Pellinore

Link: the city of Tarsus AE29, Elagabalus, Tarsus. Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. AVT KAI M AVP ANTWNEINOC. Rev. Demiourgos crown set on garlanded altar, beside Ciliciarch crown with seven busts and Γ Β. TAPCOY THC MHTROPOLE/ AMK. ‘The combination of the Ciliciarch and the demiourgos crowns symbolizing the primacy of Tarsus primacy over the regional league composed of the three provinces of Cilicia, Isauria and Lycaonia’ (CNG). 29 mm, 18.42 gr. SNG Levante 1078 (this coin); SNG France 1567. I love Tarsus, the great city where my patron saint, the biblical Paul was born, and for the interesting variety of coins, large coins issued during the Roman Empire - Citizen Paul's empire.

The last throes, but I still have some crumbles... First we have this siliqua, and some of you will immediately recognize a picture by Frank Robinson (thanks!). 2843. AR siliqua Honorius, Milan. Obv. DNHONORI-VSPFAVG. Draped and cuirassed bust t.r. Rev. VIRTVSRO-MANORVM. Roma seated left with little Victory in one hand and sceptre in the other. In exergue, MDPS. 15 mm, 1.29 gr. Cabinet toning with iridescent highlights. RSC 59b var. RIC X 1228 var. Frank S. Robinson auction March 2018. AE4 Valentinian III, 425-455. Obv: Draped, diademed and cuirassed bust to the right, ...ANVS PF AV. Rev: Campgate with two towers, 4 layers, [VOT] - PVB; T (?) in the field. In exergue: [RTM?]. 10.5 mm. 0.99 gr. RIC 2123. Sear 4317. A bit rough. Gert Boersema June 2014.

The obverse I understand, and it is GREAT! But what about the reverse, what happened? Is that a Hawaiian dancer with her head in a cheese grater? A most delectable coin for errorists.

Hadrian A humble hippo of Halexandria (they probably spoke with a special haccent out there) 3133. Hadrianus 117-138, Roman Egypt. Mint Alexandria. AE23, AD 124-25. Obol. Obv.: Laureate head right. Rev.: Hippopotamus to the right, date L EN (9). 13 mm, 2.01 g. Emmett 1165, year unrecorded.

Pling plong! (Lyre). Nobody knows how it sounded in those days. 3119. AE Civic issue Antioch, Seleucis, mid-second century AD. Obv. Laureated and draped bust of Apollo t.r. Rev. Lyre. Lettering: above the lyre: Ɛ (= 5), to the right: ETO = 'of the year'). To the left: date. Compare RPC IV, 7199 (3 pcs). Maybe the same date, ƐϞΡ (= 195). In that case: Antoninus Pius, about 140. 14 mm, 2.15 gr.

Another Trajan bronze. 3115 A. Egypt, Alexandria, AE13 dichalkon Trajan (98-117). RY 17 (=113/4). Obv. Laureate head right. Rev. Hem-hem crown of Harpokrates; L I-Z in field below. 13 mm, 1.18 gr. Dattari (Savio) –; K&G 27.574; RPC III 4820 (25 pcs); Emmett 707.17 (R4).

Not much to do in this section. Only this small bronze, a coin that touched me because of the sorrowful faces of Persians who had to say goodbye to the old Zoroastrian times and welcome the islamic ones. A sad man and a sad goddess. So I paid a lot for it. 5403. Arab-Sasanian AE pashiz, dating from 65-96 AH / 685-715 AD, Istakhr (Naqš-i Rustam). Obv. Old man en face with Pahlavi inscription 'mwhlwp'. Rev. Anahita with inscription 'st' in Pahlavi, [‘pwnp’ invisible on this coin]. 14mm, 0.9 gr, 6h. Album A46. Gyselen Type 23. CNG auction 355 nr. 779, July 2015, € 600

Link: Providentia. Constantine I, AE reduced follis, Antioch. Obv: Diademed bust r. CONSTANTINVS AVG. Rev.: Campgate, 2 turrets, star above, no doors; dot in doorway. PROVIDEN- TIAE AVGG/ SMANTE. 19 mm, 2.80 gr. (Constantine looks like he's swallowed a fly.)

Magnus Maximus for me is a legendary figure from the dark and obscure days of British history. I read and reread the book Porius by John Cowper Powys, that illustrates the end of the 5th century in the Welsh and British lands - the emperor Magnus Maximus is a star in heaven for those late Brythonics living just before the onset of the Saxons - on the verge of the Middle Ages, a lively and fascinating book. This first coin is martial enough, a pity he didn't stay in his natural realm to start a really great Brythonic kingdom that everybody would know of. 2842. AE Magnus Maximus (383-388). AE Lugdunum. Obv.: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. D N MAG MAXIMVS P F AVG. Rev.: Magnus Maximus standing left, holding crowning Victory on globus and extending hand to Fortuna kneeling right. REPARATIO REIPVB / LVGS. 23 mm, 5.02 gr. RIC 32. Numismatik Naumann Auktion 55 Nr. 694, July 2017, € 73 2810. AR siliqua Magnus Maximus. Obv. Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust t.r. Rev. Enthroned Roma holding globe in right hand and sceptre in left hand. VIRTVS ROMANORVM. 18.5 mm, 2.06 gr. RIC ix, p. 29, 84b-c. MPO Heritage, nr. 2862, June 2021, € 130

Let me show one of the other coins I mentioned, a Celtic coin minted in Britain, wondrous as only a Celtic coin can be. 4141. Celtic coinage. Iceni (who were living in what's now Norfolk, UK). Uninscribed AR unit, quinar size. C.50-40 BC. Bury Diadem type ("Gallo-Belgic XD") type. Uncertain mint in the upper Yare valley. Obv. Diademed head left; curling snake left of it. Rev. Horse leaping left; sun symbol above, phallic symbol before it. 15 mm, 1.47 gr, 6h. Talbot Bury A type, unlinked group, dies G/9. Allen, Coins –; Van Arsdell 80-1 (Imported); ABC 1495; SCBC 432. Struck on a broad flan. CNG Jan. 2020 auction nr. 1023, € 440. I bought it because of the particularly cheerful and beautiful style. ‘This is my lovely Iceni coin with its jolly jumping horse, and on the obverse a man smelling the mouth of a snake (???) or whatever he thinks he's doing (with his pig's snout ear!).’

In this $350-500 budget there are (in my system) two Romans, a Parthian tetradrachm, a Sasanian drachm, two Hunnic drachms and three Islamic gold dinars + one dirham. One of the dinars has drifted out of my collecting area (though I still have it, anybody wants a good swap?), but the others are still valued and loved a lot (as far as coins can go). Though they once severely upset my monthly budget, I'm still very much attached to them, much more than to many bargains. This is the other Roman (after my Elegabalus tetradrachm above). AE2 Theodosius II (402-450). Minted in or for Chersonesos (Krim). Obv. Helmeted and cuirassed bust to the right, armed with a spear. THEODO-SIVS Rev. The two emperors Valentinian III of the West and Theodosius II of the east holding a long cross between them. [CONCOR-DIA AVG/ CON] but no text visible. 22.5 mm, 4.17 gr. Sear V 21184. Byz. Chersonesos Augustuscoins. Augustuscoin Aug. 2020, € 350

Besides, there is the semis. I have one of Hadrian, of the type shown before by @mc9, but again a little different from his three types varying in the legionary standards. 2206. Hadrian, AE semis, 119. Obv. Laureated head t.r. HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS P P, Rev. Legionary eagle between two standards. COS III/ SC. 17 mm, 2.74 gr. RIC 689. Besides, the semis was used in military atmospheres in Gaul (and Spain), as may be seen by this coin issued by what is called in my description 'Prince Indutilli' of the Remi tribe (who roamed around Reims). Mint master or prince Germanus Indutilli, ca. 10 BC. AE semis (formerly thought to be a quadrans). Rev. portrait of Indutilli, or a deity, with royal diadem. Rev. bull scraping the ground between the words GERMANUS / INDUTILLI L. 16 mm, 2.70 gr. Green patina. / This would be a semis of the Remigian prince Indutilli, with the name of the mint master Germanus, according to Jean-Marc Doyen, Le semis de Germanus Indutilli L. S. Sch. 741.

This thread has given me a lot of pleasure, reading it in full in one session before getting up. Not only I've seen a number of intriguing coins, but also some very interesting theories about what's what and how this small change was used. I have only one real quadrans (I think), and it has not yet been shown in this topic: 2104. Claudius 41-54, Quadrans, mint Rome. TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG around hand holding scales/ PON M TR P IMP COS DES IT around large SC. Cohen 73. RIC n. 91. 15,5 mm, 1.77 gr. And what is called apparently the 'half quadrans' for use in Syria: 3117. AE11 half quadrans Trajan 98-117. Rome Mint for Antiochia Seleucis. Obv. Laureate bust right. Rev. SC in wreath. 11 mm, 1.48 gr. McAlee 526. RPC online around Nr. 3680 (‘chalkous’). 3118. AE10 half quadrans Hadrian 117-138. Rome Mint for Antiochia Seleucis. Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. Rev. SC over Γ in wreath. 10 mm, 1.02 gr. McAlee 543 (‘V. Rare’, and with E instead of Gamma). RPC online III, nr. 3707 ('chalkous').

Donna, that's a very sweet coin of Aelia Flaccilla. I don't have any of hers, only of her husband. Not purrfect, but they'll do. AR siliqua Theodosius I (379-395). Clipped. Obv. IVSPFAVG. Draped and cuirassed bust t.r. Rev. AAVGG. Concordia with helmeted head, seated. In exergue, ??. 13.5 mm, 1.29 gr. Cabinet toning. Frank S. Robinson auction March 2019, € 20 2844. Theodosius I 379-395, AE3, Treveri. Obv. Pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. DN THEODO / SIVS PF AVG. Rev. Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory and reversed spear; mintmark TRPS. VIRTVS ROMANORVM. 16 mm, 2.10 gr. 2840. Theodosius I 379-395, AE4, 388-392. Cyzicus. Obv. Diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right. DN THEODOSIVS PF AVG. Rev. Victory with barbarian. SALVS REIPVBLICAE. Monogramme left. In exergue SMKB (Kyzikus). 13 mm, 1.37 gr. RIC 26 (b), 2; Cohen 30 (a). 2846. Theodosius I (379-395), AE4, 388-392. Cyzicus. Obv. Pearl-diademed, draped, cuirassed bust right. DN THEO - DOSIVS PF AVG. Rev. Victory advancing left holding trophy and dragging captive; Christogram in left field, SALVS REIPVBLICAE/ SMKB in exergue. 12 mm, 1.26 gr. 2859. Theodosius I (379-395), AE4, Thessalonica 388-393. With casting tail. Obv. Laureate, draped cuirassed bust right. DN THEODO-SIVS P F AVG. Rev. Victory advancing left, head turned back, carrying trophy and dragging captive. SALVS REIPVBLICAE. Exergue: TESB. 14/ 16.5 mm, 1.40 gr. The next one is far out, and I'm not sure if it's Theodosius I or II. I hope you can tell me: 2973. AE LRB, but very excentric. Obv. small part of Theodosius’ back head. DNTHEODO. Rev. Victoria? Well, part of her dress. IAAVGG.

Only today I learned that the first coin I was going to present as a $350-500 acquisition, has been pictured as a 'plate coin' in RPC. When I last looked, there were only 13 pcs of the type and mine was easily the best. Somebody else discovered that also, apparently, and put it there. Thanks, you're welcome, anonymous! This is more or less the picture from CNG, but because I can't leave pictures alone, I might have enhanced this or that aspect of the photo. 3296 A. Tetradrachm Elagabalus (218-222), Alexandria. Potin. Dated RY 5 (221/222). Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. Conjoined busts of Helios, draped and wearing radiate crown, and Selene, draped and wearing crescent-moon crown, to the right; L Є (date) to lower right. 22.5 mm, 12.62 gr. Emmett 2933.5. RPC 10149 (14 pcs, all other pictured worse than mine = nr. 14!). CNG 428, lot 316, Sept. 2018, € 350 (at that time probably around $380) Favorite coin On the reverse, a pair, one looking up, the other one down: this is a highly developed realistic design involving movement and contrast (characteristics of 17th century Baroque!), whereas most often Roman numismatic art is static.

Marsyas! And Troas is one of my favorite places. AE Trebonianus Gallus, Alexandria Troas. Obv. Laureated bust t.r. Rev. Marsyas with wine skin on his shoulder t.l. COL AVG TROAD. 21 mm, 7.54 gr.

Domitian, and what a fascinating emperor he was! Domitianus 81-96, Laodicea ad Mare, Seleucis and Pieria (Latakia in Syria). Obv. Bust of the emperor left. Under his chin, the date: BLR = Civic year 132 = 84/5 AD. DOMITIANW KAICARI CEBACTW GE. Rev. Turreted bust of Tyche right. XA-CA across fields, PA monogram at lower right. LAODIKEWN IOULIEWN TWN KAI. 25 mm, 11.23 gr. VF. Nice portraits. RPC II 2030. Coin Fair Leuven, 2018, Tom Vossen € 140

Some more coins between $250 and 350. An € (euro) is somewhere between 1.05 and 1.10 dollar most of the time. All these coins are much loved by me. In the (for me) more expensive coins like these, there's always an emotion playing up. It's never about just filling a hole or finding a good deal. 3513. Byzantium, Phokas (602-610). AV tremissis, Constantinopolis. 16 mm, 1.49 gr. Obv. Bust t.r. DNFOCAS PERAVI. Rev. Cross potent VICTORIFOCASAUG/ CONOB. Coinfair Houten, Netherlands, 2014 € 289 4706. Groningen, bishop Bernulph (1040-1054). AR denarius. Obv. Bishop’s crosier with legend BACVLVS. Around this+ BERNVLDVS EPS. Rev. Cross with four points in the corners. GRONINGA or something like it. 17 mm, 0.68 gr. Ilisch I, 18.3; Dan. 559 var. Auction Elsen April 2018, about € 345 (Expensive, but I wanted it very much, because I lived in Groningen for a long time) 5704. Kidarite Huns, a variation on Sasanian drachms. AR drachma Kidara, c. 380. "King A". Obv. Three-quarter bust with palmettes and crenellated crown, crowned with pomegranate globe. Text KIDARA KUSANA SA. Rev. Fire altar with assistants turned to it. Under the altar a text read alternately read as A-La-Kha or Su-La-Kha. In the middle die weakness. 27 mm, 3.93 gr. Cribb, Kidarites, C2b; Vondrovec [Göbl, Hunnen] Type 11. Pfisterer 11. Zeno 199536. Ex. auction Münzen & Medaillen 31 (2009) 187. Jacquier 277, Sept. 2014 € 325 6674. AV pale dinar Great Seljuq. Sanjar (1118-1157). Herat, ND. Obv. with elaborate circle. Rev. shows two dragons at the top and two at the foot of the central circle, snapping to the outside world. 24.5 mm, 3.86 gr. Album 1687. Nuqud Gallery, Febr. 2020, € 340 Do you see the wide-mouthed dragons? Isn't this a great medieval coin?

1001. AV (electrum) 1/24 stater, Phokaia (625-575). Obv. Seal’s head. Rev. Incusum. 7 mm, 0.69 gr. Bodenstedt Em. 2.1. July 2014, € 315 My oldest coin. (It's very small!) 4005. Eastern Celts, Lower Danube. Uncertain tribe. Early 3rd century BC. // Thracian imitation by an uncertain issuer from the 350-300 BC period, Lower Danube. Early imitation of a Philip II tetradrachm of Amphipolis. Fourrée (at the edge some giveaway spots). Obv. Laureate head of Zeus t.r., behind it, a leaf. Rev. Jockey and horse riding t.r. Under it, labda over a bucranium. Under the prancing leg of the horse, an A. 24.5 mm, 13.85 gr. July 2018, € 293 Favorite coin. The original Philip of Macedon style is heroic and realistic. The design of this coin is ever so slightly distorted into a surrealistic portrait - with its very short upper lip and huge bearded jaw, and its large temple, the man's gaze aiming intensely up forward. It’s one of my favorite coins, although it is a fourré. 4010. Eastern Celts, Northern Danube. AR Tetradrachm, Uncertain tribe. Imitating Philip II of Macedon. 359-336 BC. (13.42 gr, 21 mm). Struck circa 323-315 BC. Laureate head of Zeus right / Nude youth on horseback left. May 2021, € 300 4132. Suessiones. Potin coin. Obv. Graceful sun wheel, or alternatively: Four leech-like forms. Rev. Elegant horse with ringlets. 20 mm, 5.17 gr. Excellent condition. De La Tour 7673. S. Sch. (CNG Feature Auction 114, nr. 457: $950). Leuven coin fair May 2015, € 300 Three Stars Type

What an amazing set of coins you are showing of this relatively unassuming emperor Gratian. Compliments, all of you! I only have a very humble coin, but it means a lot to me because it was found not far from the home of my father-in-law. He lived in a little village near Nijmegen (Noviomagus) in the Rhine delta and a local historian offered him this coin with some other Romans for sale, 49 years ago. The coins were found near Elst, now a village, 2000 years ago a local Celtic centre. I don't know the context of this coin, it is pretty late for the Low Countries. Roman legions had left the area half a century earlier. My father-in-law died ten years ago and his little coin collection fell to me. It kindled my old numismatic embers, and here we are. AE23 Gratian (367-383), Lugdunum. Obv.: Diademed, draped and cuirassed bust r. DNGRATIA NVSPFAVG. Rev.: Emperor standing facing, head left, holding Victory on globe in left hand and raising kneeling, turreted woman with right hand. REPARATIO REIPVB. S in right field. Mintmark LVGS. 23 mm. RIC IX Lyons 28a. Found around Elst (near Noviomagus, between Rhine and Waal).

Link: Antiochia AE follis Constantinus II (316-340), Antiochia, 324/325. Obv. Laureate and cuirassed bust left without any text. Rev. Just text: */ CONSTAN/ TINVS/ CAESAR/ SMANTS. 18 mm, 1.63 gr. RIC VII Antioch 54.

Link: Gordian III 3283. Tetradrachm Gordian III (238-244) as Caesar, Alexandria. Year A = 1 (=238). Obv. Bare head, draped and cuirassed, t.r., M ANT GORDIANOS KAIS. Rev. Nike seated t.l., holding wreath, year A. Greyish billon with slightly silvery patina. 21 mm, 12.23 gr. Emmett 3385 var. (in obverse legend). This coin I wanted because it was issued during the short time Gordianus was a caesar under Balbinus and Pupienus.

Some more coins bought for about $200-250: Severus Alexander, 222-235. AE26, Alexandria Troas. Obv. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev. In the middle, a drunken Herakles to the right, supported by three satyrs around – or the one at the right is Pan, with goat legs. Or: Silenus dance. Left Marsyas, in the middle Silenus with a satyr, right Pan with goat legs. Cf. this clear depiction and description on CNG. 26 mm, 7.81 gr. RPC VI online 3987 (8 specimens). Bellinger A335. Naumann Numismatik March 7, 2021, € 192 5735. AR drachm, Chaganian (a district of Uzbekistan). About 600 AD. Obv. Imitation of head of Xusro I. Three identical countermarks (see SNS Usbekistan: little head t.r., 26; with vertical line, probably a crack in the punch). At 3 o’clock, countermark 4 or a variant (17-19). Rev. Fire altar. Right side sigle for mint AW, or tamgha? Countermark ‘.oro’ (5). 24 mm, 2.72 gr. SNS Usbekistan Chaganian Ia1/Ia, p. 68-69, pl. 40 nr. 547. Kuznetsov Katalog Manyet Chaganian cf. 80-113. Febr. 2018, € 241. Some extra pictures of the countermarks: 6663. AV 1/4 dinar Fatimids, Sicily, about 1060 AD. Tiny gold coin. Al-Mustansir 1036-1094. Siqillyah (=Sicily). Stellate type. 15 mm, 0.77 gr. Obverse: the centre field consists of the kalima, and the marginal inscription consists of verse 33 from Chapter 9 of the Qur’an. Reverse: the centre field has the name and title of Al-Mustansir, and the marginal inscription provides the mint name and date (not readable). Album 722. Stephen Album, Nov. 2017, € 241 4712. Holy Roman Empire, denarius, after 1046. Imitation of the Tiel type under Henry III. Netherlands. Tiel/ Zaltbommel. Henry III (1039-1056) or shortly after. Obv. Frontal head with crosier. Rev. (T)IELI/ AN (N mirrored). 18.5 mm, 0.77 gr. Ilisch I, 4.17.2; Dannenberg 1276. Elsen auction 143, nr. 860, Dec. 7, 2019, € 237

Procopius (365-366). AE, Nicomedia. Obv. Diademed and cuirassed bust l. DN PROCO PIVSPFAVG. Rev. REPARATI-O FEL TEMP, Procopius standing facing, head right, holding labarum in right hand, left resting on shield set on the ground; Chi-rho in upper right field and unidentified object at foot left. Mintmark CONSΓ dot. 20 mm, 3.69 gr. RIC IX Constantinople 17a; Sear 19883.

For amounts between $200 and 250 (always counting the price including shipping and tax), I bought several coins that are very interesting or in my eyes very beautiful, but also pieces that subjected me to a high auction fever. Here are a few. 3164. Marcus Annius Verus (162-169) and Commodus. AE18, Tarsus, 167-177? Obv. two youthful heads facing under the text ΚΟΡΟΙ ϹƐΒΑϹΤΟΥ, a caduceus and a club between them. Rev. Decastyle temple with text ΚΟΙΝΟϹ ΚΙΛΙΚΙΑϹ// ΤΑΡ/ ϹΟΥ// ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛƐΩϹ. In the tympanum, an eagle with outspread wings. 18 mm, 4.34 gr. RPC 5035. Early 2022 € 237 1211. Ionia, Islands off. Samos. Circa 210-190 BC. AR Tetrobol. Obv. Facing lion’s scalp. Rev. Forepart of bull butting right; amphora, monogram TAT, and barley ear below. Text above: ΣAMIΩN. 16 mm, 3.01 gr. SNG Copenhagen 1713; HGC 6, 1241. Barron p. 147, type j, cf. nr. 27. Febr. 2020, € 200 A bit outside my usual collecting area, but I bought it because of the beautiful style and conservation. 4147. Celtic coinage. Remi? (A tribe that roamed around Reims). AE14. Obv.: Celticized head right, hair upwards. Rev.: Celticized horse left, dot in pellet above, three dots in pellet below. 14 mm, 1.73 gr. ‘('unlisted', cf. Scheers Tf. 19.528). Found in northern France. Heritage auction November 2020, € 220 4402. Vandals, king Gunthamund (484-496). AE nummus, Carthage. Obv: Pseudo-legend, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust of Gunthamund right. Rev: cross within wreath. 10 mm, 0.79 gr. MEC- , MSV 212-7, BMCV pl.VI, 33-43, WA4126. May 2014, € 190 This coin's ugly portrait and puny size, when I received it brought me off collecting coins like this Dark Age type. 4801. AV tari, Roger II of Sicily 1130-1154. Obv. Cross with IC-XC / NI-KA ('Jesus Wins'). Rev. Kufic text in two rings around a bull's eye with several dots. 12 mm. 1.38 gr. Coin Fair 2015, € 200