Ryro

Link: Beautiful green patina

Vespasian

MAKEDON. Koinon . ( 69 - 79 AD). Ae. Obv: Laureate head left . ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤ [ΩΡ ΚΑΙΣΑΡ] ΟΥΕΣΠΑΣΙΑΝΟΣ. Rev: ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΩΝ. Makedonian Shield. RPC 333. SNG COP. 1336. Rare. Condition: Extremely Fine. Weight: 8.82 g. Diameter: 23 mm. Purchased from: Papillon

You just posted a truly lovely one. Germanicus, Caligula's father, was so universally loved at Rome the holiday in his honor was being celebrated at least 350 years after his death. 

Germanicus - As (42, Rome) - Restitution de Claude

A/ GERMANICVS CAESAR TI AVG F DIVI AVG N. Tête nue de Germanicus à droite.

R/ TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERM PM TR P IMP PP. Légende autour d'un grand SC.

B+

-RIC.106

Ae ; 11.31 gr ; 30 mm

Next: another parent of a rude dude/ bad guy

Next: rude dude/ bad guy

Anonymous AE Quadrans (18 mm, 2.70 g). Time of Domitian to Antoninus Pius. Rome, AD 81-161. Obv. Youthful veiled head of Annius Verus (?) as the personification of Winter to right, wearing wreath of reeds. Rev. S•C within olive wreath fastened with jewel at apex. Van Heesch pl. 25, 3; RIC 35. Very rare. River patina. Fine. Purchased from Auctiones gmbh March 2021 

Next: a coin of whoms portrait is up for debate

After being the under bidder for the Nero sideways port of Ostia, that Savoca bizarrely had in a regular blue auction yesterday, I thought I better treat myself. I had been following this fun coin with a popular reverse and am happy to say that I won it!

Purchased from ebay with little description other than weight. So, any corrections to ID are appreciated:

Nero (AD 54-68). Æas (10.59 gm). Lugdunum, AD 67. IMP NERO CAESAR AVG P MAX TR PPP, bare head of Nero right, globe at point / S - C, Victory flying left holding in both hands shield inscribed SPQR. RIC 544. BMCRE 387.

Is anyone else stricken with, whenever looking at this type, seeing Victory dribbling a large SPQR branded ball? Nah. I'm just a weirdo? That adds up. 

Taking a quick look and I only have one other coin with SPQR on it and that a fourrée:

Trajan, 98-117. Denarius (Subaeratus, 18 mm, 2.94 g, 6 h), a contemporary plated imitation, after 113. IMP TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Trajan to right, seen from behind. Rev. S•P•Q•R•OPTIMO PRINCIPI Trajan's Column: column surmounted by statue of Trajan standing left, holding patera and scepter, and set on podium decorated with eagles. BMC 452. Cohen 558. RIC 292. Woytek 425v. Nicely toned. Minor breaks in plating, otherwise, very fine. Purchased from Leu

If anyone else have this popular type, or any coins bearing SPQR, Victory dribbling, Neros or whatever adds to the fun, please share!

PHRYGIA, Kibyra.

Circa 166-84 BC. AR Drachm (15mm, 2.65 g, 11h). Helmeted head of male (Kibyras?) right / Horseman, holding couched spear and palm, riding right; O below. HGC 7, 706; SNG Ashmolean 996 var. (O below). VF

IONIA. Smyrna. Ae (Circa 115-105 BC). Paramonos, magistrate. Obv: Laureate head of Apollo right. Rev: ΠAPAMO ΣΜΥΡΝΑΙ. Hand in caestus; palm to right. Milne 1927, 239. Good very fine. 1.91 g, 14 mm. Numismatik Naumann Feb 2021

Philip II AR Tetradrachm. Pella, 342-336 BC. Lifetime issue. Laureate head of Zeus right / Youth on horseback right, holding palm and reins; thunderbolt below, [N in exergue]. Le Rider 222-306. 14.22g, 24mm, 7h. VF. Purchased from Savoca July 2021

Spain, Carthago Nova Æ Unit. Roman Occupation, after 209 BC. Bare-head left (Scipio Africanus?) / Horse standing right; palm tree behind. CNH Class XI, 282; SNG BM Spain 127-128. 10.04g, 23mm, 12h.

Good Very Fine. Excellent for issue. Very rare. Gift from @bcuda

6 minutes ago, MrZun said:

I love that last one of yours, is It a Denarius?

Love that last one of yours, is It a Denarius?

CAPPADOCIA. Caesarea. Trajan (98-117). Drachm.

Obv : ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙС ΝЄΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟС СЄΒ ΓЄΡΜ ΔΑΚ.

Laureate and draped bust right.

Rev : ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ЄΞ ΥΠΑΤO ς.

Bust of Artemis left, holding spear and patera.

RPC III 3026; Sydenham 198.

Condition : Nicely toned.Good very fine.

Weight : 3.33 gr

Diameter : 18 mm

Way to go! Trajan is often referred to as the greatest of all the Augustii, and your new coin shows why. 

Here are a few of mine:

The man

He and his wife

And his girlfriend😉

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-long-lost-top-half-enormous-ramses-II-statue-180983937/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_term=3232024&utm_content=recent&fbclid=IwAR3KAo6OzJDn-yRgIenqmZoc_bjDcMUB4S6L_QEcYJ4QxueQ_1zNqHJ53Xo

It was found...

Great work and cool coins RC!

I do need more Nervii in my collection. Here's the man who sneezed and put out the great fire:

And some Justice:

ROMAN REPUBLIC. Anonymous. AE Aes Grave Triens (47mm, 92.37 gms), Rome Mint, ca. 225-217 B.C. VERY FINE. Cr-35/3a; TV-53. Obverse: Helmeted head of Minerva left; four pellets (mark of value) below; all set upon raised disk; Reverse: Prow right; four pellets (mark of value) below; all set upon raised disk. A pleasing specimen despite its crudeness, with charming green surfaces.

Next: one of your favorite ancient coins

Cool chonker from Ptolemaic Egypt!

Not just weight and size=$. Detail and condition do come into play... but who doesn't want a massive hunk of ancient metal?

Yours is a good looking example with eye appeal. Certainly better looking than mine. Though I picked this up for 28€, before all the additional auction house juice a couple years ago:

40 mm, 46,3 gr

Fun thread idea JA!

Let's add some electrum to the mix:

IONIA. Phokaia. (Circa 477-388). EL Hekte.

Obv: Head of nymph left, hair in sphendone; seal to right.

Rev: Quadripartite incuse square.

SNG von Aulock 2120; Boston MFA 1908-9.

Condition: Fine.

Weight: 2.52 g.

Diameter: 10.19 mm

AMAZING Perseus! Highly desirable, top notch artistry, and oooh baby that toning is sweet!

Perseus was not his father. I believe Philip V to be the last "great" king of Makedon. His son, Perseus, was the end of the INCREDIBLE Antigonid line, but frustratingly floundered where he used to thrive. That said, Perseus WAS the last true king of Makedon. Yours is an already incredible artistic representation of what was possible during the Hellenistic era, but also slaps of historocity.

Though, as you pointed out, with the invincible oncoming force of the Romans, what chance did he have?

Ironically enough, one of, if not, my very favorite tets happens to be Philip V, but has Perseus, Philip's favorite semi-diety, whom he named his son after. And this inside of my very favorite symbols in all of ancient history, The Macedonian Shield:

Philip V (221-179 BC). Tetradrachm. Uncertain Macedonian mint.

Obv: Head of Perseus left, wearing winged helmet surmounted by griffin's head; harpa in background; all in the centre of Macedonian shield.

Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ.

Club right between legend in two lines; all within wreath right.

SNG München 1125; HGC 3.1, 1056.

Condition: Fine.

Weight: 16.91 g.

Diameter: 30 mm. Purchased from Numismatik Naumann November 2021

Nice coins! This seems outside of your scope of collecting. Are they yours?

Welcome @CassiusMarcus! Now that's how to show up to the party🤩 I've been after a Persian daric for a while. But there's the whole paying for one thing...

As for my latest, I was going to do a write up on this Celtic rarity and it's little known tribe of origin, but Celtic posts don't get much traction. So here it is:

CELTIC IMITATIONS OF MAGNA GRAECIA

MELDES/Meldis (Meaux region) 60-40 BCE, bronze, 16.6mm, 2.8g.

Degree of rarity: R1

 No. in reference works: LT.7617 - DT.587 - BN.7616-7630 - RIG.163 - Sch/GB.512

Obverse legend: E[PENOS].

Obverse description: Male head on the left, long, curly hair, legend in front of the face; gritted.

Reverse legend: EPHNOS.

Reverse description: Horse galloping to the right, wavy tail, surmounted by a facing bird/ winged rider with outstretched wings, a ringlet pointed below; legend under the horse globule surmounted by a crescent.

Unearthed 2023 Burgundy region of France. 

" The bird which surmounts the horse may be a distortion of a winged rider, present for example on certain Gallic silver and bronze coins. The attribution of this coinage is confirmed to the Meldes despite a very important distribution map on the territories of the Suessions and the Bellovaques. These coins were first reported in Meaux with ROVECA epigraph coins. B. Fischer proposes a ligature between an I and the P; which would give a legend EIPENOS, EPIENOS or even EPLENOS; she opts, in view of various examples of epigraphies, for the legend EPIENOS.

History: The Meldes are only mentioned once in Caesar's work. This small people lived between the Seine and the Marne in the Brie plain with Meaux as its capital. The Meldes emancipated themselves late from the tutelage of the Suessions and the Remes at the time of the Gallic War. Having become independent in 57 BC, the Meldes chose to ally themselves with the Romans. Caesar had sixty ships built among the Meldes, in 55 BC, for the expedition to Brittany. Caesar (BG. V, 5)."

Antioch 

Tryphon, Diodotus

Antioch, 141 BCE, AE 18mm, 5.66g

Obvs: Head of Tryphon right diademed.

Revs: BAΣΙΛEΩΣ TPYФΩNOΣ AYTOKPATOPOΣ, Spiked Macedonian helmet. Grain to left. Ex:Savoca

I bought this along with my recent Napoleon medal and a couple others. 

M. Calidius, Q. Metellus, and Cn. Fulvius. 117-116 BC. AR Denarius (18.2mm, 3.70 g, 9h). Rome mint. Helmeted head of Roma right; mark of value below chin / Victory driving biga right, holding reins and wreath. Crawford 284/1a; Sydenham 539; Calidia 1; RBW 1113.

next: an RR minted earlier than this

Heartbreaking stuff, and some serious showstoppers!!!🤩 I remember that Regalianus. A crazy rarity!

The year after my mom was diagnosed with dementia things were tough. So, for my dad's birthday, I gave him a coin that I new he'd go gaga over. My dad, the smartest man I've ever known and person who got me into ancients and coin collecting in general, loves Marcus Aurelius, the meditations yadda yadda. I'd landed this beauty for myself, but not shown it to him. He'd been through so much I really wanted to see him smile. And so, I gifted my dad this. The pics ok, but in hand that green patina sings:

Marcus Aurelius
(161-180 AD). AE Sestertius (32,4 mm, 23.08 g), Rome, 165/166 AD.
Obv. M AVREL ANTONINVS AVG ARMENIACVS P M, Laureate head to right.
Rev. TR POT XX IMP III COS III / S-C, Providentia standing left, pointing with wand at globe and holding scepter.
BMC 1279; RIC
923

A little color now that some light has been shone on the situation. 

"Napoleon and the Sun of Austerlitz" was a medal created in celebration of Bonaparte's greatest victory. 

"The French victory at Austerlitz was Napoleon's masterpiece. It dramatically reversed his militarily and politically dangerous situation and secured his imperial regime (Austerlitz took place on the one-year anniversary of his coronation as emperor)."

Napoleon would later say to his men in admiration and appreciation: "On the day of Austerlitz, you lived up to all my expectations of your bravery and boldness; you have decked your eagles with a glory that shall never die. In less than four hours, an army of one hundred thousand men, commanded by the emperors of Russia and Austria, has either been cut to pieces or dispersed."

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

@Ryro, it's a small (probably cast) copy of a late 19th-century bronze art medal by Jacques-Edouard Gatteaux (French, 1788–1881), entitled "Napoleon et le Soleil d'Austerlitz." Here's an example of the identical medal (including the Jean Claude on the reverse, with the same scratches, as well as the same brown areas on the obverse, so it may actually be the same specimen), sold on French Ebay for 9.00 Euros (so I hope you didn't pay too much of a mark-up, if you weren't the original purchaser):

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/355497325331?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=709-53476-19255-0&campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050#SHIPPING_SECTION_MODULE

An image search shows a number of similar specimens.

Here's an example from Artnet of the original medal by Gatteaux, which is 44.45 x 44.45 cm; you can see how much more detail it has:

Thank you so much @DonnaML! 

Hehe! That's my coin and what I paid☺️. I just shoped the sellers background and combined the pictures. He is always willing to make a deal if you are buying multiple items. 

That other example is stunning... and massive! Mine must be its silver plated little frere.

I picked up this beautiful medal as a snack to go along with some other exciting wins today (one is a very rare/rad Celtic that'll knock yo socks off). But am unable to find when nor why it was made. I thought the fancily written "Jean Claude" might render results. But my best guess is that it's merely the original owner and not makers name. 

Cut to, Napoleon astride his gallant, and elaborately armored, horse with eagle, wings spread, swoopping in with rising/setting sun behind. 

What a scene, right!? But why and who was this made for?

The sellers identification doesn't help much:

Medal - Napoleon 1st Nominative pendant.

Silver metal pendant with the effigy of the emperor

Diameter: 36.5mm

Weight: 20.06g

Recently unearthed in the Burgundy region of France

Reminded me of this old beauty:

Pretty cool, huh? But I sure would like to know more about it. Any ideas, theories, or identification would be greatly appreciated. And, of course, any and all things Napoleonic are welcome!

Next: Obol

Next: anything with wings that's not a bird