Ryro

Remi, Electrum quarter stater "aux segments de circles"- 1,39 gram 10mm, minted 80-50BC obv: horse left rev: four segments of circles "Gallia Belgica (or Belgica Prima) was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, northeastern France, and western Germany. The Remi were a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul in the 1st century BC. They occupied the northern Champagne plain, between the rivers Mosa (Meuse) and Matrona (Marne), and along the river valleys of the Aisne and its tributaries the Aire and the Vesle. Their tribal capital was at Durocortum (Reims, France) and they were renowned for their horses and cavalry. The Remi, under Iccius and Andecombogius, allied themselves with Julius Caesar when he led the conquest of Gaul. The Remi tribe remained loyal to him throughout the entire Gallic Wars, the most pro-Roman of all the peoples of Gaul." 

next: electrum

Sicily, Katane AR Litra. Circa 415/3-404 BC. Head of Silenos to left, wearing ivy wreath / ΚΑΤΑΝΑΙΩΝ Winged thunderbolt between two shields. Boehringer, Kataneische LI 6-7. Rizzo pl. XIV, 18 var. SNG ANS 1266. 0.71g, 10mm, 6h 

Next: Sicilian silver

Next: a coin you regret selling

Next: tetradrachm

Congrats on the cool coins and thanks for the write up!

It's incredible to me just how much of Roman history is them being d-bags!? You'd think they'd keep it to themselves that their founder committed fratricide, they kidnapped a bunch of their neighbors women or the atrocities committed by Caesar. But nope. They bragged about them every chance they got.

Next: insect

It's a beautiful bronze owl. What's not to like? I thought it'd be easy to identify. But I'm not having much luck and would appreciate your help. 

Demos description leaves much to be desired...Greek. Uncertain. Bronze Æ. Weight 6,54 gr - Diameter 15 mm

And on the reverse I'm pretty sure we're seeing an over hand right via a boxing glove😉

(Now you can't unsee it)

Identification or any ideas or similar coins are appreciated😁

Next: another son who didn't make it to be Augustus

On 4/15/2024 at 8:07 PM, CassiusMarcus said:

What is a gold issue that's on your want list right now?? 

The four beauties in your hand!

And agreed, those four coins need no Byzantine interference. Each a total showstopper on their own. An embarrassment of riches, my friend. Coingrats

A most epic error to leave any mint:

MACEDON, THESSALONICA

Nero, Bronze. 54-68 A.D.

5,12 g // 17 mm

Obv: ΝƐΡWΝ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; bare head of Nero, l.

Rev: ΘƐϹϹΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ; Nike on globe, l. 

RPC I, 1595. VF

Next: Nero

4 minutes ago, Herodotus said:

I'm certainly not an expert on cleaning ancient coins.

However, I do know that a sustained soak in some distilled water may do no harm.  It may loosen some of the lesser adhered earthen encustrations.

On a side note...

The flourescent green spots on the S VI of the obverse legend look to possibly be the early onset of bronze disease, and it may warrant some close observation, and perhaps, treatment.

Great call! A distilled water bath for a couple of days and then the verdicare treatment is what the doc ordered. 

Only you can tell us if it's Ae22. That simply means it's 22mm, and Ae means bronze.

Hers your best resource, ac search: https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=Sicily+Tyndaris+Dioscuri+&category=1-2&lot=&date_from=&date_to=&thesaurus=1&images=1&en=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ot=1&currency=usd&order=0

I don't believe that's a lefty Apollo, but could be Tanit. Though it is the Dioscuri on horseback on the reverse. 

Agreed. These are the front and back of two different coins. 

And to your question, no. Do not damage ancient artifacts by attempting to clean them yourself. If you're not satisfied, buy coins in a condition that you like. You will do more harm than good in any attempt to clean ancients. 

15 minutes ago, AETHER said:

What's the first coin btw? Archelaos?

Thanks for asking! It's from Amyntas. Just a favorite representation of Herk of mine to show the family roots😉

Amyntas, AE. (Bronze,8.85 g 24mm) 36-25 BC.
Obv: Bearded and bare head of Herakles right, with club over shoulder.
Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / AMYNTOY, Lion walking, right.
Ref: RPC I 3502; HGC 7, 781; BMC 8-11.

The Argead line was the greatest family of ancient Makedon, and certainly one of the most important families in all of ancient history.

Claiming their descent from Herakles himself.

This family boasts the first unified king of Europe, and first to unify and rule Greece, in Philip II. As well, the greatest conqueror of peoples of all time in Alexander the Great!

(Images, likely of, Alexander lll and Philip ll found in Vergina)

Though, not a name so recognizable, my latest win, Archelaos, was a big deal and an important step for the ultimate rise of Philip ll. He did more for his nation's military infrastructure then anyone before, according to no less than Thucydides.

(The sixteen foot spear was likely an innovation of Philip ll)

He made major political inroads with Athens by supplying them with timber after Athens total defeat in their disastrous Sicilian campaign. This would bring back Athens naval fleet that nearly turned the tide and won the war late in the game!

(After going timber in Sicily, Athens needed timber to build their navy back)

And, was the winner in numerous pan Hellenic games including the real Olympics!

My latest addition was a king who did all this and more:

Kings of Macedon. Aigai. Archelaos 413-399 BCE.

Obol AR 10 mm, 0,61 g. Fine

Obv. Bearded Herakles wearing a lion's skin headdress. Rev. [ΑΡΧ-Ε] Forepart of wolf right, devouring prey and club above. Source: SNG ANS 72.

Some other Argead kings of Makedon...

Alexander l

Alexander I

498-454 BC. AR Tetrobol (15mm, 1.97 g). Horse right / Quadripartite incuse square. Raymond pl. V, b; SNG ANS 20.

Ex Savoca

Raymond concluded that this rare issue was most likely struck before Alexander's escape from Persian influence in 480/79, yet the fine style of the incuse is unlike his earliest coinage. Thus, she was unable to place it securely within the established chronology of Alexander's coinage. Likewise the low weight - which corresponds precisely to the weight of a triobol on the Macedonian octadrachm standard (1.83 g) - of this and the other fractional issues she illustrates leaves little room for a certain identification of the denomination. This coin could be a very light-weight tetrobol or it could equally be a triobol. Because of the significant wear and the likelihood of internal crystallization of this piece, we have called it a tetrobol, assuming that when it was freshly minted it was probably close to the theoretical weight of 2.18 g on the Macedonian tetradrachm standard.

Perdikkas II, 451-413 B.C. Æ 18 (19 mm, 2.94 g, 11 h). Head of Herakles right, wearing lion's skin headdress / ΠEPΔIK-KA, Lion standing right, breaking spear with mouth and foreleg. SNG Alpha Bank 240; SNG ANS 114. Purchased from Savoca Oct 2021

Aeropos II, (398/7-395/4 BC). Æ Dichalkon (11.5mm, 1.60g). Aigai. Head of male r., wearing kausia. R/ Forepart of lion r. Westermark, Remarks 4; HGC 3.1, 814. Good Fine. Purchased from Aphrodite Aug 2023

Pausanias, Bronze. 395/4-393 BC. 1,89 g. // 13 mm

Obv.: Head of Temenos to right, wearing taenia.

Rev: ΠΑΥΣ, forepart of boar right, legs extended.

BMC -; SNG ANS -; SNG Alpha Bank -; Westermark, Regal Macedonian Coinage 1a

nVF, Rare. Purchased from Fitz Nov 2022

Amyntas III, (393-369 BCE). 3.42 g. 17 mm. Tetrachalkon. Aigai or Pella.

Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin.

Rev: AMYNTA. 

Eagle standing right, grasping serpent with talons.

SNG Alpha Bank 214-230. Very fine.

Perdikkas III, (365-359 B.C.), AE 18, tetrachalkon, (18 mm, 6.31 g), Aigai mint, obv. head of Herakles in lion skin to right, rev. lion standing right, breaking a javelin with its jaws, above **PERDIK*, (S.1515, Westermark, Kraay-Morkholm Essay, Remarks 47, SNG ANS 114, BMC 3, HGC 3, 839 [R]) (illustrated) Nearly VF

Early Makedon-

Macedon, Tragilos, 450-400 BC. AR Hemiobol (7.4mm, 0.28g, 6h). Grain ear. R/ Quadripartite incuse square; T-P-A-I in quarters. SNG ANS 903; SNG Copenhagen 446. 

MACEDONIA, Eion, AR Trihemiobol

OBVERSE: Goose standing right, head reverted, lizard downward to left above

REVERSE: Quadripartite incuse square

Struck at Eion, 460-400 BC

.66g, 11mm, SNG ANS 273-284ʺ

Former CT pal Bing

THRACO-MACEDONIAN REGION, Uncertain. 5th century BC. AR Tetartemorion (6mm, 0.25 g). Primate crouching left / Pellet or shield within incuse square with slightly rounded corners. Tzamalis 67. Toned, patches of find patina, some granularity. VF. Rare. From the Jim Gilman Collection, purchased from John Jencek, 7 August 2009

And to end a Early Makedonien coin I won at the same Savoca over the weekend...

Macedon. Akanthos circa 430-390 BC.

Tetrobol AR, 16 mm, 2,17 g,

Forepart of bull left, head right / Quadripartite incuse square. Good Fine

If you read this and enjoyed it, you're welcome! And thank you!!

If you didn't, welp, there's no accounting for taste. 

You know what we want to see... show us those coins of the Argead dynasty, Makedonien, Herakles, recent Savoca wins or anything that comes to mind works;)

Excellent Magna Graecia addition! And I can't say just how green I am with envy of your vacation. 

Here are a couple pebbles of mine from there:

LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 470-440 BC. AR Triobol (12mm, .95 g, 6h). Ear of barley with six grains / Incuse facing head of ox. Noe Class XII, 264; HN Italy 1487.

LUCANIA, Metapontion. Circa 430-400 BC. AR Obol (7mm, 0.29 g). Head of Herakles right wearing lion skin / Grain ear. Noe -; HN Italy 1506. SNG Ahmolean 1802. VF, toned. Rare.

1 hour ago, ambr0zie said:

Aegina fraction?

Dang, you are good!

Aegina, Aegina
Obol circa 520, AR 0.94 g. 8mm.
Sea turtle seen from above, with thin collar and dots running down the back. Rev. Large skew pattern incuse. SNG Lockett 1977
Ex: Savoca

6+

Next: modern coin with ancient mythology or iconography

LOVE your new creepy face avatar!

There's a lot of LCE (little coin energy) on this board and some great coins this far. 

Here's a few little fellas:

Next: chocolate toning 

Link: grump face

VESPASIAN

Denarius. Minted AD 69-70 . ASIA MINOR. Anv.: IMP. CAES. VESPAS. AVG. Laureate head to the right. Rev .: AVG within laurel. 3.42 grs. Dark patina. Nice piece. EBC / Vespasianus. Nice coin with dark patina and extremely fine. C-36b; RIC-311; BMC-497. Purchased from Soler y Llach, Coleccion Scipio, Oct 2021

Next: nymph

If this coin isn't in my year end top ten somebody slap me, cause I must've,

A: inherited a Neronian (yeah, I'm bringing Neronian back) amount of money to blow through.

Second! I hit my head and forget about ancients and start a cult.

Or B.5- I get stinking drunk and gamble all of my Nomos and lose at an high stakes game of luchador thumb wrestling. 

Of historical importance and context, my new coin was minted during the time of Pyrrhos of Epiros (first cousin once removed, on his mother Olympias side, of Alexander the Great) attempt to take much of Magna Graecia, including Campania, from the Romans!

During these battles Pyrrhos was able to beat the Romans off the field. However, with both sides suffering heavy losses, leading to the moment that when congratulated by one of his generals, Pyrrhos replied:

First things last, with the MFB (man faced bull) looking a little parched and the lettering before his feet not being optimal I still enjoy the reverse for that Nike flying in to crown the beast. 

That said, the stunning artistry of the well toned nymphs portrait with the earrings,  necklace, bushel of hair, face etc was more than enough for me to be in love. 

There also appears to be,  not just scratches, ancient graffiti in her headband! Hopefully in hand I'll be able to identify letters.

Campania, Neapolis

Nomos/Didrachm (6.77 g), ca. 300-275 BC. BC Head of a nymph with a hair band / androcephalic bull, above Nike with a wreath. HN Italy 579. Corroded and small cleaning scratches. Dark tint. s.sh./fssch. Ex Rauch 36 (1986), 14. Purchased from Rauch April 2024 E-Auction 43 lot 39

Thanks for giving a look and please share your nymphs, coins of Campania, MFing MFBs! Pyrrhic coins, Flying Nikes, Rauch wins or whatever adds to the fun. 

35 minutes ago, AETHER said:

Wth @Ryro is that legit or phony edit? That is uncanny

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2009/08/michael_jacksons_face_in_an_an.html

Of course he was. As a Pharaoh you are automatically a God: