Ursus

Before:

After:

Elagabalus, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 218–222 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG; bust of Elagabalus, horned, draped and laureate, r. Rev: SACERD DEI SOLIS ELAGAB; Elagabalus, in Syrian priestly robes, standing right, sacrificing out of patera in right hand over lighted altar, holding upright club in left hand; star in r. field. 18mm, 2.13g. Ref: RIC IV Elagabalus 131.

Next: another before/after cleaning result

9 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

Looks something like the one for sale by Marc Raffler for $480 -- by far the cheapest one available, and not the worst I think.

I generally agree.

Raffler's coin is much better centered and more evenly struck than mine, but it has more wear and slightly rougher surfaces. The relative importance of these point is in the eye of the individual beholder, but in my opinion, the two coins come down to being more or less equally attractive.

It's crazy how prices for these have gone up in recent years. In 2019, mine hammered for €175 at Artemide, which I consider a fairly reputable dealer. Back then, I thought of this as a good but not exceptionally low price. Today, it would be a steal.

Roman Republic, Imperatorial Coinage, Julius Caesar, AR denarius, 49–48 BC, military mint moving with Caesar. Obv: [CA]ESAR; elephant walking r., trampling snake. Rev: priestly implements: culullus, aspergillum, axe, apex. 20mm, 3.70g. Ref: RRC 443/1.

But concerning OP's question: if I were you, I'd consider a strategy of continuously placing low-ball bids at auctions and hoping that one will eventually come through. It might take some time and patience, but you might be able to get a nice example for under retail. Since Caesar's elephant denarii are quite common, there are always a couple of listings on biddr etc.

I took this picture of my collection of ancient Greek and "Eastern" silver coins in late 2021. Since then, five additional coins have joined the pile, and one of the Persian sigloi found a new home:

Happy birthday, @Furryfrog02! I hope you celebrate this day properly, and I wish you all the best for the many trips around sol that are yet to come.

Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE3, 312–313 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; bust of Constantine I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: SOLI INVICTO COMITI; Sol, chlamys hanging behind, standing l., raising r. hand and holding up globe in l. hand. 20mm, 2.96g. Ref: RIC VI Rom 323a. Ex AMCC 2, lot 244.

Caria, Rhodes, AR plintophoric drachm, 88–84 BC, magistrate: Nikephoros. Obv: head of Helios, radiate, r. Rev: NIKHΦOPOΣ; rosebud and ethnic R-O in incuse; in field l., hand holding grain ear. 14mm, 2.81g. Ref: Jenkins, Rhodian, Group E, 249; HGC 6, 1461.

2 hours ago, Phil Anthos said:

Next: an insect, not a bee

Thie insect on this reverse (right of Athena's forehead) is usually described as a fly but might actually be a cicada:

Mysia,  Lampsakos, diobol, ca. 400–300 BC. Obv: Janiform female heads. Rev: Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet, ΛΑΜ around, fly right. 10mm, 1.2g. Ref: SNG France 1190; Baldwin 1924, group B, type I,19.

Next: more unusual critters

Just now, expat said:

NEXT: More Alexandrian tetradrachms

Roman Provinces: Egypt, Alexandria, under Maximian, AE tetradrachm, 288–289 AD. Obv: A K M A OYA MAΞIMIANOC CEB; bust of Maximian, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: Alexandria standing l., holding bust of Serapis and long sceptre; date: L Δ. 18mm, 7.18g. Ref: Emmett 4093.

Next: more of the same

That gave me a good laugh!

Roman Republic, anonymous issue ("staff and club series"), AE semis, 208 BC, mint in Etruria (?). Obv: laureate head of Saturn r.; behind, S. Rev: prow r., above, S and horizontal staff; in exergue, ROMA. 28mm, 19.86g. Ref: RRC 106/5 var (position of staff).

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.

29 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

Isis, wearing peaked head-dress, standing right, left foot on prow, with the infant Horus at her breast; to left, altar, against which rests a rudder

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.

5 minutes ago, Phil Anthos said:

water nymph 

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

13 hours ago, JeandAcre said:

Bardo was on familiar terms with the Salians, going back to the patronage of Heinrich’s father, Conrad II, from 1029.

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 –.

1 minute ago, Phil Anthos said:

Griffin

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.

On 4/13/2024 at 7:04 PM, Roman Collector said:

Although @Ancient Coin Hunter's is not a die match to mine, I'm quite sure they were made by the same die-engrave

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.

33 minutes ago, John Conduitt said:

Next: 2nd Century BC

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.

Nice acquisition! I very much like this type. Mine was in my top ten for last year.

Campania, Neapolis, AR didrachm, c. 300–275 BC. Obv: diademed head of nymph r., hair in band; X to left. Rev: man-headed bull standing r., head facing, crowned by Nike flying r. above; EYΞ below. 19mm, 7.19g. Ref: Sambon 477; HN Italy 577.

On 3/11/2024 at 10:01 PM, Coinmaster said:

Very strange indeed, it doesn't seem very practical at a market. Perhaps it was used as give aways?

You're right, it doesn't seem practical. Hoard finds nonetheless indicate that these were used for everyday financial transactions. For example, a clay pot containing 1308 coins was found near Erfurt in 1994 (published as Gudrun Noll/ Hans Otto Pollmann: Der Erfurter Braketatenschatz, Erfurt 1997). Most were large bracteates of the "mounted knight"-design used by different local dynasts and mints in Thuringia. Among them were 12 bracteates minted for Friedrich II at Frankenau. Although a slightly different type, these are very similar in size and design to the one posted by @Prieure de Sion.

The hoard was buried shortly after 1200, maybe in context of the civil war caused by the German throne dispute. Archeologists interpret the hoard as the savings of a single individual, maybe a person active in the cultivation and trade of woad that constituted the main line of commerce in the region the coins were found.

1303 of the coins in the Erfurt hoard are bracteates, 5 are two-sided pennies. 880 of the bracteateas are whole coins, 391 were halved, and 32 quartered in order to produce smaller change. The coins show different degrees of wear. They can be attributed to 38 different mints. 90% of the coins come from the region of Thuringia, the rest from different mints further away from Erfurt.

All of this indicates that despite their fragility and somewhat impractical design, the large Thuringian "mounted knight"-bracteates circulated in local trade just like "normal" coins did in other German regions in the 12th/13th centuries.