Recently I bought this coin of Samos, the large Ionian island. It's from about 200 BC, just before the Romans handed the island over to their friends, the kings of Pergamum. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but I like the style very much. A tetrobol or 2/3 of a drachm, strange denomination one would say. Samos. Circa 210-190 BC. AR Tetrobol. Obv. Facing lion’s scalp. Rev. Forepart of bull butting right; amphora, monogram TAT, and barley ear below. Text above: ΣAMIΩN. 16 mm, 3.01 gr. I made this picture in the morning with daylight and a lamp, causing some mighty strange effects. In reality, the lion's scalp has no eyes, and the dark spots are not there either. Underneath is the (augmented) seller's picture for comparison.
Hmmm I like both pictures for different reasons. I like the top set for the way it makes the lion's eyes "glow". I like the bottom because it shows the contrast on the coin. Either way, great looking coin. Thanks for sharing!
If you are going to mix daylight and artificial light, consider buying a daylight balance light bulb.
