Ursus

We didn't have the less mythologically interesting Tatius type with the biga reverse yet: Roman Republic, moneyer: L. Titurius L. f. Sabinus, AR denarius, 89 BC, Rome mint. Obv: SABIN; head of king Titus Tatius r.. Rev: L. TITVRI; Victory in biga r., holding reins in l. hand and wreath in r. hand; in exergue, control-mark (branch). 18mm, 3.84g. Ref: RRC 344/3. And here is my Tarpeia: Roman Republic, moneyer: L. Titurius L. f. Sabinus, AR denarius, 89 BC, Rome mint. Obv: SABIN APV; head of king Titus Tatius r., branch before. Rev: L. TITVRI; Tarpeia seated, arms raised, being crushed with shields by two soldiers; above, star in crescent. 18mm, 3.78g. Ref: RRC 344/2c.

Nice find and a write-up that adds a lot of historical context! I bought mine for the whopping sum of 3€ in 2018. A bargain bin find that might well be the ugliest coin that I own. As far as I can see, it is Kroll 46, too: Attica, Athens, AE 13, ca. 322–307 BC. Obv: head of Athena with Attic helmet r. Rev: two owls standing on thunderbolt; below, ethnic AΘE; all in olive wreath. 13mm, 2.10g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen 92–93; Kroll 46.

Geta, Roman Empire, denarius, 200–202 AD, Rome mint. Obv: P SEPT GETA CAES PONT; bust of Geta, bare-headed, draped, r. Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENTUTIS; Geta, holding baton and sceptre, standing l. next to trophy r. 18mm, 3.40g. Ref: RIC IV Geta 18. Next: Caracalla

And another small and square bracteate, this time an episcopal issue from Basel. This recent acquisition was a chance purchase. I already had a slightly different type struck by Bishop Johann II Senn von Münsingen (posted below), but I'm not above adding variants to my medieval collection. Prince-Bishopric of Basel, under Johann II Senn von Münsingen, AR bracteate ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), 1335–1365 AD. Obv: head of a bishop wearing mitre l., pellet above; crosier to l.. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 17mm, 0.20g. Ref: Wielandt: Basler Münzprägung (1971), 111; HMZ 1–252; Slg. Wüthrich 26; Slg. Bonhoff 1769; Berger –. Prince-Bishopric of Basel, under Johann II Senn von Münsingen, AR bracteate ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), 1335–1365 AD. Obv: head of a bishop wearing mitre (three pellets at each side) left, between B-A, ring above. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 17–20mm, 0.33g. Ref: Wielandt: Basler Münzprägung (1971), 117; HMZ 1–255; Slg. Wüthrich 31; Slg. Bonhoff 1771; Berger 2415–6.

The Christian iconography of Mary holding and feeding the infant Jesus (Maria lactans) was actually adapted from depictions of Isis similar to that on your coin. That's the link to this coin: Kingdom of Hungary, under Ferdinand I, AR denár, 1538 AD, Kremnitz mint. Obv: FERDINAND • D • G • R • VNG • 1538 •; quartered shield with stripes (Árpad), double cross (Hungary), leopard heads (Dalmatia), and lion (Bohemia); central inescutcheon with Austrian arms. Rev: PATRONA •*• VNGARIE; Madonna with child; in fields, K–B. 16mm, 0.62g. Ref: Huszár 935.

Interesting provincial with a neat and unusual reverse. How many ancient coins showing construction work are there? Here are my Carthage coins: Carthage, AE17, ca. 400–350 BC, Carthage mint (?). Obv: Wreathed head of Tanit l. Rev: Horse standing r. in front of palm tree; to right, three pellets in triangle with another pellet below. 17mm, 3.64g. MAA 18 var.; SNP 194; SNG Copenhagen 118 var. Ex Bing. My second coin is overstruck on the Tanit/standing horse-type shown above: Carthage, AE17, late 4th or early 3rd c. BC, Sicilian mint. Obv: male head r., flanked by grain ears. Rev: galloping horse r. 17mm, 3.59g. Ref: MAA 19; SNG Copenhagen (Africa) 120; Sylloge Numorum Punicorum 128. Struck over MAA 18; Sylloge Nummorum Punicorum 194 (head of Tanit/horse standing in front of palm tree). Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd, E-Sale 52, lot 1245 (multiple lot). Carthage, AE 18 (Shekel?), ca. 300–264 BC, mint on Sicily or Sardinia (?). Obv: head of Tanit l. Rev: head of horse r.; Punic letter (crescent-shaped) before. 18mm, 4.43g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen 151. Ex André Cichos.

Fountains count as water, don't they? Thessaly, Pherai, hemidrachm, ca. 302–286 BC. Obv: Head of Ennodia left, torch behind. Rev: ΦΕΡΑΙΟΥΝ, the nymph Hypereia left, touching the top of lion's head fountain right, from which water pours forth, ΑΣ/TΟ within wreath to lower left. 15mm, 2.72g. Ref: BCD Thessaly I, 1321; BCD Thessaly II, 714; SNG Copenhagen 239; BMC 20. Ex CNG, e-auction 432, lot 27; ex BCD collection. Next: fire

There are two hagiographically styled medieval biographies of Bardo of Mainz, the Monachi Fuldensis Vita Bardonis prolixior (edited in MGH SS 11, 323–342) and the Vulculdi Vita Bardonis (MGH SS 11, 318–321), which was commissioned by Bardo's successor Luitpold. These texts give quite a good portrait of Bardo's relationship to the Salians. In short, he was a relative of empress Gisela of Swabia, the wife of Conrad II. In early 1031, Bardo first became abbot of Hersfeld "suggestione Gislae imperatricis," as the Hildesheim Annals put it. Later in the same year, he was made archbishop of Mainz, probably also at the suggestion of the empress. This was a highly political choice. The archbishops of Mainz traditionally played had an important role in the German royal election and coronation ceremonies. Bardo's predecessor Aribo, though, had been on less than friendly terms with the royal family – in 1024, he had even refused to crown Gisela. After Aribo's death, the Salians sought to install a more loyal bishop to make sure that such an embarassment didn't happen again. Due to being both a capable cleric and part of the extended royal family, Bardo was an obvious choice. His appointment worked out quite well for the Salians: Bardo appears to have been quite close to both Conrad II and Henry III. For example, he anointed Henry's wife Agnes of Poitou in 1043 and took part in Henry's Bohemian campaign of 1040.

Very nice – that's a hippo type I was not aware of. My only hippopotamus is this sestertius of Otacilia Severa: Otacilia Severa, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 248 AD, Rome mint. Obv: MARCIA OTACIL SEVERA AVG; bust of Otacilia Severa, diademed, draped, r. Rev: SAECULARES AVGG SC; Hippopotamus walking r. 28mm, 17.39g. Ref: Ref: RIC IV, Philip I 200. I'll refrain from posting my herd of ancient elephants, which all of you have seen way too often, but I can't quite stop myself from showing this lovely little medieval critter: Breisgau, Counts of Staufen (?), AR bracteate penny (“vierzipfliger Pfennig”), c. 1330–1360. Obv.: elephant l., palanquin on back. Rev.: incuse design (bracteate). 17mm, 0.28g. Berger 2438; Wielandt (Breisgau) 50; Slg. Wüthrich 55–56; Slg. Bonhoff 1786.

This little bird landed in my collection. I was especially inclined towards this coin since it is from where I Iive: Freiburg im Breisgau, civic issue, bracteate penny ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), struck after 1387 AD. Obv: eagle's head l. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 17mm, 0.19g. Ref: Wielandt: Breisgau 48c; Slg. Wüthrich 64; Slg. Bonhoff 1790; Berger 2436. Although this type is sometimes described as a halfpenny (hälbling) because of its low weight, it constitutes a full penny. A 1387 agreement of different cities in the Upper Rhine region simply established very light standard. Coins from Freiburg struck prior to 1387 look similar but are at least 50% heavier: Freiburg im Breisgau, civic issue, bracteate pfennig ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), c. 1320–1387 AD. Obv: eagle's head l. Rev: negative design (bracteate). 18mm, 0.30g. Ref: Wielandt: Breisgau 48b; Slg. Wüthrich 63; Slg. Bonhoff 1788; Slg. Ulmer 249; Berger –.

Rostock, City, AR witten (Slavic standard), 1361–1381 AD. Obv: +MO[NETA:R]OSTOKCE; griffin l. Rev: +[CIVITS:]MAGNOPOL; cross with quatrefoil and pellet in centen. 18mm, 0.79. Ref: Grimm 837/840/848.

I have anothe one in similar style: Tiberius, Roman Empire, denarius, 15–18 AD, Lyon mint. Obv: TI CAESAR DIVI AVG F AVGVSTVS, laureate portrait right. Rev: PONTIF MA[XIM], Livia as Pax seated right on chair with ornately decorated legs, holding sceptre (or spear) and branch. 18mm, 2.8g. Ref: RIC I Tiberius 28; RSC II 16b; Sear 1763; Giard: Le monnayage de l'atelier de Lyon 1 (1983), group 2, 146.

Ptolemy VIII Evergetes II “Physcon”, Ptolemaic Kings of Egypt, AE30, ca. 145–116 BC, Alexandreia mint. Obv: diademed head of Zeus-Ammon r. Rev: BA[ΣIΛEΩΣ] ΠTOΛEMAIOY; two eagles with wings closed standing l. on thunderbolt; in field l, cornucopia. 30mm, 27,7g. Ref: Svoronos 1424b; Lorber/Faucher series 7. Next: Egypt

Here is a recent aquisition that I finally had time to phograph and research. A small bracteate minted by the Abbey of St. Gall in northeastern Switzerland. Its general make is typical for 13th/14th century bracteates from the region around Lake Constance. The design showing the Lamb of God is fitting for a monastic mint: Abbey of St. Gall, AR bracteate (“ewiger Pfennig”), c. 1295–1350 AD. Obv: Lamb of God l. holding banner with a cross. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 20mm, 0.38g. Ref: Berger 2579; HMZ 1-474; Slg. Bonhoff 1820; Slg. Wüthrich 282–3.

Link: satyr Islands off Thrace, Thasos, AR trihemiobol, c. 411-350 BC. Obv: Satyr kneeling l., holding kylix. Rev: ΘAΣ-IΩN; amphora. 12mm, 0.87g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen 103.