Ursus

I'm in again! Secret Saturnalia is a lovely little tradition: an annual reminder of how generous and thoughtful even a mostly anonymous online forum can be. It's good to see that amongst all the vitriol that is flooding social media (not to mention the world in general), people from all over the globe can still use the internet to politely discuss a shared hobby, crack some harmless jokes, and send each other small gifts... In the past four years, I have received a number of wonderful coins from my Secret Saturns. I treasure all of them: Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 202–210 AD, Rome mint. Obv: SEVERVS PIVS AVG; head of Septimius Severus, laureate, r. Rev: INDVLGENTIA AVGG IN CARTH; Dea Caelestis, draped, riding r. on lion, holding thunderbolt in r. hand and sceptre in l. hand; below, water gushing from rock. 19mm, 3.32g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 266. Ex Marc Breitsprecher; Secret Saturnalia 2019. Kingdom of France, under Henry II, AR douzain aux croissants, 1550 AD, Lyons mint. Obv: + HENRICVS 2 · DEI · G · FRANCORV · REX · F · (lis); crowned French coat of arms; to l. and r., crown above crescent. Rev: + SIT · NOMEN DNI · BENEDICTVM · 1550 · (lis); pellet below 12th letter; cross fleurée with H and crown alternating in quarters; D below. 27mm 2.46g. Ref: Duplessy 997. Ex @Qcumbor, Secret Saturnalia 2020. Megaris, Megara, AE dichalkon, ca. 275–259 BC. Obv: Prow of galley l. Rev: Tripod flanked by two dolphins. 12mm, 2.09g. Ref: BCD Peloponnesos 17; HGC 4, 1798. Ex BCD collection; ex CNG; Secret Saturnalia 2021. Anonymous, Roman Empire, ca. 81–161 AD, AE quadrans, Rome mint (?). Obv: head of Minerva r. Rev: owl standing r. 14 mm, 2.86 g. RIC II Anonymous 7. Secret Saturnalia 2021. Faustina II, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 145–161 AD, Rome mint. Obv: FAVSTINAE AVG PII AVG FIL; bust of Faustina the Younger, band of pearls round head, with hair waived and coiled on back of head, draped, r. Rev: VENUS; Venus, draped, standing l., holding apple in r. hand and rudder set on dolphin, which coils round it, in l. 18mm, 3.06g. Ref: RIC III Antoninus Pius 517C (denarius). Secret Saturnalia 2021. Low Countries, Diocese Utrecht, under Wilbrand of Oldenburg, AR denier/pening, 1227-1233 AD. Obv: bishop facing with mitre, holding crosier and book; legend (WIL - BRAND) off flan. Rev: cross with three pellets at the end of each limb, one small pellet in each angle near the centre; legend (TRAIECTVM) mostly off flan.10mm, 0.42g. Ref: van der Chijs 8.1–2. Secret Saturnalia 2022; ex Heritage Europe, November Auction 2022, lot 2894.

My theory: The branch is a visual pun on the name of the place the coin was struck at. The medieval city name "Ulm" or "Ulme" is homophonous with the German word for elm trees. The branch can be read as an elm branch, while the tower represents a generic city. Together, the two objects in the fields thus spell out something like "elm city", i.e. "Ulm". My reading is supported by two pieces of circumstantial evidence. First, such visual puns are common on 13th bracteates from the region around the Lake of Constance. The mint of Lindau, for example, uses a linden tree as its sign. Secondly, the Dominican friar Felix Fabri, who wrote a chronicle of Ulm in the 15th century, gives a popular (but linguistically false) etymology of the city's name as a reference to elm trees. It seems reasonable to assume that this interpretation of the city name predates Fabri's chronicle and influenced high medieval bracteate iconography. The literature that I currently have access to says nothing about the branch. Unfortunately though, I don't have a copy of the rare but important book by Elisabeth Nau: Die Münzen und Medaillen der oberschwäbischen Städte. If anyone has this book and could have a quick look whether Nau has more to say about this type, I'd be grateful. The architectural detail is commonly interpreted as a pedestal. The type might have been inspired by the monumental bronze lion sculpture that Henry the Lion erected at castle Dankwarderode c. 1164–1176. This statue is known as the "Brunswick lion" and has its own English wikipedia article. It was placed on a pedestal somewhat similar to the detail on some coin types from Brunswick, including that which @Prieure de Sion has shown:

Quite possible, though the type was already common before last year. I bought the example below in 2019: Roman Republic, moneyer: C. Vibius Pansa, AR denarius, 90 BC, Rome mint. Obv: laureate head of Apollo r.; behind, PANSA downwards; before, control-mark. Rev: Minerva in quadriga r., holding spear and reins in l. hand and trophy in r. hand; in exergue, C VIBIVS C F. 19mm, 3.67g. Ref: RRC 342/5b.

Nice to see another coin of good ol' Udalschalk! Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg, under Udalschalk von Eschenlohe, AR bracteate, ca. 1185–1190. Obv: bishop seated facing on arc, wearing mitre, holding crosier and book. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 24mm, 0.87g. Ref: Berger 2631; Slg. Bonhoff 1893–4; Steinhilber 56.

The third coin is from Ulm, not Donauwörth. Virtually uncirculated examples of this type, probably all from the same hoard, appear on the market frequently. So you might actually get another chance soon! Here is mine (bought in 2022): Ulm, royal mint, under Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, AR bracteate penny, 1215–1250 AD. Obv. crowned bust of king facing, branch to l., tower to r. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). 23mm, 0.33g. Ref: Berger 2598–9; Cahn 168 (for Lindau); Slg. Wüthrich 303; Slg. Bonhoff 1863.

I very much enjoyed reading your write-up, Curtis. It's fascinating to see how the function, status and appearance of the building changed over time. Also, that's a lovely coin with an important provenance. Below are two coins showing Roman buildings that did actually exist but have not survived the centuries. Shrine of Venus Cloacina (yes, ancient Rome had a goddess of the sewage system): Roman Republic, moneyer: L. Mussidius Longus, AR denarius, 42 BC, Rome mint. Obv: Head of Concordia r., wearing veil; behind, CONCORDIA upwards. Rev: Shrine of Venus Cloacina with two statues, inscribed CLOACIN; above, L M[VSSID]IVS LONGVS. 17.5mm, 3.68g. Ref: RRC 494/2a. Temple of Divus Augustus: Antoninus Pius, Roman Empire, denarius, 145–161 AD, Rome mint. Obv: ANTONINVS AVG PIVS PP, laureate head of Antoninus Pius r. Rev: TEMPLVM DIV AVG REST COS IIII; front view of octastyle temple, containing statues of Divus Augustus and Livia. 17mm, 2.62g. Ref: RIC III Antoninus Pius 143 (denarius).

I very much like the bilingual 6 dirham coin with the spiraled kufic reverse legend. Three types of script on one coin certainly is unusual! I have two Ilkhan coins, both a bit earlier: 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.

I've got many. This one is my latest: Last Friday morning, the coin below was up for auction. I had my heart set on bidding on it during the online live auction. I was working from home that day. Theoretically, it shouldn't have been a problem to take a break to watch the relevant part of the auction. But unfortunately, I got an important e-mail just before the auction started and had to make some calls that couldn't wait. Next time I looked, the coin had already been sold for way less than the limit I had set myself. What a bummer!

That is an attractive coin and an informative write-up. My example is the type without the central standard. I bought it from @Valentinian a while ago. According to the listing from the sale in 1982, it was formerly in the Dorset County Museum and had been deacquisitioned: Trajan Decius, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 249–251 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C M Q TRAIANVS DECIVS AVG, bust of Trajan Decius, draped and radiate, r. Rev: PANNONIAE, the two Pannoniae standing, holding standards. 23mm, 4.14g. Ref: RIC IV,3 Trajan Decius 21b. Ex Warren Esty; ex PMV Inc., "Late Summer List" 1982, lot 94; ex Dorset County Museum.

Nice one. It's much harder to find a decent (read: F and above) big bronze of Septimius Severus than a virtually flawless denarius. Below is my example: Septimius Severus, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 195–196 AD, Rome mint. Obv: L SEPT SE[V P]ERT AVG IMP VII; 29.5mm, bust of Septimius Severus, laureate, with drapery on l. shoulder, r. Rev: [DIVI] M PII F [P M] TR P III COS II P P; Felicitas, draped, standing l., foot on prow, holding caduceus in r, hand and cornucopiae in l. hand. 29.5mm, 20.23g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 701b.

I moved from California to Germany in 2020 and took my entire coin collection (c. 600 ancient and medieval coins) with me on the plane in my carry-on bag. As far as I understood (and as far as my lawyer had told me before), the collection constituted "personal effects" and thus was customs-free. I had a large folder with purchase receipts with me that I planned to show to give proof of legal purchase if the customs officers asked. They didn't.

A relatively recent acquisition that I haven't shown yet: an architectural bracteate from Ravensburg in southern Germany, a bit earlier than the type @Prieure de Sion has shown above: Ravensburg, royal mint, likely under Frederick I Barbarossa, AR bracteate penny, c. 1185–1200 AD. Obv. three towers with central gate, small ringlets above flanking towers, pseudo-lettering around. Rev: incuse design (bracteate). Ref: Berger 2533, Slg. Bonhoff 1842, Slg. Wüthrich 255.

Thanks for that useful informations! Addendum: While researching another Ravensburg bracteate from my own collection, I found the note below in the catalogue Brakteaten der Stauferzeit 1138–1254. Aus der Münzsammlung der Deutschen Bundesbank, Frankfurt a.M. 1977, no. 98. The identification of the star as the personal seal of the moneyer Oswald Gerster and the consecutive dating of the type to 1275–1281 appears sound to me and match the massive appeareance of the coin in the Elchenreute hoard.

Thanks – that's interesting and might well indicate what preexisting models the Cypriot engravers copied when they started striking Alexander tetradrachms. As to the control mark, I did some light reading yesterday. There is an article by James A. Schell (Iconography of the Control Marks in the Alexander Issues of Soli, Cyprus. In: American Journal of Numismatics 10 (1998), 29-35) on this topic. Schell argues that the mark depicts a detached naval ram and not a full prow. Comparing the control mark to this Hellenistic naval ram now in the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum at Mainz, it seems to me that he has a point:

Also, thanks to acsearch, I just found a reverse die match to Gorny&Mosch 263, lot 3149: And an obverse die match to CNG, mail bid sale 72, lot 376: Both coins with die links are Price 3097. I guess that solves the question.

Thanks, @AETHER! That pointed me into the right direction. After some more sleuthing, I think that I now have found it. The object in the left field of my coin appears to be a prow, not a caduceus, and my coin therefore is Price 3097, listed for Amathos on Cyprus in 323–320 BCE, though Hersh reattributed it to Soli. That also fits the portrait and reverse style much better than Amphipolis. Here are two examples from the ANS for comparison

I won this Alexander tetradrachm on a lowball bid but from a reputable auction house. Diameter is 25mm, weight 17.21g. The seller attributed it to the Amphipolis mint (Price 99) and interpreted the partial control mark as a caduceus. Now, the portrait style and some reverse details (no baseline, position of Zeus' legs, raised footrest, no crossbar on the throne) make me doubtful about this being coin being struck at Amphipolis. I know that some of you guys specialize in Alexander the Great coins. Therefore: Anyone got an idea which mint my new coins is from?

It's Valerian now, isn't it? This Apollo reverse type was introduced by Valerian. It probably copies a statue that used to stand in the temple of Apollo Medicus (see P. Hill. The Monuments of Ancient Rome as Coin Types. Seaby, London, 1989, p. 85): 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. I collect references to the Germanic tribes on Roman coins. This early coin of Valerian refers to a victory against a Germanic enemy, although it is not quite clear which conflict exactly is referenced. Considering that the type was only struck at Viminacium, the repelled trans-Danubian attack on Thessaloniki, which probably took place in 253/254 AD, seems a plausible candidate. Historians have argued that a Gothic force might have crossed the limes between Singidunum and Viminacium, made its way to Stobi and then marched south to Thessalonike. A battle that took place in this context might have inspired this reverse type: 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. Vulcan is rarely represented on Roman coins. This issue of Valerian from the Cologne mint is the exception. It is part of a series of reverse types that show deities in a temple structure. These reverses might have referenced actual sanctuaries located in the Rhine provinces: Valerian I, Roman Empire, AR antoninianus, 258 AD, Cologne (?) mint. Obv: Obv: VALERIANVS P F AVG; bust of Valerian I, radiate, draped, l. Rev: DEO VOLKANO; Vulcan, draped, wearing pilos, standing l. in temple, holding hammer in r. hand and pincers in l. hand; at his feet l., anvil. 22mm, 3.16g. Ref: RIC V Valerian 5.

I'm very sorry to hear about this, Donna. What a bummer. It's hard to establish which (if any) of the two coins is authentic. I would expect London Ancient Coins to reimburse you under these circumstances.

The only Rottweiler that's welcome in my house (I'm a cat person): Rottweil, royal mint, under Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, AR bracteate penny, c. 1215–1250 AD. Obv: stylized eagle facing, head r. Rev: incuse design (bracteate), 18mm, 0.36g. Ref: Slg. Bonhoff 1875, Slg. Wüthrich 270, Berger 2565.

Really weird question – seems like typical social media crap. Why is the fact that Rome hasn't been forgotten considered so bizarre? Greek philosophy, Roman law, Judeo-Christian theology, and Enlightenment science gave the fundament of ideas that modern western societies are built on. It thus were surprising if people did not think about these matters frequently. (Also, why should this pertain only to men? And does the Holy Roman Empire count, too? Asking for a friend...)

Kingdom of Jerusalem, Baldwin III, BI Denier, 1142–1163 AD, Jerusalem mint. Obv: BALDVINVS REX; cross pattée. Rev: + DE IERVSALEM; Tower of David. 16mm, 0.97g. Ref: CCS 21. Next: Tower

Does a hippo count as unusual? 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. Next: more unusual animals

Nice one! My latest ancient, the first ancient coin I have bought in months, also is Celtic. I like its luster: Western Celts: Insubres, Cenomani, or Salluvii, AR drachm (imitation of Massalia), minted in southern Gaul, c. 2nd century BC. Obv: stylized head of nymph r. Rev: scorpion-like lion standing r.; barbarous legend above. 18mm, 2.62g. Ref: de la Tour 2126, CCCBM II 9; KMW 125.

The type should probably be dated a bit earlier since it appears in the Elchenreute hoard, which was deposited in the 1280s. The Bonhoff catalogue attributes it to the reign of Konrad IV in 1250–1254, Berger is a bit more careful and only dates this and a number of similar types to after 1250. Here is the relevant entry from Berger: