This is a fairly recent acquisition, and part of a group lot of Greek ae. This one stood out in the lot of 126 coins: it's completely green, relatively large (most coins were ~10-15 mm), sharply minted, and heavy (that is, compared to the others). GREEK, The Bruttii. AE Drachm, minted: Bruttium; 211-208 BC. Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right, within dotted border Reverse: [BPET] / TIΩN, eagle standing left with open wings and head reverted, at left plough. Weight: 7.6g; Ø:21mm. Catalogue: HN Italy 1994; SNG ANS 134. Acq.: 07-2020 Details: Earthen deposits The design is very similar to my only Ptolemaic bronze (though much smaller): EGYPT, Ptolemy III Euergetes. Denomination: AE Tetrobol, minted: Alexandria, Egypt; c. 246-230 BC Obv: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΠTOΛEMAIOY, Eagle standing left, head right, on thunderbolt; filleted cornucopia over shoulder, E monogram between legs Weight: 48.45g; Ø:37mm. Catalogue: Svoronos 974. . Provenance: Ex. van. Eldijk ; acq.: 12-2019 Since my knowledge on the coinage of the Bruttii is very limited (as my knowledge on Greek coins in general), I would appreciate any information on this topic. Please post similar coins!
I am not sure if it has a connection or it is pure coincidence, I tend to lean on it being coincidence. The Zeus - Eagle connection is very common on Greek coinage. Two examples: Crete, Lyttos. Æ coin (250-221 B.C.) Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right. Reverse: ΛYTT; Eagle standing right, with wings spread; monogram between legs; to right, head of boar right. Reference: Svoronos 75; Slg. Traeger 273. 5.52g; 17mm Not mine but: KINGS of GALATIA. Deiotaros. Circa 62-40 BC. Æ (19mm, 7.18 g, 12h). Laureate head of Zeus right / Eagle standing left, head right, on thunderbolt; monogram to left. E.T. Newell, Un monnayage de bronze de Déjotarus 2; SNG France -; RPC I p. 356, 2. VF, attractive dark green-brown surfaces. Very rare. The only proven imitation of the Ptolemaic coinage in Magna Graecia was during Hieron II reign in Syracuse in association with Ptolemy II Philadelphos of Egypt. Not mine: SICILY. Syracuse. Hieron II of Syracuse in association with Ptolemy II Philadelphos of Egypt, c. 264/260 BC. Sicily. Syracuse. Hieron II of Syracuse in association with Ptolemy II Philadelphos of Egypt, c. 264/260 BC. Diobol (Bronze, 27 mm, 18.21 g, 7 h), in the style of contemporary standard Ptolemaic coinage from Alexandreia, Syracuse. Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev. Eagle, with spread wings, standing left on thunderbolt; in field to left, oval shield; to right, below wing tips, N. SNG Copenhagen 116. Svoronos 619. Wolf & Lorber, \'Western Greek\' Style, group D. A very attractive, sharply struck example with a fine green patina. Extremely fine. In their recent study (see also: http://www.ptolemybronze.com/), Daniel Wolf and Catharine Lorber thoroughly examine a class of the ‘Galatian shield’ bronze coinage commonly given to the Alexandria mint. While the bronze issues with an enigmatic monogram of Σ with serifs above the shield can be attributed to the mint of Alexandria, those without this control exhibit distinguishing features, with provenances suggesting a Sicilian mint. While this theory of a western origin has been posited before, Wolf and Lorber present the first comprehensive investigation of the series, accompanied by a die study. Their analysis shows that the initial output of Sicilian ‘Galatian shield’ bronzes appear to have been produced under Alexandrian minting specialists, with related ‘imitative’ issues of ‘Western Greek’ style following this period of production under Ptolemaic authority. These ‘Western Greek’ style coins were struck with loose dies and share a common fabric, metrology, and border style with the Syracusan coinage of Hieron II, as well as featuring shared controls with the coinage struck in Hieron’s name, all indicating a Sicilian mint’s operation under Hieron superseding the Ptolemaic, or perhaps the wholesale transfer of the mint (if so, very likely to Syracuse).
I agree that Zeus and eagles were ubiquitous, however the Ptolemies were known for the cornucopia in the field as shown here so it is quite likely that the Italians had seen the use. Brettian League AE22 https://www.cointalk.com/threads/first-coin-of-2018-brettian-league.309644/ Those new here might enjoy the excellent post on these a couple years ago.
BRUTTIUM Bruttium AE 18 Hemiobol 215-205 BCE 2nd Punic War issue Nymph Terina Nike Zeus Left Bruttium Carthage occup 2nd Punic War AR Half-Shekel 216-211 Tanit Horse SOLAR-O HN Italy 2016 SNG Cop 361-3 Bruttium Lokroi Eizephyrioi 300-268 BC AE 23 Athena Pegasus
BRUTTIUM Bruttium Rhegion 415-387 BCE AE 11mm 2.46g Facing lion hd - Laureate hd of Apollo L SNG ANS 697 var Bruttium Carthage occup 2nd Punic War AR Half-Shekel 216-211 Tanit Horse SOLARdisc HN Italy 2016 Bruttium AE 17 Semuncia 214-211 2nd Punic Nike Zeus Biga Bruttium Carthage occupation Hannibal Italy 215-205 BC 2nd Punic War AE 19 Tanit Horse Hd R
As @Pavlos mentioned, on the home page they linked to an offprint article (The ‘Galatian Shield without "Σ" Series of Ptolemaic Bronze Coins) studying and presenting some very convincing evidence towards it being stuck by Hieron II. I'd recommend downloading the PDF and flipping through it. (Hieron's coin even has Ptolemy's name on it!) Here are my 2 Hieron II issues of the type (one with better obverse, one with better reverse... C'est la vie, right?): Syracuse, Sicily imitating Ptolemaic Issues of Ptolemy II Philadelphos in Alexandria, Minted under Hieron II, Ruled 270-215 BC AE Litra (Sicilian value), Uncertain mint in Sicily, Struck post-reform circa 264-263 BC Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right (Sicilian Portrait Style B). Reverse: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, with wings spread; oval shield to left, control mark A to lower right near eagle tail; all within solid circle border. References: Svoronos 615, Wolf & Lorber, ‘Western Greek’ Style, Subgroup 3 (first issue), H69 (A42/P56) And the related Ptolemaic type: Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285-246 BC AE Diobol, Alexandria mint, Series 2 Struck circa 285-261/0 BC Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus-Ammon right. Reverse: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, with wings spread; Σ above Galatian shield to left, A between legs. References: Svoronos 560 Size: 29mm, 14.37g
BRUTTIUM, The Brettii. Circa 215-205 BC. Æ Reduced Uncia (7.8g). Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right; grain ear behind. Rev: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopiae left, plectron above. Ref: Scheu 16; SNG ANS 53. Photo by MedCoins.
