Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Ed Snible, post: 3003139, member: 82322&quot;]Unfortunately I lack a scan of the coin I wanted to show and the coin might be in the safety deposit box.</p><p><br /></p><p>These little gorgon/Athena fractions are quite common and rarely earn a second thought.&nbsp; Often they have mysterious symbols on the reverse.&nbsp; Usually it is a knucklebone or spear.&nbsp; Sometimes there are multiple symbols.&nbsp; There are three rare symbols that I know of.&nbsp; One symbol is a snake.&nbsp; That&#039;s the one I can&#039;t find.&nbsp; Another is the letter E and the last looks like a lower-case <b>t</b>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the E type (dealer photo):</p><p>[ATTACH=full]743454[/ATTACH]</p><p>Pisidia, Etenna?, 300-250 BC, obol. 0.52g 8mm</p><p>O: Facing head (humanized gorgon?).</p><p>R: Ε and astragalos behind helmeted head (of Athena?).</p><p>Three known?</p><p><br /></p><p>When I bought this I was sure the E stood for &quot;Etenna&quot;.&nbsp; However it turns out at least three cities struck the type: Selge, Aspendos, and Etenna.&nbsp; All three begin their name with the letter E.&nbsp; (Crazy!&nbsp; They spoke a Pisidian language or dialect of Greek).&nbsp; Selge spelled their name ΣΤΛΕΓΕΙΥΣ or ΕΣΤΛΕLΙΙΥΣ.</p><p><br /></p><p>This next one has the t-symbol and I think a knucklebone.&nbsp; Imhoof-Blumer was convinced these come from Etenna because of a wrestler stater with the same symbol.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]743456[/ATTACH]</p><p>Pisidia, Etenna?, 3/2 obol?, 0.99g 9mm</p><p>O: Facing head (humanized gorgon?).</p><p>R: t and astragalos behind helmeted head (of Athena?).</p><p><i>Historia Numorum</i>, page 708; Imhoof-Blumer, <i>Kl. M.</i> XIII 2</p><p><br /></p><p>There is no price premium for the rare symbols.&nbsp; Most dealers don&#039;t even know they exist.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in