What's the oldest coin in your collection that can be related to a person?

Glaring through the catalogue of my collection, I wondered: what's the oldest coin that can be related with certainty to a person (e.g. king, magistrate, tiran, etc.)? I propose two rules:

1. the coin actually depicts this person (i.e. a king riding on horseback, the bust of the emperor, etc)
2. the name of this person is clearly written on the coin

For the first category, my oldest coin (depicting the person):

BAKTRIA, Menander I Soter
Denomination: AR drachm, minted: Baktria; 155-130 BC
Obv: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ ('of King Menander the Saviour'), heroic bust of Menander wearing crested helmet facing right
Rev: Athena standing right, brandishing thunderbolt and holding aegis, Karosthi legend around, monogram in field to right
Weight: 2.1g; Ø:18mm, Catalogue: Sear 7603; SNG Copenhagen 294, Provenance: Ex private collection; acq.: 05-2019

For the second category, my oldest coin (with the name of the person):

GREECE, Dynasts of Lycia (Perikles, c 380-360 BC)
Denomination: AE11, minted: Uncertain mint; 380-360 BC
Obv: Horned head of Pan, to the left
Rev: ΠE-PE-KΛ Lucian triskeles to left
Weight: 2.24g; Ø:11mm, Catalogue: Falghera 219–23. Müseler VIII, 52–5. SNG von Aulock 4257–8, Provenance: @AnYangMan ; acq.: 12-2019

So how far back in time can we go? What's the oldest Cointalkcoin that can be related with certainty to a person in history?

 

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My oldest coin depicting the person and with written name is of Gamerses, Satrap of Lydia about 400 BC. His name ΓAMEPΣOY on the reverse.

There was a discussion if this coin realy shows Gamerses, or Aphrodite. In the references given below, it is shown that it is most likely Gamerses.

Gamerses probably belonged to the group of eunuchs, who fulfilled a function within the satrapies as a fortress commander or administrator of a smaller provincial unit. As a eunuch, he is characterized by being beardless, by the pigtail on the back of his head (not visible on this example but on several others) and his jewellery.

• S. Schultz, Aphroditekopf oder Dynastiebildnis?, Schweizer Münzblätter 168, 1992, 113-116.
• B. Weisser, Herrscherbild und Münzporträt in Kleinasien, in: Historisches Museum der Pfalz, Speyer (Hrsg.), Das persische Weltreich (2006) 78 Nr. 24 (4. Jh. v. Chr.).
• J. und M. K. Nollé, Gamerses. Überlegungen zur Identität eines lokalen Münzherrn im Achämenidenreich, in: W. Leschhorn u.a., Hellas und der griechische Osten. Studien zur Geschichte und Numismatik der griechischen Welt. Festschrift für Peter Robert Franke zum 70. Geburtstag (1996) 197-209 (frühes 4. Jh. v. Chr.).

Lydia
Gamerses, Satrap of Lydia
about 400 B.C.
Obv.: Youthful head of eunuch Gamerses, wearing earring and necklace.
Rev. ΓΑΜΕΡΣΟΥ Bearded Zeus, wearing himation, standing right, holding eagle on his outstretched left hand, long scepter with his right hand; in field left, star.
Æ, 1.66g, 12.5mm
Ref.. S. Schultz, Aphroditekopf oder Dynastiebildnis, SM 42 (1992), 113

 

This coin depicts Charlemagne, struck in the city of Aachen.
The date, 1374, is on the left image starting at 8:45 in Roman numerals.
M CCC L XX IIII.

Outer circle: XC VINCIT XC REGNA AN DNI M CCC L XX IIII
Inner circle: MON ETA IVNC HEIT

KAROLUS MAG NVS INPERAT

 

This is my oldest. The queen on the obverse is identified on the reverse -- ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ, "of Queen Philistis":


Philistis, wife of Hieron II.
Greek AR 5 litrae.
Syracuse 270-230 BCE, 4.46 gm, 18.1 mm.
Obv: Diademed and veiled head, l., palm branch behind.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ, Nike driving biga to left, E in l. field.
Refs: SNG ANS 893; SNG III (Lockett) 1017; Forrer 196.

 

Cursory search into files, as I do not categorize like this:


Makedon Philip II Tet Pella LIFETIME 353-349 Zeus Horse star spearhd Le Rider 102

 

Wow, when did you get this? Looks exactly like one I almost acquired a while back... Maybe the year was different, but that's a beauty.

 

APOLLONIA PONTIKA
AR Hemiobol
OBVERSE: Anchor, A in field
REVERSE: Swastika with two parallel lines in each quadrant
Struck at Apollonia Pontika, circa 500BC
.28g, 6.54mm
SNG BM 149; Moushmov 3146
ex. Aegean Numismaics

 

My oldest ancient coin followed by my oldest Judaeans.




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Many early coins with personal names appear to stem from Asia Minor.

Here is one from Lycia:

Dynasts of Lycia, Perikles, AR 1/3 stater, ca. 380–360 BC: Obv: Lion scalp facing. Rev: PERIKLE in Lycian script; triskele. 14mm, 2.76g. Ref: SNG von Aulock 4254–5.

Aspendos staters usually don't have obverse legends. This one has:

Pamphylia, Aspendos, AR stater, 380–325 BC. Obv: two wrestlers grappling; FИ between; in exergue, MENETVΣ EΛVΦA. Rev: slinger in throwing stance r.; EΣTFEΔIIYΣ to l., triskele to r.; all within dotted square border. 23mm, 11.04g. Ref: SNG France 97–98; Tekin: Aspendian Wrestlers (2000), series 4. Ex AMCC 1, lot 35; ex "Tiberius" collection.

It's quite clear that "Menetus" is a personal name, yet there are a lot of different interpretations of this legend:

(Summary of different theories taken from Tekin, "Aspendian Wrestlers: An Iconographic Approach," 2000, p. 165.)

 

This is as early as they come: the inscription ΦANEOS on this coin, meaning 'of Phanes' is the first example of a personal name appearing on ancient coinage, although the identity of this person has been lost to history.

 

I was hoping AJ would show this one (among my top level favorites). Not knowing the identity of Phanes leave open questions we just can't answer. We tend to assume a name on a coin is an official or ruler but many coins instead have the name of a responsible party for the issue in the sense of, "If this coin is found to be bad, blame Phanes." In most cases we can tell the difference between people being honored and those in danger of punishment but some of the most enjoyable questions in any study are the ones which will never be likely to have a firm answer. Was Phanes the local king/magistrate/boss or was he the blacksmith?

While hardly old, I find interest in the 'responsible party' system for striking English pennies. It would be a bonus to know if the Willelm L. of London mint died peacefully in bet with all his body parts intact or if he was one of the moneyers mutilated or executed for cheating the king. The coin also shows a situation not unique where the name on the coin is not the king who issued it. This is a coin of John who, like his brother Richard, continued to use the name Henry long after their father was gone.

Who was first to issue a coin in the name of a predecessor who had a good reputation? Come to think of it, today we still show George Washington on money even though he is not responsible for it.

 

For me it would be this young gentleman that just celebrated his 2019th birthday.

 

I didn't read the subject line very well. I just posted my oldest coin. The oldest coin I have associated with someone is

PHILIP II
AE19
OBVERSE: Apollo facing right with tania binding hair
REVERSE: Youth naked on horseback - Filippos (in Greek) above, symbol - spearhead (facing down) - underneath
Struck at Macedonia 359-336 BC
5.6g, 19mm
SNG ANS #850-851; Sear 6698v; Bellinger 23

 

1/ Aylattes King of Lydia EL Hemihekte Sardes Mint circa 560BC/ Lion was symbol of Kings lineage
2/ Ionia/ uncertain City/ Mint/ Ruler 625-600BC
3/ Persian Empire/ Xerxes II 420BC King is shown with weapons AV Daric Sardes Mint
4/ Philip II Macedon AV Quarter Stater Pella Mint struck circa 345BC Philip name on coin.

 

I thought the Lydian WALWET coins were possibly older, associated to Alyattes?

The oldest I have depicting the issuing monarch is Ptolemy I - I believe he beat out Seleucus I by a few years to appear on coins


The oldest that I have with a monarch's name is a toss up between two Lycian satraps who have overlapping rules

Trbbenimi, c.380-370 BC


Perikles, c. 380-360 BC


It's interesting that the Greeks only put gods, animals and inanimate objects on coins until after Alexander died. The satraps of the Achaemenids did not hold that taboo, although nearly all of the ones I own are not definitively attributable because they don't name the portrait.

The satrapal headdress indicates that these two depict the living, ruling Satrap, although we don't know who it is


This intriguing reverse depicts an Achaemenid emperor, although whether it is a lifetime portrait of Artaxerxes III or just the Great King Achamenes, we can't tell.


Related are the inscribed coins of Tadanmu, or Datames as the Greeks call him. Some of his staters definitely depict him, but is this the Satrap, or Ares?

 

Phanes is generally dated to ~625BC whereas Walwet's earliest range is 610.

 

This one meets rule 2, but not rule 1. The name is a moneyer, and I think it is the oldest RR coin I have with a name.

Cn. Baebius Tamphilus, 194-190 BC, RR Denarius, Crawford 133/2a

 

Hello Evan, I picked up this piece several years ago through a CNG
auction. I paid WAY TOO MUCH for it but I wanted it. Since then, I've acquired
another example. There are less than 25 pieces that are collectable not counting
museums. This piece was not struck during Charlemagne's time, rather 500+
years later. The city of Rome was where he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Part of the year he would reside in Aachen and use it as his capital. He was
laid to rest in the city of Aachen.

 

Which is very close to my City of Birth (Julich)