I picked up these two coins from vcoins. I am wondering if anyone can get me specific identification of these two coins? Also, I think the sand colored one has a fake patina and I am fielding ideas how to remove it without damaging the coin.
Tell you straight up, I will be exactly zero help --you already told us as much as I'm ever going to know, until someone comes to the rescue (@Deacon Ray ...as in, Pleeease?). But I have to love all of that archaic Hebrew lettering. Viscerally puts me in mind of the Ge'ez on Aksumite coins of the 6th and 7th centuries CE.
Forgive me in advance if what I write here is already known to you, but I get asked to attribute these types of Hasmonean coins often enough to know that many people struggle with these attributions -- as do I. So perhaps this will be helpful to others to better understand why attributing these types is so difficult. At the heart of the issue is that 4 different Hasmonean rulers each issued multiple types which each have a double-cornucopia on the reverse and an inscription within a wreath on the obverse. Hyrcanus I alone issued 8 different types like this; plus Aristobulus issued 2, Alexander Jannaeus issued 3, and Hyrcanus II issued 3. That makes 16 different possible types (not counting varieties) which each look quasi-identical even to most ancient biblical coin collectors. :-o From my experience the majority of ancient biblical coin collectors (myself included) cannot read Paleo-Hebrew well enough to easily attribute these types. Unless one has memorized all the Paleo-Hebrew letters to the point of being able to have a degree of comfort in reading the names and phrases commonly used in these inscriptions, the only way to distinguish them is by utilizing the detailed online helps which include diagrams (such as the two links provided below), and then through painstaking attention to detail, compare the coin you wish to attribute to the various diagrams sometimes letter-by-letter. It is difficult, but I have done this with success in the past. However, in full honesty, it takes so long to do so that I don't even do it for my own coins any more -- instead, I only buy Hasmoneans with attributions already assigned from expert sellers who do read Paleo-Hebrew. So, with all that said, the best I can do is provide two links to info that would allow those with enough interest, time, eyesight, and patience to do so. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=reading judean coins https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/at..._desc&countitems=17&changeDisplayList=&page=1 re: the coin with the possible fake patina... Just a thought from past experiences (good and bad)... If it does have a fake patina, and if said potential fake patina were to be removed, the contrast necessary to read the inscription may be lost in the process.
Thank you, my friend, for the vote of confidence but the cavalry has already arrived to the rescue in the form of Mr. @philologus_1 . I’m going to defer to his knowledge and experience.
An additional comment, @cplradar —I was thinking about the sand patina that many ancient coins from the Levant have in common. Some have been re-patinated and some have not. Many of my Judaean coins have been examined and graded by NGC and ANACS and if the patina has been applied in modern times it is always indicated on the slab label. On many, there is no such indication which leads me to assume the patina is authentic.
