The book "Byzantine Coins" by Grierson is a gold mine of information. Not only does it have good B&W photographs of 1527 types on 95 plates, it has 385 pages of scholarly discussion (including the years of the various mint marks of Antioch under Justinian).
Correction: apologies @ Valentinian, not the same book by Grierson that you were referencing (1982, Metheun, ISBN-13: 9780416713602) not sure how much content might overlap (if at all) with Dumbarton Oaks books from Grierson available online; direct link to Justinian: https://archive.org/details/docoins-1/page/62/mode/2up
It's Saturday night, and I just took pictures of this Victorinus ant, which came together with a few other coins I have for the most part already shown in other threads: Victorinus, Gallic Roman Empire, AE antoninian, 270–271 AD, Trier mint. Obv: IMP C VICTOR[INVS P]F AVG; radiate, draped, cuirassed bust of Victorinus r. Rev: PAX AVG; Pax standing l., holding olive-branch and transverse sceptre; in field l., V; in field r., star and palm branch. 19mm, 2.35g. Ref: Mairat 600–601. The interesting bit about this coin is the "V" in the left reverse field. There are different theories about what it means, but the most plausible one appears to be a simple abbreviation of the ruler's name. Victorinus' predecessor Postumus minted the same reverse type with a "P" in the field: Postumus, Gallic Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 268–269 AD, Trier mint. Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS P F AVG; bust of Postumus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: PAX AVG; Pax standing l., holding olive-branch and transverse sceptre; in field l., P. 21mm, 3.97g. Mairat 466–7; RIC V Postumus 318.
As usual, puzzled - trying to find any other examples of this coin. With 988 dies estimated by Crawford - there is no shortage of coins in this issue from the Roman republic and the Social War. The turtle control mark, is one that I am so far unsuccessful in finding listed anywhere. It doesn't show up in RRC p.349 Table XXIV, and tediously browsing the ~600 of this coin in ACSearch and 4 pages of coins in the BMC didn't help. Crawford suggested that he was working on a die study in RRC ("I hope in due course to publish a die-study of 4a-5b") as far as I can tell he didn't. The Social War (Bellum Sociale) was fought against Italian cities and tribes who wanted Roman citizenship. Although Rome won the war, they ended up granting Roman citizenship to their Italian allies to avoid another fight. C. Vibius C.f. Pansa, 90 BC, AR Denarius, 3.93g Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right; PANSA behind, a sea turtle below chin Rev: Minerva in quadriga right; C. VIBIVS. C. F in exergue Ref: Crawford 342/5b; Sydenham 684; Vibia 2
Because I consider the coinage of the Macedonian Kingdom to be significant I tend to buy rather more of these coins than what I would do otherwise. The one gap in that collection was the silver and gold coinage of Kassander. The auction season so far this year reminds me of a running gun fight with me doing all the running. I have not won a single coin at auction since before January. So I approached the Gorny & Mosch Auction with some hesitation. I managed to win two coins both minted by Kassander, one an Alexander and the other a Philip. So finally I got something and I managed to add an acquire two coins that I deem important to my collection. Once more I now have some companions to the Av Stater I have owned for a number of year which also is minted by him. Naturally I bought this coin as a lifetime Alexander but I now know it is later. Kassander Av Stater 300-290 BC Amphipolis Mint In the name and types of Alexander III. Obv Helmeted head of Athena right. Rv. Nike standing left symbol trident. Price 172 HGC 987 8.60 grms 19 mm Photo by W. Hansen The principle problem in trying to determine which coins of this type are lifetime is style. The symbol of the trident was used both by Antipater as well as Kassander so the easy expedient of looking at the adjunct symbol is totally useless in this case. The lifetime issues have a smaller head and a larger longer Corinthian style helmet. Of course the trade is of little help here. All I can say is that the vast majority of Alexander III staters offered as being lifetime are not.
I don't think I've ever posted this one -- the free for all seems an opportune time. Maxentius, AD 307-312. Roman billon follis, 6.44 g, 24.5 mm, 1 h. Ostia, 4th officina, AD 309-312. Obv: IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG, laureate head, right. Rev: AETE-RNITAS - AVG N, Dioscouri standing left and right, each holding scepter and bridled horse; MOSTQ in exergue. Refs: RIC vi, p. 404, 35; Cohen 5; RCV 14975.
Was just flicking through my Southern Indian album and this one again caught my eye!! Queen Lilavati AD 1127-1200 / 1209-1210 / 1211-1212 Seated Queen, SRI RA JA LI LA VA TI in Brahmi in two vertical lines in the left field / Queen standing, small altar in the left field, various dots and decorations in fields. Mitchiner NIS 837-839.
I've been building comfort with Indian, Islamic, Asian ancients and medievals which are interesting and often under $25 - a nice refuge when my target RR denarius soars into territory where I prefer not to go. This post from @Finn235 on the Gadhaiya Paisa is how I guess that this is a "1.3.1". and your posts on the Kashmir coins have been particularly helpful. More notes and coins here: Out of my Comfort Zone
Nice Gadhaiya @Sulla80! I'm actually revising how to classify the curved head types, but yours is a later one - the earliest ones (based entirely on their being the first types to add a vertical line to the top of the fire altar) are the ones like my avatar - note the overall angle of the face and in particular the large square eye orbit and how the jawline is angular, not rounded. I may or may not be waiting for a special care package in the mail, speaking of...
A beautiful coin @Clavdivs ! I like the boots on the dude on the reverse. My fav that I have of this type is this Theo from Constantinople. It has a pretty big reverse die break but still a nice coin. I scored this one a few years ago from Victor Clark.
I need one of those! As close as I can come is a transitional bust between your coin of Marius and Victorinus. From the Rockbourne Hoard. RIC 41
I find this juxtaposition intriguing: horses inside, horses outside - separated by about 400 years. The Dioscuri, heroes who came to Rome’s aid in her time of need and brought Roman victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus. Roman Empire: Maxentius, AD 307-312, Æ Follis, Ostia mint, 4th officina, struck AD 309-312 Obv: Laureate head right Rev: The Dioscuri standing facing one another, each holding scepter and bridle of horse; MOSTQ Ref: RIC VI 35 Roman Republic: L. Memmius, 109-108 BC, AR Denarius Obv: Male head right, wearing oak-wreath Rev: The Dioscuri standing facing, holding their horses Ref: Crawford 304/1; Memmia 1
Was very pleased to score my second first Meris tet for under a hundo, on account of it being busted and all. Still, I find it very attractive. Even more so in hand: Macedon under Roman Rule - First Meris, Amphipolis AR Tetradrachm (167-149 BC) 16.33 g. 30mm. VF-/VF Diademed and draped bust of Artemis to right, bow and quiver over shoulder, all within tondo of Macedonian shield / Horizontal club to right, ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ above, ΠΡΩΤΗΣ below, monogram in upper central field, two monograms below; all within oak wreath, thunderbolt to left. SNG Copenhagen 1314; AMNG III, 176. very fine, restored "After the defeat of Perseus at the battle of Pydna in 168 BC, the Romans divided Macedonia into four separate autonomous administrative regions ( merides ). The first region (ΠPΩTEΣ) lay east of the Strymon with its capital at Amphipolis, the second (ΔEYTEPAΣ) between the Strymon and Axios with its capital at Thessalonica, the third between the Axios and Peneos with its capital at Pella, and the fourth (TETAPTHΣ) included most of Upper Macedonia with its capital at Heraclea Lynci. These four regions only lasted until 148 BC when the country was finally united to constitute a Roman Province and proceeded to issue coins under the authority of its legatus pro praetore. Livy informs us that initially all commerce between the regions, exploitation of the silver and gold mines and the importation of salt were forbidden. Almost all the coinage of this period is struck in the name of the first region and runs parallel to the mass coinages of Thasos and Maroneia from about 158 BC. The first region was the most prolific in its coin issues, striking huge issues of tetradrachms and bronze. The second region had only two issues of tetradrachms and the fourth had only two issues of bronzes. Coins from these two regions are very rare today. No coinage is known from the third region."
Once again I delve into the murky world of the coinage of the Macedonian Kingdom. While trying to get some semblance of order I came across this coin. Mazakes As satrap of Mesopotamia 331- to 320 BC? In the style of the coinage of Athens. Obv helmeted head of Athena right with profile eye. Rv. Owl standing right head facing to right Aramaic legend MZDK and theta. Van Alfen Group IVb 16.98 grms 20 mm Photo by W. Hansen Mazakes as well as his colleague Mazaios both of whom were former Persian satraps. After they surrendered to Alexander they received important satrapies from him. Mazakes received Mesopotamia and Mazaios received Babylonia. What is interesting is that neither appears to mint coins in the name or with the types of Alexander III. Mazakes mints pseudo Athenian Owls more or less as he did in Egypt and Mazaios mints "Lion" Tetradrachms which are stylistically similar to the double sigloi he minted in Cilicia. The issue of these coins create for us a significant conundrum, that is when did Alexander initiate the coinage bearing his name at the mint of Babylon. It would seem likely that the earliest date would be somewhere around 325 BC when he was returning from India and needed money to pay off his army as well as recruit a new army so that he could continue with his world tour.
Flyspecking Faustina -- this is such a minor bust variation that it's too boring for a Faustina Friday so I'll put it in the free-for-all. I'm not sure why there are so many varieties of headgear on the coins of Faustina from the 160s AD. This one is a bare-headed bust. I bought it from @Victor_Clark and it arrived in yesterday's mail. She also may wear a strand or two of pearls in her hair on this issue. Or a stephane.