athena's archaic smile is visible. The appeal of this coin is clearly the reverse. I might be a little hyperbolic in the description of the the reverse, but it is very nice and apparently struck with a fairly new die, at least with regards to the owl. There seems to be some erosion of the ethnic. [B]2. What's this? [I]Another [/I]archaic owl?[/B] One day, in the late winter as I recall, when I was puttering around the house, Kirk Davis' catalog came through the slot. Normally I put these catalog aside for a month or two, but this time I opened the envelope to look at his small but excellent selection of coins. Boom...there is was, beckoning like a Siren to wreck my coin budget on the shoals of numismatic desire. Unlike Ulysses I succumbed to the call. Attica, Athens 500/490 - 485/82 BC AR Tetradrachm, archaic style. Obverse: Head of Athena facing right, wearing an archaic style helmet, hair style of waves above the forehead. Reverse: Owl standing right with over-sized eyes and a wide short body, olive sprig to left pointing downwards, ΑΘΕ to right. Seltman Group M About VF 17.23 grams [ATTACH=full]1403527[/ATTACH] This coin's appeal rests with the somewhat unusual hair treatment, plus the nicely centered owl on the reverse. As I try to collect one owl for each of Seltman's groups, this is my Group M owl. [B]3. An early archaic owl.[/B] I wasn't sure, initially, if this would be a wise acquisition. This coin is a Seltman group H owl, making it the earlies type in the collection. But I decided to bite the bullet, bought the coin and removed it from the slab. Attica, Athens 525/10 - 515/05 BC AR Tetradrachm, archaic style. Obverse: Archaic head of Athena to right, wearing crested helmet decorated with chevron and dot pattern at base. Reverse: Owl standing to right with head facing, small olive sprig behind head, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square with flat edges. Obverse strike off-center. Crest has dots at the base, and the owl die links this coin to Group H. C. Seltman, Athens, Its History and Coinage before the Persian Invasion, group H, cf. 292 page 190; Plate XIII, similar to A192-P238. NGC Choice VF, with good quality metal. Rare 17.46 grams [ATTACH=full]1403532[/ATTACH] This is very distinctive coin, with the solid crest and dots running along the base, the high relief portrait and the small owl that is fairly well proportioned. Another feature of the group H owls is the flat edges on the reverse that really frame the design. The centering on the obverse could be better, and there are a couple of flan flaw at the bottom, but, were these issues not present and the obverse centering a bit better, I am sure this coin would have been priced well out of my financial means. Seltman states that the artistic style of the group H owls is Doric, of high artistic merit, and likely issued during the reign of Hippias in conjunction with the Greater Panathenaic festival. [B]4. A Lihyan imitation owl[/B] For the past few years I have been looking for a nice example of these unusual and abstract owl imitations. I have had not luck obtaining a silver coin, but I was able to snag a nice AE version. ARABIA, Northwestern. Lihyan. 2nd–1st centuries BC. Æ Tetradrachm (21mm, 12.89 g, 3h). Imitating Athens. Obverse: Schematic head right, two upward crescents on cheek. Reverse: Schematic owl standing right, head facing; olive spray to left. Huth, Athenian, fig. 5, d; Huth A very nice example of this debased imitation coinage. EF Rare [ATTACH=full]1403541[/ATTACH] [B]5. A flashy tetradrachm of Macrinus, Cyrrhestica[/B] This coin is part of my on-going, on-again, off-again (more off-again) effort to create a tetradrachm type set of Roman emperors. I like the tetradrachm format, since it provides, much like the large bronzes, a larger canvas for the engraver to demonstrate artistic achievement, or in some cases lack thereof. This coin came to me by way of Roma's XXII auction, so it was not cheap by any means, but it fits the type coin role perfectly. Roman Empire, Macrinus, 217-218 AD BI Tetradrachm of Beroea, Cyrrhestica. Obverse: AYT•K•M•OΠ•CЄ•MAKPIN[OC CЄ], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right, seen from front. Reverse: ΔHMAPX•ЄΞ•YΠATOC•Δ•, eagle standing facing with wings spread and head to left with wreath in beak; B-Є flanking bird standing below. Lot 546, Roma XXII Prieur 891. 15.00g, 26mm, 12h. Extremely Fine; struck in high relief, light cabinet tone over lustrous metal. Rare. From a private Dutch collection; Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction X, 27 September 2015, lot 629; Ex Belgian collection, Tradart S.A., Auction 5, 16 November 1995, lot 205. [ATTACH=full]1403543[/ATTACH] I must say, that the bird below the eagle does have a strong resemblance to Big Bird. [B]6. An artistic Sol Reverse, and a nice obverse to boot[/B] This coin came by way of Harlan Berk. I normally do not collect Alexandria tetradrachms, although the series does offer some very interesting reverse themes. Roman Empire, dated RY 14, 266/67 AR tetradrachm, Alexandria Gallienus Obverse: Laureate, cuirassed bust of emperor right. Reverse: Radiate and draped bust of Helios right; palm frond before, L I? (date) across field. Dattari-5239, Emmett-3813. Ex CNG VI, lot 340, 1989. 10.22 grams [ATTACH=full]1403544[/ATTACH] For an Alexandrian tetradrachm for this period, the quality of the die work is really nice, and the metal quality is above average, although I am not sure what the silver content actually is. [B]7. Lounging by the Danube[/B] Sometimes a nice type coin comes along with an interesting and historical reverse. I came across this denarius of Trajan while viewing the offerings of a seller that I have done much business with on eBay. Roman Empire 107-108 AD Trajan AR Denarius (3.57 gm, 18mm) Rome mint Obverse: Laureate bust right, slight drapery. Reverse: DΛNVVIVS in exergue, Danube reclining left on rocks, head right, cloak floating above, hand on prow of ship and resting arm on urn. RIC II 100; Woytek 277b; RSC 136. Lightly toned good VF. Very scarce. [ATTACH=full]1403545[/ATTACH] [B]8. An appealing Annona reverse[/B] Roman Empire 156-157 AD Antoninus Pius AE Sestertius Obverse: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P IMP II, Laureate head right, drapery on shoulder. Reverse: TR POT XX COS IIII, Annona standing right, holding rudder, left foot on prow. RIC 980 Rome Exceptional light/dark green patina, excellent portrait and overall grade. Good EF 31.1 mm., 25.4 grams [ATTACH=full]1403547[/ATTACH] [B]9. An unusual bronze from Henna[/B] A bit off the beaten track with this one, for me, but I was attracted by the portrait of Ceres, as well as the quadriga on the reverse. Roman Republic 44-36 BC L. Cestius and L. Munatius (duoviri) Æ30 of Henna, Sicily Obverse: L MVNATIVS M CESTIVS, veiled head of Ceres left, wearing grain ear wreath; torch behind. Reverse: Pluto and Proserpina driving quadriga right; MVN HENNAE above. RPC 661; Calciati 12; SNG ANS -. 16.17g, 30mm, 12h. Very Fine. From a private European collection, acquired from Bertolami Fine Arts - ACR Auctions. [ATTACH=full]1403548[/ATTACH] [B]10. An interesting Byzantine/Arab fals[/B] This coin was part of a group lot of Byzantine/Arab coins. Umayyad Caliphate Uncertain period (pre-reform) AH 41-77 / AD 661-697. Æ Fals (follis) Arab-Byzantine type. Dimashq (Damascus) mint. Struck circa AD 685-693. Obverse: Byzantine-style emperor seated facing on throne, wearing crown and holding cruciform scepter and globus cruciger; to left, bird standing right on T; Λ/Є/O to right. Reverse: Large M; above, staurogram set on crescent; A/N/O X/Ч/II across field, Δ below M; ΔAMI. SICA I -; DOCAB -; Khalili 19; Walker, Arab-Byzantine 4; Album 100. Good VF, Great strike. Earthen Patina. Rare From Jordan. 4.49 grams [ATTACH=full]1403550[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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