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Message:: [QUOTE="Curtisimo, post: 2714294, member: 83845"]We have reached the semifinal matches of our tournament and I am excited to say that we have some amazing entries that I think you are all going to love. If you need to get caught up on all the action from the previous rounds you can do so here: <a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-announcing-the-first-annual-cointalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-announcing-the-first-annual-cointalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ancients-announcing-the-first-annual-cointalk-coin-imperator-tournament-2017.293824/</a> [ATTACH=full]613542[/ATTACH] Only three matches left until we crown the Imperator! #5 [USER=57495]@zumbly[/USER] [ATTACH=full]613545[/ATTACH]CALABRIA, TarentumAR Didrachm, CALABRIA, Tarentum, circa 290-281 BC.Fischer-Bossert Group 80, 1131 (V417/R873); Vlasto 587; HN Italy 934.Wt.: 7.75 gDia.: 22.3 mmObv.: Warrior, holding shield and two spears, preparing to cast a third, on horseback right; SA below.Rev.: TARAS, Taras or Phalanthos riding dolphin left, holding distaff and stretching out hand; pellet to left, prow below.Ex Thomas Bentley Cederlind Collection; Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 84 (20 May 2015), lot 1358 Price: $714 (Purchased in 2016) Why It’s Cool:SHORT VERSION: It's got a guy riding a dolphin like a friggin' superhero!! LONG VERSION: Tarentum, in Calabria, was the only colony the Spartans ever established. Its legendary founder was Taras, a son of Poseidon, who was carried to shore by a friendly dolphin when his ship was wrecked in a storm. By the 4th century BC, Tarentum had grown in prosperity to become the greatest city in all of Magna Graecia. Unlike the Spartans, who famously spurned the idea of coinage at the time of its invention, the Tarentines were quick to adopt its use, their iconic 'Dolphin-Rider' didrachmae becoming a symbol of the city's growing power and wealth. The 'Dolphin-Rider' series, spanning almost three centuries, is one of great numismatic interest, and within it are to be found some of the most beautiful of all Greek coins. While maintaining its traditional motifs of the dolphin-rider and the horse-rider, the series also displayed dynamism in design, nuance and purpose. On the obverse, the horse-rider can be found in a great number of different poses, ages and attitudes, the composition of the scene occasionally changing to include secondary figures. The device of city's legendaryoekist(founder) riding upon the back of a dolphin was not a stagnant one either. The dolphin-rider is sometimes seen as an adult man, sometimes a cherubic child, sometimes lean and muscled, and at other times almost corpulent. Interesting accompanying control symbols and secondary devices also add to the variety to be found amongst these coins. On my coin one sees a lively horse-rider design, first devised a few decades earlier by a masterful engraver known as the 'Kal-' artist. Tarentum was famous for horse-breeding and its cavalry, and this obverse type, as with all the others in this series, are thought to show scenes of games held in Tarentum's hippodrome. The reverse benefits from excellent centering, losing nothing of the dolphin's snout and wonderfully expressive face. The dolphin-rider is himself well-proportioned and naturally posed, with remarkable realistic details captured on his upturned face. #8 [USER=4298]@Cucumbor[/USER] Note from Q: I post two pics of the coin, the first being the seller's, showing better details, the second being mine, better showing the overall aspect of the coin in-hand IMO, patina in particular) [ATTACH=full]613543[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]613544[/ATTACH] ATTICA, Athens.AR Tetradrachm, Circa 454-404 BC.Wt.: 17.08 gDia.: 24 mmOr.: 8hObv.: Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eyeRev.: Owl standing right, head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, all within incuse square. ΑΘΕ in the right fieldRef : Kroll # 8; HGC # 4,1597Ex CNG e-sale # 376 Price: $977 ($850 Hammer + 15%: 2016 Purchase) Although… Technically zero, nothing, zilch! as it was a gift from my dear wife for my birthday Why It’s Cool:Ask anyone on the street if they've heard about what an ancient coin is. Most of them will have the image of an Athenian Owl tetradrachm coming to their mind: another iconic coin! At the time they were in use, they were the international standard for trade and business, as would be the denarius for the Romans a bit later, or closer to us the Venitian florin and nowadays the US dollar. Furthermore, this is the coin that financed the building of the Parthenon and bankrolled the Peloponnesian War for the Athenians. Socrates and Pericles may have used these (maybe not that one though)! Of course, it's cool because my wife gifted me with it. Please read what I wrote about that very coin in my presentation thread :<a href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/between-my-wife-and-i-an-owl-story.280813/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.cointalk.com/threads/between-my-wife-and-i-an-owl-story.280813/">https://www.cointalk.com/threads/between-my-wife-and-i-an-owl-story.280813/</a> And what's cool too is that [USER=57495]@zumbly[/USER] has been the first to positively comment on it in the thread By now you all know the drill in the comment section.  Feel free to post pictures of coins, angry bulls, or sad guys crying in the rain <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />  Whatever you post is fair game as long as you’re having fun.  Thanks everyone and thanks to our fantastic finalists![/QUOTE]

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