This is my first thread on CoinTalk. Here are ten interesting 2017 acquisitions, broken down by price range. Many of the pictures are dealer pictures. Under $50 EGYPT, Carus, 282-3 AD. potin 18.3mm 8.39g. Obv: Α Κ M A KAPOC CEB; Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right Rev: Eagle standing right, holding wreath in beak; L to left, palm behind, A to right (year 1). Ex Art Institute of Chicago, from the Glover collection acquired in 1978, #1481. Gemini, auction XII, April 2017, lot 487 (part) Carus was famously bald. The Egyptian die cutter seems to have struggled with the idea; Carus’ “hair” at the front lacks definition. I purchased this because of the extraordinarily smooth and even patina with yellow highlights, which is unlike anything I have seen before. East Soghd, Ferghana, Unknown ruler, circa 600-751 AD, AE 22.5mm, 1.42g. Steve Album calls the denomination a "pashiz". Obv: Deity's head 3/4 to the left. Rev: In the field a tamgha in the shape of a lyre, surrounded by Sogdian legend. Ref: O. Smirnova, Catalog of Sogdian Coins, #1480 The Ferghana Valley was on the Silk Road and includes parts of eastern Uzbekistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan. In 329 BC, Alexander the Great founded a Greek city called Alexandria Eschate "The Furthest" in the southwestern part of the Fergana Valley. The valley was ruled by the Bactrians, then the Kushans, then the Sasanians, then the Hepthalites. The Gokturks and Tang Chinese alternately controlled the valley from the mid 6th century until the Battle of Talas in 751. Muslim forces won the battle and the Chinese left Central Asia. I wish I knew more about this coin. Unfortunately I don’t have the book and can’t read Russian anyway. This coin seems to come from the Gokturk period, but has a Sogdian rather than Turkic inscription. A web site for these coins is http://www.sogdcoins.narod.ru/english/ferghana/coins.html Under $100 CELTIC, Atrebates & Regni tribes, Verica 10-40 AD, tiny Minim 0.15g Obv: COF (or C and F separated by circle?) within rectangle, pellet-within-ring above and below, all within border of dots. Rev: [VERICA]; Facing head of Medusa (or Cernunnos?) Verica was a British client king of the Roman Empire in the years preceding the Claudian invasion of 43 AD. The C on the inscription may indicate the Calleva mint. Calleva was the Atrebates’ capital city. It is known today as Silchester Roman Town and famous for the best-preserved Roman wall in Britain. Sicily, Kamarina, 420-405 BC, onkia 11.5mm, 1.22 g, 8h Obverse: Gorgon Reverse: KAMA; Owl CNG, e-auction 389, January 2017, lot 32 (L. Shea Collection) I was not excited about this coin when I saw the picture on the auction site. (The same picture here; I haven’t taken a new one). The obverse really jumped out at me when I saw it in person at the auction preview. I knew the collector. She had a sub speciality of coins depicting Medusa and had chosen well with this one. No one knows why Kamarina used the gorgoneion on their coins. “Kamar” means “moon” in Arabic and Maltese. It is possible the gorgoneion is a moon face and this is a punning type. Kamarina was destroyed by the Carthaginians in 405 BC but it was refounded later. Its complete destruction dates from 853 AD. Ionia, Teos. 320-294 BC. 1.0g 9.5mm diobol Obv: Griffin standing right Rev: ΔΙΟΥΧΗ[Σ] (Dioches, magistrate); Chelys (a musical instrument) Ref: Kinns 96 I thought the obverse of this tiny coin was so much better than usual for this tiny issue that I was willing to accept an off-center reverse. The reverse depicts a tortoise-shell lyre called a “chelys” and unfortunately the tortoise part is off the flan. Western Turk Rulers in Kabulistan/Zabulistan, circa 700-751 AD. 3.3 grams, 32 mm "Vakku Deva"/"Sandan"/"Pangul". Drachm. Silver with gold plug area of neck. Obv: Brahmi legend: VAKHUDEVAH; SRI VAJARA or sri candana vakhudevah (“His Perfection Candana, Lord of the Oxus”); Bactrian (outside) legend: CPI BOGO OZPOBOOI GO CONOONO BOGO XOOOHO “His Perfection, the Lord, the Chiliarch Sandano, His Perfection, the Lord”; Bust with winged lion's head-crescent moon Rev: Bactrian legend: CPI BOGO OOHBO BOGOOI PO KOGONO COI BOGI “His Perfection, the Lord, his Majesty, the Bactrian Kagan, his Perfection, the Lord”; Pahlavi: 'pzwn'; P'' shmr't “increase”…”from Glory..”; Fire altar flanked by two attendants; star and crescent flanking flames. Trilingual silk road coin with inscriptions in Brahmi, Pahlavi and Baktrian. I have included the best transcriptions and translations of the inscriptions that I could find. I am not sure I believe them. A small debased-gold plug placed in the neck region after the coin was struck. No one knows why. Often the plug is missing; I wanted this one because it retains its plug. Countermark cm139 but due to placement it looks different because the main type shows through the countermark. Over $100 SELEUKID EMPIRE. Seleukos I Nikator. 312-281 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 16.82 g, 6h). In the name of Alexander III of Macedon. Ekbatana mint. Struck circa 311-295/81 BC. Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin Rev: Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, monogram above anchor; ΣΩ below throne. Classical Numismatic Group, auction e-391, February 2017, lot 299. Refs: Seleucid Coins 202.12; Price 3938 Ekbatana was the eastern-most mint the struck Alexander tetradrachms. The authors of Seleucid Coins suggest this type began in 295 BC and was perhaps contemporary with issues in the name of Seleukos. TROAS. Abydos. Drachm (Circa 480-450 BC). 5.00g. 18 mm. Obv: ABVΔHNON; Eagle standing left. Rev: Facing gorgoneion within incuse square. Numismatik Naumann, auction 49, January 2017, lot 174 Abydos was burnt by Darius the Great in 512 BC. In the Delian Confederacy it paid a tribute of four silver talents but was always hostile to Athens. Abydos revolted from the confederacy in 411 BC and became a Spartan base. It passed to Persia until the arrival of Alexander the Great in 334 BC. The accounts of travelers down to 1830 speak of considerable remains of walls and buildings; later, however, little or nothing could be seen. In modern times the area has been a Turkish prohibited zone and no information is available. This coin has some real problems. The obverse is very messed up. I still like it. These coins very widely in style and I really wanted a big coin by this die cutter. When I saw it online I thought it was a reverse die match for the example in the British Museum. It isn’t, but is probably by the same artist. PISIDIA. Selge. Obol (Circa 350-300 BC). Weight: 1.12 g. Diameter: 10 mm. Obv: Facing gorgoneion. Rev: Trace of ΣΤ inscription; Helmeted head of Athena right; astragalos to right; all within incuse circle. SNG France 1929 (dies?). ex Numismatik Naumann, Auction 59, Nov 2017, lot 162 The ΣΤ inscription, visible as a trace on the reverse, is an abreviation of the name "Selge" in Pisidian Greek, ΣΤΛΕΓΕΙΥΣ. The knucklebone refers to an oracle (the town having been founded by the soothsayer Kalchas); The bones were also used as dice in the gambling game “knucklebones.” These coins are incredibly common but they must have circulated for a long time as they are seldom encountered in high grade. MACEDON. Neapolis. AR Drachm, 3.90g, circa 525-480 BC? Obv: Head of Gorgon facing, tongue outstretched Rev: Quadripartite incuse square. SNG Cop-224. ex-Stacks Bowers, January 2017, lot 5036 This “drachm” is half the weight of the more popular stater. The style is very different, and perhaps later, than the stater and fraction. I bought this coin because it has good surfaces. These drachms are often crystallized or corroded and it can be tough getting one that looks nice.
Congrats on the first thread The Kamarina and Seleukos I are my favorite of your group. The gorgon is super cool and the details on the tetradrachms are great. Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE your Gorgons! I think I all grew up hearing about Medusa and fearing what might happen if I peeped at the wrong woman what evil might befall me...but then upon finding out that there were coins that I could gaze upon without turning into stone. Well, let's just say I am envious and wish I had one as mesmerizing as your Sicilian Gorgon and owl...or that beautiful Macedonian Drachm. Cool!
Great coins @Ed Snible i really like your Neapolis drachm and I'm particularly fond of your Selerukos I tet from Ekbatana. It just so happens that I also bid on that coin. I'm glad it went to a fellow CT member.
One of the pleasures of this hobby is that sometimes a single coin can give you a reason to learn about, and then care about, a given culture. Your approach to collecting seems to offer lots of potential for this phenomenon, from Celtic Britain to Silk Road Asia. Really enjoyable eclecticism here. P. S. Given your very helpful and knowledgeable posts, I’m shocked that this is your first thread!
Dig that little Celt coin, DIG that trilingual fire altar, awesome tet! Cool assortment of interesting coins ES! You've never started a thread before?? You've been here over a year, I didn't know this was your first! Way to post a first thread in style!
Those Gorgons are really nice! I like them all and it’s hard to pick a favourite. Perhaps the Neapolis drachm and Little Selge.
beautiful coins Ed. The Macedonian drachm is awesome- the toned silver quality just sings ancient Greek silver at you as does the Ionian diobol. wow
Great post and great coins. Should I choose my favorite it would be the Neapolis drachm - when I find a Gorgon to add to my own collection I hope it is a nice as yours. My runner up is your interesting gold-plugged, trilingual drachm. Hope you make new threads in the future as I've learned much from you and your site already.
Great coins.!.. Love the obverse of the PISIDIA. Selge. Obol (Circa 350-300 BC) and MACEDON. Neapolis. AR Drachm, 3.90g, circa 525-480 BC Reminds me of the All blacks ["Haka".
Hmm. Suddenly it seems like I'm seeing those Kamarina owls everywhere. The gods must be giving me a hint. Nice stuff! PS- I love the Teos griffin, too.
My favorite is the Carus because of the way the lack of hair retains its outline losing only the fine definition. My only Carus of Alexandria is a posthumous issue showing a more ordinary forehead line. Now I must go on a search for a sharp example of this year one redefinition of male pattern baldness. A quick look at online images suggests that LA coins come both ways but wear would make it hard to be certain what was shown originally.
WOW!! What an interesting variety of coins! I LOVE them all but I seem to be especially drawn to the 'Gorgons' and would happily add each one to my collection.
@Ed Snible ! WOW! Nice, cool, fun, eclectic, neato COLLECTION! Love the Gorgons, Teos, Kamarina, Celtic, ... just ALL of them. My collecting style! I know you have one of these, but I thought that I would put one of my die-break Gorgons out there... METUS: Etruria Populonia 3rd C BCE AR 20 As 8.1g Metus Blank HN 152
