Picked these Sicilians up on a local site for 32 euros. Already had a better coin of an Akragas eagles on prey, but still a nice so-so coin: Pleased with this Hippocamp one, variety with a dolphin in front and back of Pallas: Coin from the Mamertines , Italian mercenaries hired by Agathocles of Syracuse , but when he died in 289 BC , the Mamertines were out of a job. By killing all the male inhabitants of the harbour city Messana (Messina)they took over the city and made a living from piracy and raiding the Sicilian country side. King Hieron II of Syracuse didn't like that and put up an army to attack the Mamertines, they called in the Carthagians for help, who occupied the harbour of Messana with their warships. The Marmatines didn't like that and now called for help from their Roman fellowman , the Romans didn't like the Mamertines but they weren't happy with the Carthagian fleet so close to the Italian mainland. This was the beginning of the first Punic war 264-241 BC between Rome and Carthago the Mamertines disappeared into oblivion , how sad, never mind.
IMHO, you can't beat the variety for that price. I'm presently after a bit of 'quantity' over 'quality' myself----at the right price...but mine are early Roman Imperial. Oh, I guess I should post my 'Mamertine example won at an Independent FAC auction:
LOVE your Sicily's @Andres2 . Actually, @John Anthony got me turned on to them, and I have been collecting AE's and fractionals... many times, they are harder to find. SICILY Syracuse Hieron II 274-216 BC Æ26 15.9g hd Hieron II L - ΙΕΡΟΝΩΣ Horseman galloping r holding spear HGC 2 1547 CNS II 193 Syracuse Sicily Pyrrhus Epirus 278-276 BCE AE Litra 11.4g 23.3mm Herakles Nemaean Lion scalp - Athena Promachos thunderbolt shield SNG Cop 813, SNG ANS 852 Sicily Akragas AE Onkia 16mm 3.8g 425-406 BCE Eagle r fish fly - Crab conch SNG ANS 1062 var SICILY Kentoripai Æ Hexas 16mm 3.0g 344-336 BCE Persephone r grain ear plow w bird two pellets Calciati III BMC Sicily 12ff Roman Republic Anon AE 28mm 19-2g Quadrans - Sicily mint 214-212 BCE Hercules-boar headress - Bull - OBV-REV ex RBW Craw 72-7
Love your Sicilians too, Alegandron. Except for the last one (thumbnail) a Phyrros/ Athena ? I dont own any of your collection. Here's my AE smallest and biggest siculo punic coin:
FIXED. I have been having some probs with postings. WiFI interrupts, causing misplacements of files when I post. I set the proper photo on the second one, matching my truncated attribution (they are my file names. Yeah, LAZY). I have SEVERAL Sicily bronzes, and silvers
For once I get to post a coin that fits in with a theme! With only a few attributed coins, this is a treat for me. Sicily, Kentoripai AE Hexas. Circa 344-336 BC. Obverse: Draped bust of Persephone right, grain ear in hair; stalk of grain behind. Reverse: Plough with a small bird standing on the share; two pellets to left, KENTWPIWN around. SNG ANS: 1324; CNS 7; Head p135. Size: 17mm, 2.37g. Numismatic Notes: VF and a nice example!
WOW @GerardV ... COIN BROS! Yours looks great! I have that one too! I captured mine from @John Anthony ... and I even ripped the skin right off his hand for this picture! SICILY Kentoripai Æ Hexas 16mm 3.0g 344-336 BCE Persephone r grain ear plow w bird two pellets Calciati III BMC Sicily 12ff
I picked mine up on VCoins and had to buy it due to an unfortunate nickname I picked up in college. My nickname meant my friends started calling my wife Persephone. Add in that her family came from Sicily and there wasn't much choice. It HAD to be my second Ancient coin purchase! Edited to add: She wasn't amused
Really? Women! They are so hard to understand. Oops. Sorry to the females here on CT. I just couldn't help myself.
