Help with Parthian Attribution Update

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Sulla80, Aug 13, 2019.

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  1. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    Reading this book: The Sunrise Collection, Assar intro, and revisiting today a coin of Vologases III, which I am updating to Pakoros I (Corrected from Pakoros II per @Bob L. 's comment) based on Assar, Sunrise p.150. I had attributed this coin as 78.3 with levitating ruler, no seat, Ecbatana, and blundered Greek legend and am questioning 78.3 v 78.4. I will need help from @Parthicus and/or others to know if this should be 78.4 and what the difference is between the two - even reviewing Sellwood's description, I don't see the differences.
    Pacorus I aka VIII.jpg and for comparison - 78.6 with chair of two dots, also Ecbatana :

    Vologases two-dots.jpg
    I have accumulated a list of favorite online and paper resources of Parthian Coins that may be useful to others:
    - Percy Gardner Coinage of Parthia (first published in 1877, reprinted in 1968 - out of date, but well worth ~$6-20 used) or the free version from 1877 at archive.org (another amazing resource)
    Capture.jpg
    - Dr. Assar Articles an overwhelming amount of relatively recent info
    - Academia.edu excellent for a wide range of articles and "interest groups" e.g. Parthian Empire
    - JStor.org excellent for a wide range of publications e.g.

    - The Sunrise Collection, Dr. Assar intro and catalog
    - David Sellwood, Coinage of Parthia, getting harder to find
    - Fred B. Shore Parthian Coins & History: Ten Dragons Against Rome - getting harder to find
    - Parthia.Com - well organized site with many nice coins and this useful table - site not completely up to date
    - Baldwin Sale catalogs (Sunrise Collection, Sellwood Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV)
    - Sylloge Nummorum Parthicorum - a work in progress Vol. 7 published
    - Parthian Drachm ID (based on Sellwood)

    Thanks in advance for any help on the re-attribution, and post Parthian coins, resources or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2019
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  3. Parthicus

    Parthicus Well-Known Member

    @Sulla80 : After squinting at my copy of Sellwood for a while, I _think_ your OP coin is 78.3 rather than 78.4. The reverse legends for the two types (as listed in Sellwood) are very similar, but not identical. Type 78.3 has two spots where there are normal letter Ns, and there is no dot inside the gamma-looking pseudo-letter on the bottom line; Type 78.4 has two retrograde Ns and a dot inside the gamma. On your coin, one of the diagnostic Ns is off the flan, but the other N and the undated "gamma" are both present, consistent with your coin being 78.3. A picture may help:
    Slide1.jpg
    Of course, I'd be interested to hear from our other Parthian students (especially @Bob L. and @dougsmit ) to see if they have other thoughts.
     
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  4. Bob L.

    Bob L. Well-Known Member

    I agree, 78.3.

    Pacorus (Pakoros) I, not II.
     
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  5. Bob L.

    Bob L. Well-Known Member

    Please don't forget Alwin's wonderful site - one of the best for researching Parthian coins: http://parthika.fr/

    Every time I'm on that site I thank goodness for the ability to right-click and translate to English.
     
  6. Sulla80

    Sulla80 Well-Known Member

    Thanks @Parthicus - diagram definitely helpful and @Bob L. for catching the I/II and for the added site that I have not visited. Adding another Pakoros I (formerly Pakoros II) with much less facial hair.
    Pakoros I.jpg
    Pakoros I (c. AD 78-120), AR Drachm, Ecbatana
    Obv: Diademed beardless bust left with loop at the top and three ends, earring visible. No royal wart
    Rev: archer seated right on throne holding bow, below bow Ecbatana monogram (26)
    Ref: Sellwood 73.11, Shore 395, Sunrise 431
     
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