Topcat7

Lovely, Donna. Thank you for showing them (and the write-up).

A while ago there was a thread about quadrigas and the weird assortment of animals that pulled them. I remember thinking that I only had coins that had horses pulling them and so when this (well worn) Trajan coin that depicted him driving a quadriga pulled by elephants came up, I grabbed it.

Undoubtedly, your examples of Trajan in charge of a quadriga pulled by elephants will be much better looking than mine, but please let me see them.

Trajan 98-117AD.  - Elephant Quadriga. EGYPT, Alexandria, c.111-112AD, 13.13gm., AE33mm. Drachm

Obv: Trajan laureate bust right wearing aegis

Rev: Trajan driving quadriga pulled by four elephants right, holding eagle tipped sceptre and branch

Date 'L' 'IE' in exergue

Koln 583-4., Emmett 462.15., K&G 27.389

14 minutes ago, O-Towner said:

It's certainly an example of Federal Coinage from Boeotia

Ox: Head of Demeter (or Kore)

Rx: Poseidon standing left and resting right foot on rock

Probably BCD Boeotia 106

Your assistance is much appreciated. Thank you.

I wasn't aware of this coinage and your response caused me to investigate the link between Demeter and Persephone. Very interesting. I now know why (some believe) we have the seasons (Summer and Winter).

I may be suffering from 'tunnel vision' so I am asking for help from anyone who can see anything in this coin that I cannot.

Obv. I can see a (fem.) head right.

Rev. Person (male) reclining left with one leg over the other.

I have exhausted 'River Gods' and Thessaly Lamia and Bruttium and numerous other possibilities, but if someone can contribute something I would appreciate that.

AE17.2mm., 3.32 gm.

Or should the coin look more like . . .

13 minutes ago, septim said:

Lamia in Thessaly has similar types. 

That is the one. Thank you.

A while ago, I had this coin attributed, but I have since misplaced the attribution and I cannot bring it up again.

Can anyone assist please? AE14mm., 2.12gm.

Athena wearing a plumed Corinthian helmet (right), with an archer (right), on the reverse.

Less than $70 per coin.

By opting for the lower quality (my price range), and a mix of silver and bronze, and the 'largesse' of another collector (in one case), I was able to put together a "Twelve Caesars Portraits" collection for less than $850 (or $70 per coin average).

4 hours ago, Marsyas Mike said:

 

 

On the serious side, whenever I'm worried about an ancient, I poke around OCRE and acsearch, etc. looking for a die-match.  In my busted example above, I found a match with one in the British Museum, which made me feel a lot better about it:

 

Good tip. Thanks.

A few years ago I purchased a Trajan / Column denarius that was a 'cast' copy. Having had my fingers burnt, I was gun-shy to get another, but I always wanted an example of that coin.

Recently, I found one that suited me, and that I believe is genuine, and I purchased it. What do you think?

8 hours ago, Kiaora said:

While there terms are often used interchangeably, here’s a good overview from a 2012 Forum Ancient Coins post by Heliodromus:
Given the apparently (c.321AD) post-reform use of the name nummus, it seems the safest guess is that the name nummus persisted after Constantine's c.318AD reform, but others have suggested that the denomination name changed and have equated this to the known "centenionalis" of this approximate time. The competing theory is that the "centenionalis" instead refers to a slightly later denomination introduced after Constantine's death.

 

@Kiaora   Whakawhetai Koe

I have a (worn) Diocletian/Moneta,  Weight 10.25 gm., AE 30 x 26.5 mm.

According to RIC, I believe that it is RIC VI Siscia 140a. (304 AD). (Scarce).

My question is, is the coin  a 'Follis', or a 'Nummus', or some other denomination?

Any assistance is appreciated, please.

3 hours ago, expat said:

Nice optical illusion effect. Different lighting has highlighted the two vertical marks either side of the I you can see in the first image.

I think that you are 100% correct. Thank you.

Not a 'wind-up'. Yes, True Story. It really happened. (This is not a case of 'photoshopping'.)

I was photographing some coins from my collection when a 'strange' occurrence took place. I don't have an answer for it; perhaps you do?

330-333 AD. CONSTANTINOPLE, City Commemorative AE19mm., 2.32gm. RIC VII Siscia 224a.

After taking the first photograph I was not satisfied with the background and I changed it. I then took the second photograph a half an hour later. (Same location, same camera, same 'setup'.)

Can you spot the difference? (Better still, can you 'explain' the difference?)

SPOILER ALERT  -  Look at the mintmark in the exergue

23 hours ago, Jay GT4 said:

Perhaps a mule with an obverse of Roma from the previous issue of Sergius Silus or Domitius 116-115 BCE

@Jay GT4  I absolutely agree. Therefore, (most likely) Silus/Lepidus, minted c.114 BC. Thank you for your input.

I am familiar with the term LRB, but I was wondering with which ruler, (or at what time), did the period start and with which ruler, or when), did the LRB period end ?

A 'simple' question and I am hoping that there is a 'simple' answer. (Google is little help, I am afraid.)

Thank you.

I believe that from the reverse design this denarius may be Mn Aemilius Lepidus, (see reverse design on Crawford 291-1), but I cannot find an example with a Helmeted Apollo on the obverse.

Can anyone help me, please?

AR18.4nn., 3.01gm.

I have a coin that looks like a (bad) imitation of a Greek coin from Apamea (Phrygia), see examples below.

"Laureate head of Zeus to right / Cult statue of Artemis Anaïtis facing; AΠΑΜΕ downward to right, HPAKΛEI and ΕΓΛO downward to left."

The 'reference' examples show greater detail on the statue, and the legend has been 'rotated 180 degrees so that it runs 'North/South' whereas the legend on my example runs in the opposite direction, 'South/North', and what appears on the left of the reference coins now appears on the right of mine.

Is anyone able to shed some light on this coin for me please? 

My coin . . .

Reference material examples

I have a coin that an Auction House describes as "Unpublished" and I am prepared to accept that. (That Auction House has recorded two examples and my coin is a 'third'.)

However, I was wondering if the group could inform me as to what criteria should be met in order that a coin might have the title "Unpublished" applied to it, and who applies it, please?

Does 'Milne 22' come close?

5 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

Hyperon is the best fit of area mints for the coin. There are a few  very similar on coinarchives. Kroton has the "same" obv and rev  but on different coins. But your arch suggestion  looks a better fit!

@Deinomenid    Can you please confirm the spelling of "HYPERON" as I am having difficulty locating it.

Here's a thought.

Upon closer inspection, is the reverse not a tripod but maybe an arch, with a personage standing inside, (along the lines of the coins below), perhaps??

1 hour ago, Deinomenid said:

The tripod looks very like the coins of  Kroton, which might mean this is a daughter city.

Hyperon (a very obscure settlement nearby)  produced bronzes of the weight of your coin and very similar designs.

Probably a long-shot but thought I'd mention  it. Here's an example though there are different iterations of the tripod.  Not my coin.

 

@Deinomenid Thank you for the contribution. As a result I have looked at Kroton, Bruttium, Sicily, (et. al.) without success.

Bronze 19mm., 4.83gm.

I really don't know much about this coin.

The obverse appears to have the Laureate head of Apollo (?) right, while the reverse appears to have a tripod with (possibly) the letters 'TAI' above. There could also be a monogram or the letter 'A' on the right, and a letter (monogram) on the left.

More than that, I am afraid I cannot add. 

I am hoping that someone may be able to identify this coin, or at least provide some information that would help me to go further.

Thank you.

On 3/25/2023 at 6:24 AM, Celator said:

No coins of Seleucus VII are known to exist. Antiochus XIII is also elusive, here is mine.

Antiochus XIII Philadelphus
Antioch on the Orontes
69 to 64 BC
AR Tetradrachm
Obvs: Diademed head of Antiochus right with hornlike lock curling upward above ear, fillet border.
Revs: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOV on right, ΦIΛAΔEΛΦOV on left. Zeus enthroned left holding Nike and sceptre, laurel wreath border. Monogram inner left.
24x26mm, 13.93g
Ref: SC 2487a; HGC 9, 1340(R1-R2)

 

After 2 decades I am still missing 2 rulers, making a total of 31 out of 33 for me.

@Edessa   Thank you. Missing 9 rulers. Only 24 for me. I think unavailability and price will beat me for the rest. (I do like your Antiochus XIII , though.)

Thank you, everyone. Food for thought.