Hi everyone, Sorry to bother you all. As you can see, I'm new to this forum and know almost next to nothing regarding ancient coins, etc. What brings me here is a small bronze piece I purchased not too long ago. Originally, I had no idea what it was, but my gut feeling told me it had to me something (if that makes any sense?). After MANY hours of searching on the web, I was able to locate a similar example housed within a museum collection (please see link below). Link: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection...os-greco-roman-1st-century-bc-1st-century-ad/ Now my question(s)... After MANY more hours of searching, I haven't been able to locate another example of this piece except for what's in the museum above, why is that? Is it because it's very rare, valuable, fake etc. etc.. ??? Can someone please help me locate another example and/or give more info on what I exactly have other than the info found within that museum? I'd much appreciate it. Thank you all in advance for your time and help.
According to experts, your medallion has a Syrian origin. It is believed that Helios is in fact the young god Mercury, one of the member of a local triad (with Jupiter and Venus). For more details, look for Henri Seyrig books Antiquités Syriennes and Le culte du soleil en Syrie à l'époque romaine. Here are the "plates" with an example similar to yours.
Wow, you are awesome, thank you so much! With the info you so kindly provided, I was able to find an on-line version of his 1971 book. He states that all of these medallions found (except one example, housed in the, Louvre) were found in Beqaa, on the edge of, Baalbek. Sadly, the examples pictured in his book below were housed in the Beirut National Museum and are now lost. Thanks again so much for your help, most appreciated!
Do you all think my piece is worth having "slabbed" by one of the reputable grading companies? Never been through this process before and just thought to ask. Thx!
Great question. I don’t believe your medallion is “coin enough” to get slabbed. To my eyes, it looks like it would be considered in the statuette category instead of the numismatic category. To that end, I’m not sure if the grading companies would be able to authenticate it, if it’s not a “coin.” However, it seems like it’s a pretty rare piece and should be authenticated in any case.
If medallions of this type are that rare, the chances are excellent that what you have is a reproduction. Did the seller provide you with any written provenance or other information about when, where, and from whom he or she acquired this object? My suggestion would be to consult a reputable antiquities dealer*, or someone at a museum that has an ancient art collection, to try to find out if it's an original or a reproduction. I do not believe that this is an appropriate object to send to a coin grading company. If the object is original, you also need to consider the legalities of the situation, especially if the seller didn't provide you with any provenance. Given the conflict in Syria, there's a great deal of stolen and smuggled ancient art floating around. I don't know what country you live in, but please keep in mind that this object, if it's an original, may not have entered your country legally. * Note that the Getty acquired its example in 1971 from the Royal Athena Galleries, a well-known antiquities dealer in New York City that's been in business since the 1940s. I've bought a number of objects there myself since the early 1980s, although none recently. See, for example, the Hellenistic terracotta roundel or medallion of a winged goddess from the 3rd-2nd centuries BC, on the lower shelf in this photo; I purchased it from Royal Athena in 1991:
Thank you both for your replies. I only asked about slabbing because with a quick search, I've seen that NGC does slab medals/medallions.......and since my piece falls under the category of medallion, thought maybe it would be worth it. The seller had no idea what the piece was either and sold it as an unknown 'Statue of Liberty' item. My guess is this is how its been pasted along over the years given the fact that there's so few examples out there and hardly much info. Doubt that there is many, if any repros of this thing running around. Not implying that there isn't, but where are they? I looked through hundreds if not thousands of records and haven't found anything. Once things get back to "normal" I will have the piece evaluated in hand by an expert in the filed of antiquities.
Sounds like a plan! I take it that your seller did not disclose the identity of his or her own seller? If you could get that information, it might enable you to trace the provenance back yourself. Again, please keep in mind that the key date under the applicable UNESCO Convention (to which most countries are signatories) is 1970. If you can show that the object was in your country -- and/or had been exported from Syria or Lebanon or some other country of origin -- prior to 1970, or was exported legally after 1970, there should probably be no legal issue as to your right of ownership (or as to your right to sell the object yourself on the antiquities market), should the country of origin demand return of the object. If not, things are murkier. After all, for all you know, this could be the very same medallion missing from the museum in Beirut.
I totally understand and thank you. Thank you all (especially, Ocatarinetabellatchitchix) so much for your time and help, I really appreciate it. I promise to stop by with any updates. Again, thank you!
It was my pleasure to help. You own a wonderful piece of history. Thanks for sharing it with us @JoIke
