Post your seleukids

Antiochus IV Epiphanes. AE16. Queen Laodice
SELEUKID KINGS of SYRIA. Antiochus IV Epiphanes serrated AE16. 175 - 164 B.C. Seleucia-in-Pieria mint. Veiled bust of Laodice IV r. Border of dots / BASILEWS ANTIOCOU, North African Elephant (Extinct) head left, prow of galley right. Houghton 113

The North African elephant was a possible subspecies of the African bush elephant, or possibly a separate elephant species, that existed in North Africa until becoming extinct in Ancient Roman times.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Nice coins everyone! I have none....so far. But I am working on it! Maybe by Thursday I will get one.

 

I like that elephant!

 

Too many to post! However, with regards to the Demetrios I...has anyone noticed that all the tetradrachms are always struck on oval flans? So much literature out there, but I have not read up on it. Why is this? Below are the two most recent I have handled, but just google it and you will see they are almost always oval.

 

My Demetrios isn't so obviously oval.

Seleucid Kingdom, Demetrios I Soter, tetradrachm

Obv:– Diademed head of Demetrios I right inside a fillet border
Rev:– BASILEWS DEMHTROS SOTEPOS / BXR, Tyche seated left on throne ornamented with tritoness, holding short scepter and cornucopia; in outer left field, controls; in exergue
Minted in Antioch on the Orontes, S.E. 162 (151/0 B.C.)
Reference:– Seleucid Coins 1641.8h; SMA 131.
Obverse struck a little off center

16.53g, 28mm, 0o

 

I wish I had any of these silver Tets. For the moment , I can show 3 bronze coins. The first has radiate Antiochos VIII on obverse, with an eagle on reverse- SNG 2508. The second shows Ladocea on obverse, with the extinct elephant on reverse. It was struck under Antiochos IV- Hoover 685. The third figures Alexander Balas and Athena- Houghton 900.

 

I only have one Seleukid...


Seleucid, Seleucus I
312-280 BCE
AE 20
Seleucia on the Tigris mint
Obv: Athena, helmeted
Rev: Elephant, MHP monogram above and B? below
Ref: Spaer SNGIs 129v; ESM 15A
Scarce

 

Ken's oval question is a good one and I'll add on a question perhaps related. What sort of blanks were those tets struck on? The coins tend to have a high relief obverse and very flat reverse. Were the blanks cast in cups with extra thickness in the center domed up only on one side? Certainly the earliest had fabric like the Alexanders. But it was not long before we see the style I'd call typical Seleukid. If the flans were not made specially to handle the high relief portraits, I would expect flat strikes and reverse voids that we do not see on these. Has any of the reference books commented on fabric? I have few books or coins of the Hellenistic period silver.

If someone wanted to gather just one coin from each Seleukid king, which would be the hard ones?

 

Comment to the oval flan. In modern manufacturing, it you place a round disk into compressing rollers, many times it can come out ovoid in shape. Silver is soft, and if they were using this method to bring the flan down to a certain thickness with this process, it could create the ovoid shape. However, I am only applying a modern method (albeit, a very simple process), that could had been used during that time period. That being stated: I do not know and only conjecture.

 

Well, I see another chance to post my cool Seleucid anchor countermark ...

Lycia, Phaselian Silver Coinage
(Revision of Alex III of Macedon TET)
Mint: Phaselis
205/204 BC (year “14”)
Diameter: 32.5 mm
Weight: 15.52 grams
Obverse: head of young Heracles right, clad in lion’s skin which knotted at neck
Reverse: [ΑΛ]ΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ behind Zeus seated left, holding eagle on extended right hand and resting on scepter held in left, ΙΔ (=14) above Φ (= Phaselis) below Zeus’ right arm (Seleucid anchor countermark in left field)
Reference: Identification and Certification by David R. Sear Services
Other: of historical interest

 

That's a nice coin steve!
So I was really eyeing up those bottlecap types and decided to grab one.
Demetrios I
Serrate AE20
162-150BC
Obv. Head of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder
Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΔHMHTPIOY; Bow and quiver
7.68 grams
CSE 170

 

This one: AR Drachm, Antiochus V, who was disposed of as a child, thanks to his successor Demetrios I.

 

Hello all. I am new to this forum.

I have just acquired these two old coins, I think may may be Seleucid and one at least appears to have the profile of Antiochus VII.

Can anyone kindly help me identify them. Do they appear to be original to you - they certainly look original to me but then I am not a coin collector and I know of how many forgeres exist out there.

Can you explain the writing and depictions and also give a rough estimate of value (assuming they are authentic).

Many thanks in advance.

Az

 

These are modern fakes I am afraid. The following come from a fakes coin database.

Left hand coin:-

Antiochos Eupator, Antiochos V, silver tetradrachm

Diademed head right
BASILEWS ANTIOCOU EUPATOROS, Zeus seated left on throne, holding Nike and scepter
Struck 164-162 BC
Antioch mint.
SMA 74, Houghton 136, Spaer 1244. SNGIs 1244



Right hand coin:-

Alexandria Troas, silver tetradrachm

2nd - 1st century BC
Laureate head of Apollo left
AΠOΛΛΩNOΣ IMIΘEΩ&Sigma, Apollo Smintheos standing right, holding phiale in right hand, bow and arrow in left; in exg, AΛEΞANΔPEΩN ΛYΣAΓOPOY; date in inner right field, monogram innner left field
Sear 4025



Martin

 

Thanks for the prompt response. What makes you sure they are both fakes? Is this a certainty?

 

Check out this thread and read the links:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/how-to-detect-forgeries.281399/

 

The left hand coin is a cast. The flan shape and wear patter is identical to that of the example that I posted. This is simply not possible with ancient coins and is the classic clinching proof of a cast fake. This combined with the soft detail and evidence of casting bubbles makes it guaranteed.

The right hand coin also appears to be cast and is made from modern dies which have been published by the ANS as being known fakes.

 

Thanks everyone, so it appears to be cast and therefore cannot be ancient and original. I think I need to avoid buying any 'ancient' coins unless from an approved vendor..

 

Can someone here kindly post a picture showing the slightly concave appearance of an ancient coin when viewed from the side?

 

I have received a DM from a member stating that the first coin does not appear to have the bubbles that indicate a cast and that the second coin differs from Martin's example. Better photos were requested but the obvious suggestion is they may be true items.

I should add that the profile of both coins really jut out from the rest of the coin in a rounded way. The coins are quite fat due to the profile of the heads sticking out. The edges of the first coin are rough with patina in the recesses. The second, larger coin, has a smooth edge with crusted black patina on the edges of the coin with a few chips in the patina. The patina looks real, dark aged, ancient to my eye, hard to fake surely?

I bought the coins in Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq. They may be local or from Syria if originals. Seller had a store in Baghdad and this is likely where he picked them up. Seller is convinced they are authentic.

Any further feedback or are the experts certain this is a fake and I should return it for a refund?