I located some nice coins in the last weeks of 2016. The first to arrive was found for me by coin seeker extraordinaire, John Anthony: This a very nice example of this type. It looks like there is a die flaw on the right side of the obverse. I think this flaw is visible on other specimens. This is a thick and very satisfying coin in hand. It has some flan lamination at the lower edge and a raised rim from being deeply struck on the top of the reverse. Kings of Paeonia, Patros, 335-315 BC AR Tetradrachm 25mm, 12.83 gm, 6h Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right Reverse: Horseman riding down fallen warrior who defends himself with a raised shield. Fallen warrior manages to escape the battlefield by feigning death, impersonates a tribal leader by looting the distinctive helmet from the leader's corpse, and regales his grandchildren for years afterwards with tales of his prowess in battle (this coin only). AMNG III 5 var (legend); Paeonian Hoard 461 (same dies); SNG ANS 1040 var. (same) IO Saturnalia!
I love your Hollywood version of the reverse, lol! I'm glad you like the coin - it really is a nice thick chunk in hand, and the artistry is off the charts. Here's my pic if anyone wants another view. I got to love it for about 4 hours before it went off to its new home. Coins struck from PH 461 dies all have that speed bump in the right obverse field, so it's a gouge in the die itself, not a flan anomaly.
Theo => wow, that's an awesome OP-addition (congrats) Arnold => I already gave your sweet thread-addition a comment in your cool best-of coin thread (yup, that's a fantastic coin)
Here is a new photo of the Paeonia Tetradrachm. The first photo was shot outside using only natural lighting. I felt like it was overexposed so I re-shot it inside using LEDs with a little CFL in the background. I think this is a better representation of how the coin really looks: JA's picture also captures it nicely.
I received this coin for Christmas from my awesome wife. It has been on my want list for many years but they are hard to find in nice condition. I really like lions on ancient coins, who doesn't? The very elegant rendering of the ox also caught my eye. There is something in the reverse field in front of the ox's left hoof that I can't figure out, anyone know what this is? Islands off Ionia, SAMOS, AR Didrachm, 6.57 gm, circa 310-300 BC. Obverse: Lion scalp Reverse NANISKOS, Forepart of an ox charging right, SA (followed by M?) Very rare. Barron 22,6. HGC 1229. Ex Jean Elsen Brussel V, 1981 John
It's an olive spray, but sometimes they are not terribly well-rendered. See these examples. I love the strike and surfaces on your coin - your wife has a damn good eye!
wow, that's a lovely Christmas present! so does your wife also collect coins or did you leave some well placed hints for her to pick you this cool present?
Thanks for the info on the olive spray, JA. My references made it sound like it would be to the left of the ox and not the right if it was included. I showed my wife the want list feature of vcoins and she picked this out.
These are nice coins with excellent photos. I have long wanted to upgrade my Paeonia tetradrachm but finding examples with legend and victim on flan requires some doing. I've always liked my reverse but the obverse has to be nearly the worst known.
I noticed Theodosius's Tetradrachm has the same misspelling as mine, it should read ΠATPAOY /PATRAOS but the engraver mispelled it as ΠΟΑΡΤΑΥ / POARTAS
I guess both of you know (@arnoldoe and @Theodosius) that the 'types' are now way high on my 2017 shopping list!! I absolutely LOVE them.!!!
WOW! I love the attribute... It is like when I used to tell my Kids a fantastic story, then end it with "Yeah, that was a true story". LOL, I stated this in another Thread sometime ago. Yeah, @TIF reacted JUST like my Kids did when they grew up... https://www.cointalk.com/threads/steve-must-be-infectious.280295/page-3#post-2452580 LOL, at least I have several GRANDkids that I can say "Yeah, that was a true story" !
