Here are my five favorite Greeks from 2019, no particular order. Five Romans to come in a few days. Calabria, Tarentum Nomos circa 500-480, AR 20mm., 8.09g. Oecist riding dolphin r. extending l. hand and holding octopus. Rev. Hippocamp standing r.; below, shell. Vlasto 116. Historia Numorum Italy 827. Kingdom of Macedon, Demetrios I Poliorketes AR Tetradrachm. Pella, 291-290 BC. Diademed and horned head right / ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ, Poseidon, nude, standing left, right foot propped on rock, holding trident and resting on leg; monogram to outer left. Newell 82; SNG Copenhagen 1177-9 var. (monogram). 16.88g, 31mm, 12h. Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm. Circa 454-404 BC. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three olive leaves above visor and spiral palmette on bowl, round earring with central boss, and pearl necklace / Owl standing to right with head facing, olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Kroll 8; Dewing 1591-8; SNG Copenhagen 31. 17.18g, 25mm, 10h. BOEOTIA, Thebes. 395-335 BC. Epa(minondas), 364-362 BC. AR Stater (12.08 gm). Boeotian sheild / Amphora with vines on handles. BCD.540. SICILY. Syracuse. Deinomenid Tyranny, Gelon I (ca. 480-475 BC). AR tetradrachm (24mm, 17.06 gm, 2h). NGC Choice Fine 5/5 - 4/5. Charioteer driving walking quadriga right, kentron in right hand, reins in left; Nike flying right above, crowning horses / ΣVRAK-O-ΣION, head of Arethusa right, wearing pearl taenia and necklace, hair brushed straight and falling loose behind; four dolphins swimming clockwise around. HGC 2, 1306. Boehringer 117. Notes: They were obtained through Naville, Roma, Pegasi, and Heritage. I think the reference to "Boehringer 117" for the Sicilian is not accurate. Honorable mention: Here is a favorite purchased near the end of 2018 (I don't think I have posted previously). Thessaly, Larissa AR Drachm. Circa 356-342 BC. Head of the nymph Larissa facing slightly left, with hair in ampyx / Horse standing right, preparing to lie down; ΛAPIΣ-AIΩN above and below. Lorber, Hoard, Phase L-III, 57; BCD Thessaly II 319. 6.06g, 22mm, 11h.
Absolutely fantastic, I love that Hippocamp, the owl and your Larrisa the most but all great, can't wait to see your Roman.
We haven’t seen you around as much lately @rg3 . It’s good to see a new thread from you My favorites; Athens tet - great example with tons of eye appeal. Every part of the design is on flan with the exception of a bit of the crest which doesn’t detract from the overall look at all. Thebes stater - great centering and detail. This is one of those coins that I’ve been meaning to add for a long time but just haven’t pulled the trigger. Great addition.
Excellent set of Greek classics! The Owl is wonderful, and my favorite of the group, but a big +1 to this as well:
Not only is the Theban stater a nice one, it's an Epaminondas!! I am so jealous. He's their famous general who spanked the Spartans, securing a brief period of Theban hegemony. What a great coin!! Plus a fantastic owl and Larissa drachm, and the hippocamp is very cool too... stellar year, rg!
All nice coins @rg3. Hard to pick just one as a favorite. Your honorable mention Larissa is terrific. I have one but no where near as nice: Of the others, of course the Athens Owl is beautiful, but I like the hippocamp on the Calabria. Nice detail.
Thank you all for the input. To put it in Doug Smith's words, the hippo, athena, and larissa "spoke to me." I had been looking for a Epaminondas stater for a couple of years. Was toying with the idea of obtaining coins from Plutrach's "Parallel Lives." Thought it would be neat to grab one from Epaminondas and Scipio Africanus (the latter will have to wait - unless I want a republic denarius with his proposed profile). The Demetrius tet pairs well with an Antony denarius I obtained some time back.
Hi @rg3-- long time no see What a fine assortment of Greek coins! The archaic period Tarentum is marvelous-- a type I'd love to have. The owl tet has everything going for it-- great strike, great centering, great surfaces-- a fabulous example! The Larissa has a remarkably good portrait with great preservation (no pugilistic nose ). Looking forwards to your Romans .
GREAT collection of Classical Greeks, @rg3 ! I enjoy the clarity and simpicity of the Boeotia. However, all of them are just super.
Here are my five favorite Romans (and two honorable mentions for good measure). Shout out to Orfew and Severeus Alexander for making some of these purchases possible. OCTAVIAN AUGUSTUS, 44 BC-27 BC-14 AD. AR Denarius (3.51 gm), 32-29 BC. Bare head / Venus, half-nude, standing, leaning on column, and holding spear and helmet; shield behind. RIC.250a(S). RSC.62. Octavian as Augustus, 27 BC – 14 AD Denarius circa 17 BC, AR 20mm., 3.90g. Bare head of Augustus r. Rev Laureate, youthful head of deified Julius Caesar r.; above, comet with tail. C 1. RIC 338. Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE), AR Denarius, issued c. 17 BCE. Rome, 3.50g, 16mm. Obv: Youthful, bare head right (the young Augustus? Gaius Caesar? Iulus?) within oak wreath Rev: Symbols of the Ludi Saeculares: Candelabrum, ornamented with rams' heads and surmounted by a crescent; all within a floral wreath entwined with two bucrania and two pateras. RIC 540(R2); RSC 2 (Gaius Caesar). Probable undertype: Augustus AR Denarius, Rome mint. P. Licinius Stolo, moneyer, struck circa 17 BC. Obv: Bare head right / Apex flaminis between two studded ancilia. RIC I 343(R2); RSC 438. From the Severus Alexander collection; ex Savoca Blue 8 lot 952, 14.07.2018. Q. Pomponius Musa. Denarius circa 66, AR 17.8mm., 3.70g. Laureate head of Apollo r.; behind, two flutes in saltire. Rev. Q ·POMPONI – MVSA Eutherpes standing r., resting l. elbow on column and holding two flutes in r. hand. Babelon Pomponia 13. Sydenham 815. RBW –. Crawford 410/5. Mark Antony, as Triumvir 43-30 BC. Military mint moving with M.Antony Denarius AR *(this must be attributed better) Note: Most excited about my first antony legion (thank you Bing for getting me interested) and the overstruck saecular games issue (love Sev's due diligence in the auction description). Honorable mention: The first allowed completion of 12 Caesars in denarii (well I guess 30 Caesars but this is a story for a different post). Very glad SA and Orfew made this possible. Thank you both. The second is my first Alexandrian Provincial (thank you TIF for getting me interested). The drachm is not pretty, but saying it is hard to come by and has good provenance is an understatement. Gaius ‘Caligula’ (37-41) with Divus Augustus, AR Denarius, issued 37 (first emission). Lugdunum, 3.26g, 17.5mm. Obv: C CAESAR AVG GERM P M TR POT; Bare head of Gaius (Caligula) right Rev: Radiate head of Divus Augustus right, between two stars. RIC 2; RSC 11. From the Orfew collection; ex CNG 428 lot 344, 05.09.2018 Egypt, Alexandria. Dattari. Antoninus Pius, 138-161 Drachm circa 160-161 (year 21), Æ 32mm., 17.58g. Laureate and draped bust r. Rev. Heracles and Antaeus: Heracles standing, r., head, l., lifting Antaeus; to r., club and lion-skin(?); in field, L-K/Δ. RPC Online 13995 (this coin cited). Dattari-Savio Pl. 130, 2603 (this coin). Dattari 2603 and Pl. XV (this rev. Illustraed).
This is a difficult one to come by. If you are asking for an attribution here it is: OBVERSE: ANT AVG III VIR R P C, Praetorian galley, thyrsos behind prow REVERSE: CHORTIVM PRAETORIARVM, aquila right between two signa Patrae 32-31 BC Crawford 544/8; CRI 385; Sydenham 1213; RSC 7 Here is mine: The praetorian cohorts took their name from the praetorium, or tent, of the commander. These elite troops went on campaign as the personal accompaniment of their generals (Marc Antony likely had four or more praetorian cohorts with him at Actium). Augustus drew from these cohorts to form the Praetorian Guard, a unit that would come to posses tremendous political power.
Thank you Bing for the attribution and extra info. I thought of you the other week when I saw this lot: https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/savoca/browse?a=842&l=882505 Unsure of the authenticity, but I remember you mentioning it as a great rarity.