Enough said. Post your cool coins from Sparta. Reverse is pictured upside down because it resembles a hot cup of coffee. Achaea, Laconia, Lacedaemon(Sparta). Claudius Æ25. Piloi of the Dioscuri. Obv: TI KLAVDIOC KAICAP; laureate bust right. Rev: EΠI ΛAKΩNOΣ; piloi of the Dioscuri; two stars above. Magistrate Lacon RPC 1115 var. Achaea, Laconia, Lacedaemon(Sparta). Marcus Aurelius Æ20 Achaea; Peleponnessus (District: Laconia) Marcus Aurelius (Augustus) Obv: ΙΜΠ Κ Μ ΑVΡΗ ΑΝΤΩ ΑVΓ / laureate-headed bust of Marcus Aurelius wearing cuirass and paludamentum, r. Rev: ΛΑΚƐΔΑΙΜΟΝΙωΝ / Club. Lakonia, Lakedaimon (Sparta). Circa 48-35 BC. Æ Hexachalkon Obv: Bearded head of Lykourgos right; ΛYK-OYPΓOC around. Rev: Club with handle ending in kerykeion; Λ-A across upper field, monogram-I and monogram across lower field. BCD Peloponnesos 906 var. 7.8gm, 24mm.
Cool posts!!! I especially like the 'cup of coffee' issue featuring Claudius!! Coins from Sparta seem to have eluded me thus far....but I'm looking to forward seeing what the rest of the CT gang has
Wow, what a great group of difficult-to-find bronzes! (I love the "steaming cups of coffee" ) I have a triobol from an earlier period, but not early enough to make it outrageously expensive LACONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta) 80-50 BCE AR triobol, 2.29 gm Obv: Head of Herakles right Rev: Amphora; to each side, caps of the Dioscuri; all within laurel wreath Ref: BCD Peloponnesos 868 A nice overview of coins from Sparta/Lakedaimon: http://www.coinweek.com/featured-news/ancient-coins-sparta/
Mine is from the period when Sparta was a member of the Achaean League. Few recognize the rest of the story. That reverse is not upside down and that is not coffee. One container hold Drambuie and the other Scotch. The sad part of collecting coins of Sparta is that they issued none during the early period but used, instead, iron spits which deteriorated too much to be collected today. The coin showed by @ancientone only survived because the components had not yet been mixed turning the two into a Rusty Nail. If you got that one, you are spending too much time here on the darkside.
Wow, nice group! I love the coffee cups too, and I don't even drink coffee. LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta) AE As 5.7g, 20.3mm C. Julius Eurycles as hegemon, circa 31-7 BC RPC 1103; BMC 63 O: Head of Zeus right. R: Club; Λ-A/EΠI EY/PY-K(ΛE)/O-Σ in four lines across field; all within wreath.
The magistrate who minted this coin is C. Julius Eurycles, a Spartan who won Roman citizenship and high position due to his heroics displayed chasing down Antony's ship at the Battle of Actium. 31-2 BC LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta) AE20 - 4.88 gm Obv: Laureate head of Zeus right Rev: L-A/EPI-EU/RU-KLE/O-S, legend in four lines on either side of a club; all within a laurel wreath. Reference: RPC 1101; BCD 921; Grunauer Group XXVI, Series 2; SNG Copenhagen 603; BMC Peloponnesus pg. 127, 63.
Now that is just plain cool. I have been wanting a steel rod currency from Sparta, knowing they are probably non-existent. (Maybe I can get some rusty nails together and "claim" they are Sparta currency ). However, I HAVE been looking for Lak coinage. This one has a wonderful history attached to it! Congrats Ms. @ancientcoinguru !
I had to look this guy up. Seems that Marc Antony had his father executed for piracy. No wonder he chased him at Actium.
Scored one from CNG today. I fought hard because I love the eagle and I really wanted a coin of Sparta LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta). Circa 39-35 BC. Æ Tetrachalkon (20mm, 6.45 g, 5h). Diademed and draped bust of Lakedaimon right / Eagle standing right; monograms to lower left and right. Grunauer Group XVI, Series 10, 109–18; BCD Peloponnesos 899.4; HGC 5, 631 corr. (eagle left or right). VF, green patina, off center on obverse.
That is cool. Lak coins are on my target list... I STILL want some of those STEEL ROD coinage from the SPARTA days!!! I was looking at these... Maybe have to pull the trigger... What do you think???
