Ursus

My best siglos is actually a fourrée: Artaxerxes II – Darius III, "Achaemenid Empire" (probably Lydian regional issue), fourrée siglos, ca. 375–336 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling left, holding dagger and bow, three pellets on chest. Rev: irregular punch. 14.4mm, 4.92g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type IV C (prototype). These two aren't plated but show a lot more wear and punch marks: Xerxes I – Artaxerxes II, "Achaemenid Empire" (probably Lydian regional issue), AR siglos, ca. 485–375 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling left, holding transverse spear and bow, numerous banker's marks. Rev: irregular punch. 15mm, 5.43g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type III B. Darius II – Artaxerxes II, "Achaemenid Empire" (probably Lydian regional issue), AR siglos, ca. 420–375 BC. Obv: Great King kneeling r., holding dagger and bow. Rev: oblong punch, test punches. 19mm, 5.22g. Ref: Carradice 1987, type IV B.

Same type as OP: Kings of Numidia, Massinissas or Micipsa, ca. 203–118 BC, AE31. Obv: head of king (?), laureate, l. Rev: horse galloping l.; below, pellet. 31mm, 20.15g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen 505–7; MAA 18a.

Of my few Trajan coins, this is the one I like best – despite its boring reverse legend: Trajan, Roman Empire, denarius, 101/102 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP CAESAR NERVA TRAIAN AUG GERM, laureate head of Trajan right. Rev: PM TRP COS IIII PP, Victory standing facing, holding wreath and palm branch. 18mm, 3.04g. Ref: RIC II Trajan 58.

Nice idea for a thread! I've got a drum: Julia Domna, Roman Empire, denarius, 196–211 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA, bust of Julia Domna, hair waved and coiled at back, draped, r. Rev: MATER DEVM, Cybele, turreted, draped, seated l. on throne, holding branch in extended r. hand and sceptre in l. hand, resting left arm on drum set on l. knee; to either side of throne, lion. 19mm, 3.19g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 564. A lyre: Caracalla, Roman Empire, denarius, 215 AD, Rome mint. Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM; laureate head of Caracalla r. Rev: P M TR P XVIII COS IIII P P; Apollo, naked except for cloak flying behind, standing l., holding branch in extended r. hand and with l. hand lyre set on altar. 21mm, 3.04g. Ref: RIC IV Caracalla 254. A carnyx: Roman Republic, moneyer: M. Furius L. f. Philus, AR denarius, 119 BC, Rome mint. Obv: M. FOVRI. L. F; head of Janus. Rev: ROMA; Roma standing l., holding sceptre, crowns trophy with carnyx and two shields; in exergue, PHL I. 19mm, 3.81g. Ref: RRC 281/1.

Thanks for the compliments, everyone! That is a cool snake indeed, and your little herd of pachydermata is fantastic. Nice coins!

Here is my latest ancient purchase – actually the first ancient coin I bought since June. A coin of Decentius had still been missing from my collection:

Here is a recent addition to my collection of medieval bracteates. A couple of weeks back, @shanxi posted his wonderful example of this type along with an informative write-up here on NumisForums. I had been the underbidder on his coin in a recent Leu auction. It is a relatively scarce type, so I was both surprised and glad when a second coin came up in another auction shortly after. This time I managed to get it: Breisgau, Counts of Staufen, AR bracteate penny (“vierzipfliger Pfennig”), ca. 1330–1360. Obv.: elephant l., palanquin on back. Rev.: incuse design (bracteate). 17mm, 0.28g. Berger 2438; Wielandt: Breisgau 50; Slg. Wüthrich 55. Ex Teutoburger Münzauktion 149, lot 3107. The elephant bracteates are fascinating both because of their design, which might possibly reference a scene from the Middle High German Alexanderlied also depicted on a 14th century tapestry from the Dominican convent Adelhausen at Freiburg, and because of their attribution. The find spots of surviving examples suggest that they were likely minted from silver mined in the Münstertal, a valley some 15 miles south of Freiburg, and under the authority of the Counts of Staufen. This local dynasty is mostly known for one incident: According to more or less contemporary chronicles, Hans Ludwig of Staufen in 1540 hired an alchemist, a certain Doctor Faustus. That Doctor Faustus died soon after, apparently from accidentally poisoning himself during a chemical experiment. The smell of sulfur emanating from his body convinced the local population that he had been taken by the devil. Thus originated the legend that inspired Goethe's well-known play Faust. Post your comments, elephants, and recent medieval acquisitions!

Happy Birthday, Severus Alexander! Severus Alexander, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 222 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG; bust of Severus Alexander, laureate and draped, r. Rev: P M TR P COS P P; Libertas, draped, standing l., holding pileus in r. hand and cornucopiae in l. hand. 19mm, 2.68 g. Ref: RIC IV Severus Alexander 11d. Severus Alexander, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 224 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG; bust of Severus Alexander, laureate and draped, r. Rev: P M TR P III COS P P; Mars standing l., helmeted and in military attire, holding spear and branch. 18mm, 3.21g. Ref: RIC RIC IV Severus Alexander 37. Severus Alexander, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 234 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP ALEXANDER PIVS AVG; bust of Severus Alexander, laureate, draped, r. Rev: P M TR P XIII COS III P P; Sol, radiate, walking l., raising r. hand and holding whip in l. hand; in fields flanking, SC. 31mm, 18.59g. Ref: RIC IV Severus Alexander 538c.

A highly attractive crab headdress – wear this at any party and you will certainly be the center of attention: Bruttium, The Brettii, AE ¼ unit, ca. 211–208 BC. Obv: head of Amphitrite l., wearing crab headdress. Rev: BRET-TIΩN; crab; racing torch above. 13mm, 1.73g. Ref: HN Italy 1990; SNG ANS 123–125; Scheu (1962), no. 51

That is a wonderful dinosaur coin! I can absolutely see why you bid on it. Had I followed this Savoca auction, I might have done the same... Here is my favorite barbarous radiate, showing one of Santa's elfs riding on Rudolph the Reindeer:

I^m late to the party – but that is a splendid write-up along with some really nice coins! The yarmak of Berke Khan is a particularly stunning example. I dabble a bit in Mongol numismatics myself. Below are a few of my coins. Likely minted for Genghis himself: Great Mongols, under Genghis (Chingiz) Khan or slightly later, BI “jital,” 1220s/1230s AD, Nimruz (Sistan) mint. Obv: "qa’an / al-‘adil" ('the just khan'). Rev: " zarb i/ nimruz" ('struck in Nimruz'). 14.5mm, 3.42g. Ref: Tye –; Album A1973. Ilkhanate: Ilkhanate, under Hulagu (possibly a posthumous issue), AR dirham, ca. 1261–1265 AD (659–663 AH; also struck posthumously until c. 1281 AD/ 679 AH), Mardin mint (?). Obv: kalima: "la ilah illa allah/ wahdahu la sharikalahu/ muhammad rasul allah;" in margin, fragmentary Qu'ran 3:26. R: "qa'an/ al-'azam/ hulagu ilkhan/ al-mu'azam;" in margin, fragmentary mint and date formula. 22.5mm, 2.69g. Ref: Album 2122.2. Ilkhanate, under Arghun with Ghazan as viceroy, AR dirham, 1291–1292 AD (690–691 AH), Astarabad mint. Obv: Uyghur protocol in three lines, two above hawk and one below: "[qaghanu]/ nereber/ deletkeguluksen(?)" ('of the Khaqan / in the name of / struck'); Arabic name of the ruler Arghun in central l. field; citing his heir Ghazan in r. field; hawk r., sunface rising behind. Rev: Shiite kalima in three lines in square: "la ilah illa allah / muhammad rasul allah / ali waliun allah", partial mint and date formula for Astarabad in margins. Ref: Album 2149.2. 17.5mm, 2.93g. Golden Horde under Under Öz Beg / Uzbek, the second one with a later countermarks: Juchids (Golden Horde), under Uzbek Khan, AR dirham/dang, 1314–1315 AD (714 AH), Khwarizm mint. Obv: "al-sultan / al-adil / uz bek" in square. Rev: mint and date formula for Khwarizm 714 AH in polylobe. 16mm, 1.80g. Ref: Album 2025C. Juchids (Golden Horde), under Uzbek Khan, AR dirham/dang, 1312–1341 AD, Qrim mint. Obv: name and title of Uzbek: “as-sultan muhammad / uz beg khan / ‘azza nasrahu” (heavily worn; countermark “khan”). Rev: kalima in circle: "la ilah illa allah / muhammad rasul allah,” with worn date around (countermark “khan”). Countermarks tentatively attributed to Abdallah Khan, r. 1361–1370. 16mm, 1.00g. Ref: Album 2025G (including countermark); Sagdeeva 189 (without countermark).

I'm not actively collecting Probus, but I have two coins. I bought the first one because of the consular bust and for being part of the EQUITI-series: Probus, Roman Empire, AE antoninian, 281 AD, Ticinium mint. Obv: IMP C PROBVS AVG; radiate bust of Probus l., wearing imperial mantle, and holding eagle-tipped sceptre. Rev: MARTI PACIF; Mars walking l., holding olive-branch, spear and shield; in fields, I – *; in exergue, QXXI. 22mm, 3.38g. Ref: RIV V Probus 508. I acquired the second coin for the portrait and the interesting mint: Probus, Roman Empire, AE antoninian (traces of silvering), 276–282 AD, Tripolis mint. Obv: IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Rev: CLEMENTIA TEMP. Emperor standing right, holding eagle-tipped sceptre, receiving globe (or pileus?) from Jupiter, holding sceptre. Crescent in lower centre; mintmark KA. 23 mm, 4.13 g. Ref: RIC V-2, 928 (crescent).

Nice new acquisitions! My only coin from Phalanna is the most common type and not in the best condition. It was an unattributed pick bin find back when I started collecting: Thessaly, Phalanna, AE17, ca. 400–344 BC. Obv: Head of Ares r. Rev: ΦΑΛΑΝΝΑΙΩΝ; head of nymph (Phalanna?) r., with hair in sakkos. 17mm, 5.15g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen 205; BMC 4–7.

Did you get some of the others ? I was hoping to get this one too, but the price went through the roof. Unfortunately not… I had my eye on a total of five coins from the Blaschegg collection and bid on four of them, including the bracteate struck for the Dukes of Zähringen. Yet, bidding on all my targets in the end was too strong for me, especially considering the current euro-franc exchange rate. Maybe next time!

This penny from Magdeburg imitates the common Otto-Adelheid-Pennies (my example below), which in turn draw on the design of the "Christiana religio"-coins of Louis the Pious: Magdeburg, Imperial mint, "Saxon penny," probably issued under Otto III (r. 983–1002 AD) and Archbishop Giselher (984–1004 AD). Obv: ...I M I... (corrupted MAGADEBURG); "wooden church" with four pellets inside; three pellets to l. and r. Rev: ...EI°III... (corrupted IN NOMINE DNI AMEN), cross pattée. 16mm, 1.27g. Ref: Dannenberg 1330; Mehl 30; Kilger Mg HP 1; Slg Hauswaldt 14. Otto III with Adelheid of Burgundy as regent (or immobilized under his successors), Holy Roman Empire, "Otto-Adelheid-Penny," 983/991– ca. 1050, probably Goslar mint. Obv: [+D]'I GR'A + R[EX], cross with OD[D]O in quadrangles. Rev: [A]TEAH[LHT]; "wooden church," pellet to right. 19mm, 1.39g. Hatz IV 5/6.

That is a lovely and somewhat mysterious bracteate from the region that I live in! I have been the underbidder on this coin in the last Leu auction, but I'm happy to see that it went to a good home. The connection of the elephant to the "Basler Alexander," though often claimed by scholarship, appears a bit thin to me. It seems well possible that the Adelhausen tapestry and the bracteate just draw on the same basic design, for example one of the "pattern books" (Musterbücher) of animal drawings that were relatively common in the later Middle Ages. Here are some of my Breisgau and northern Swiss bracteates: Prince-Bishopric of Basel, under Johann II. Senn von Münsingen, Angster ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), 1335–1365 AD. Obv: head of a bishop wearing mitre (three pellets at each side) left, between B-A, ring above. Rev: negative design (bracteate). 17–20mm, 0.33g. Ref: Wielandt: Basler Münzprägung 117; HMZ 255; Slg. Wüthrich 31; Berger 2415–1416. Freiburg im Breisgau, civic issue, bracteate penny ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), ca. 1250 AD. Obv: dragon ("Lindwurm") r. Rev: negative design. 18mm, 0.37g. Ref: Berger 2432–3; Slg. Wüthrich 54; Wielandt: Breisgau 44. Freiburg im Breisgau, civic issue, bracteate pfennig ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), ca. 1368–1390 AD. Obv: eagle's/raven's head l. Rev: negative design (bracteate). 18mm, 0.30g. Ref: Wielandt: Breisgau 48b; Slg. Wüthrich 63; Slg. Ulmer 249; Berger –. Zofingen (Habsburg mint, under the Counts of Frohburg), bracteate penny ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), ca. 1285–1300 AD. Obv: ZOVI; male frontal bust (St. Maurice?) flanked by two stars, crescent above. Rev: negative design. 18mm . Ref: Berger 2445–6; Slg. Wüthrich 134–5; HMZ I–149a. Zurich, Imperial Abbey of Fraumünster, "vierzipfliger Pfennig," ca. 1300–1320. Obv: ZVRICh; veiled head of nun facing. Rev: negative design (bracteate). 18mm, 0.40g. Ref: Berger 2472–2475; Schwarz 30; Hürlimann 38; Slg. Wüthrich 209.

If I would have to rank the pictures by general appeal, I would say that #1 is the best, #3 comes second, and #2 comes third. To my eyes, your first picture looks both sharpest, and it shows a level of contrast that is very pleasing too my eyes. I can imagine that others will prefer #3 for having more contrast.

You're right – but as an exception confirming the rule, there were a few truly talented engravers working for Valerian and his sons: Valerian I, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 253/4 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C P LIC VALERIANVS AVG; bust of Valerian, radiate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: APOLINI PROPVG; Apollo, nude except for cloak flying behind, standing r., drawing bow. 22mm, 3,58. Ref: RIC V Valerian 74; MIR 36, 44d. Valerian II, Roman Empire, AR antoninian, 258/9 AD, Cologne mint. Obv: DIVO VALERIANO CAES; radiate and draped bust of Divus Valerian II to r., seen from behind. Rev: CONSACRATIO; Valerian II, raising his r. hand and holding sceptre in his l., flying r. on eagle. 23mm, 2.64g. Ref: RIC V Valerian II 9; MIR 36, 911e.

I've probably shown my non-Seleucid elephants already too often, but this humble Antiochos III hasn't come out that frequently – so here it is: Antiochos III “the Great,” Seleucid Empire, AE denomination D, 223–187 BC, Sardes mint. Obv: head of Apollo r. Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ANTIOXOY; elephant standing l., anchor in l. field. 12mm, 2.39g. Ref: Seleucid Coins I, 979.

Vulcan is not often seen on Roman Imperial coins. There are two extremely rare (i.e. unattainable) civil war issues supposedly minted under Vindex with a bust of Vulcan, your reverse type struck under Valerian, and two scarcer and rather unattractive types by Claudius Gothicus. That's it. So if you are looking to assemble a set of coins showing the major Roman deities, that Valerian reverse is the coin you have to look out for:

Nice con! As you know, I have a faible for Germanic references on Roman coins. Below are some examples from my collection. Two references to the Marcomannic Wars on coins of Marcus Aurelius and young Commodus: Marcus Aurelius, Roman Empire, sestertius, 171–172 AD, Rome mint. Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG TR [P XXVI], bust of Marcus Aurelius, draped and laureate, r. Rev: [IMP VI] COS III, Roma seated l. on pile of armor, leaning on shield, holding sceptre; in fields flanking, SC. 30mm, 26.95g. Ref: RIC III Marcus Aurelius, 1037. Ex C. Kistenich. (Struck after the Roman victory in the Marcomannic Wars in 171/172 AD, after which Marcus Aurelius assumed the title Germanicus. Likely, Roma sits on the weapons captured from the Germanic tribes.) Commodus, Roman Empire, sestertius, 177 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP L AVREL COMMODVS AVG [GERM] SARM; laureate and draped bust of Commodus r. Rev: T[R P] II COS [P]P; pile of Germanic arms; in fields, S-C; in exergue, DE GERMANIS. 31mm, 21.84g. Ref: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1570. Some references to Valerian's and Gallienus' border conflicts with Germanic tribes on the Rhine and Danube: Valerian I, Roman Empire, AR/BI antoninian, 253 AD, Viminacium (?) mint. Obv: IMP P LIC VALERIANO AVG; bust of Valerian I, radiate, draped, cuirassed r. Rev: VICTORIA GERMANICA Victory standing l. holding palm and resting r. hand on shield; at feet, captive. 21mm, 4.08g. Ref: RIC V Valerian 264 (for Milan); MIR 36, 793d. Gallienus, Roman Empire, AE antoninianus, 258–259 AD, Cologne mint. Obv: GALLIENVS P F AVG; bust of Gallienus, radiate, cuirassed, r. Rev: GERMANICVS MAX V; trophy between two captives. 20.5mm, 3.58g. Ref: RIC V Gallienus (joint reign) 18; MIR 36, 872n. Gallienus, Roman Empire, AE antoninianus, 258–259 AD, Cologne mint. Obv: GALLIENVS P F AVG; bust of Gallienus, radiate, cuirassed, l. holding spear in r. hand and shield in l. hand. Rev: GERMANICVS MAX V; trophy between two captives. 20mm, 2.81g. Ref: RIC V Gallienus (joint reign) 18; MIR 36, 872m. The last named victories on Roman coins refer to the Alamanni, a Germanic tribe living in what today is southwestern Germany: Constantine II Iunior, Roman Empire, AE3, 324–326 AD, Sirmium mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS IVN NOB CAES, bust of Constantine II, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: ALAMANNIA DEVICTA, Victory, winged, draped, advancing r., holding trophy on r. arm and branch in l. hand, spurning a seated captive; mintmark .SIRM. . 19mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC VII Sirmium 50. Crispus, Roman Empire, AE 3, 324–325 AD, Sirmium mint. Obv: FL IVL CRISPVS NOB CAES; bust of Crispus r. Rev: ALAMANNIA DEVICTA, Victory, winged, draped, advancing r., holding trophy on r. arm and branch in l. hand, spurning a seated captive; mintmark .SIRM. . 18mm, 2.41g. Ref: RIC VII Sirmium 49.

@DLTcoins already pointed you to all the right books and online resources. It shouldn't be too hard to find nice early Islamic silver for a good price. I bought most of my medieval "eastern" coins from Allen Berman, who usually holds a good inventory of all things medieval, or at auction from Tauler&Fau. The latter auction house is quite strong when it comes to coins from Al-Andalus. Umayyad Caliphate, under Hisham, AR dirham, 735/6 AD (117 AH), Wasit mint. Obv: beginning of kalima, mint-date-formula around. Rev: Surah 112 and IX, 33. 30mm, 2.91g. Ref: Album 137. Abbasid Caliphate, under Harun al-Rashid, citing governor Yazid, AR dirham, 787/8 AD (171 AH), Al-Abbasiyah mint. Obv: beginning of kalima (“There is no deity except / (the one) God alone / He has no equal”), mint-date-formula around. Rev: second part of kalima (“Muhammad / is the Messenger / of God); name “Yazid” in lower field; around, Surah IX, 33 (“Muhammad is the messenger of God. He sent him with guidance and the true religion to reveal it to all religions even if the polytheists abhor it”). 23.5mm; 2.94g. Ref: Album 219.2. Umayyads in Spain (Emirate of Córdoba), under al-Hakam I (Alhaquén), AR dirham, 805/6 AD (190 AH), Al-Andalus mint. Obv: beginning of kalima, mint-date-formula around. Rev: Surah 112 and IX, 33. 26.5mm, 2.56g. Miles 81c; Album 341.

Okay, I guess that if you recognize this, it means that you are spending too much time with medieval coins... It is a heavily clipped Venetian grosso (or imitation of a Venetian grosso). On the picture of my example of the type below, I circled the parts of the design remaining on your coin in red. EDIT: Since the remaining letters on the obverse of your coin read "EX" (last two letters of "rex") and not "VX" (last letters of "dux", the title always found on Venetian coins), I'm pretty sure that you have the remains of a Serbian imitation of a Venetian grosso. See, for example, this coin currently for sale. Italy, Republic of Venice, under Lorenzo Tiepolo (46th Doge), AR grosso, 1268–1275 AD. Obv: .LA.TEVPL’. DVX .S.M.VENETI.; Mark the Evangelist, standing facing to r. with book, passing banner-staff to doge standing facing to l. Rev: IC-XC; Christ enthroned facing; wedge in lower l. field (next to leg). 21.5mm, 2.09g. Ref: MEC 12, 1041–2. I don't know the weight of your coin, but I guess it might have been clipped down to the weight of an Ottoman akce. I've seen such "homemade akces" before. Here is an example of a 16th century akce: Ottoman Empire, under Selim I, AR akce, 1512–1520 AD, Tire mint? Obv: inscription with knot. Rev: inscription. 10mm, 0.68g. Ref: Album 1315.

I definitely understand why – these two are fantastic! Though I don't collect Celtiberian coins systematically, I picked up this one on a whim because I liked the scallop design: Iberia, Arse (Saguntum), Edetani tribe (under Roman rule), AE quadrans, ca. 170–120 BC. Obv: scallop. Rev: "AIUBaS" in Iberian letters; dolphin; above, three pellets. 17mm, 4.13g. Ref: Álvarez-Burgos 2008 (ABH) 2051.

Nice new coin! Here are my only two Lucillae: Lucilla, Roman Empire, denarius, 164–180 AD, Rome mint. Obv: LVCILLA AVG, bust of Lucilla, draped, r. Rev: VENVS VICTRIX; Venus standing half l., holding Victory in r. hand, l. hand on shield set on helmet. 17mm, 2.27g. Ref: RIC III, Marcus Aurelius 787. Lucilla, Roman Empire, sestertius, 164–169 AD, Rome mint. Obv: LVCILLA AVGUSTA, bust of Lucilla, draped, r. Rev: [IVNO REGINAE], Iuno standing l. with patera and sceptre, peacock at feet l.; in fields, S-C. 30.5mm, 25.87g. Ref: RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1751. Ex @Steve, if I see correctly.