Jeremy's top 10 of 2020

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by jb_depew, Dec 28, 2020.

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  1. jb_depew

    jb_depew Well-Known Member

    I had been waiting on the arrival of one last coin this year, which thankfully arrived a couple of days ago in time to make my top 10 of 2020. Though the year has not been without its difficulties, I feel fortunate to have added some favorites in the last 12 months - most were acquired early in the year before the pandemic and the competitive collecting environment it created. Without further adieu:

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    10. Cappadocia, Caesarea, Hadrian, AR Didrachm
    117-138 AD
    Obverse: ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΟϹ; laureate head of Hadrian right.
    Reverse: ΥΠΑΤΟϹ Γ ΠΑΤΗΡ ΠΑΤΡ; Mount Argaeus surmounted by star.
    References: Sydenham 267; Metcalf, Caesarea 107 var. (no drapery)
    20mm; 6.71g

    I have a number of coins depicting Mount Argaeus (known presently as Mount Erciyes) struck under Hadrian and Lucius Verus. The style and sharp detail of this coin makes it the favorite of my sub-collection.

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    9. Pisidia, Antioch, Severus Alexander Æ 34mm
    222-235 AD
    Obverse: IMP CAES SEVE-R ALEXANDER; Laureate head of Caracalla right.
    Reverse: COL CAES ANTIOCH; She-wolf below tree, standing right, suckling the twins Romulus and Remus, SR in exergue.
    References: SNG Paris 1185-6
    34mm, 22.65g

    Though Severus Alexander looks a bit extra-terrestrial, I bought this big, chunky bronze for the beautifully rendered reverse. After seeing the capitoline wolf statue in Rome a few years ago, I had been on the hunt for a decent example showing the subject matter. For a provincial coin, it has a very "Roman" look to it.

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    8. Faustina Major Æ Sestertius
    141-146 AD
    Obverse: DIVA AVGVSTA FAVSTINA; Draped bust right.
    Reverse: PIETAS AVG; Pietas, draped and veiled, standing left, holding pyxis in left hand and dropping incense with right hand onto lighted candelabrum; S-C across fields.
    References: RIC 1146a (Pius); Cohen 249.
    32mm, 27.02g

    Faustina the Elder, the wife of Antoninus Pius, is an interesting (if short-lived) figure in Roman history. I was drawn to this sestertius because of the portrait, with her fantastic beehive haircut.

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    7. Phrygia, Apameia AR cistophoric tetradrachm
    166-133 BC
    Struck circa 150-140 BC
    Obverse: Serpent emerging from cista mystica; all within ivy wreath.
    Reverse: Bowcase between two serpents; civic monogram to left; cap of Dioskouros to right.
    References: SNG von Aulock 3451 var. (no star above); HGC 7, 655-8; Kleiner & Noe Series 21.
    28 mm, 12.68g

    For a guy who hates actual snakes, I was a bit surprised when I realized that not one, but two coins depicting them made it into my top 10. This is my first cistophoric tet, though definitely not my last.

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    6. Moesia Inferior, Tomis. Philip II (as Caesar) Æ Tetrassarion
    244-27 AD
    Obverse: M IOVΛ ΦIΛIΠΠOC KAI / CAP AVΓ; Bareheaded, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip II right and draped bust of Serapis left, wearing kalathos.
    Reverse: MHTPOΠONTOV / TOMЄΩC; Serpent-shaped Glycon coiled, bearded head left.
    References: Varbanov 5803
    27mm, 12.87g

    Glycon was a snake god created by Alexander of Abonoteichos in the 2nd century. A fascinating story involving puppets, fraud, and greasy showmanship. This coins is a nice example of the type. It was struck in Tomis, which was the remote city to which the poet Ovid was banished.

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    5. Macedon, Neapolis AR hemidrachm
    424-350 BC
    Obverse: Facing gorgoneion with protruding tongue.
    Reverse: Head of nymph right; N-E-O-Π to right.
    References: Sear 1417; SNG COP 229; SNG ANS 458.
    12mm, 1.83g

    I picked up this coin from an FSR auction. I really like gorgons, and with the pandemic raging, figured I could use all of the protection I can get ;)

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    4. Calabria, Taras (Tarentum), AR Didrachm/Nomos
    315-302 BC
    Obverse: Nude rider on horse galloping to right, stabbing with spear held in his right hand and holding two other spears and shield in his left; below, ΣA.
    Reverse: TAPAΣ; Youthful oikist, nude, riding dolphin to left, holding kantharos in his right hand and trident in his left; to left, K; below, small dolphin to left.
    23mm, 7.85g

    The horseman on the coins of Taras are thought to be an allusion to the worship of the Dioscuri at Sparta, Taras' mother city. Perhaps it's all the episodes of Flipper I watched as a kid, but I find myself drawn to coins depicting dolphins, as well as those showing mythology. There's something ridiculous and appealing about a guy riding a dolphin with a drink and a trident.

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    3. Thrace, Lysimachos AR tetradrachm
    305-281 BC
    Possibly minted at Lysimacheia or Chalcedon
    Obverse: Diademed head of the deified Alexander the Great right, wearing horn of Ammon.
    Reverse: Athena enthroned left, holding Nike and resting left elbow on shield, spear resting to her right; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to right, ΛΥΣΙΜΑΞΟΥ crowned by Nike to left, monogram in inner field.
    References: Unpublished in the standard references.
    28mm, 17.01g

    The fine style of the obverse was the main selling point of this coin. It's an unpublished variety, though the mint mark is usually attributed to Lysimacheia. I haven't made it all the way through Constantin Marinescu's work, but there seems to be some evidence it could be from Chalcedon as well.

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    2. Commodus Æ Sestertius
    177-192 AD
    Struck 184 AD
    Obverse: M COMMODVS ANTONINVS AVG PIVS.
    Laureate head right.
    Reverse: P M TR POT VIIII IMP VI COS IIII P P / SC.
    Pax seated left on throne, holding branch in right hand and cornucopia in left.
    References: RIC 405; Cohen 453; BMC 531; MIR 6226/30.
    31mm, 23.33g

    Yet another case where I bought the coin for the portrait - this one is exceptionally good in my opinion. It's a scarce issue, and all of the examples I've seen have exhibited the same die flaw on Commodus' forehead.

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    1. Islands off Attica, Aegina AR Stater
    Circa 456/45-431 BC
    Obverse: Tortoise with segmented shell.
    Reverse: Incuse square with skew pattern.
    References: Milbank pl. 2, 12. SNG Copenhagen 516ii. SNG Delepierre 1836; Dewing 1683; ACGC 127.
    20mm, 12.05g

    This coin is struck in very high relief, and almost feels like a mini-sculpture. It's a type I've wanted for years, and was pleased when I was able to pick it up at a Leu auction at a good price. Though off-struck, the turtle has lots of detail and appeal. My favorite coin of 2020 by far.
     
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  3. ominus1

    ominus1 Well-Known Member

    ...lQQks like you had a great coin year here sir! :)
     
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  4. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Oooh, nice Mount Argaeus!
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    Love the snaky action here!
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    Gorgoneion coins are not usually my cuppa tea, but I like this one quite a bit. (PS- look at how nicely centered, for one thing. The gorgon itself seems nearly perfect.)
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    These are always so lovely. I must get one in 2021. Haven't had one yet.
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    Wanna trade Commodus sestertii? ;)
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    Bet yours didn't cost less than ten bucks, though...
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  5. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Sorry just got lost in your horned Alexander's eyes for the last 5 minutes.
    Here's mine:
    20190326_140125_5CCAFDA4-7F83-4C1E-B272-325191995DC3-406-000000AF818F6F98.png
     
  6. Alegandron

    Alegandron "ΤΩΙ ΚΡΑΤΙΣΤΩΙ..." ΜΕΓΑΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ, June 323 BCE

    What a rich group of coins, @jb_depew ! Great collection for 2020!

    I just snared these FANTASTIC cast-offs from your collection, thank you!

    Via a recent @John Anthony auction...

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    CELTIC TRIBES.
    700-500 BC.
    Æ Ring, 3.0g, 23mm.
    Three arches.
    From the DePew Collection


    Pitane was a city in the bay of Elaea, one of the eleven ancient Aeolian settlements. It enjoyed considerable prosperity during the Hellenistic Period owing to abundant trade facilitated by two harbors. Pentagrams occur frequently on almost all Greek coinage and some Roman Republican types, but only as field marks. On the coinage of Pitane, we find these ancient symbols as bona fide devices. Their significance in relationship to the city is unclear. These types are rare – you can look at a few at CNG here.

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    MYSIA. Pitane.
    Æ10, 0.9g; Circa 4th-3rd century BC.
    Obv.: Head of Zeus Ammon right.
    Rev.: Pentagram, ΠITAN around.
    Reference: SNG France 2349; SNG von Aulock -
    From the DePew Collection.
     
  7. jb_depew

    jb_depew Well-Known Member

    Thanks! I'm glad they went to a good home!
     
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  8. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    The Turtle by far.
     
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  9. Ancient Aussie

    Ancient Aussie Well-Known Member

    All beautiful coins, you have a good eye for quality, I really love your Taras Didrachm great style, congrats.
     
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  10. DonnaML

    DonnaML Well-Known Member

    Wow. Fantastic! My favorites are nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10. I can't narrow them down any more than that.
     
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  11. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    All great coins!! I agree the Commodus portrait is stellar, but my favourites are your #1 and #3. Looks like we picked up die-duplicates from Tomis this year:

    00207Q00.jpg

    I don't think that's Glycon, though, since it lacks the fish tail. (At least that's my understanding, maybe @zumbly can confirm?) Either way it's a great coin. It has additional historical interest in being among the last mint products of Moesia Inferior before being overrun by the Goths.
     
  12. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    My favorites are 2 and 3, but very nice coins all-around!

    Hmmm... I'm no authority, maybe @Jochen1 has an answer. These coiled serpent types were issued at so many provincial mints and with many little variations in how they were depicted. I see examples like this one from Tomis that do have abit of fish tail, but think it's hard to say any given one wasn't meant to depict Glykon, tail type not withstanding. Based on the famous statue of Glykon discovered at Tomis, we at least know the cult was well-established there. Does it (or did it) have a fish tail? I don't think I've seen an image of it from an angle that shows one.

    Clipboard01.jpg

    That said, I do prefer my Glykon coins come with the fishy tail. :D

    Julia Domna. Augusta Traiana:
    Julia Domna - Augusta Traiana AE24 Glykon 4179.JPG

    Geta. Hadrianopolis:
    Geta - Hadrianopolis AE27 Glykon 4180.JPG
     
  13. Roman Collector

    Roman Collector Well-Known Member

    All enviable coins, @jb_depew! All of them would be tied for #1 were that my list. I like the facing Gorgoneion and the youth on dolphin of Tarentum, to be sure, but I'm drawn to the Roman ones. I have always like the big chunky first brass coins of Pisidian Antioch and coins depicting the Lupa Romana, so I find your example very captivating. I really like the portrait on that Commodus sestertius, too! The die flaw on the forehead only adds interest because of its technical aspect.

    But my favorite of all is the Faustina sestertius. That reverse design was introduced between AD 140 and 144,[1] and probably in 143 as part of an issue to commemorate the dedication of the temple to Diva Faustina that year.[2] What I find most interesting about your coin is the ornate nature of the stephane. Typically, the stephane is depicted of a simple lunate design, such as on my example of your sestertius.
    Faustina Sr PIETAS AVG S C candelabrum sestertius veiled and stephaned.jpg

    One of the specimens in the British Museum, (BMCRE 1447, p. 233) has a rather ornate stephane as well, but yours is even more of a stellate, rather than lunate design.

    canvas.png
    OP coin for comparison:

    Faustina Sr PIETAS AVG S C candelabrum sestertius veiled and stephaned Jeremy De Pew.jpg

    Your coin comes in several bust varieties: A bare-headed version facing right, (BMCRE 1442), a veiled bust without a stephane facing right (BMCRE 1445) or left (Strack 1241 with examples in Munich, Paris and Vienna), and a veiled bust with a stephane facing right (your coin) or left (BMCRE 1451). It supposedly comes with a shorter obverse legend (DIVA AVG FAVSTINA), Cohen 243 and 245, cited in RIC as 1146Ba and 1146Bb, but I haven't been able to confirm the existence of these varieties after a rather exhaustive internet search.

    The corresponding duponius and denarius with the right-facing veiled bust do not depict the empress wearing the stephane.

    Faustina Sr PIETAS AVG S C candelabrum dupondius veiled.jpg
    Faustina Sr PIETAS AVG candelabrum veiled bust denarius.jpg

    So, that's probably everything you never wanted to know about your coin.

    ~~~

    1. Pietas sacrificing over a candelabrum appears muled with an aureus of Antoninus Pius bearing the inscription ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP TR P COS III, establishing a date of AD 140-144 with certainty. See Beckmann, Martin. Diva Faustina: Coinage and Cult in Rome and the Provinces. American Numismatic Society, 2012, p. 7.

    2. The portrait-type of Faustina wearing a veil with a stephane commences with the DEDICATIO AEDIS ("Dedication of the Temple") type; we know from non-numismatic sources the temple was dedicated in AD 143.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2020
  14. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    I am particularly attracted to #6 which poses the question of why there is a bare head on the Caesar but the legend ends with AVΓ.
     
  15. Nicholas Molinari

    Nicholas Molinari Well-Known Member

    Solid coin year!
     
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  16. jb_depew

    jb_depew Well-Known Member

    Thanks @Roman Collector ! I appreciate all of the information. I always learn a lot when I post my coins on CT and come away appreciating a new detail that I hadn't considered before.
     
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  17. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Ah geez @zumbly, I asked for a clarification not a muddification! :p It seems that @jb_depew and I will have to describe our reverse type as "possibly Glycon." Looking into it more, the feature most characteristic of Glycon seems to be a long flowing wig, seen on both of your fishy-tail coins. I will look for one with that feature.
    Here's one. The base clearly shows the fishy tail poking out.
    [​IMG]
     
  18. seth77

    seth77 Well-Known Member

    In 247 Philip II was first made Consul and then raised to Augustus, while showing him bare-headed, probably to show his position as a junior co-emperor. There was only one obverse die giving him the title of Caesar and Augustus, paired with several reverse dies -- Glykon, Asklepios, Homonoia -- the different pairings were used intensely between 247 and 249, or just in 247(?)

    This was one of the last types minted at Tomis (if not the last), the city suffered during the gothic invasions of Argaithus and Gunthericus and then Kniva around 248-250 as did the whole Moesia Inferior. This is when local Greek coinage stops at Tomis, possibly closer to 248 than 250, as there is no coinage for Decius as far as I know.
     
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  19. 7Calbrey

    7Calbrey Well-Known Member

    A distinctive and attractive set of coins. Congrats..
     
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  20. Cucumbor

    Cucumbor Well-Known Member

    Some good scores as it seems. I love the Tarentum and Aegina staters (Aegina 1st because of the turtle !) and from the roman coins the Faustina Sr and Commodus' "duck face" !!

    Q
     
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  21. robinjojo

    robinjojo Well-Known Member

    Excellent coins, all.

    While the snake is "striking" on the Moesia coin, I enjoy the wonderful details of the Cappadocia didrachm, Calabria didrachm, Macedon hemidrachm and the Commodus sestertius very much.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2020
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