Found this guy in a bag of foreign coins. To me it looks ancient, but that's coming from a collector of mostly only US coins. Thanks for the help. All comments welcome.
I agree with @The Meat man , portrait looks like Julia Domna and inscription looks like Greek, hence Roman Provincial from the Greek-speaking Eastern part of the Empire. Attributing to a specific city is beyond my skill, but probably someone here can do it.
I think I found it! Julia Domna, AE34 of Tarsos, Cilicia. 15.85g. IOYΛIAN ΔOMNAN CEBACTHN, Draped bust right on crescent / ANTΩNIANHC CEYH AΔΡ MH, AMK downwards in left field, ΓB downwards in right field, TAΡCOY below, Athena walking right, looking back, holding Nike, spear and shield. SGI 2441, SNG Von Aulock 6004.
Nice cherrypick! You must have an interesting source lot for the World stuff. I used to love cherrypicking World coin bulk lots more than anything. Alas, I don't find the time for it so much anymore.
That's a cool coin! I really like these very large bronzes (Großbronzes in German) from third century Tarsus (and from other cities in Cilicia). As for prices: I would think maybe in the $25-60 (+ fees) range at auction, depending who's bidding that day, maybe $40 - 100 fixed price, depending on the dealer. (The Provincial Tarsus coins of the Severan period are somewhat scarcer than later in the century, so certain collectors might pay a bit more -- closer to $80-100 -- if they really "needed" this type. But $40-75 is probably where most dealers would put it.) Much nicer specimen at Savoca in 2021, hammer = 190 EUR, ~ 230 USD (add 20% auction fees). Different reverse on Domna from Tarsus from CNG recently, hammer = $140 (again, much nicer portrait & patina/surfaces). Generally, big Provincial bronzes from Tarsus are more affordable than one might expect, considering they can be at least as large as RIC Sestertii. Collectors just aren't very interested in most Provincials unless there's something really special about them or they're in spectacular condition. Personally, I love them, and they fit my budget (and published specimens are easy to find, which is what I look for). This volume of RPC has not yet been released (it'll either be in RPC V.2 or V.3), but it does look like a rather scarce type. (With Roman Provincials, though, "rare" is common.) I see three specimens (or close vars.) in ACSearch, ref. as SNG vA 6004 (as you have above) or SNG BnF 1481: Savoca 95 (2021), 413 (190 EUR) ; CNG e-227 (2010), 352 ($86) (ex JP Righetti) ; and, Peus 398 (2009), 733 (220 EUR). A couple Tarsiote favorites Gordian III from the Henry Lindgren (1914-2005) Collection (also ex M.D.A. Coll.), Æ Großbronze or Hexassarion (?) (36mm, 33.94 g, 6h): RPC VII.2 3060, ex. 29 = Lindgren vol I 1635 (published in 1985 w/ Kovacs): Another newly added extra large Tarsus Bronze (~34mm) from Gordian III, with Artemis on the back (RPC VII.2, 3020 or similar), but not yet properly photographed. Also from the Lindgren Collection (but unpublished, with his hand written envelope/tag) & Michael Slavin Collection. Earlier Tarsus Mint One of the really interesting things about Tarsus is the very long history of the mint. Coinage at Tarsus seems to have begun in the mid- to late-5th cent. BCE (exs. on AsiaMinorCoins), struck under the Persian Satraps, then under the Macedonian authority after Alexander the Great took the city (around 333/2 BCE) and throughout the Hellenistic Period (under the Seleukids). Then the Roman Provincials from Augustus through at least Gallienus/Valerian. One of my favorite AR Staters was struck in Tarsus under Mazaios (c. 361-334 BCE) shortly before Alexander III's conquest: Probably ex "Tarsus Hoard (late 1970s)," then Athena Fund & J. Seventko Colls. (one of the first ancient coins ever slabbed, in 2002 by ICG for Heritage), et al. It was once thought Mazaios was killed, but now seems to be that Alex. kept him on as some kind of governor (around Bablyon?). A newer, slightly earlier addition, a silver Obol (9mm, 0.68g) struck around 380 BCE under Datames. Though a Persian Satrapy, the art and coinage in this region was heavily influenced by the Classical Greek world. Possibly Artemis and Aphrodite, but it's uncertain: Ex Collection sans Pareille of Greek Silver Fractions, No. 914 (previously Mildenberg & von Aulock Colls.) In between those, here's a 2nd-1st cent. BCE Tarsus bronze. "164-27 BCE," or simply "after 164 BCE" is the usual dating. But how far after 164 (or before 27)? (Tyche & Pyramidal monument w/ Sandan. Countermark: head of Helios radiate.) Ex Doug Smith Collection (Duplicates), his photographs, acq. in 2013 from Don Zauche (d. 2019, Westminster, MD). That was the year Antiochus IV died -- 164. I'm not sure exactly when Cilicia first fell under Roman influence. Parts were under Roman control (governorships) since 103 BCE, and then annexed by Pompey in 67 BCE. I can imagine several different periods to date this one to....
