Featured Follow the coin theme GAME - ancient edition - post ‘em if you got ‘em

Hi All,



ALBUM-0114B; MIB Constans II X36; FOSS-136; SICA I, 732 & 733; Domaszewicz & Bates AIII #34; DO-0131 to DO-0139

From Goodwin (The Egyptian Arab-Byzantine Coinage): "Although this type broadly follows the design of the last issue of Constans II the obverse standing figure is very wide in proportion to its height and often gives the impression of a three-quarter length figure due to the feet being off the flan. The mint name is usually read as MACP, but on specimens where the last letter is fully struck it usually looks more like MACA. Occasionally a further letter is visible after the last A, but I have yet to find an example where this looks like a P and it is more likely to be an abbreviation marker. However, whatever the exact reading there is little doubt that this is a Greek transliteration of the Arabic miṣr, the name of the military town just outside Babylon which was the new administrative centre of Egypt. [“Babylon” was the name given to the Roman fortified town situated in Old Cairo. Al-Fustāt, the new Arab town, was probably founded in 642 and was generally known as miṣr, the name which persists today as the modern Arabic name for Egypt. It is usually pronounced “masr” in the Egyptian dialect. For details of the foundation and early history of al-Fustat see Kubiak 1987.]

It is quite common to find examples of these coins with retrograde reverses and some of these may be contemporary imitations, but the few which I have examined are similar to the normal coins in style, fabric and weight, so the majority of these retrograde coins are probably products of the official mint."


Next: Another Arab-Byzantine/Roman

- Broucheion

 

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Here's a recent acquisition that needs further research.

Arab-Byzantine, Umayyad Caliphate Æ Fals. Uncertain mint, AD 640-650. Pseudo-Byzantine type, imitating the types of Constans II. ЄN T૪[TO NIKA], standing Imperial figure holding long cross and globus cruciger / Large M; star above, ANO to left, NЄO to right, CON in exergue. Cf. DOCAB 10; cf. SICA I 508-16; Pottier, Schulze, & Schulze Class III.1a. 4.20g, 25mm, 12h.




Next: A 'barbaric" imitation.

 

Next: tetradrachm

 

Hi All,



References: SC I-0036.6b; SCO-0403; WSM-1205, pl xxxix, 7.

Next: Another non-lifetime Alexander Tetradrachm.

- Broucheion

 

Next: another seated diety

 

Julia Domna. Augusta, 193-217 AD. AR Denarius (3.23 gm, 19mm). Laodicea mint. Struck under Septimius Severus, 198-202 AD.
Obv.: IVLIA AVGVSTA... Draped bust right.
Rev.: PVDICITIA... Pudicitia seated left, hand raised to breast......RIC IV #644 (Severus); RSC 168a

Next...Another seated diety

 

Trajan AD 98-117. Rome
Denarius AR
17 mm, 3,08 g
RIC II Trajan 119, RSC 86
AD 103 - AD 111
IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P
Bust of Trajan, laureate, draped, right, draped on left shoulder
COS V P P S P Q R OPTIMO PRINC
Aequitas, draped, seated left on chair without back, holding scales in right hand and cornucopiae in left

Next - Aequitas.

 

An Aequitas I've since parted with


Volusian, Antoninianus
IMP CAE C VIB VOLVSIANO AVG, radiate and draped bust right
AEQUITAS AVGG, Aequitas standing left, holding scales and cornucopia
4,04 gr
Cohen # 8, RCV # 9740

Next : another coin you've sold or given away

Q

 

I have given this one to another collector.



Next: It's a nice theme! Coin you have given away.

 

Gave this to my wife a couple of days ago.

Apameia, Phrygia, AE16. 2nd century AD.
Obv: AΠAMEIA, turreted and draped bust of Tyche right.
Rev: CΩTEIΡA, Hekate Triformis, three-figured, each with double-chiton and wearing kalathos, holding torches.


Next: Hekate.

 

These are a multiple lot I bought several years ago.
I had a conversation with a family friend and it turned out that he had read some Robert Fabbri, Kevin Ashman and Steven Saylor novels.
I gave him one of these Claudius As' ( the one on the right) and he was ecstatic as he had no idea that collecting Roman coins was within his grasp. We speculated on what the coin was worth in respect of a meal etc and the fact that the coin had been used, I call it "honest travels" , and it made it so much more special for him. It was a great night and I felt I had passed on my obligations as a custodian. To be honest ,much of what we do is motivated about protecting our investments using hard earned cash and worrying about fakes that this was inspirational for me and subsequently I have repeated the exercise.
My friend subsequently went on to read " I Claudius" visiting the TV drama of the same name and now collects ancient coins.
Next more giveaways.

 

Sorry was writing my post as you listed so a crossover. You take precedence.

 

Hekate is a fun one! I don't think I have any (not exactly, though, at a minimum, I've got some of the "overlapping" deities, and perhaps I'll find one with her as a field symbol to post).

For the curious, William Berg (1974) wrote an interesting and well-known article on "Hecate: Greek or 'Anatolian'?" (Numen 21 [2]: pp. 128-40) available from his Academia page (pdf, lower-quality copy) or on JSTOR (online, no download, high quality text/images from publisher; if you don't have a [free] JSTOR account, it's well worth signing up for the numismatic content alone; it also has broad coverage in humanities and sciences [social sci, at least]). RPC includes a nice range of examples.

 

Next up: silly hat

 

Top hat - being in style since 3rd century



Valerian I AD 255-256. Samosata
Billon Antoninianus
20 mm, 2,92 g
IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS P F AVG, bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, right / RESTITVT ORIENTIS, turreted woman (the Orient), draped, standing right, presenting wreath to emperor, standing left, holding spear in left hand
RIC V Valerian 287; Göbl 1685e; RSC 189.

Next - someone related to Valerian.

 

Next up: mythical creature

 

SIKYONIA SIKYON
AR Hemidrachm
OBVERSE: Chimaera standing left, with heads of snake, lion & goat, raising forepaw, ΣΙ below
REVERSE: Dove flying left
Struck at Skyon, Fourth Century BC
2.6g, 17mm
SNGCop 57, BMC 111
Ex Doug Smith

Next: More mythical creatures

 

Ionia, Teos. Æ17. Circa 370-330 BC.
Obv: Griffin seated right, forepaw raised.
Rev: Grape bunch over kantharos.

Next: Coastal city.

 

Here’s a coin that went from being on the coast of the Aegaean (Ionia, Erythrae) to the coast of the Black Sea (Bithynia, Herakleia-Pontika) when Wolfgang Fischer-Bossert reattributed the type in 2020:

Fischer-Bossert, Wolfgang. 2020. “Die Elektronprägung mit dem Herakleskopf: Herakleia Pontike, nicht Erythrai.” Numismatische Zeitschrift 126 (2020), pp. 15–164. https://www.academia.edu/45579782/

“This article features a full die-study of the series of electrum hectae hitherto attributed to Erythrae in Ionia. Based on various evidence, the series is re-attributed to Heraclea Pontica in Bithynia and dated to c. 530–495 (earlier groups) and c. 480–420 (later groups). The series is likely to have been minted by agreement with the Persian governor/satrap at Dascyleion. Therefore it sheds some light on both Persian politics before and around Dareios I's Scythian campaign and the electrum coinage of Heraclea's rival Cyzicus.”​

This coin = Fischer-Bossert 10 (V5’’/O9), page 89 & illustrated on page 156.

Ancient Greek (Archaic). Bithynia, Herakleia-Pontika. Circa 530 BCE. Electrum Hekete or 1/6 Stater (2.59g, 10mm, 6h?).
Obverse: Archaic head of Herakles facing left, wearing lionskin headdress with Laschenohr (“handle- or tab-shaped ear”), truncation adorned by a row of dots.
Reverse: Quadratum incusum (incuse square) with four recessed squares.
Reference: Fischer-Bossert Group 2, No. 10 (V 5’’/R 9; this coin illustrated). See also (all citing Ertyhrai): SNG von Aulock 1942; SNG Kayhan 737-8; Boston MFA 1806-7; BMC Ionia Pl. III, No. 15; Babelon, Traité pl. 5, 18; Pozzi 2373-5.
Provenance: Ex-Artemide Aste Auction LII (San Marino, 26 October 2019), #102; Savoca Numsmatik 18th Silver Auction (Munich, 8 Oct 2017), Lot #153.
Published: W. Fischer-Bossert (2020) “Die Elektronhekten mit dem Herakleskopf,” Numismatische Zeitschrift 126: 15-164. Featured in Classical Numismatics (u/Savixe) Youtube video, "Ancient Coins: Gold Coins" (20 Oct 2020).​

NEXT: A COIN THAT’S BEEN RE-ATTRIBUTED, RE-IDENTIFIED, RE-DATED, or subject to other interesting difference of interpretation.

UPDATING before bed, lest we hit 12 hours:
Note that I didn't mean anything tricky ... the "next" should actually apply to most ancient coins (e.g., "difference of interpretation" to most Greek and Roman "disguised portrait" coins of many famous individuals; "re-dating" to most Parthian coins, New Style Tets, many Republican bronze and silver; "re-attribution" or difference of opinion to many coins of Caria, of Olbia, of Mysia, and so on...)​

 

These have long been attributed to the city of Carrhae but now are considered to be from Edessa.


Roman Provinces: Mesopotamia, Edessa, under Caracalla, AE 21, 198–217 AD. Obv: M AVR ANTONINV[S PF AVG]; head of Caracalla, laureate, r. Rev: COL MET ANTONINIANA AVR ALEX; bust of Tyche, draped and turreted, r. 21mm, 6.17g. Sear Greek Imperial 2702; BMC 19 (for Carrhae).

Next: Mesopotamia