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<p>[QUOTE="Jochen1, post: 8385688, member: 103829"]Dear friends of ancient Coins!</p><p><br /></p><p>There are a number of coins in my collection which I have not yet been able to identify satisfactorily. Until recently, these included the following coin, which is the subject of this article. Through my research I found out that altogether only 4 specimens have been published, which means that this coin is not common. </p><p><br /></p><p><b>The coin:</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]1488175[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>I had already purchased it from Ancient Imports in 2008 with the description that it was from Tarsos and showed Ariadne in a biga. Probably Ancient Imports had confused it with the following coin:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488163[/ATTACH] </p><p>Tarsos, Maximinus I, SNG Levante 1104 var. </p><p><br /></p><p>This misdescription, however, was the actual reason for my purchase, as it was a rare mythological subject. Afterwards, however, it turned out that this description was wrong. Curtis Clay enlightened me that this coin was indeed from Maionia and that it was about Dionysos. Nevertheless, it was a special coin and when it was presented in the American forum I wrote enthusiastically:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Such a coin is like a beautiful lady clothed in veiling garment where you nevertheless can imagine her shape and beauty underneath!</i></p><p><br /></p><p>And Pat Lawrence had replied:</p><p><i>Jochen! Coins keep us alive, coins keep us young; even me (you are younger in years). You talk about your coin (and so would I) as if you were 25...The Empire lives in its coins, and the best Lydian ones combining a living style with delightful subject matter. Centaurs, indeed! That Maionia coin is one I'd already noticed in the literature. It is glorious.</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Now I have traced the history of this coin. It was first mentioned in 1835</p><p><br /></p><p><b>(1) The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 4, July to December, 1835, p.132, XXXII.</b></p><p>"Rare and unpublished coins of Roman Emperors, Caesars, and Empresses, struck in Greek cities. - Letter III."</p><p><a href="https://archive.org/details/sim_gentlemans-magazine_1835-08_4/page/n25/mode/2up?view=theater" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://archive.org/details/sim_gentlemans-magazine_1835-08_4/page/n25/mode/2up?view=theater" rel="nofollow">https://archive.org/details/sim_gentlemans-magazine_1835-08_4/page/n25/mode/2up?view=theater</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488164[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488165[/ATTACH] </p><p>The image is a drawing signed "H. A. Cgg. Dei." </p><p>J.Y.Akerman already emphasises the beauty of the execution!</p><p><br /></p><p>It is said that this coin is in the British Museum. Then it could be identical with specimens (2) and (3)!</p><p><br /></p><p>Misdescriptions: </p><p>(1) The Av. legend is misrepresented. Correct would be AV.KAI.Λ.CEΠ CEVHPOC ΠEPTIN.</p><p>(2) The description says that each centaur holds a torch and a club. However, there are only 3 objects on the coin!</p><p><br /></p><p>Notes:</p><p>(1) The Gentleman's Magazine was a London-based periodical first published in 1731 and published regularly monthly until 1907. It covered a wide range of topics from various sources and was the first to use the title Magazine (Wikipedia).</p><p>(2) John Yonge Akerman (1806-1873) was Secretary of the Numismatic Society, F.S.A.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second mention of this coin was in 1845: </p><p><br /></p><p><b>(2) Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 8, April, 1845 - January, 1846.</b></p><p>"Unedited Autonomous and Imperial Greek Coins" (Tenth Notice), by H. P. Borrell, Esq. [Read before the Numismatic Society, April 24th, 1845] p. 9, No. 4</p><p>Smyrna, 1 October 1843:</p><p><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42682337" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42682337" rel="nofollow">https://www.jstor.org/stable/42682337</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488167[/ATTACH] </p><p>Here, too, the elegant design is emphasised. Unfortunately there is no illustration. But "Bank of England" and "from my cabinet" can only mean that Borell no longer had the coin in his possession at that time. Since the British Museum had already acquired his collection in 1833, it can be the coin from the Gentleman's Magazine of 1935. The only thing that remains unclear then is why he does not write this here! </p><p><br /></p><p>Misdescriptions:</p><p>(1) In fact, however, Dionysus is not wearing an ivy wreath here.</p><p>(2) Here it is said that one centaur carries a club in each hand, the other only a torch. In fact, however, 2 torches and a mace can be seen on the coin. </p><p><br /></p><p>Notes:</p><p>(1) Henry Perigal Borrell (1795-1851):</p><p>Collector of coins, especially from Asia Minor, and classical inscriptions. He lived in the Levant for over 30 years and established his collection in Smyrna. He was keeper of the Greek Order of the "Saviour" and a corresponding member of the Archaeological Institutes of Rome and Berlin. The British Museum acquired his collection (HPB) in 1833. </p><p>(2) All issues of the Numismatic Chronicle (NC) can thankfully be downloaded for free at jstor.org.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>(3) Barclay Head, Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lydia (BMC Lydia), London 1901, pp. 133, 43.</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]1488168[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>Picture: Lydia pl. XIV (unfortunately only the reverse side!)</p><p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/30287052/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_MAP_and_PLATES_1_50_London_1902" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.academia.edu/30287052/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_MAP_and_PLATES_1_50_London_1902" rel="nofollow">https://www.academia.edu/30287052/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_MAP_and_PLATES_1_50_London_1902</a></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488169[/ATTACH] </p><p>Text: p. 133 </p><p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/37327131/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_TEXT" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.academia.edu/37327131/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_TEXT" rel="nofollow">https://www.academia.edu/37327131/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_TEXT</a> </p><p><br /></p><p>These links lead to the reference BMC Lydia, 43, which is now considered the generally valid one. Since this coin is identified with Borrell, there is a presumption that coins (1), (2) and (3) are always the same specimen. If so, only 4 specimens would be known to date! </p><p><br /></p><p>Misdescriptions:</p><p>(1) Head writes: "carrying flaming torches." Yet the centaur in front is clearly holding a club in his arm!</p><p>(2) But instead the thyrsos is mentioned here for the first time!</p><p><br /></p><p>Notes:</p><p>(1) Barclay Vincent Head (1844-1914) was a British numismatist. From 1864 he worked as an assistant in the "Department of Coins" of the British Museum. In 1871 he became senior assistant and from 1893-1906 he was the director of the department. Between 1874-1914, he and his colleagues published 27 volumes of the British Museum's catalogue of Greek coins, the "Catalog of Greek Coins", which is still one of the standard numismatic works today. His work "Historia Numorum", first published in 1887, still forms the basis of every scientific study of Greek numismatics.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>(4) Lanz Numismatics Munich, Auction 32, 29.4.1985, Lot 633</b></p><p><b>[ATTACH=full]1488170[/ATTACH] </b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488172[/ATTACH] </p><p>This coin has been in the Art Gallery of Yale University since 2009, from which the following provenance also originates: </p><p>Marcel Burstein, Reno, Nev. by 1985.</p><p>Lanz Auction 32, Lot 633, Munich, 29.4.1985 </p><p>Frank L. Kovacs, San Mateo, Calif., 1985-2000</p><p>Ben Lee Damsky, 2000-2009</p><p>Yale University Art Gallery, since 2009</p><p><br /></p><p>Misdescriptions:</p><p>(1) TAAB in the Av. legend. A mistake that still caused me big problems!</p><p>(2) "Centaurs with torches", mace not mentioned!</p><p><br /></p><p>This coin is also illustrated in the Art Gallery of Yale University under No. 2009.110.80, but without description.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dane Kurth has adopted it in her work "Greek and Roman Provincial Coins - Lydia (GRPC Lydia), 2020", unfortunately with the wrong description of Lanz with the torches and a wrong Av. legend "A TO B".</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1488173[/ATTACH] </p><p>According to information in the Ancient Coins forum of 24 May 2022, it corrected this error in a supplement which I do not have.</p><p><br /></p><p>(Will be continued)[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Jochen1, post: 8385688, member: 103829"]Dear friends of ancient Coins! There are a number of coins in my collection which I have not yet been able to identify satisfactorily. Until recently, these included the following coin, which is the subject of this article. Through my research I found out that altogether only 4 specimens have been published, which means that this coin is not common. [B]The coin: [ATTACH=full]1488175[/ATTACH] [/B] I had already purchased it from Ancient Imports in 2008 with the description that it was from Tarsos and showed Ariadne in a biga. Probably Ancient Imports had confused it with the following coin: [ATTACH=full]1488163[/ATTACH] Tarsos, Maximinus I, SNG Levante 1104 var. This misdescription, however, was the actual reason for my purchase, as it was a rare mythological subject. Afterwards, however, it turned out that this description was wrong. Curtis Clay enlightened me that this coin was indeed from Maionia and that it was about Dionysos. Nevertheless, it was a special coin and when it was presented in the American forum I wrote enthusiastically: [I]Such a coin is like a beautiful lady clothed in veiling garment where you nevertheless can imagine her shape and beauty underneath![/I] And Pat Lawrence had replied: [I]Jochen! Coins keep us alive, coins keep us young; even me (you are younger in years). You talk about your coin (and so would I) as if you were 25...The Empire lives in its coins, and the best Lydian ones combining a living style with delightful subject matter. Centaurs, indeed! That Maionia coin is one I'd already noticed in the literature. It is glorious.[/I] Now I have traced the history of this coin. It was first mentioned in 1835 [B](1) The Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 4, July to December, 1835, p.132, XXXII.[/B] "Rare and unpublished coins of Roman Emperors, Caesars, and Empresses, struck in Greek cities. - Letter III." [URL]https://archive.org/details/sim_gentlemans-magazine_1835-08_4/page/n25/mode/2up?view=theater[/URL] [ATTACH=full]1488164[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1488165[/ATTACH] The image is a drawing signed "H. A. Cgg. Dei." J.Y.Akerman already emphasises the beauty of the execution! It is said that this coin is in the British Museum. Then it could be identical with specimens (2) and (3)! Misdescriptions: (1) The Av. legend is misrepresented. Correct would be AV.KAI.Λ.CEΠ CEVHPOC ΠEPTIN. (2) The description says that each centaur holds a torch and a club. However, there are only 3 objects on the coin! Notes: (1) The Gentleman's Magazine was a London-based periodical first published in 1731 and published regularly monthly until 1907. It covered a wide range of topics from various sources and was the first to use the title Magazine (Wikipedia). (2) John Yonge Akerman (1806-1873) was Secretary of the Numismatic Society, F.S.A. The second mention of this coin was in 1845: [B](2) Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 8, April, 1845 - January, 1846.[/B] "Unedited Autonomous and Imperial Greek Coins" (Tenth Notice), by H. P. Borrell, Esq. [Read before the Numismatic Society, April 24th, 1845] p. 9, No. 4 Smyrna, 1 October 1843: [URL]https://www.jstor.org/stable/42682337[/URL] [ATTACH=full]1488167[/ATTACH] Here, too, the elegant design is emphasised. Unfortunately there is no illustration. But "Bank of England" and "from my cabinet" can only mean that Borell no longer had the coin in his possession at that time. Since the British Museum had already acquired his collection in 1833, it can be the coin from the Gentleman's Magazine of 1935. The only thing that remains unclear then is why he does not write this here! Misdescriptions: (1) In fact, however, Dionysus is not wearing an ivy wreath here. (2) Here it is said that one centaur carries a club in each hand, the other only a torch. In fact, however, 2 torches and a mace can be seen on the coin. Notes: (1) Henry Perigal Borrell (1795-1851): Collector of coins, especially from Asia Minor, and classical inscriptions. He lived in the Levant for over 30 years and established his collection in Smyrna. He was keeper of the Greek Order of the "Saviour" and a corresponding member of the Archaeological Institutes of Rome and Berlin. The British Museum acquired his collection (HPB) in 1833. (2) All issues of the Numismatic Chronicle (NC) can thankfully be downloaded for free at jstor.org. [B](3) Barclay Head, Catalogue of the Greek Coins of Lydia (BMC Lydia), London 1901, pp. 133, 43. [ATTACH=full]1488168[/ATTACH] [/B] Picture: Lydia pl. XIV (unfortunately only the reverse side!) [URL]https://www.academia.edu/30287052/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_MAP_and_PLATES_1_50_London_1902[/URL] [ATTACH=full]1488169[/ATTACH] Text: p. 133 [URL]https://www.academia.edu/37327131/Head_Barclay_Vincent_Lydia_TEXT[/URL] These links lead to the reference BMC Lydia, 43, which is now considered the generally valid one. Since this coin is identified with Borrell, there is a presumption that coins (1), (2) and (3) are always the same specimen. If so, only 4 specimens would be known to date! Misdescriptions: (1) Head writes: "carrying flaming torches." Yet the centaur in front is clearly holding a club in his arm! (2) But instead the thyrsos is mentioned here for the first time! Notes: (1) Barclay Vincent Head (1844-1914) was a British numismatist. From 1864 he worked as an assistant in the "Department of Coins" of the British Museum. In 1871 he became senior assistant and from 1893-1906 he was the director of the department. Between 1874-1914, he and his colleagues published 27 volumes of the British Museum's catalogue of Greek coins, the "Catalog of Greek Coins", which is still one of the standard numismatic works today. His work "Historia Numorum", first published in 1887, still forms the basis of every scientific study of Greek numismatics. [B](4) Lanz Numismatics Munich, Auction 32, 29.4.1985, Lot 633 [ATTACH=full]1488170[/ATTACH] [/B] [ATTACH=full]1488172[/ATTACH] This coin has been in the Art Gallery of Yale University since 2009, from which the following provenance also originates: Marcel Burstein, Reno, Nev. by 1985. Lanz Auction 32, Lot 633, Munich, 29.4.1985 Frank L. Kovacs, San Mateo, Calif., 1985-2000 Ben Lee Damsky, 2000-2009 Yale University Art Gallery, since 2009 Misdescriptions: (1) TAAB in the Av. legend. A mistake that still caused me big problems! (2) "Centaurs with torches", mace not mentioned! This coin is also illustrated in the Art Gallery of Yale University under No. 2009.110.80, but without description. Dane Kurth has adopted it in her work "Greek and Roman Provincial Coins - Lydia (GRPC Lydia), 2020", unfortunately with the wrong description of Lanz with the torches and a wrong Av. legend "A TO B". [ATTACH=full]1488173[/ATTACH] According to information in the Ancient Coins forum of 24 May 2022, it corrected this error in a supplement which I do not have. (Will be continued)[/QUOTE]
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