This was a bit of a surprise in the mail today. Listed on on eBay as "Ancient Coin Unknown Date" I got it for $0.99. I couldn't tell how big it was in the photos, but I suspected it was a Ptolemy-era bronze in lousy shape, but for the price it seemed worth it. When it showed up I was surprised to see that it appears to be two coins stuck together. Or is it a single, really lousy, planchet? I've been going over the Ptolemybronze.com site (which is wonderful) and can't figure it out. The obverse does not look like the usual Zeus Ammon to me. Isis? Syracuse imitation? Maybe it is some Seleucid issue? I am out of my depth here. It is about 30 mm in diameter and weighs 18.29 grams. Can anyone help with this?
I've had coins with horizontal cleavage cracks but nothing quite like this. That's rather interesting, although it looks like BD deep in the coin. I suspect this is just the result of a problem during flan making. Perhaps when the molds were being poured, this flan's depression didn't fully fill and after the first "pour" had already cooled a bit, more molten metal was added. That would give rise to a weakly joined flan, which after being subjected to whacking with a hammer, plus time in the ground, might look like this. Or at least that's my theory For 99 cents (even if shipping was several bucks) I think it is a wonderful "fascinoma". Probably should give it a soak in sodium sesquicarbonate though. Edited to add that I think it's an Isis/eagle type of Ptolemaic bronze, perhaps Svoronos 1234. Could it be of modern manufacture? Seems unlikely. I don't think it is two coins fused together either.
Its not two coins but one which is 'rotting' from the inside out. While not exactly common it seems to be found mostly on Ptolemaic coins (several have been posted on CT before). Tif beat me to the punch, and I think she is exactly correct as to how this flan preparation flaw came about.
Thanks TIF and Ken. I appreciate the info - though "rotting" is hardly good news. I'll see if I can save it, or at least halt the damage. BD is a worry - my camera really brings out the green - it wasn't until I saw the photos that I started to worry - in hand the green doesn't look quite so poisonous (or my eyes are giving out). Sv 1234 does look plausible for size and weight. Shipping was free on this, so I have already had $0.99 worth of fun. Thanks again for your help with this. And TIP, "fascinoma" is a great word - I had to look it up, but I plan on adding it to my vocabulary!
Well, 'from the inside out' is not really correct so I'll comment before someone calls me on it. Obviously moisture has seeped from out to in, but its the flaw that has allowed it to get in and corrode on the inside. I saw many years ago a fouree tetradrachm of Alexander in which most of the base metal inside had corroded awaw leaving a silver shell on the outside. It was pretty cool!
