Hi All,

LICINIUS I (308 - 324 CE), ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (OFFICINA E), 315 CE

Æ Follis
Size: 20x21 mm
Weight: 3.61 g
Axis: 0

Obv: Licinius radiate crown draped bust facing right. Legend: IMPGVALLICINLICINIVSPFAVG. Dotted border.
Rev: IOVI CONSERVATORI AVGG: Zeus holding Nike in outstrechtched right arm; Left arm cradles a long staff and robe. In left field: eagle holding a wreath, facing left, head turned to right but looking up. In right field: wreath over Є above N. In exergue: ALE. Dotted border
Ref: RIC VII, Alexandria, 10 (OFF E).

- Broucheion

Hi All,

Bosons, Sicilians, ... what about the Ptolemaic Sicilians? 

Well, here are two of them, plus an AE of Hieron II.

CNG described this series this way (https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=323769😞

• "In their recent study (see also: http://www.ptolemybronze.com/), Daniel Wolf and Catharine Lorber thoroughly examine a class of the ‘Galatian shield’ bronze coinage commonly given to the Alexandria mint. While the bronze issues with an enigmatic monogram of Σ with serifs above the shield can be attributed to the mint of Alexandria, those without this control exhibit distinguishing features, with provenances suggesting a Sicilian mint. While this theory of a western origin has been posited before, Wolf and Lorber present the first comprehensive investigation of the series, accompanied by a die study. Their analysis shows that the initial output of Sicilian ‘Galatian shield’ bronzes appear to have been produced under Alexandrian minting specialists, with related ‘imitative’ issues of ‘Western Greek’ style following this period of production under Ptolemaic authority. These ‘Western Greek’ style coins were struck with loose dies and share a common fabric, metrology, and border style with the Syracusan coinage of Hieron II, as well as featuring shared controls with the coinage struck in Hieron’s name, all indicating a Sicilian mint’s operation under Hieron superseding the Ptolemaic, or perhaps the wholesale transfer of the mint (if so, very likely to Syracuse)."

You can read more about this odd series of Ptolemaic coins (including the die study) at Dan Wolf's indispensable web site noted above. See also http://ptolemybronze.com/paper.html for the published article by Wolf and Lorber that you can also get from Academia.edu at https://www.academia.edu/7921249/The_Galatian_Shield_without_sigma_Series_of_Ptolemaic_Bronze_Coins . Check out his Academia.edu site for even more notes on this series.

Here is a sample of Hieron II's coinage that shares monograms with the Ptolemaic types.

HIERON II OF SYRACUSE (275-216 BCE), SICILY, SYRACUSE, ca 265 BCE (Struck ca 230-218/215 BCE)

Æ Obol
Size: 26x27 mm
Weight: 16.15 g
Die Axis: 05:00

Obv: Hieron II head, diademmed, facing left. Dotted border not visible.
Rev: Horseman with spear on galloping horse, moving to right. In right field under horse's left front leg: N. In exergue: ΙΕΡΩΝΟΣ. Border not visible.
Refs: CNS 195 R1 22; BAR Issue 61; HGC 2, 1548. See also Weiser page 30, E. SNG ANS-952; Caltabiano II, 382.
Notes: Related to CPE-B288 and Svoronos 612var: monogram below shield; Related to SNG Copenhagen-117var: letter N below shield.

PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHOS (285-246 BCE), SICILY, SYRACUSE (ISSUED BY HIERON II), Probably 264 - 263 BCE

Æ 2-1/4 Obols
Size: 27x29mm
Weight: 18.72 g
Dies: P62: a55/p58 ('Alexandrian Style' - Svoronos 610 with Linear Reverse Border)
Die Axis: 0

Obv: Zeus head, laureate, facing right. No centration depression. Dotted border.
Rev: Εagle on thunderbolt facing left, wings spread. In left field: shield with thunderbolt device, (but no controls). Legend: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛ[ΕΩΣ]. No centration depression. Continuous solid circular border characteristic of Sicilian manufacture.
Refs: Lorber CPE-B288; Svoronos-610, pl xii, 17 [47 listed]; SNG Copenhagen-114; SNG Köln 18; SNG Milano 46; HistMusFrankfurt 55, 57, 58.
Notes: Wolf & Lorber term this variety 610sub1. In CPE Lorber states: "The earliest issue, CPE B288-B289, exhibits an idealizing obverse style shared by the Zeus heads of the contemporary Egyptian Series 2H, as well as by the heads of Zeus and Zeus-Ammon on Egyptian Series 3. The die axes are vertical as is usual for Ptolemaic coinage. Many aspects of this series changed markedly after the first issue. On subsequent varieties the head of Zeus is rendered in West Greek style and the coins were struck from loose dies, reflecting Sicilian minting practice. After an initial phase in which the controls appear above or below the shield."

PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHOS (285-246 BCE), SICILY, SYRACUSE (ISSUED BY HIERON II), ca 265 BCE

Æ 2-1/4 Obols
Size: 26 mm
Weight: 18.4 g
Dies: H09: A2/P5 (Obverse die link with CPE B292)
Die Axis: 10:00

Obv: Zeus head, laureate, facing right. No centration depression. Dotted border not visible.
Rev: Εagle on thunderbolt facing left, wings spread. In left field: ΝΚ monogram above Gallic shield with thunderbolt device. Legend to left: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ;
to right: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ. No centration depresion. Border not visible.
Refs: Lorber CPE-B291 (CPE plate coin); Svoronos-Unlisted; SNG Copenhagen-117var: letter N below shield.

- Broucheion

Hi @Ed Snible,

You should take a look at “Two New Imitative Issues from the Fifth Syrian War (202–198 BCE)” by Nicholas L. Wright of Macquarie University at https://www.academia.edu/252841/Two_new_imitative_issues_from_the_fifth_Syrian_war_202_198_BCE_ .

• Abstract: Two new barbarous imitations of a Seleucid bronze issue struck by Antiochus III during the fifth Syrian war (202–198 BCE) are presented. The phenomenon of bronze imitations in Coele Syria in this period is discussed.

- Broucheion 

Hi @thenickelguy,

See Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Murdered_Roman_emperors 

Category:Murdered Roman emperors

Hi All,

Does the owl have three eyes, or is it just me?

- Broucheion 

9 hours ago, CPK said:

(Is it a die match?)

Hi @CPK,

I don’t think so looking at the position of the lambda & eta of BASILEOS relative to Athena’s shield on both reverses.

- Broucheion 

On 6/26/2022 at 7:23 AM, Fortuna Redux said:

to celebrate the reunion of my Faustina I and Antoninus Pius, share any royal couples that you own!

Hi All,

Two for the price of one!

Ptolemy II Philadelphos (285-246 BCE), Alexandria. ΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ ΘΕΩΝ unmarked issue. Early stages of currency reform - from before Aug 272 BCE.

Au Pentekontadrachmon = 50 DRACHMAS = 1/2 MINA
Size: 20 mm
Weight: 13.92 g
Dies: A36/R97
Die Axis: 00:00

Obv: Ptolemy II and Arsinoe II jugate busts, diademmed and draped, Gallic shield with thundebolt device in left field behind Ptolemy's head. Dotted border. ΑΔΕΛΦΩΝ above heads. Dotted border.
Rev: Ptolemy I and Berenike I jugate busts, diademed and draped, Dotted border. ΘΕΩΝ above heads. Dotted border.

Refs: Lorber: CPE-314, Svoronos-604, pl xiv, 18-21 [47 listed, Vienna]; SNG Copenhagen 133; Sear-7791; BMC 06.040, #004-005; Broucheion Collection P-1996-12-08.001 .

∎ Notes: For information on the die study see Olivier & Lorber (2013) at Academia.edu. The  Pentekontadrachma cover coins 194-384 (dies A7-A49). CPE-314 is known with reverse die link to CPE 311. Cover coin for Palladium Numismatics sale catalog ca Dec 1996 but the coin was bought at the NYINC Show on 8 Dec 1996.

- Broucheion

Hi @Victor_Clark,

I very much appreciate the corrected attribution!

- Broucheion

Hi @Lech Stępniewskiand All,

Here is an obverse legend variation for RIC VI, Alexandria, 46b (OFF B), pp 667 for a radiate fraction of Maximianus I Herculius Augustus (with Diocletian: Jul 285 - 305) from Alexandria, Egypt (officina B) 296 - 297 CE.

Obv legend: IMP C MAXIMIANVS P F AVG (Should be IMP C M A MAXIMIANVS P F AVG)
Rev legends: CONCORDIA MI - LITVM, B below globe, ALE in exurge

Coin was bought from eBay 18-Sep-2018 (eBay #29229716228). Seller: ZURQIEH_DUBAI (Dubai, UAE)

- Broucheion

Hi @DLTcoins,

I am the current curator for this coin. Can you let me know if you got it from CNG Triton XIV or later? (I bought it from you in July 2016.)

I should note the the word Misr is retrograde on this one, and it’s Walker p. 230, Kh.9v (Misr not retrograde); Lane-Poole 845; SICA-2, 1111v (same); Album 151 var: AλE.

P.S., this is my first post to Numis Forums.

- Broucheion