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<p>[QUOTE="Ryro, post: 4605924, member: 91461"]+100 [USER=82322]@Ed Snible[/USER]! Thanks for taking that auction off<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie50" alt=":happy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>At 13 EUR, it was the third least expensive coin sold at an auction that had plenty selling for thousands<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie33" alt=":cigar:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>It's sister piece was a steal too, at just 38 EUR!</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1140945[/ATTACH] </p><p>The last one of these previously sold for 190 EUR! (Both coin pics borrowed)</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1140947[/ATTACH] I enjoyed this coins sub text as well. "Exactly what this coin is, and where it is from, is quite uncertain. The obverse is almost Celtic in flavour, while the reverse is very similar to that on standard Kyzikene silver fractions, albeit of rougher or ruder style. Whether this coin was issued by a town or a community or a specific population group cannot be ascertained at present."</p><p>Talk about heightening the intrigue<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie101" alt=":woot:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> of my "Celtic\Oriental" mystery coin<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie26" alt=":bookworm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>And, as stated in the Ebay listing, examples have sold for as much as nearly 2 grand<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie47" alt=":greedy:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> (I'd love to peep<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie99" alt=":watching:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> those examples). </p><p>Per usual, Ed, your post is illuminating and raises more questions<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie77" alt=":pompous:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>For ease of reading here is the description from the linked Ebay coin:</p><p><br /></p><p>"GREEK, Asia Minor (?), Uncertain Mint. Circa 450 - 400 BC. AR Hemitetartemorion or tetartemorion (6.55 mm – 0.14 grams). Uncertain / Head of roaring lion left; V in upper left field; all within incuse square. Apparently unpublished (except for its sale appearances)</p><p><br /></p><p>Ex Nomos AG, Winter-Spring FPL (2012), 44 (asking price $2,600.00)</p><p><br /></p><p>Ex Hauck & Aufhäuser Auction 15 (2000), 95 (sold for $1,800.00) </p><p><br /></p><p>Research: A truly enigmatic coin. By the early fifth century BC the obverse types on Greek coinage typically served as a civic emblem to identify the issuing authority. However, this mid-to-late fifth century coin is a rare exception as nothing exactly like this remarkable design has been seen before and at present its symbolism is a true mystery. It consists of two crescent shaped objects back to back. One crescent has a pellet attached to the tip of one end and two lines forming a V-shape at the tip of the other end. The second crescent is plain with no attachments and has a greater arc to its semicircular shape. Two other pellets are positioned just below the pellet attached to the crescent, with one to the left and other to the right. Although I am not convinced that the asymmetrical design represents two crescents, I cannot offer a satisfactory alternative and will continue to describe them in this manner.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> Unfortunately, the reverse type featuring a roaring lion’s head is such a common coin type throughout the Greek world that it provides no information pointing to a mint, or even a particular province. </p><p><br /></p><p> Dr. Alan Walker of Nomos AG wrote (see provenance):</p><p><br /></p><p>“This is a truly bizarre coin. It was sold as uncertain Asia Minor, but the types themselves are inconclusive. The curious obverse pattern is paralleled both by some early electrum and by rather later Celtic issues from Britain and Gaul (?). As for the lion’s head, it could certainly also be from Asia Minor, but the possibility that the lion’s mane was also used as the fronds of a palm tree suggests that it could well be western! If there was ever a coin that needed further research, this is the one.”</p><p><br /></p><p>All things considered, this may symbolize an ornamental or floral motif though these types were more commonly found on earlier archaic coinage and in a much different form<i>."</i></p><p><br /></p><p>If the coin is from Kyzikos why would the lions image devolve despite the coin no longer needing the archaic incuse reverse? </p><p>How would a seemingly Celtic obverse design make it all the way from England to Turkey? </p><p>Why would Kyzikos switch the lion to the reverse?</p><p>If Celtic, I've not seen such a drastic juxtaposition as the image on the reverse and design on the obverse from them. What does it mean???<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie98" alt=":wacky:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie5" alt=":confused:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p>You have pals that used to write for the Celator? I LOVE The Celator!<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie101" alt=":woot:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> We need to start a petition for them to bring back thre Celator #nomoreCelatorskelter![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Ryro, post: 4605924, member: 91461"]+100 [USER=82322]@Ed Snible[/USER]! Thanks for taking that auction off:happy: At 13 EUR, it was the third least expensive coin sold at an auction that had plenty selling for thousands:cigar: It's sister piece was a steal too, at just 38 EUR! [ATTACH=full]1140945[/ATTACH] The last one of these previously sold for 190 EUR! (Both coin pics borrowed) [ATTACH=full]1140947[/ATTACH] I enjoyed this coins sub text as well. "Exactly what this coin is, and where it is from, is quite uncertain. The obverse is almost Celtic in flavour, while the reverse is very similar to that on standard Kyzikene silver fractions, albeit of rougher or ruder style. Whether this coin was issued by a town or a community or a specific population group cannot be ascertained at present." Talk about heightening the intrigue:woot: of my "Celtic\Oriental" mystery coin:bookworm: And, as stated in the Ebay listing, examples have sold for as much as nearly 2 grand:greedy: (I'd love to peep:watching: those examples). Per usual, Ed, your post is illuminating and raises more questions:pompous: For ease of reading here is the description from the linked Ebay coin: "GREEK, Asia Minor (?), Uncertain Mint. Circa 450 - 400 BC. AR Hemitetartemorion or tetartemorion (6.55 mm – 0.14 grams). Uncertain / Head of roaring lion left; V in upper left field; all within incuse square. Apparently unpublished (except for its sale appearances) Ex Nomos AG, Winter-Spring FPL (2012), 44 (asking price $2,600.00) Ex Hauck & Aufhäuser Auction 15 (2000), 95 (sold for $1,800.00) Research: A truly enigmatic coin. By the early fifth century BC the obverse types on Greek coinage typically served as a civic emblem to identify the issuing authority. However, this mid-to-late fifth century coin is a rare exception as nothing exactly like this remarkable design has been seen before and at present its symbolism is a true mystery. It consists of two crescent shaped objects back to back. One crescent has a pellet attached to the tip of one end and two lines forming a V-shape at the tip of the other end. The second crescent is plain with no attachments and has a greater arc to its semicircular shape. Two other pellets are positioned just below the pellet attached to the crescent, with one to the left and other to the right. Although I am not convinced that the asymmetrical design represents two crescents, I cannot offer a satisfactory alternative and will continue to describe them in this manner. Unfortunately, the reverse type featuring a roaring lion’s head is such a common coin type throughout the Greek world that it provides no information pointing to a mint, or even a particular province. Dr. Alan Walker of Nomos AG wrote (see provenance): “This is a truly bizarre coin. It was sold as uncertain Asia Minor, but the types themselves are inconclusive. The curious obverse pattern is paralleled both by some early electrum and by rather later Celtic issues from Britain and Gaul (?). As for the lion’s head, it could certainly also be from Asia Minor, but the possibility that the lion’s mane was also used as the fronds of a palm tree suggests that it could well be western! If there was ever a coin that needed further research, this is the one.” All things considered, this may symbolize an ornamental or floral motif though these types were more commonly found on earlier archaic coinage and in a much different form[I]."[/I] If the coin is from Kyzikos why would the lions image devolve despite the coin no longer needing the archaic incuse reverse? How would a seemingly Celtic obverse design make it all the way from England to Turkey? Why would Kyzikos switch the lion to the reverse? If Celtic, I've not seen such a drastic juxtaposition as the image on the reverse and design on the obverse from them. What does it mean???:wacky::confused: You have pals that used to write for the Celator? I LOVE The Celator!:woot: We need to start a petition for them to bring back thre Celator #nomoreCelatorskelter![/QUOTE]
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