Ursus

In addition to the box that @maridvnvm posted above, here is another example of creative exaptation of cartwheels. I don't usually collect coins minted after 1700, but I bought this one as a curiosity. It's a twopence cartwheel that was used as the bottom of a small silver bowl made by the workshop of Albert Edward Jones (Birmingham) in 1960. The numismatic value of the coin is minimal, especially since the silversmith apparently filed down the edges to make it fit and splashed some drops of solder on the coin. Nonetheless, I like it. And here another ancinet hockey puck, beating @Troyden's beautiful example by some 5g. Who can go even higher? Ptolemy II Philadelphos, Ptolemaic Kings of Egypt, AE drachm (?), 285­­–246 BC, struck c. 255–261 BC, Alexandreia mint. Obv.: Diademed head of Zeus-Ammon r. Rev.: Two eagles standing l. on thunderbolt; Λ between legs of l. eagle. 40mm, 73.6g. Ref: Lorber I.2 B247; Svoronos 479; SNG Copenhagen 149.

Goose: Macedonia, Eion, AR trihemiobol, ca. 460-400 BC. Obv: Goose standing r., head turned l.; lizard curving l. above; H to lower r. Rev: quadripartite incuse square. 12 mm, 0,71g. Ref: SNG Cop 179. Dove: Sikyonia, Sikyon, AR hemidrachm, ca. 330-280 BC. Obv: chimaera advancing l., right paw raised; ΣΙ below. Rev: dove flying left. 16mm, 2.6g. Ref: SNG Copenhagen 64f. Stork: Roman Republic, imperatorial issue of Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, AR denarius, 81 BC, Northern Italian mint. Obv: diademed head of Pietas r.; to r., stork standing r. Rev: IMPER; jug and lituus; in laurel wreath. Ref: RRC 374/2. 19mm, 3.90g. Flamingo (?): Roman Republic, moneyer: C. Fabius [Hadrianus?], AR denarius, 102 BC, Rome mint. Obv: EX·A·PV; bust of Cybele r., wearing turreted crown and veil. Rev: .FA BI.C.F; Victory in biga r., holding reins in 1. hand and goad in r. hand; below, bird (flamingo?) and control mark V. 19mm, 3.82g. Ref: RRC 322/1b. Hawk: lkhanate, 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. Owl: Attica, Athens, AR tetradrachm, ca. 440s–430s BC. Obv: head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves and palmette. Rev: AΘE; Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and crescent; all within incuse square. 24mm, 17.14g. Ref: Kroll 8. Eagle: Freiburg im Breisgau, civic issue, bracteate pfennig ("vierzipfliger Pfennig"), ca. 1368–1390 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. That's a great coin, in particular because of it's likely connection to the campaign that included the "Harzhornereignis". My Max Thrax coins have less fascinating reverses: Maximinus Thrax, Roman Empire, denarius, 235–236 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, bust of Maximinus Thrax, draped and laureate, r. Rev: FIDES MILITVM, Fides, draped, standing front, head l., holding military standard in each hand. 2.49g. Ref: RIC IV.2 Maximinus Thrax 7A. Maximinus Thrax, Roman Empire, denarius, 236–238 AD, Rome mint. Obv: MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG GERM, bust of Maximinus Thrax, draped and laureate, r. Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing l., holding wand pointing at globe in r. hand and cornucopia in l. 20.4mm, 3.5g. Ref: RIC IV.2 Maximinus Thrax 20. Maximinus Thrax, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 235–236 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG; bust of Maximinus I, laureate, draped, cuirassed, r. Rev: PAX AVGVSTI; Pax, draped, standing l., holding branch in extended r. hand and transverse sceptre in l. hand. 21mm, 2.78g. Ref: RIC IV Maximinus Thrax 12 (denarius).

There is a (very short) monograph/booklet by Robert M. Row: The Tribute Penny. A Guide to the Pontif Maxim Aureus-Denarius Issue of Tiberius, AD 14-37. Austin, TX: Acres Press 2013. I had a look at it some years ago and thought of it as sound back then, but I currently don't have access to the book. The collection of some 150 tribute pennies that Row's study relied on was given to Stanford University and digitized by their library team. It can be explored here: https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/10415356.

Nice coin – and not a stupid purchase at all. In contrast to many other soldini, including mine below, your coin is in good shape and not clipped. It is from the time when la serenissima was the dominant mercantile force and naval power in the Mediterranean, adding additional interest. Italy, Republic of Venice, under Giovanni Dolfin (57th Doge), AR soldino (slightly clipped), 1356-1361 AD. Obv: +IOh’S DELPhYNO DVx; kneeling doge holding banner l., . Rev: + S MARCVS VENETI; lion of St. Marc with banner l.; in field l., S. 14mm, 0.43g. Ref: MEC12, 1164–1165.

Very nice coin! I only have a short beard: Macrinus, Roman Empire, AR denarius, 217–218 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IMP C M OPEL SEV MACRINVS AVG; laureate and cuirassed short-bearded bust of Macrinus r. Rev: IOVI CONSERVATORI; Jupiter standing left, holding thunderbolt and sceptre; to left, small figure of Macrinus standing r. 20mm, 3.21g. Ref: RIC IV Macrinus 76b.

The portrait style. James II has an actual mouth and his eye is not round: Kingdom of Aragon, under James I “the Conqueror”, BI dinero, 1213-1276 AD, Jaca mint. Obv: ARAGON; crowned bust of James I l. Rev: +IACOBVS : REX; patriarchal cross. 19mm, 0.80g. Ref: Crusafont i Sabater 1992, 318. Kingdom of Aragon, under James II “the Just”, BI dinero, 1291–1327 AD (struck ca. 1308 AD), Sariñena mint. Obv: ARAGON; crowned bust of James II l. Rev: +IACOBVS : REX; patriarchal cross. 18mm, 0.85g. Ref: Crusafont i Sabater 1992, 364. Your coin looks perfectly fine to me. Also, it would be very unusual to see good fakes of low-value medieval coins. Medieval coins are complicated and there isn't a huge market even for genuine examples. Most medieval forgeries that I have seen so far are either (1) fakes of highly coveted types (e.g. Charlemagne deniers or some Anglo-Saxon and "Viking" coins), (2) "historical" forgeries from the 18th/19th centuries (esp. a few Becker forgeries of medieval coins and the bracteates struck by Nikolaus Seeländer), or (3) replicas sold and produced at renaissance fairs and historical reenactment events. The first category of fakes is dangerous but usually concerns only high-value coins. The second is rare and these coins are typically sold as collectables in their own right, sometimes fetching higher prices than originals. The third category is not meant to deceive and typically easy to distinguish from real medieval coins (lack of patina, use of base metal instead of silver, fantasy designs, etc).

Nice write-up on an attractive coin from a crucial moment in history! Your Venus and my elephant share a crescent-shaped banker's mark. Such banker's marks, at least in my eyes, aren't flaws but tend to make coins more interesting: 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. Here is a reverse which, as @DonnaML mentioned above, probably depicts Aeneas, too: Roman Republic, moneyer: M. Herennius, AR denarius, 108–107 BC, Rome mint. Obv: PIETAS; head of Pietas r. Rev: M HERENNI; Aeneas or one of the Catanean brothers Amphinomos and Anapias carrying his father r. 19mm, 3.94g. Ref: RRC 308/1b.

Mine is not exactly a library – just a shelf or so of coin books, mostly non-digitized reference works and some basic reading, that is crammed in between the classical literature and medieval history books in the study where I otherwise keep my desk and work-related books.

Some favorite Alexanders: Alexander III "the Great," Kingdom of Macedonia, AR tetradrachm, 325–323 BC, Amphipolis mint (under Antipater). Obv: Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin. Rev: ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus Aëtophoros seated left; in left field, rooster standing left. 26mm, 17.17g. Ref: Price 79; Troxell 1997, issue E3. Ex CNG, e-auction 376, lot 47; ex Tiberius collection; ex AMCC 1, lot 39. Alexander III “the Great,” Kingdom of Macedonia, AE unit, 336–323 BC, unknown Macedonian mint. Obv: head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev: AΛEXANΔΡOY, between club and quiver with bow; below, dolphin (mostly off flan). 16.5mm, 5.50g. Ref: Price 323. Alexander III “the Great,” Kingdom of Macedonia, AR drachm, 334–323 BC, Sardes mint. Obv: Head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev: AΛEXANΔΡOY, Zeus seated left, holding eagle and sceptre, monogram left, club right. 16.5mm, 4.02g. Ref: Price 2550.

Allen Berman still has a stack of the 2nd edition of Malloy's Coins of the Crusader States and sells them for 75 USD: http://www.bermania.com/toppage1.htm . He is very knowledgeable about medieval coins and a pleasure to deal with.

I've got a few: Caligula, Roman Empire, AE as, 37–38 AD, Rome mint. Obv: C CAESAR GERMANICVS PON M TR POT, bare-headed head left. Rev: VESTA, Vesta seated left holding patera and sceptre. S–C. 28 mm, 10.18 g. Ref: RIC I, 38. Julia Domna, AR denarius, 196–211 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IVLIA AVGVSTA; bust of Julia Domna, draped, r. Rev: VESTAE SANCTAE; Vesta standing l., holding patera and sceptre. 17.5mm, 3.08g. Ref: RIC IV Septimius Severus 587. Julia Mamaea, Roman Empire, AE sestertius, 222–235 AD, Rome mint. Obv: IVLIA MAM[AEA] AVGVSTA; bust of Julia Mamaea, diademed, draped, r. Rev: VES[T]A; Vesta, draped, standing l., holding palladium in r. hand and sceptre in l. hand. 30mm, 24.40g. Ref: RIC IV Severus Alexander 708. And here is my rarest Vesta. I believe @Roman Collector has the second known example: Faustina “the Elder” (postumous), Roman Empire, As or Dupondius, 141 AD, Rome mint. Obv: DIVA FAVS[TINA], bust of Faustina, veiled, r. Rev: [A]VGUST[A], Vesta standing l., holding palladium and sceptre; in fields flanking, SC. 27mm, 9.05g. Compare RIC III Antoninus Pius 1179 (different bust!).

Thanks for the advice. I didn't know that Google Translate can now translate from images. I'm impressed that it recognized anything at all from manuscript pages - below is what I got from feeding the program my manuscript pictures. Most of the machine translation seems to be gibberish, though some of it is strangely poetic:

Dear Nvmis Forvms community, I recently bought two illuminated pages from an old non-western manuscript. I usually do not collect Asian art or books, and this therefore was a purely opportunistic purchase. The pair cost me only 25€, which is less than the flea market value of the frames the pages came in, and I found the two gouache miniatures decorative. Now, I would like to know more about what I bought. I can identify the calligraphy on the two manuscript pages as nastaliq (Perso-Arabic script), and judging from the style of the two miniatures, I suspect them to probably be 16th to 18th century works from the Mughal Empire. Yet, I unfortunately do not read Farsi, and although I am somewhat familiar with European medieval and early modern books, I know preciously little about Persian manuscripts. Thus, since I am certain that a rather large chunk of the world's antiquarian knowledge is assembled here on this board, I would like to ask for your help. Can anyone tell me more about the two manuscript pages below, the miniatures or the accompanying text? Any information is appreciated!

Hill's discussion in BMC Arabia describes the five punchmarks below as "varieties of ankh." The one on my coin seems to belong to this group: Knowing preciously little about Egyptian hieroglyphs, I cannot give an informed opinion on whether Hill's interpretation of these marks is sound.

This one recently arrived: Thasos, Island of Thrace, AR teradrachm, c. 90–75 BC. Obv: head of Dionysos r., wearing ivy-wreath. Rev: HPAKΛEOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ ΘAΣIΩN, youthful Herakles standing l., holding club and lion's skin; monogram in l. field. 31mm, 16.07g. Ref: Prokopov, Silberprägung, Group XVI, 174; Le Rider, Thasiennes 52; HGC 6, 359.

Something along these lines: Spanish Monarchy, under Philip II, AE 4 maravedis, 1584–1585 AD, Burgos mint, moneyer: Juan De Morales. Obv: [+DON·PHELIPPE·II· ]; castle; in fields, B–M and circle Rev: [+REI·DE·LAS·HESPAÑAS]; crowned lion l. 21mm, 4.07g. Ref: Calíco 2008, 781. Without the field marks, it is unfortunately near impossible to identify the mint and moneyer. The octolobe border on your coin might help to narraow it down at least a bit, though.

I bought this one because of its five countermarks, in particular because of the ankh-shape (see Hill 147–149) on the left side of the obverse: 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. I was able to further identify a circle (Hill 3 or 4) and an S-shaped punch that I suspect to be the Phoenician letters ayin and nun (Hill 133–135) on the obverse, but the large punchmark on the right side of the obverse remains a mystery to me. The single mark on the reverse might either be a Greek phi or, more likely, a Phoenician qoph. According to Hill, these marks "seem to indicate the coasts of Cilicia and Syria and Cyprus as a source" (BMC Arabia, cxxxviii).

Interesting thread and wonderful new purchase! Mine has a severely deep test cut on the Athena side, which fortunately didn't damage the overall design too much: Attica, Athens, AR tetradrachm, ca. 440s–430s BC. Obv: head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves and palmette. Rev: AΘE; Owl standing right, head facing; to left, olive sprig and crescent; all within incuse square. 24mm, 17.14g. Ref: Kroll 8.

Yes, it seems a little arbitrary to me to distinguish these by orientation of the torch while ignoring the different orientations of the bowcase and club. Yet, listing all these small varieties would certainly have made Price's catalogue even more voluminous than it already is... To me, the fact that Price 2800 is more often than not countermarked is another interesting detail. Both your example coin and my specimen show a countermark that I cannot quite identify and whose function is unknown to me. Maybe someone else knows more or has a theory? Alexander III “the Great” (postumous issue), Kingdom of Macedonia, AE unit, 323–310 BC, unknown mint in Asia Minor. Obv: head of Heracles right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, between club and quiver with bow; below, torch (countermarked). 20.5mm, 5.65g. Ref: Price 2800.

The first ancient coin I ever owned: Constantine I, Roman Empire, AE 3, 321 AD, Rome mint. Obv: CONSTANTINVS AVG, head of Constantine I, laureate, r. Rev: D N CONSTANTINI MAX AVG; VOT/XX within a laurel wreath; in exergue, RP. 20mm, 2.74g. Ref: RIC VII Rome 232. Next: Your first ancient coin

Abundantly common but in unusually attractive condition despite the partially weak strike: Claudius II Gothicus, Roman Empire, BI antoninian, 268–270 AD, Kyzikos mint. Obv: IMP CLAVDIVS P F AVG; bust of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, draped, r. Rev: VICTORIAE GOTHIC; trophy between two seated captives; in exergue, SPQR. 20mm, 2,58g. Ref: RIC V Claudius Gothicus 252.

Dorotheum sold an example from the Haeberlin collection in 2016 without mentioning that it was as fake. Here is the link to the auction result including pictures: https://www.dorotheum.com/de/l/1353340/ . Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't a forgery. EDIT: Woytek has published a paper on this type in German, apparently argueing for it being an early modern forgery. I currently don't have access to this paper, but here are the bibliographical details: Bernhard Woytek, Die frühneuzeitlichen Denare Nervas mit PAX AVGVSTI. In: Numismatische Zeitschrift 124 (2018), 57-78.

That's a beautiful gecko! I'm happy for you that it grew so old an apparently still is in good health. There are a few even older coins, but I think that this coin still counts as really old: Kings of Lydia, under Croesus, AR ⅙ stater, 565/53–550/39 BC. Obv: confronted foreparts of lion and bull. Rev: two incuse square punches of unequal size. 8–11mm, 1.76g. Ref: Berk 25; SNG Kayhan 1019; Sunrise 13. And here is another cute little reptile: Macedonia, Eion, AR trihemiobol, ca. 460-400 BC. Obv: Goose standing r., head turned l.; lizard curving l. above; H to lower r. Rev: quadripartite incuse square. 12 mm, 0,71g. Ref: SNG Cop 179.

Thanks for all your helpful comments and pieces of photography advice! Although it took me a while due to a lot of work and a lack of time, I have now given it a second try. The results can be seen at the end of this post. I did so, see below. Still, getting the coin fully into focus with the Takumar turned out to be tricky. Part of the problem is that the focus ring on the adapted Takumar is not made for macro photography and turning it only a millimeter thus makes a huge difference in this setup. I turned the aperture down to f/8 in both images below in order to get less diffraction. I think that worked relatively well. Focus stacking is not something my camera can do automatically, and would also require more post processing time than I am happy to take for "normal coin images." I might start to experiment with it one day, though. Did so. Image stabilization was now turned off for the picture below that was taken with the modern lens. I use the timer in combination with the camera's touchscreen shutter release function. Here is the second round of pictures. I think that the new Takumar picture is fairly nice: #1: Pentax Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 55mm: #2: Canon EFS 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS USM: