Reference. very rare RPC 3, 1380, (this coin plate 59)Metcalf Type 42, BM-1063, C-274 (citing BM, 100 Fr.), RIC-495 (R2). Pinder 51. http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/1380/ Obv. HADRIANVS - AVGVSTVS P P Head bare right. Rev. COS - III Zeus Karios standing front, holding spear and shield, both of which rest on ground; in front of the shield an eagle on a curving pedestal. 10.50 gr mm h Ex HJB 2016, Gemini III, 29 Jan. 2007, lot 373; CNG 70, 21 Sep. 2005, lot 995 Note. Unusual image of a local Carian form of Zeus, which appears nowhere else in ancient coinage or ancient art. Very rare: only two specimens known to Metcalf. Our coin shares its obverse die with Metcalf's specimen 192, but is from a new reverse die. Apparently overstruck on a PAX cistophorus of Augustus, RPC-2203: the AX of PAX and the outline of Pax's lower body is faintly visible in reverse left field to the right of the C of COS, and above Zeus' head we can probably make out a leaf and two berries from the wreath encircling the original reverse type. The curious triangular indentation at 5 o'clock on obverse edge may be the lower corner of an IMP VES AVG countermark that had been applied to the cistophorus of Augustus and that was largely filled in when the coin was restruck for Hadrian. post your Cistophorus
Another fantastic addition, Oki! Did you buy that book on Hadrian cistophorii? Is that driving your acquisition of these coins?
Thank you TIF, i did buy Metcalf yes, i want to collect all of his coins which is crazy of course. i left out his AU coins from the start of collecting Hadrian. it's a fascinating Emperor
The same thing happened to me when I bought Emmett's book on Alexandrian coins. I'd better be careful about which books I buy .
Extraordinary coin! I love your goal of wanting to acquire every coin of Hadrian (sans gold). There is something maniacally compulsive about that I can sympathise with.
Impressive new acquisition, Oki. If I could only collect one emperor, it would be a hard tussle between Antoninus Pius and Hadrian.
I have only ever owned one Cistophoric tetradrachm of Hadrian. I parted with it a couple of years ago. Hadrian Cistophoric tetradrachm Obv:- HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P, Bare-headed, draped bust right Rev:- COS III, Minerva, helmeted, standing l., holding patera and spear; at her side, shield. References:- Cohen 294. BMC 1071. RIC 503. Metclaf 395. Minted in uncertain mint in Asia circa A.D. 138 Appears to be overstruck on a Mark Antony and Octavia AR Cistophorus. The remains of the legend M • ANTONIVS • IMP • COS • DESIG • ITER • ET TERT can be seen on the reverse with the M starting at 9 o'clock
Thank you, Martin, i love it, its one of the best preserved remains of overstruck i know from hadrian. btw any Cistophoric is welcome in this tread.
Just wonderful OKi....a gorgeous coin!!! ......and Martin's is a fascinating example as well (wherever it is now)....
Great new addition @Okidoki ! I can relate to the desire to complete a "catalog." I have the same desire but it's for non-ancients. It will never happen for me, even if I had a ton of money. Too many lost to war.
Gawd Oki, it's taken me 30 minutes to figure-out what a cistophorus coin is all about (and I still don't really understand because none of your coins are showing baskets?!) Mysia – PERGAMON, Cistophoric Tetradrachm 123 - 104 BC Diameter: 27 mm Weight: 12.4 grams Obverse: Cista mystica within ivy wreath Reverse: two serpents entwined around bowcase; BO above Ummm, I'm assuming that this baby doesn't quite fit perfectly into your thread (it's not a Hadrian), but I also figured that there was no harm in trying, right? cheers, bro (oh, and please try to teach me something, okay) ... thanks
You can think of the OP coin as a 'descendant' of yours. Same denomination from the same general area (Asia), but different design and regime. Cistophori were silver tetradrachms already in use in Attalid Pergamon when the Romans inherited the kingdom from the last king. Your coin is from the decades following that event, when the same design was kept. Eventually, the designs changed, and many different mints were used to strike them, but the denomination stayed the same, so we refer to those as cistophori as well. I think Bing has one with Mark Antony's portrait on the obverse and cista on the reverse. Hadrian was the last emperor to strike cistophori. Apart from this, I know that they're nice, big, silver, and I want some .
Z-Bro => thanks for the coin-info (very interesting) Oki => yes, I can see the coin underneath (the Hadrian was over-struck onto an example similar to my coin) ... very cool example Thanks guys
