I drove over hill and dale today to get to a collector who was parting with some of his coins, and overall the trip was worth the effort. I got a LOT of budget LRB's and common Greek bronzes, along with some better-grade provincials. Here are the two best morsels from the lot... One of the Taurokathapsia, or bull-leaping drachms of Larissa. This is one of my favorite Greek motifs, but these coins were struck all over the map in terms of centering, and they circulated heavily. The survival rate of better coins is pretty low, and I've never come across one in real life that I wanted to buy until today. Man I LOVE this coin - look at the intense expressions on the faces of both the leaper and bull, and what a strike on the reverse - perfectly centered. Just a gorgeous Greek art coin with magnificent style... And a denarius of moneyer M. Barbatius Pollio, with Mark Antony and Octavian. (You may have heard of them - they had a bit of a tête-à-tête some two thousand years ago). How often do you see this type centered so well as to catch all the lettering? (Mark Antony is proudly wearing his Star Trek insignia.)
Beautiful coins, especially the Larissa Drachm for it's age the detail is fantastic. I can remember the Bull leaping fresco when I visited Knossos Crete, very memorable place to visit.
Very nice coins. I agree about the Mark Antony/Octavian denarius. That's a particularly nice coin. Mine is both worn and off center (but not bad) as usual.
I am REALLY upset that I do not have the Star Trek insignia on mine!!! Yours is gorgeous @John Anthony . Fantastic score! @maridvnvm , if it weren't the thought that that your cut was to split your denarius into a quinarius, I would have thought it was a possible damnatio memoriae being so close to the eyes! Very cool! RImp Antony-Octavian AR Denarius 41 BCE 3.65g 18.7mm Southern or central Italian mint star Craw 528-2a Sear 1507 [Edited MINT]
This is a different coin of course, the moving military mint variety. Do we know if there is a specific moneyer associated with these emissions? Is it also Barbatius?
Great coins John, they are both stunners. Those coins are worth quite the drive. I'd even venture to New Jersey for them.
According to Sear's Roman Coins and Their Values, Vol 1: "During the early years of their long association the two principal triumvars honoured each other frequently on their coin issues, beginning with the series commemorating the establishment of the Second Triumvirate in November of 43 BC. These issues ceased abruptly about 5 years later and Antony and Octavian never even met again after Antony's departure from Italy in the late summer of 37." There are Sear 1501 through 1507 listed under this section. My coin, above, is 1507 or the last of the series. It has a description of [Italy, late 40 - early 39 BC], however no listing as to a Moneyer or issuing authority. My above attribution is what I received from a friend of mine who sold me the coin. There is a conflict between the two as to where the Mint was. Sear DOES state that it is Crawford 528-2a, and Crawford describes it as "Southern or central Italian mint". I am tending towards Sear's attribution, making the attribution I posted above as incorrect. Mea Culpa. [Edited mint in above post]
