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<p>[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3075298, member: 75937"]I am excited about a new addition to my collection. I've been studying it all afternoon in light of information in the best source about such coins: Mark Staal's <i>The Three Graces and Their Numismatic Mythology</i>.[1] Many of his coins can be viewed at <a href="http://www.ancientcoinage.org/three-graces-coins.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.ancientcoinage.org/three-graces-coins.html" rel="nofollow">his website</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Though often described as "The Three Graces" in auction catalogs, the deities featured on the reverse of this coin are better described as the more generic term, "Three Nymphs," because the term "Three Graces" refers to a specific statuary group, depicted in the same way on coinage throughout the Roman provincial series. Staal (p. 49) explains:</p><p><br /></p><p>"Among all the known Three Graces coin types there are several distinctive features that may provide some guidance on distinguishing them from their more generic cousins, The Three Nymphs. All of the known Three Graces coin types depict the center Grace from the reverse with arms extended around the shoulders of her companions who are both depicted as facing frontward. The coins illustrated here do not conform to this format. In all of these cases, the Graces are clothed (diverting from the traditional form) and all are imaged facing frontward with the center Grace holding the hands of the other two at her waist (not extending them around the shoulders)."</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is the coin from my collection:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773389[/ATTACH]</p><p>Julia Domna, AD 193-217.</p><p>Roman provincial Æ triassarion, 24 mm, 7.77 g.</p><p>Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211.</p><p>Obv: IOVΛIA ΔO-MNA CEB, bare-headed and draped bust right.</p><p>Rev: MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN, three nymphs standing facing, wearing tunics over long, lightly billowing skirts and clasping hands, the two outer nymphs with heads turned inwards and each holding a jug in her free hand.</p><p>Refs: Varbanov 892 var (obv. legend); Staal 89.15 (plate 3, fig. 15, p. 157); BMC --; Moushmov --; SGI --; AMNG I (Pick) --; Lindgren --; Winsemann --</p><p>Note: Obverse and reverse die match to Staal plate coin (Gorny & Mosch Auction 108, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=79615" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=79615" rel="nofollow">lot 1421</a>, April 3, 2001).</p><p><br /></p><p>Compare this to another coin produced by the SAME OBVERSE DIE but depicting the Three Graces:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773391[/ATTACH]</p><p>Julia Domna, AD 193-217.</p><p>Roman provincial Æ triassarion, 23.3 mm 8.55 g.</p><p>Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211.</p><p>Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟ-ΜΝΑ CΕΒ, bare-headed and draped bust right.</p><p>Rev: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, statuary group of the Three Graces side by side, the center Grace from the reverse with arms extended around the shoulders of her companions who are both facing frontward.</p><p>Refs: SGI 2313; AMNG I 603; Moushmov 417; Hristova & Jekov 6.17.26.2; Staal p. 107, 15.1.1</p><p>Notes: Obverse and reverse die match to Hristova & Jekov 6.17.26.2.</p><p><br /></p><p>I share the opinion of Staal (ibid) that the coin depicting the nymphs was not simply a variation of the Three Graces type. Celators of the ancient world were obviously familiar with the statuary grouping of the Three Graces type and its representation is astonishingly uniform across the ancient coins depicting them. Moreover, this Three Nymphs coin type was minted alongside the Three Graces type (linked by the same obverse die, even). It seems highly unlikely that such substantial variations in iconography was not intentional.</p><p><br /></p><p>So who or what are these Three Nymphs, then? We don't know with certainty. A very similar reverse type is depicted on an Æ 20 of Crispina from Augusta Traiana:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773410[/ATTACH]</p><p>Staal, Pl. 3, Fig. 14; Schönert-Geiss, Augusta Traiana 113; Varbanov 945. Photo courtesy of CNG, electronic auction 319, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3300018" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3300018" rel="nofollow">lot 193</a>, Jan 29, 2014.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>On this coin, it is noteworthy that the two outside nymphs each carry a jug, just as on my Three Nymphs coin of Marcianopolis, above. Schonert-Geiss[2] suggests the depiction of the Three Nymphs on coins from Augusta Traiana and Trajanopolis represents the three rivers that flowed through the area, arguing the presence of the Nymphs' water jugs reflected a meaningful representation to residents of the region of the three life-giving sources of water.</p><p><br /></p><p>A similar situation existed in Marcianopolis (now Devnya, Bulgaria). There were three important bodies of water in the city; the city stands on the western shore of Lake Beloslav, which is fed by two rivers, the Devnya and Provadiya. I too wonder if the citizens of Marcianopolis would have taken the Three Nymphs and their water jugs as allegorical of these bodies of water.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have been able to identify online only four other examples of a coin of Julia Domna from Marcianopolis depicting The Three Nymphs and they appear to have produced from only two pairs of obverse and reverse dies, without crossover between them. That is to say, obverse die 1 is always used with reverse die A and obverse 2 is always used with reverse die B.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Die pair 1A:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Obverse die 1 has a rather thick-necked bust and the inscription IOVΛIA ΔO-MNA CEB, (i.e. the legend is broken after the O in ΔOMNA). The O in ΔOMNA is small and spaced rather far from the preceding Δ. The E in CEB is block-form and the B in CEB is very tall, with distinctly separate loops.</p><p><br /></p><p>Reverse die A has the following distinctive features: The Nymph's jug at the 9:00 position is set between the M and the A in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ and the jug at the 3:00 position abuts the final N of the reverse inscription. The Nymphs may not wear belts (unclear due to wear). The hair bun of the Nymph on the left abuts the I in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 10:00; the hair bun of the Nymph on the right abuts the I in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 1:00. Several of the letters in the reverse inscription -- especially the T -- have a dagger-like points pointing perpendicularly upward or downward from their serifs.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773422[/ATTACH]</p><p>My coin, Numismatik Naumann Auction 65, <a href="https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/numismatiknaumann/browse?a=270&l=254736" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/numismatiknaumann/browse?a=270&l=254736" rel="nofollow">lot 293</a>, May 6, 2018</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773423[/ATTACH]</p><p>The Staal plate coin (plate 3, fig. 15, p. 157; Gorny & Mosch Auction 108, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=79615" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=79615" rel="nofollow">lot 1421</a>, April 3, 2001).</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Die pair 2B:</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Obverse die 2 has a thin-necked portrait of the empress and the inscription reads IOVΛIA ΔOMNA CЄ, with the inscription broken after IOVΛIA and ending with a lunate Є. The Δ in ΔOMNA starts at the 1:00 position, right at the front of Julia Domna's hair. The M in ΔOMNA is broad and the N "leans backwards." The crossbar of the final Є is longer than the top and bottom strokes.</p><p><br /></p><p>Reverse die B has the following distinctive features: The left Nymph's jug faces the A in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ and the jug of the right Nymph abuts the rather large space between the the Ω and the final N of the reverse inscription. There is a fairly wide space between the Ρ and the Κ of ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ. The Nymphs each wear belts and a horizontal line passed through their belts would extend through this space in the letters. The hair bun of the Nymph on the left abuts the A in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 10:00; the hair bun of the Nymph on the right abuts the Λ in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 2:00. There are no dagger-like points pointing perpendicularly upward or downward from the serifs of the letters.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773430[/ATTACH]</p><p>Specimen at <a href="http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/julia_domna/i.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/julia_domna/i.html" rel="nofollow">Wildwinds</a>, said to be the Varbanov plate coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773432[/ATTACH]</p><p>Numismatik Naumann Auction 50, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3624871" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3624871" rel="nofollow">lot 292</a>, Feb 5, 2017.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]773434[/ATTACH]</p><p>HD Rauch Auction 82, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=458050" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=458050" rel="nofollow">lot 393</a>, April 23, 2008.</p><p><br /></p><p>Please post comments or anything you feel is relevant. I'd love to see additional examples of these fascinating coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>References:</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Staal, Mark A. <i>The Three Graces and Their Numismatic Mythology</i>. Mark A. Staal, 2004.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Schonert-Geiss, Edith. <i>Griechisches münzwerk: Die münzpragung von Augusta Traiana und Traianopolis</i>. Akademie-Verlag, 1991.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Roman Collector, post: 3075298, member: 75937"]I am excited about a new addition to my collection. I've been studying it all afternoon in light of information in the best source about such coins: Mark Staal's [I]The Three Graces and Their Numismatic Mythology[/I].[1] Many of his coins can be viewed at [URL='http://www.ancientcoinage.org/three-graces-coins.html']his website[/URL]. Though often described as "The Three Graces" in auction catalogs, the deities featured on the reverse of this coin are better described as the more generic term, "Three Nymphs," because the term "Three Graces" refers to a specific statuary group, depicted in the same way on coinage throughout the Roman provincial series. Staal (p. 49) explains: "Among all the known Three Graces coin types there are several distinctive features that may provide some guidance on distinguishing them from their more generic cousins, The Three Nymphs. All of the known Three Graces coin types depict the center Grace from the reverse with arms extended around the shoulders of her companions who are both depicted as facing frontward. The coins illustrated here do not conform to this format. In all of these cases, the Graces are clothed (diverting from the traditional form) and all are imaged facing frontward with the center Grace holding the hands of the other two at her waist (not extending them around the shoulders)." Here is the coin from my collection: [ATTACH=full]773389[/ATTACH] Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman provincial Æ triassarion, 24 mm, 7.77 g. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211. Obv: IOVΛIA ΔO-MNA CEB, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: MAPKIANOΠOΛITΩN, three nymphs standing facing, wearing tunics over long, lightly billowing skirts and clasping hands, the two outer nymphs with heads turned inwards and each holding a jug in her free hand. Refs: Varbanov 892 var (obv. legend); Staal 89.15 (plate 3, fig. 15, p. 157); BMC --; Moushmov --; SGI --; AMNG I (Pick) --; Lindgren --; Winsemann -- Note: Obverse and reverse die match to Staal plate coin (Gorny & Mosch Auction 108, [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=79615']lot 1421[/URL], April 3, 2001). Compare this to another coin produced by the SAME OBVERSE DIE but depicting the Three Graces: [ATTACH=full]773391[/ATTACH] Julia Domna, AD 193-217. Roman provincial Æ triassarion, 23.3 mm 8.55 g. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 193-211. Obv: ΙΟVΛΙΑ ΔΟ-ΜΝΑ CΕΒ, bare-headed and draped bust right. Rev: ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, statuary group of the Three Graces side by side, the center Grace from the reverse with arms extended around the shoulders of her companions who are both facing frontward. Refs: SGI 2313; AMNG I 603; Moushmov 417; Hristova & Jekov 6.17.26.2; Staal p. 107, 15.1.1 Notes: Obverse and reverse die match to Hristova & Jekov 6.17.26.2. I share the opinion of Staal (ibid) that the coin depicting the nymphs was not simply a variation of the Three Graces type. Celators of the ancient world were obviously familiar with the statuary grouping of the Three Graces type and its representation is astonishingly uniform across the ancient coins depicting them. Moreover, this Three Nymphs coin type was minted alongside the Three Graces type (linked by the same obverse die, even). It seems highly unlikely that such substantial variations in iconography was not intentional. So who or what are these Three Nymphs, then? We don't know with certainty. A very similar reverse type is depicted on an Æ 20 of Crispina from Augusta Traiana: [ATTACH=full]773410[/ATTACH] Staal, Pl. 3, Fig. 14; Schönert-Geiss, Augusta Traiana 113; Varbanov 945. Photo courtesy of CNG, electronic auction 319, [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3300018']lot 193[/URL], Jan 29, 2014. On this coin, it is noteworthy that the two outside nymphs each carry a jug, just as on my Three Nymphs coin of Marcianopolis, above. Schonert-Geiss[2] suggests the depiction of the Three Nymphs on coins from Augusta Traiana and Trajanopolis represents the three rivers that flowed through the area, arguing the presence of the Nymphs' water jugs reflected a meaningful representation to residents of the region of the three life-giving sources of water. A similar situation existed in Marcianopolis (now Devnya, Bulgaria). There were three important bodies of water in the city; the city stands on the western shore of Lake Beloslav, which is fed by two rivers, the Devnya and Provadiya. I too wonder if the citizens of Marcianopolis would have taken the Three Nymphs and their water jugs as allegorical of these bodies of water. I have been able to identify online only four other examples of a coin of Julia Domna from Marcianopolis depicting The Three Nymphs and they appear to have produced from only two pairs of obverse and reverse dies, without crossover between them. That is to say, obverse die 1 is always used with reverse die A and obverse 2 is always used with reverse die B. [B]Die pair 1A:[/B] Obverse die 1 has a rather thick-necked bust and the inscription IOVΛIA ΔO-MNA CEB, (i.e. the legend is broken after the O in ΔOMNA). The O in ΔOMNA is small and spaced rather far from the preceding Δ. The E in CEB is block-form and the B in CEB is very tall, with distinctly separate loops. Reverse die A has the following distinctive features: The Nymph's jug at the 9:00 position is set between the M and the A in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ and the jug at the 3:00 position abuts the final N of the reverse inscription. The Nymphs may not wear belts (unclear due to wear). The hair bun of the Nymph on the left abuts the I in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 10:00; the hair bun of the Nymph on the right abuts the I in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 1:00. Several of the letters in the reverse inscription -- especially the T -- have a dagger-like points pointing perpendicularly upward or downward from their serifs. [ATTACH=full]773422[/ATTACH] My coin, Numismatik Naumann Auction 65, [URL='https://www.biddr.ch/auctions/numismatiknaumann/browse?a=270&l=254736']lot 293[/URL], May 6, 2018 [ATTACH=full]773423[/ATTACH] The Staal plate coin (plate 3, fig. 15, p. 157; Gorny & Mosch Auction 108, [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=79615']lot 1421[/URL], April 3, 2001). [B]Die pair 2B:[/B] Obverse die 2 has a thin-necked portrait of the empress and the inscription reads IOVΛIA ΔOMNA CЄ, with the inscription broken after IOVΛIA and ending with a lunate Є. The Δ in ΔOMNA starts at the 1:00 position, right at the front of Julia Domna's hair. The M in ΔOMNA is broad and the N "leans backwards." The crossbar of the final Є is longer than the top and bottom strokes. Reverse die B has the following distinctive features: The left Nymph's jug faces the A in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ and the jug of the right Nymph abuts the rather large space between the the Ω and the final N of the reverse inscription. There is a fairly wide space between the Ρ and the Κ of ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ. The Nymphs each wear belts and a horizontal line passed through their belts would extend through this space in the letters. The hair bun of the Nymph on the left abuts the A in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 10:00; the hair bun of the Nymph on the right abuts the Λ in ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ at 2:00. There are no dagger-like points pointing perpendicularly upward or downward from the serifs of the letters. [ATTACH=full]773430[/ATTACH] Specimen at [URL='http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/julia_domna/i.html']Wildwinds[/URL], said to be the Varbanov plate coin. [ATTACH=full]773432[/ATTACH] Numismatik Naumann Auction 50, [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3624871']lot 292[/URL], Feb 5, 2017. [ATTACH=full]773434[/ATTACH] HD Rauch Auction 82, [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=458050']lot 393[/URL], April 23, 2008. Please post comments or anything you feel is relevant. I'd love to see additional examples of these fascinating coins. References: 1. Staal, Mark A. [I]The Three Graces and Their Numismatic Mythology[/I]. Mark A. Staal, 2004. 2. Schonert-Geiss, Edith. [I]Griechisches münzwerk: Die münzpragung von Augusta Traiana und Traianopolis[/I]. Akademie-Verlag, 1991.[/QUOTE]
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