Featured The CORNUCOPIA challenge

We all have in our collections coins featuring the famous recurring symbol : the cornucopia.
It is a representation of abundance, fecundity, fertility and happiness. Derived from the latin cornu meaning “horn”, and copiae meaning “plenty”, it has long been used as a common harvest symbol associated with a plentiful bounty. What’s his origin ? Once again we have to turn to the mythology to find an explanation. It seems that there are 2 possibilities :

1) Amalthea (a goat and the nurse of Zeus ) accidentally broke off one of her horns. Zeus felt terrible for her and so he promised that the horn would always bring her what she need.
2) Another version actually makes it the horn that Heracles snatched from Achelous (when he was transformed into a bull) during his victory over the river god.
Anyway one thing is for sure ; The cornucopia appears, in the fifth century BC, as an attribute of the god Hades. The infernal ruler is represented with this object a dozen times on vases of the time. The interior of a cup discovered in Etruria, dating from the years 450-400 BC, is one of the best illustrations.



From the 4th century BC, the cornucopia seems to change ownership. For the first time, on a relief of Asclepeion Athens, Tyche is represented holding a cornucopia. This type of representation developed strongly in the Hellenistic period then in Roman times.
This ornament appears on a variety of antique monuments, both sculptural and numismatic.


A statue of a Greek god holding a cornucopia


Roman sculpture, ancient bronze statue of winged cupid combed with a corymbe type toupee, holding a horn of plenty or cornucopia, ring of suspension in the back. Period: 2nd century AD.

In Roman coinage, many gods and personifications are represented holding the cornucopia : Abundantia, Liberalitas, Aequitas, Moneta, Aeternitas, Africa, Annona, Asia, Ceres, Concordia, Fecunditas, Felicitas, Fides Publica, Fortuna, Roma, Salus etc...It usually appears in two positions; one with the mouth or opening facing upwards and one facing downwards, depending on the deity being portrayed.
QUIZ : one country of South America and two States in the USA have a cornucopia on their flags. Can you name them ?

Now here is the challenge : how many different coins can we find with the cornucopia ? Please show us your babies !

2 examples in my collection :
Nerva Dupondius
Fortuna holding cornucopia


Marcus Aurelius Sestertius
Annona holding cornucopia

 

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I only have 1 so far;

Gordian III
AE 26, AMNG II 650, Sarapis
OBV: AVT K M ANT GORDIANOC AVG CEB TPANKVLLINA, Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Gordian III right, facing diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina left
REV: OVLPIANWN AGCIALEWN Sarapis standing facing, head left, wearing kalathos, holding patera and cornucopia
12.44g, 26mm
Minted at Anchialus, 238-244 AD

 

Kaunos, 3rd cent BC, AE10, 1.29g (Minted under the Ptolemies)
Obv: Head of Alexander the Great right.
Rev: K and partial AY monogram; Cornucopia
Ref: Sear GCV #4823, Lindgren and Kovacs #628

 

RR Plaetorius Cest 67 BC AR Den Helmtd Diety quiver cornucopia S-C Eagle tbolt S 349 Cr 409-1 VF

 

I have several dozen, I'm sure, but here's just a few, being held by Fortuna, Felicitas, and Concordia:


Aurelian, AD 279-275.
Roman billon antoninianus, 3.61 gm, 20.6 mm.
Obv: IMP AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust, r.
Rev: FORTVNA REDVX, Fortuna seated l., holding rudder and cornucopiae, wheel under seat; S in exergue.
Refs: RIC 128; MER/RIC 1466; CBN 452; Sear 11539; MIR 16, Hunter p. cx.



Trebonianus Gallus, AD 251-253.
Roman AR antoninianus, 3.60 g, 21.3 mm, 7 h.
Uncertain mint (formerly attributed to Mediolanum), AD 251-253.
Obv: IMP C C VIB TREB GALLVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: FELICITAS PVBL, Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding long caduceus and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC 75; Cohen --; RCV --; ERIC II --; Wiczay 2509; Banduri p. 59.



Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman AR Denarius, 2.84 g, 18.5 mm, 6 h.
Rome, AD 150-152, under Antoninus Pius.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVG ANTONINI AVG PII FIL, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing facing, head left, holding skirt and cornucopiae.
Refs: RIC III 501 (Pius); BMCRE 1078 note (Pius); Cohen/RSC 46; RCV --; CRE 166; ERIC II --.

 

A quick on Tantalus showed I have 63 coins there mentioninging cornucopia - here are a couple of them:
Cr. 58/1 victoriatus. I've got the denarius of the series and the as is in the post, it should arrive tomorrow:

Here's a rare Otho denarius with Ceres on the reverse, holding cornucopiae.
RIC 2.


Keep them coming.

ATB,
Aidan.

 

Early 4th century
Nicomedia mint
Obvs: DEAE SANC CERERI, veiled and draped bust of Ceres left, holding grain ear and poppy in raised right hand.
Revs: GEN CIVI T NICOM, Fortuna Redux standing facing, head left, holding in right hand rudder set on ground and cradling cornucopia in left arm; OPA.
AE 15x16mm, 1.46g
Ref: Vagi 2958; Van Heesch 1


Aretas IV
Mint: Petra
6 BC to 18 AD
Obvs: Aretas IV head right.
Revs: Monogram between two crossed cornucopias.
AE 12x13mm, 2.2g
Ref: v. SNG ANS 1432, Meshorer 67


Demetrios II, FIRST REIGN
Mint: 'Pentalpha' in Syria or Phoenicia
146 to 138 BC
Obvs: Diademed head of Demetrios II right within dotted border.
Revs: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY ΘEOY in three lines on right, ΪIΛAΔEΛΪOY NIKATOPEΣ in two lines on left. Cornucopiae between, Pentalpha inner left.
AE 17x18mm, 8.28g
Ref: SC 1937; HGC 10, 998(R2)

 

Most of mine are going to be Septimius Severus of course. Some come in pairs.
'Emesa' mint with fruit


But the king of double cornucopia has to be the Antoninus Pius sestertius with heads of his grandchildren. We had a thread on these a while back.
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/antoninus-pius-grandchildren-but-which-ones.314260/

 

PTOLEMY IV
AE36
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Zeus Ammon right
REVERSE: PTOLEMIAOU BASILEWS, eagle standing left on thunderbolt, looking back at cornucopiae under right wing
Struck at Egypt 221-205 BC
46.4g, 36mm
SNG Cop 221

PTOLEMY VI
AE20
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon right
REVERSE: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, two eagles standing left on thunderbolt; cornucopiae before
Struck at CYPRUS 180-176 BC
6.11g, 20mm
Svoronos 1426, SNG Cop 315

VALENTIA, ROMAN PROVINCIAL
AE As
OBVERSE: Helmeted head Roma right, TRINI L F Q before. T AHI T F behind
REVERSE: Cornucopia on thunderbolt within wreath; VALEN-TIA
Struck at Valentia, Spain 138 BC
11.4g, 27mm
CNH pg. 317, 4; Burgos 2512

ALEXANDER II ZABINAS
AE22
OBVERSE: Radiate and diademed head right
REVERSE: �'ΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝ�"ΡΟΥ, Double cornucopia; A-Π flanking, star to lower left
Struck at Antioch, Series 5 125-22 BC
8.2g, 22mm
SC 2237

SINOPE, PAPHLAGONIA
AE16
OBVERSE: Winged head of young Perseus
REVERSE: SINW-PHS, cornucopiae between two pilei of the Dioskouroi, each surmounted by a star
Struck at Sinope, 120-100 BC
4.09g, 16mm
SNG Cop 306, SNGvA 231, Sear 3713
Ex JAZ Numismatics

L CORNELIUS SULLA FELIX ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS CORNELIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Venus right
REVERSE: Double cornucopiae; Q below
Rome 81 BC
3.77g, 19mm
Cr 375/2; Syd 755; Cornelia 33

M. PLAETORIUS M.F. CESTIANUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS PLAETORIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Bust of an Vacuna right, wearing a wreathed and crested helmet, bow and quiver on shoulder, cornucopiae below chin
REVERSE: M PLAETORIVS M F AED CVR Eagle right, on
thunderbolt, head left
Rome 67 BC
3.7g, 18 mm
Cr409/1; Syd 809; Plaetoria 4

GALBA
AE Dupondius
OBVERSE: SER GALBA IMP CAES AVG TR P laureate head right
REVERSE: PAX AVGVST, Pax standing, head left, holding branch and cornucopia, SC in fields
Struck at Rome, Oct/Nove 68 AD
13.2g, 27mm
RIC 283

VESPASIAN
Æ Dupondius
OBVERSE: IMP CAES VESP AVG P M T P COS V CENS, radiate head left
REVERSE: FELICITAS PVBLICA S-C, Felicitas standing facing, head left, holding caduceus & cornucopiae
Struck at Rome, 74AD
10.2g, 28mm
RIC 716, (RIC [1962] 555), Cohen 152, BMC 698
Ex: J.Q. Adams

DOMITIAN
AE As
OBVERSE: IMP CAES DOMIT AVG GERM COS XI CENS POT P P, laureate head right, aegis at tip of bust
REVERSE: MONETA AVGVSTI, S-C, Moneta standing left, holding scales & cornucopiae
Struck at Rome, 85AD
11.7g, 27mm
RIC 384

 

Phillp l antoninianus, Annona on ships bow holding grain ears and cornucopia, Rome mint

 

How ‘bout a tessera with a cornucopia?

TESSERA:


RI Tessera c 1st C CE PB Fortuna rudder cornucopia DP Rostovtsev 2307 Ruggerio 808-9 13mm 1.39g

 

I'll toss in a Parthian.



Artabanos II (as per Assar, who previously had tentatively attributed the issue to Bagasis, brother of Mitradates I); Inter-regnal Issue (as per Sellwood)
AR tetradrachm
127-126 BC
Sellwood 18.1; Sunrise 273

The reverse features Demeter holding a cornucopia and Nike, who crowns her with a wreath.

 

New from a collection I bought today. Julia Domna with Fortuna holding rudder and cornucopia.

 

Constantius I as Caesar AD 293-305., Ticinum, AE Follis (25mm., 10.48g);
CONSTANTIVS NOB CAES, laureate head right / GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, modius on head, chlamys over shoulder, holding patera and cornucopia, mintmark T.


Lucius Verus, AR Denarius (17 mm, 3.08 g), Rome, 161-162. IMP L AVREL VERVS AVG Bare bust of L. Verus to right./ Rev. Providentia standing front, head left, holding globe in her right hand and cornucopia with her left. RIC 482 (Marcus Aurelius).


Commodus, AR denarius (18.9 mm, 3.70 g). Rome mint, struck A.D. 184-185. COMM ANT AVG P BRIT, laureate head right /Roma seated on cuirass left, holding Victory and cornucopia; arms on ground below. RIC 112. From the Porter Collection.

 

Cool thread, @Ocatarinetabellatchitchix!

Here's Amaltheia, the mother of all cornucopias, carrying a horn in one hand and that incorrigible little rugrat Zeus in the other.


HADRIAN
AR Tridrachm. 9.34g, 24.8mm. CILICIA, Aegeae, CY 164 (AD 117/8). Prieur 716; SNG Levante 1713-4; SNG BN 2328; RPC III 3335/5 (this coin cited). O: ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙС ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟС ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟС СЄΒ, Laureate bust right, slight drapery. R: ΑΙΓЄΑΙΩΝ, Amaltheia standing facing, head right, holding cornucopia and infant Zeus, who is holding wreath aloft; at feet to right, goat kneeling right, head left; ЄΤΟΥС ΔΞΡ (date) in legend.
Ex Michel Prieur Collection; ex Garth R. Drewry Collection

And why settle for one horn of plenty when two will give you double the plentifulness?
AQUILIA SEVERA
AR Denarius. 2.93g, 20mm. Rome mint, AD 220-222. RIC 226. O: IVLIA AQVILIA SEVERA AVG, draped bust right. R: CONCORDIA, Concordia standing left, holding patera and double cornucopiae; lit altar to left; star in right field.

 

Bing, real nice!

 

Here is a cornucopia between Annona and Ceres on this Nero sestertius.

(by the way, Ceres' daughter Proserpina , has apparently left for the netherworld of Hades to be with Pluto rather early this year).

 

Beautiful!

 

Here are a few:

Anonymous, Crawford 58/2, 207 BC


Anonymous, Crawford 157/1, 179-170 BC


L. Sulla, Crawford 375/2, 81 BC

Phil Davis

 

Here are mine.