If he could, he Would post Here..But Alas he died 500 years ago

View attachment 401914 View attachment 401914 Portrait of a Man holding a coin of the Emperor Nero by Hans Memling 1474

 

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So this is the original Peter? CT 15th century style!

 

How real is that painting?

 

Should try to sneak a coin into a photo one time just to see what my gf would do.

I am assuming I would get hit. Might be worth it though.

 

i always like seeing that picture, very cool.

 

It's real. http://arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/renaissance_faces/vett_ngl_08_02.htm

 

I would have to ask him to show both sides of the coin. This painting is the cover illustration of Numismatics an ancient science by Elvira Eliza Clain-Stefanelli whom I was privileged to meet when I was new in the Washington DC area and she was at the Smithsonian. The 101 page booklet (including many pages of bibliography and indices) relates coin collecting in medieval and early modern times down to the middle of the 20th century. At the low price they sell for now (less than 10x the original issue price of $1), some of you would probably enjoy it but it is not a coin catalog and will teach you nothing about coins. You will meet a number of interesting people who formed the basis for the hobby as we know it today.

 

I say cast fake. Details soft, edges too sharp. What's with all the questionable Neros popping up?

J/k . Ignore all the above. What a cool painting!

 

Yes and no. There are many times I pick up interesting little tidbits in such papers. For less than $10, I don't think anyone here would feel they were ripped off buying the book. I would say I got more than $10 worth of value out of reading it. No, its not a reference books per se, but very worthwhile reading.

 

You should be able to pick up $10 betting people who could not believe there was a book on the history of numismatics published by the government printing office.

 

At least two. I also own the Smithsonian publication of their Bactrian holdings. I think that was also a GPO publication. I can check tonight to see.

 

The Gentleman with the coin is featured on this website's gallery of his complete works on page 2 bottom right

http://www.hansmemling.org/home-2-24-1-0.html

 

Too many fakes coming out of Cathay. And the young folks are more interested in cod pieces than coins these days. It's a dying hobby.

 

I will have to find a copy of this for my library. I have "Out of the Past: Istanbul's Grand Bazaar" by Burton Berry, a great first-hand account of collecting in Istanbul back in the day.

 

I wish I knew that earlier Bill. I just gave a copy away a few months ago.

 

Somebody should paint me holding a Nabataean.

 

I've never seen a quality example?

 

Truer words have never been spoken.