Marsyas Mike

Nice coin @Gavin Richardson - I too just got one of these - there was a recent post about these started by @Valentinian here: While trying to figure out mine, I looked at a lot of these online - acsearch was especially helpful in locating lots of examples. The dating is all over the place, from Pompey's era to the late Flavians. I never did really find a definitive source for what is going on (including RPC). Yours with the all round reverse legend does seem to be a later type, from what I recall seeing. Here is mine, with notes from the post noted above: Attributing this was difficult, and I never got all the way with it - the reverse legends are pretty much missing except a prominent ΔI in right field. The date range for these are all over the place, from Pompey to Domitian. Your information on the dates for these is interesting - the stuff I was finding online was vague and sometimes contradictory (there are quite a few on acsearch, etc.) Pompey the Great (era) Æ 18 Soloi-Pompeiopolis (c. 50 B.C.-50 A.D.) Bare head of Pompey the Great right / [ΠOMΠHIOΠOΛITΩ?], Nike advancing right, holding wreath; ΔI [ΛΑ ?] in right field. SNG France 1213-1217; SNG Levante 880-882 var. (5.50 grams / 18 mm) eBay June 2022 Lot @ $0.99 Attribution: Many varieties of this type; most online sources are vague about attribution. Reverse legends missing, except ΔI in right field. Other with ΔI have ΛΑ below. See: Numismatik Naumann Auct. 42; Lot 576; 03.04.2016 / Roma E-Sale 31; Lot 212; Nov. 2016 (asiaminorcoins.com) / Artemide Aste 45E; Lot 242; Dec. 15-16, 2018.

Lovely coins in this post; now for something slightly different (and very worn): here's Pax/Nemesis (with angel wings) spitting onto her own chest! Or, engaging in an "apotropaic gesture" if you want to keep it polite: Hadrian Æ Sestertius (136 (RIC); c. 134-138 A.D.) Rome Mint [HADRI]ANVS AVG C[OS III P P], laureate head right / S-C, Pax-Nemesis advancing right, holding out fold of dress in apotropaic gesture and branch. RIC II.3 2288 (RIC 779); Cohen 1374; BMC 1549. (21.14 grams / 29 mm) eBay June 2020 "The main denarius and aes types with VICTORIA AVG slogan (...the aes with the same theme is anepigraphic) feature an unusual winged Victory superstitiously lifting drapery to spit on her own chest to ward off ill-fortune and syncretised with Pax in holding the branch of peace. This is the type of Nemesis (fate) which along with Justitia can be read as the Roman view of giving Bar Kochba and his rebellion their 'just desserts'...thematically it is clearly linked to the events of 136." (Richard Abdy, Peter Mittag, Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume II, Part 3, p. 27)

Good job going with your gut, @Romancollector. These high grade big AEs always look fishy to me, even the ones that are probably okay. Since they are way beyond my budget, I don't have to worry about them much. I do have the OP, a budget example for sure: Marcus Aurelius Æ Sestertius (170-171 A.D.) Rome Mint [IMP] M ANTONINVS AVG TR P X[XV], laureate head right / PRIMI-DECEN-NALES-COS III-S C in five lines within laurel wreath. RIC 1006 (possibly RIC 1256) (23.58 grams / 28 x 25 mm) eBay Dec. 2019 Attribution Notes: OCRE lists (5) PRIMI types, two have draped busts. Others: RIC 1006 has an undraped bust with TRP XXV. Most common. RIC 1256: TRP XXVIII. RIC 1003: Obv. legend is M only, no IMP. Legend is un-broken over head.

Terrific catch, @hotwheelsearl I've been hankering for a XXX for some time now, but they are hard to find. Don't despair about the bronze disease - over the past few months I've been trying to clean up some BD in my collection and it is going okay. My technique is nothing fancy: soaking in distilled water, some picking with a sharp metal tool, more soaking. I've been surprised how much I've been able to get off... My worst case has been this big Antioch AE, which was covered in white BD. After a lot of soaking and picking, I seem to have most of it, but unfortunately, the BD had gone so deep I poked right through to the other side. And yet I'm glad to get that junk out of there - it wasn't metal, just powdery crud. In my very limited experience, I find the green BD to be much easier to remove. The white stuff tends to spread into tiny pits and in general seems more corrosive. I'm sure others with far more experience can weigh in on this topic. In the meantime - holy moley! (Photos from a couple weeks ago - more soaking and scraping have reduced the white areas by quite a bit):

Terrific Faustina Friday as alway, @Roman Collector As is often the case, it inspired me to update some of my attributions. As far as I can tell, all three of my FECVNDITAS types have bare heads (no pearls, no diadems); with coins as low-grade as mine typically are, the pearls might've just been worn off. I have two of the RIC 1638 sestertius; one has an obverse continuous legend, which appears to be unlisted (per the Faustina expert!) Faustina II Æ Sestertius (162-early-163 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVG[VSTA], bare-headed, draped bust right / [FECV]N[DITAS] S C, Fecunditas standing right, holding scepter and infant. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638; BMCRE—; Cohen100. (24.37 grams / 30 mm) eBay Dec. 2020 Faustina II Æ Sestertius (162-early-163 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINAAVGVSTA, bare-headed, draped bust right / [FEC]VN[DITAS] S C, Fecunditas standing right, holding scepter and infant. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1638 var. (obverse legend; see note). (19.94 grams / 28 mm) eBay Oct. 2018 Notes: This one has continuous obverse legend with no break; this coin on Roman Collector on CT Oct. 24, 2018 notes this is not in British Museum, Mattingly, etc. Here's a denarius, also bare-headed (with a face gouge - ouch): Faustina II Denarius (162-early-163 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed, draped bust right FECVNDITAS, Fecunditas standing right, holding sceptre and child. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 677; BMCRE 91. (3.09 grams / 18 mm) eBay June 2019 Here's the LAETITIA type, with a few pearls barely visible in her hair: Faustina II Æ Sestertius (late 162-early 163 A.D.) Rome Mint [FA]VSTINA AV[GVSTA], draped bust right, double circlet of pearls / L[AETITI]A S C, Laetitia standing left holding wreath and scepter. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1654; BMCRE 924-27; Cohen 149. (26.54 grams / 31 mm) eBay Feb. 2018

That is a lovely example of this often poorly-struck issue, @Valentinian. The desert patina is especially handsome. I have several of these, but they are all pretty awful, except this one, which has most of the legends visible. I had some trouble attributing - it seems to be a "variation" but there are so many variations that I'm not sure it really counts as a "variation." (If that makes any sense!) Constans II Æ Follis Year 1 (641-642 A.D.) Constantinople Mint ЄNTO V TO NIK[A], Constans beardless standing facing with long cross and cross on globe / large m, ANA to left, cross above, NЄOS to right, Є I ς (sideways) below. SB 1000; DOC 59d / Class 1 (2.57 grams / 21 x 19 mm) eBay Jan. 2020 Attribution Note: The obverse legend appears to be a variety. Wildwinds and labrum have it as: ЄN TVTO NIKA. This specimen is: ЄN TO V TO NIK[A],

I've yet to get one of those grazing horse or eagle types, but here are a couple: Caracalla Æ 23 Alexandria, Troas (c. 214-215 A.D.) [IMP] M AVR ANTONINVS PI[VS?], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust r. / COL ALEX AVG, statue of Apollo Smintheus standing right on plinth, holding patera & bow; lighted tripod-altar right. (8.67 grams / 23 x 22 mm ) eBay March 2020 Attribution: Cf. Bellinger A293; Cf. SNG Cop 136; Cf. SNG von Aulock 1472. From Agora Auction No. 73, Lot 138 March 27, 2018 Alexandreia, Troas Æ 22 Pseudo-autonomous (Gallienus era c. 253-268 A.D.) CO ALEX [TRO], Turreted, draped bust of Tyche r., vexillum w. CO/AV behind / COL AV[G] TROA(C?), Marsyas standing right on pedestal, wine-skin over shoulder, right hand raised. (4.41 grams / 22 mm ) eBay May 2019 Bellinger A497 var. (with CO ALEX TRO on obv.); SNG Cop 103 var (ditto) SNG von Aulock 1463 var (ditto)

Here is a Seleucid issue from the "Pentalpha" Mint: Seleucid Kingdom Æ 15 Demetrios II Nikator (146-138 B.C.) (first reign) 'Pentalpha' Mint (Syria/Phoe.) Diademed head right / BAΣΙΛEΩΣ ΔHMHTPIOY ΘEOY right, ΪIΛAΔEΛΪOY [NIKATOPEΣ] left. Cornucopiae between, pentalpha inner left. SC 1937; HGC 9, 998. (6.98 grams / 15 mm) eBay May 2020 Lot @ $3.75 Yeah, I didn't know what a pentalpha was either... pentalpha English[edit] Etymology[edit] From Ancient Greek πένταλφα (péntalpha), from πέντε (pente) and ἄλφα (alpha), five alphas. So called for its resemblance to five alphas superimposed at different rotations. Noun[edit] pentalpha (plural pentalphas) A pentagram. Synonyms[edit] pentagram pentangle https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pentalpha

Just in from the bowels of eBay, a minuscule (1.67 grams), partially-blue Byzantine: Justin I Æ Pentanummium (518-527 A.D.) Antioch Mint [DN IVSTIN]VS [PP AVG], pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Retrograde Є left, Tyche of Antioch, turreted, seated left in distyle shrine, River-God swimming at her feet. SB 111; DOC 57. (1.67 grams / 11 mm) eBay June 2022 Lot @ $0.99

Nice addition to your Geta collection, @ambr0zie Here is my only Imperial AE for this guy, unfortunately pitted, but scarce and with a rather interesting Victory in Britain reverse: Geta Æ As (210-212 A.D.) Rome Mint [P SEPT]IMIVS GETA PIVS AVG BR[IT], laureate head right, slight drapery on left shoulder / [VICTO]RIAE BRITTANICAE Victory seated left on shields, holding shield & palm, SC in exergue. RIC Geta 191b. (8.09 grams / 24 mm) eBay Aug. 2018 Attribution Notes: RIC Geta 191a - no drapery RIC Geta 191b - draped shoulder Possible Obv./Rev. Die-match: Spink Auction 8006; Lot 1136; 26.03.2008 (misattributed as RIC 191a but "drapery on far shoulder" noted)

Thanks for the search tips, @Valentinian. I spent some time on the RPC site, but I went in on an "advanced search" in Pompeiopolis with Nike as a reverse type. The closest I came was indeed in Volume I, but it is not the same as mine - the later Nike walking issues had a long reverse legend that ran around the edge. Mine is too far gone to really tell what it is, but the letters in the field make it unlikely it is this, the only one I could find (which also has letters on the obverse): https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/4003A This is why I didn't reference an RPC number in my attribution. I'm going to keep looking though! Thanks again for the tip.

I am very happy to see you post this @Valentinian - a couple weeks ago I found what looked like a Pompey portrait in an eBay junk lot. It was! From Soloi -Pompeiopolis, mine is a different reverse type. Needless to say, I was pretty thrilled to find a Pompey portrait for a dollar. Attributing this was difficult, and I never got all the way with it - the reverse legends are pretty much missing except a prominent ΔI in right field. The date range for these are all over the place, from Pompey to Domitian. Your information on the dates for these is interesting - the stuff I was finding online was vague and sometimes contradictory (there are quite a few on acsearch, etc.) Pompey the Great (era) Æ 18 Soloi-Pompeiopolis (c. 50 B.C.-50 A.D.) Bare head of Pompey the Great right / [ΠOMΠHIOΠOΛITΩ?], Nike advancing right, holding wreath; ΔI [ΛΑ ?] in right field. SNG France 1213-1217; SNG Levante 880-882 var. (5.50 grams / 18 mm) eBay June 2022 Lot @ $0.99 Attribution: Many varieties of this type; most online sources are vague about attribution. Reverse legends missing, except ΔI in right field. Other with ΔI have ΛΑ below. See: Numismatik Naumann Auct. 42; Lot 576; 03.04.2016 / Roma E-Sale 31; Lot 212; Nov. 2016 (asiaminorcoins.com) / Artemide Aste 45E; Lot 242; Dec. 15-16, 2018. Here are the others I found with a similar reverse legend:

Congratulations on your first ancient @expat - I really like those Antoninus Pius imperial issues and that is a nice one. I don't have much to add beyond the good beginning collector advice already shared in this post, but I will stress the importance of having fun. Here's my lastest Antoninus Pius, a silver denarius. Apollo is on the reverse, shredding his lyre. Apollo is not an especially common type for the Imperial issues coming out of Rome, so I go after them if they are within my budget: Antoninus Pius Denarius (140-143 A.D.) Rome Mint ANTONINVS AVG PIVS P P TR P COS III, bare head right / APOLLINI AVGVSTO, Apollo standing left, holding patera in extended right and lyre in left. RIC III 63Ba; BMCRE 186; RSC (Cohen) 59. (3.08 grams / 18 x 16 mm) eBay July 2022

Normally way out of my price range, I just got a Caracalla sestertius from eBay - the seller said he found it in his dad's desk drawer and didn't know what it was. The reverse is quite rough, but I really liked the portrait. Since I have not handled many AEs from this emperor, I was quite surprised by the size (almost 30 grams) and the care taken in its production - some of the Antoninus Pius/Marcus Aurelius and especially Commodus AEs got pretty under-sized and careless when it came to die-work. But these Caracalla's are impressive, almost Trajanic: Caracalla Æ Sestertius (214-217 A.D.) Rome Mint M AVREL ANTONINVS PIVS AVG GERM, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / [PROVIDENTI]AE [DEO]RV[M] S C, Providentia standing left, holding wand over globe and sceptre RIC IV 572a; BMCRE 271. (29.82 grams / 32 x 30 mm) eBay July 2022

Just arrived, my first silver owl, but not from Athens. I showed it to my mom and asked her if she could identify the reverse images; she said it looked like a teddy bear transfixed by a corkscrew. Now I can't get that out of my head. "It's an owl, Mom, with an Egyptian-style crook and flail behind!" But yeah, it does look like a teddy bear at a wine-tasting murder scene. Tyre, Phoenicia Shekel ‘Ozmilk (Azemilkos) RY 15 (335-334 B.C.) Melkart holding reins and bow riding hippocamp right, below, waves above dolphin right / Owl standing right, head facing, crook and flail behind, ^O | IIIII (for 'Ozmilk & 15 in Phoenician) in right field. (8.70 grams / 22 x 20 mm) eBay July 2022 Attribution: From Wildwinds and CNG Electronic Auction 348; Lot 365; 08.04.2015: Betlyon 37; Rouvier 1816; HGC 10, 349; SNG Copenhagen 467; BMC 40; E&E-T Group II.2.1.26, 1379–82 (O93/R152); DCA 918. Noted as shekel to Attic standard, stater and/or didrachm. I knew nothing about this issue, but Wikipedia had a very helpful and interesting article on King Azemilcus and his coins: "Azemilcus ('zmlk\) was the King of Tyre during its siege by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Alexander had already peacefully taken Byblos and Sidon, and Tyre sent envoys to Alexander agreeing to do his bidding. His response was to declare that he wished to enter the city to sacrifice to Melqart, known to Alexander as the Tyrian Herakles. Azemilcus was with the Persian fleet at the time, and the Tyrians, unsure who would win the war, responded by saying that they would obey any other command but that neither Persians nor Macedonians could enter the city. When Alexander finally captured the city, Azemilcus and various other notables, including envoys from Carthage, had taken refuge in the temple of Melqart, and Alexander spared their lives. Azemilcus is mostly known by his coins, small 18mm silver staters featuring Melqart riding a hippocamp over the waves on one side and an owl with crook and the Phoenician letter Ayin for Azemilcus surrounded by a series of Phoenician numbers indicating the year of his reign. There are at least 15 known years that these coins were minted between 347 BC and 332 BC, and are some of the earliest dated ancient coins that can be ascribed to a particular ruler. He was deposed under the administration of Alexander the Great." Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azemilcus,_King_of_Tyre

Here is a Valens that really threw me for a loop - the CONS mint name would be Constantinople, right? Wrong. This came in part of a big lot sent by CTer tenbobbit last fall. This took me a couple of hours to figure. Note the prominent Officina notation on the reverse. Not the best Valens portrait in my collection, but certainly the most interesting to attribute: Valens Æ 16 (364-367 A.D.) Arles Mint (as Constantina) D N VAL[EN-S PF AVG], pearl-diademed, draped & cuir. bust r. / SECVRI[TAS-REIP]VBLICAE Victory advancing left, holding wreath and palm, OF left, III right, CONST in exergue. RIC IX Arelate 9b: Subtype iic (2.18 grams / 16 mm) @tenbobbit Oct. 2021 Mint Name Notes: "In 328 Arelatum was renamed Constantia in honor of Constantine II. After Constantine II was killed in 340, the name reverted to Arelate, only to be changed again in 354 to Constantia by Constantius II. It retained that name, although the mintmark 'AR' appeared on some of its coins even in the fifth century...." (FORVM)

@John Conduitt, your photo isn't showing up for me in this post for some reason. But your Galba came through fine (and looks good to me!). Here is a horrific dead Nerva I got a while ago. He looks dead and decayed, but this is kind of rare, so I'm happy with it: Trajan (for Divus Nerva) Æ 31 (98-102 A.D.) Perinthos, Thrace[NEPOV]AΣ ΘEOΣ ΣE[BAΣTOΣ], laureate head of Nerva right / ΠER[IN]ΘIΩN,Homonoia standing left, holding phiale and cornucopiae.RPC III 684; Varbanov 43; Schönert-Geiss 312-4; BMC 18.(21.84 grams / 31 x 29 mm)eBay April 2022Countermark: Unclear on obverse bust; eagle facing? This countermark is found onmany issues from Thrace.Obv. die-match (Note heavy brow ridge, lettering):Numismatik Lanz München Auction 144; Lot 462; 24.11.2008https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=551540Gorny & Mosch Giessener Auction 134; Lot 1855; 11.10.2004https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=191941

It does look a little like Balbinus! I never noticed this. The emissions thing confuses me too... Here's mine: Gordian III Æ Sestertius Late April-July 29, 238 A.D. Rome Mint M ANT GORDIANVS CAES, bare-headed, draped bust right / [PIET]AS AVG[G] S C in exergue, jug between lituus, secespita and patera left, simpulum and aspergillum right. RIC 3; Cohen 183; BMC 64-66. (21.33 grams / 29 mm) eBay June 2021 Notes: "In response to popular pressure shortly after their own elevation to imperial status, the emperors Balbinus and Pupienus adopted Gordian as Caesar. This scarce coin was part of a limited and formal coinage produced for Gordian." Wildwinds That's a great-looking ringstone in the OP. I wonder if the mint workers moonlighted as jewelers on the weekends?

Thank you so much for that very helpful graphic! I have a heck of a time interpreting non-Roman/Greek lettering and this sort of thing really makes it clear. ☺️

The star location on coins of Elagabalus seem to have more to do with errors than anything systematic. At least that is what some discussions on CT indicate - see this: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/elagabalus-denarius.273462/ Note especially @maridvnvm's interesting example with two stars, one very faint, apparently in an attempt to obliterate it from the "wrong" position. The stars are supposed to be in front of the deity or sacrificing emperor, not behind them. At least that's the theory. Here is one of mine with the star in the "wrong" position - note that the star is somewhat faint - this could be because an attempt was made to remove it? Or just a weak strike? In any case, it is usually in front of Sol, not down by his butt!: Elagabalus Denarius (220 A.D.) Rome Mint IMP ANTONINVS PIVS AVG, laureate draped bust right / P M TRP III COS III P P, Sol, radiate, advancing left raising hand, & holding whip, (faint) star to right. RIC 28b; RSC 154; BMC 179. Note: star usually to left. (2.80 grams / 18 mm) eBay Aug. 2017 Here's the Mrs., Julia Paula, with the star in the "correct" place, in front of the deity. I think most of the Elagabalus and family coins will have the stars in front like this: Again, I'm just basing this on CT posts. Nice coins by the way @Roman Collector.

Nice coins, @Spaniard I have one I posted back on CT, which you helped me out with on the attribution a while back, since I know nothing about these - I'm ignorant, but I do like how they look: India, Kashmir Æ Stater First Lohara Dynasty Ananta Deva (1028-1063 A.D.) Enthroned Lakshmi (Ardoxsho) facing, Nagari legend Ananta Ra- / King standing, sacrificing at altar, Nagari legend -Ja Deva. Mitchiner Non-Islamic 181-182. (5.59 grams / 17 x 16 mm) eBay Nov. 2021 Notes: "Although Ananta Rajadeva is a reasonably common ruler to acquire your coin does show the "Raja" running from obverse to reverse...The "Ra" being much more difficult to find..." Spaniard @ Coin Talk

Nice coins, RC. Back on your original Beckmann Type 3 write-up, I posted a die-link to one of your other examples. As it is still my only Type 3 hair-do, I'll rerun it again (as Yogi Berra might've said): Marsyas Mike, Mar 20, 2022Report #25+ QuoteReply

No lost heads here, but missing letters - I assume from filled dies - make the reverse of this Diocletian follis from Carthage look like a Wheel of Fortune round. Where's Vanna White when you need her? Diocletian Æ Follis (298-303 A.D.) Carthage Mint IMP DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right / SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART, Carthage standing front, looking left, holding fruits in both hands, A in exergue. RIC VI Carthage 29a/31a. (9.08 grams / 27 x 24 mm) eBay June 2022 Attribution Notes: RIC VI 29a - small head type (298-299 A.D.) RIC VI 31a - large head type (299-303 A.D.) "RIC states "Elmer, N.Z.1932, divided this issue into two sections, with portraits small or less small and with Carthago thin or larger -- distinctions which are very difficult to maintain. It is likely that, if the issue was of any duration, these differences came about to some extent by natural variation and development."" Constantine the Great Coins I'd like to buy a vowel...

Hello Curtis - I am really glad to hear there's another "SC in fields type" out there! Thanks for sharing.

This recently came my way via an eBay seller in Latvia (shipping time, June 21 to July 5 - not bad at all). It intrigued me because it was a Vespasian AE with imperial titles on the reverse, which seemed strange. Turns out, it is an as-dupondius-sized AE minted in Ephesus (RIC) or an "Uncertain mint of Asia Minor" (RPC). It's not pretty, but seems to be rare; I could only find one other example online, the one used on RPC online. OCRE lists it too, with no examples shown; the OCRE site shows RIC 1498 and 1499 with identical descriptions - so why two different numbers? OCRE frustrates me this way from time to time. RPC Online links RIC 1498 only. The only illustration (RPC) has the reverse SC in the exergue; mine is in the fields ("C" only letter visible). Otherwise it seems to match pretty well. Anyway, I know there are some real Flavian authorities out there and I was wondering if I was on the right track with my attributions. Here are the only links I could find on this: http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_1(2).ves.1498 http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.2_1(2).ves.1499 https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/2/1472 Here's mine: Vespasian Æ Large (As?) (77-78 A.D.) Ephesus (Uncertain Asia Minor Mint) [IMP CAESAR VESPA]SIAN AVGVS[TVS], laureate head right / [PONT MAX TR PO]T P P · COS · VIII [CENS], [S] C in fields, Ceres seated left, holding two corn-ears and torch. RPC II 1472; RIC II 1498/1499. (11.99 grams / 28 x 26 mm) eBay June 2022 Notes: OCRE list RIC 1498 and RIC 1499 with identical descriptions but no examples for either; RPC Online references RIC 1498 only and Kraay 3. RPC has single example with SC in exergue; this one has it in the fields (C is behind Ceres; S not visible). Dots and line over VIII reverse not noted in references but visible here. Here's the sole example I could find with an image (RPC, link above): If anybody has any other information, examples, etc., please share. Corrections to my amateur attributions always welcome!