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Tripod and serpent | Coin Talk

 

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Wow, thank you, and thanks to @Roman Collector for his fascinating (as usual!) post on the subject. I had no idea. Interesting that most of the coins posted in that thread were from Moesia or Thrace, although I did see one other from Antioch.

 

Here are a couple new ones.

Claudius, AE as, A.D. 50 - 54, Rome mint
OBV: TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG P M TR P IMP P P, bare head of Claudius left
REV: LIBERTAS AVGVSTA, Libertas standing facing, head right, holding pileus in right hand and extending left hand; S C in field
27mm, 10.35g
Ex Galata Coins, Wolverhampton, England, Feb. 1979


Also this little guy:

Thrace, Olbia, AE dolphin
Circa 3rd century B.C.
26.5x9mm, 1.45g
SG1684


Got a few more interesting items coming in the mail.

 

Here is something special that just arrived. It is not a coin, but then the thread title just says ancient, right?


Black clay oil filler juglet, from the time of King David (Iron age, 1200 - 586 B.C.), 55x65mm. It's a beautiful little piece.

 

This eastern imitation owl actually came in April 1st, no fooling!

Paleo Hebrew M countermark on reverse?

17.03 grams

What an absolutely charming artifact!

 

There were several coins I picked up, but this one came in a few days ago:

Byzantine Empire: Æ Anonymous Imitation Class A3 Follis (ca. 1020-1028), Constantinople Mint (cf. Sear 1818)
Obv: Facing bust of Christ Pantokrator
Rev: Blundered Greek legend

 

This package turned up today from Bertolami who appear to front ACR Auctions in Munich. Shipped by DHL from Germany on Thursday and left in my car by the DHL driver at 08.30 am. The fun now starts to identify and clean the ones with most verdigris. This experience is very different from normal for me as the auction house images are far better than the coins look in hand and normally I find that this works the other way around. This is my first real attempt at cleaning coins so eventually I will post a "before and after" image.
The last coin second row is in the worst condition and I believe it is a Vespasian,

 

All those coins will come out very well from cleaning. They will keep the green patina if you use distilled water instead of olive oil. I use water color pencils. They are cheap, and work well enough. I trim one of them down a bit, for the «ground work», and then a soft one for the finish.


My latest purchases have been books.

Bellingers classic on the coins of Troas. Really looking forward to getting it.


This arrived today, and was a disappointment, as it had no plates. But an original numismatic document from 1895 for the price of 15€ is acceptable anyway.

 

This came in the mail the other day, the last of the Flavians for my collection.

 

Prices were kinda bonkers at Savoca today, but I bought two coins and put my new Sear book to use:

Akarnania. Oeniadae

AE21, circa 219-211 BC.

Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right, (Λ below, eagle behind head)

Reverse: OINIAΔAN above head of the river-god Acheloös right, trident above.

Reference: BCD Akarnania 349; BMC 12., Sear 2298

Size: 21mm Weight: 6,67g

Oeniadae was situated south in Acarnania, near the mouth of the Achelous, the largest river in Greece. The man-headed bull is thought to be a symbol of this important waterway. He also appears beardless on several Acarnanian silver coins from Leucas and Thyrrheium .

That was 28€ plus %. The coin is not in good condition, and I had decided to skip it after having had it on my watch list before the auction. But when it came up, I just really wanted that man-headed bull. Plus I had just seen a picture of it in my new book. Fools and their money are easily parted.

The next one was this:



Ionia. Kolophon

AE19, 4th-3rd century BC. Magistrate Alkidemos?

Obverse: Youthful head of Apollo right, hair bound in taenia, upright jewel or horn above forehead

Reverse: (AΛ-KI-ΔH-MOΣ?) around linear square with lyre within with KO above it.

Reference: M&M 21, lot 626. Magistrate unlisted in Milne; BMC; Mionnet; SNG Cop; SNG ANS etc.

Size: 19mm Weight: 6,41g Conservation: very fine details, scratches.

Kolophon was a city of very early foundation, and was one of the places claiming to be the birthplace of Homer. A temple of Apollo excisted at Clarus in the territory of Kolophon, and was the highly regarded oracle of Apollo Clarius, thus the frequent appearance of Apollo and his lyre on the coins of Kolophon. This began with late archaic style drachms, and continued on silver and bronze coinage in classical style during the 4th century BC.

This was 34€, and when I looked at the scarred face of Apollo afterwards, I thought I had overpaid. I got some comfort in finding this entry on wildwinds, though:

Another sold in Münzen & Medaillen GmbH, Auction 17 in 2005, lot 850.

Very scarce.

Used with permission. Münzen & Medaillen GmbH (DE) Auction 21, 2007, lot 626. Sold for 260 Euros (ca. $349)

https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/ionia/kolophon/t.html

Although I’m unable to read the lettering on my coin, they look too similar to be different issues. But I can be wrong. In any event my old 12mm Kolophon chalcous gets a big brother now. And I think it has beautiful style despite the surfaces.

 

Oh, this is the kind of lot that makes my heart go pit-a-pat. What fun! I am especially enamored of the Philip the Arab with the cippus. As for cleaning them, I think they look great as-is - maybe knock off some of the loose dirt. Otherwise, yum!

 

Two coins of Roman emperors who met their unfortunate end by being murdered at the hands of usurpers:

My first purchase in April is this denarius of Galba, the first Imperial claimant during the Year of Four Emperors in 69 AD. Galba is one of the tougher emperors to acquire when completing a 12 Caesars set.



Galba. 68-69 AD. AR Denarius (19mm; 2.84 gm; 6h). Rome mint. Struck August-October 68 AD. Obv: IMP SER GALBA AVG, bare head right. Rev: SPQR/OB/CS in three lines within oak-wreath. RIC I 167; RSC 287.

Ex. Akropolis Coins

My 2nd purchase in April is a comparatively humble AE Follis of the Eastern Roman emperor Maurice. Maurice is an important yet underrated figure in Byzantine history. Maurice was the author of the military treatise, Strategikon. The Strategikon would be the cornerstone of the Byzantine army’s strategy for most of the empire’s existence and marked a departure from the earlier tactics of the Roman Imperial legions. Maurice’s deposition and murder by the usurper Phocas in 602 AD would plunge the empire into war with Sassanid Persia. The Sassanid war and subsequent Islamic invasions would cause great devastation to the empire, serving as a catalyst in transforming the Eastern Roman Empire into the medieval Byzantine state.



11.31g, 25mm Facing crowned bust of Maurice Tiberius holding a mappa and eagle tipped scepter. Large "M" "ANNO" to left, "X IIIII" to right, "r" below and "THEUP" in exergue. SB 533 Antioch mint

Ex. Aegean Numismatics

 

Not the very latest, but an interesting one. Antoninus Pius from Perinthos. A sestertius size coin weighing near 19 grams. His bare head right
ΑVΤ ΚΑΙ Τ ΑΙΛΙ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟϹ. The reverse shows the emperor on horseback right with the city name above :
ΠΕ-Ρ-ΙΝ-ΘΙΩΝ. It is in RPC as number 8650 and only one item was known so far. This one origiinates from a Hirsch sale in 2021 and was in a private German collection from 2014 onwards.

 

This came on Monday, from a recent Cayón auction.

Moneyer: L. Torquatus
Obv.: SIBYLLA - Head of Sibyl right, wearing ivy-wreath; border of dots
Rev.: L·TORQVAT / III·VIR - Tripod, on which stands amphora; on either side of amphora, star. Torque as border.
Mint: Rome (65 BC )
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.70g / - / -
References:

• RSC 12a (Manlia)
• Sydenham 836
• Crawford 411/1b

Acquisition: Cayón Subastas Online auction Sub. Elect. 80 #30439 28-Feb-2022




I've wanted one of these denarii for a few years and thrown in a few half-hearted bids now and again, but was always outbid. Finally, I have one.

The obverse depicts the Cumaean Sibyl as a young woman, while the small amphora over the tripod on the reverse contains the shrunken body of the very elderly Sibyl. She had asked Apollo to live as many years as the grains of sand she held in her hand - about 1000. While she lived to be 1000, her body became withered and finally only her voice was left. Apollo would only grant her 1000 years of youth if he'd been allowed to have his evil way with her, which she refused. Her oracles were apparently written down in 9 books, offered for sale to Tarquin the Proud by an unknown elderly woman many years later at a very high price. Tarquin refused the price, the woman went out and burned three books and offered the remaining 6 at the same price. He again refused, the burned three more books and returned with the last 3. Tarquin was bothered and consulted a priest who advised him to buy the books. They turned out to contain prophetic verses in Greek, which wer estored in the temple of Jupiter and consulted by apppointed priests at times of trouble for the state. The temple was burned and the books lost in 83 BC. A new collection of oracular sayings was compiled and deposited in a rebuilt temple; it was moved by Augustus to a temple built by himself, of Apollo Palatinus, where they remained until 405 AD.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibylline_Books

The moneyer responsible, Lucius Manlius Torquatus, depicts a torc on the reverve to commemorate his ancestor who'd defeated a Gaul in single combat defending Rome in 361 BC. Lucius was an ally of Pompey and died alongside Scipio at Hippo Regius.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hippo_Regius

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Recently ordered a few books -

I got this in the mail a couple days ago:


It is a beautifully done book. I'm enjoying every page. Not only does it give lots of good general information, but the large high-resolution photos make it a work of art. I highly recommend it!

This came as well. Can't wait to start this one:


And I'm still waiting for this one to come:

 

Here is a recent acquisition:

 

Two recent LRB purchases, both under 15 USD. None of them is rare, yet both are unusually pretty for the type:


Valens, Roman Empire, AE3, 367–375 AD, Aquileia mint. Obv: DN VALENS PF AVG; bust of Valens, draped, cuirassed, and pearl-diademed, r. Rev: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE; Victory advancing l., holding wreath and palm; in exergue, SMAQP. 18mm, 2.75g. Ref: RIC IX Aquileia 12B.


Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 326–327 AD, Antioch mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB C, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, l. Rev: PROVIDENTIAE CAESS, “camp gate” with two turrets, star above; dot in gate, in exergue, SMANTH. 20mm, 3.83g. Ref: RIC VII Antioch 73.

 

I'd argue that the Valens from Aquileia is at least a bit scarce and of wonderful style.

 

Big day for me as my first ever Owl arrived in the mail!
Obviously lower end but something I have wanted to add to my collection from the start. Very exciting!


Attica, Athens
AR Tetradrachm
454 - 404 BC, Athens mint
24.5mm, 16.33g, 8h

OBV: Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye
REV: Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray and crescent to left; all within incuse square

 

This arrived yesterday - I found it on my doorstep when I got back after Easter - delivered yesterday morning, I think.

Moneyer: C. Serveilius C.F.
Obv.: FLORAL·PRIMVS - Head of Flora right; behind, lituus.
Rev.: C·F - Two soldiers facing each other and presenting swords.
Exergue: C·SERVEIL
Mint: Rome (54 BC)
Wt./Size/Axis: 3.84g / - / -
References:

• RSC 15 (Servilia)
• Sydenham 890
• Crawford 423/1
• BMCRR Rome cf. 3816

Provenances:

• Giessener Münzhandlung auction 126, Munich 2003, no. 2161

Acquisition: Kuenker Online auction Auction 361-367 #7350 6-Apr-2022



ATB,
Aidan.