Marsyas Mike

Interesting write-up and coin @expat - those were troubled times indeed.  A Valerian II came my way in an undescribed eBay lot recently, in a flip that said "Valerian" only   Faithfulness of the army - ha!  I had the usual difficult time with Valerian-Gallienus era attributions - the mint locations wobble all over Europe and Asia Minor:

Valerian II Antoninianus (c. 254-258 A.D.) Samosata (Antioch RIC) Mint VALERIANVS NOBIL CAES, radiate, draped bust right / FIDES MILITVM, Aquila  between two signa; at base, crossed shields. RIC V Valerian II 46; Göbl MIR 1692b; Cohen 24. (3.64 grams / 22 x 20 mm) eBay Nov. 2023      Lot @ $3.89

Mint and Dates:

OCRE:  Antioch, 254-255 A.D.

CNG:  Samosata, 1st emission 255-256 A.D. (MIR 1692; all others 1692b)

Leu, Heritage, etc.:  Samosata; 256-258 A.D.

Great coins in this post.  I really like Valerian's coins - so many types, such an interesting, tragic history.  

Here's a recent Provincial I got - the portrait is charming, I think, if looking nothing like he usually does on the Imperial types:

Valerian I  Æ 22 Antioch, Pisidia (c. 253-260 A.D.) IMP C P LICINNIVS VALERIANVS AV, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right / ANTIOC CHLCO, vexillum surmounted by eagle between two standards | SR in exergue. RPC X (unassigned; ID 63326); (5.44 grams / 22 mm) eBay Dec. 2023 $9.99  

Attribution and Note (RPC): RPC:  Krzyżanowska I/Vol. 12, Emil 4, 1-5 and var. rev. Note:  Krzyżanowska recorded 5 rev. dies, one shared with Volusian and one with Aemilian

Numismatik Naumann Cf. SNG France 1314...

Provenance: Littleton Coin Co. generic "Valerian I (A. D. 253-260) Provincial Bronze Coin of Ancient Rome"

Die-Match Obverse: 

RPC X (unassigned ID 63326); Numismatik Naumann Auction 46; Lot 426; 11.09.2016

RPC X (unassigned ID 63326); Peus 369; Lot 1358; 31.11.2001

RPC X (unassigned ID 63326); American Numismatic Society Inventory No. 1944.100.51116 

RPC X (unassigned ID 63326); Leeds University Library Inventory No. 907

Prussia issued a Franco-Prussian War commemorative thaler in 1871.  Called a "Siegestaler" it has a mintage of 800,000 (sieges is German for "victory.")  The lady on the reverse is "Borussia (female personification of Prussia)" according to Numista.  https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces15907.html

The mintage isn't as huge as some Prussian thalers of the era, but they are still very common - like Columbian and Kennedy half dollers, etc., people probably hoarded them, vaguely thinking they might be valuable. A few years later (1875-1918) the German Reich went to a Marks denomination - the 3 marks silver coin being the equivalent of the old verinsthaler (I read somewhere once that Germans referred to the new 3 mark coins as "thalers" for years).  These "siegestalers" also circulated, as you can see from my worn example - I'm sure somebody out there has a better one.  

Great post, informative and attractive examples.  Here's a pair from Septimius Severus, both with bound captives, only one with a trophy:

Great coin and write-up about the Paris Commune, @robinjojo.  That "trident" type five francs is something I'd like to luck into someday. 

Until then, I do have an array of the 5-francs types issued in 1870 - first the best of the lot, a Hercules type issued by the Government of National Defense:

"FRANCE, Gouvernement de Défense Nationale (1870-1871), AR 5 francs, 1870 A, Paris. Type Hercule. Beau à Très Beau. (France, government of National Defense (1870-71), silver five francs of 1870, Paris mint, Hercules type. Fine to very fine.)"  From the old CoinFactsWiki site (unfortunately defunct nowadays)

Here is that one with three others from 1870 (but no trident, alas):

"The Paris mint issued four types of five francs in 1870, reflecting the political chaos; first the Napoleon III "laureate head," then the Cérès head, without reverse legend, then Cérès head, with the reverse legend and finally the Hercules type, which was used until the five francs was terminated in 1878.
Recorded mintage: 1,185,100 (with and without legend) plus 335,609 (Hercules) plus 6,246,264 (Napoleon III)"  (Again, CoinFactsWiki, broken link)

You might've noticed I cheated a little - the Cérès head without legend has a K mintmark, not A for Paris.  

Off the numismatic track, another obtainable relic from that era is the huge French Model 1866 "Chassepot" Yataghan Sword Bayonet which was used by the French during the Franco-Prussian War.  These are terrifyingly long, and marked with the arsenal and date of manufacture (just like a coin, sorta).  Here's mine from 1866 - maybe it was "repurposed" by the Commune?  Or by a Prussian hussar?  Where ever it's been, it is a real pig-sticker!   

"This is the most widely copied of all the sword bayonets. Many countries - including the United States, Egypt, Belgium, and Argentina - have manufactured or used very similar bayonets. The French model was designed to fit on the French Model 1866 Chassepot Rifled Infantry Musket (the musket was revolutionary in itself). It was manufactured from 1866 to about 1874 and was replaced by the French Model 1874 "Gras" Bayonet.

This bayonet is brass-hilted with a spring steel latching arrangement on the right side. The crossguard is iron (steel) and has a screw-type tightening arrangement on the muzzle-ring. The lower quillon is a hooked "blade-breaker" type.

The blade is steel, single-edged, fullered (both sides), with a re-curved or "yataghan-shape." The blades are usually marked on the back-edge (opposite the cutting edge) with the arsenal, month, and year of manufacture; this is done in engraved cursive fashion and will appear something like, "Mre d' Armes de Chatellerault Janvier 1866" or perhaps "Mre d' Armes de St. Etienne 8bre [October] 1868". Contrary to novice speculation, these inscriptions are not the name of a lieutenant or major, nor is it a presentation date.

Additionally, these were not used during the American Civil War.  Arsenals encountered may be such as Chatellerault, Mutzig, St. Etienne, Paris-Oudry, Tulle, and perhaps Steyr (not confirmed on the 1866).

There are numerous variations of this bayonet and they were produced in the many-many thousands. The scabbards are usually blued sheet-rolled steel with a ball finial."

http://arms2armor.com/Bayonets/fren1866.htm

Nice FF as always @Roman Collector.  I seem to have missed this one first time around.  My Faustina II Pudicitia in silver is a later type with different legends and an altar - dating and related notes courtesy of one of your other Faustina posts:

Faustina II  Denarius (January-August 156 A.D.) Rome Mint FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AV[G P]II F, bare-headed and draped bust right / PVDICITIA, Pudicitia standing left, sacrificing over lit altar to left. RIC III Antoninus Pius 508a; BMCRE 1092; Cohen 184.  (3.20 grams / 18 x 16 mm) eBay Apr. 2022  

Notes:  "In January AD 156, the FAVSTINA AVGVSTA AVG PII F legend was introduced...The filiation AVGVSTI PII FIL...was moved to the reverse of her coins about August 156, two-thirds of the way through Antoninus' TR P XIX... indicating that the type was issued as late as August of that year...I therefore date these coins to January-August AD 156. Roman Collector, NF Oct. 2022

I too only have a Caligula portrait on a Provincial, and it is does not particularly look like him - vaguely Julio-Claudian, but without any Caligulian malice: 

Caligula Æ 15 Magistrate Kleandros Philokaisar  Philadelphia, Lydia  (37-41 A.D.) ΓΑΙΟϹ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ; bare headright / ΦΙΛΟΚΑΙϹΑ[Ρ ΦΙΛΑΔƐ]ΛΦƐ[WΝ ΚΛƐΑΝ-ΔΡΟϹ], capricorn left with cornucopia on its back, [ΠΑ]Ε (?) monogram in left field. RPC I 3028; LS 118, no. 18 cf. SNG von Aulock 3072 (4.15 grams / 15 x 14 mm) eBay May 2023  

The magistrate's unusual title, Philokaisar, literally translates, "friend of the emperor"... In 17, the city suffered severely from an earthquake, and Tiberius relieved it of having to pay taxes...Evidence from coinage reveals that Caligula  also helped the city."  FORVM

Die-Match Characteristics: Obv: P at tip of nose, etc. Rev: Top leg curved.

Die-Match Obv. & Rev.:

Coin no. 11 of RPC I 3028 H.I. Coll.

 DEMOS Auction 10; Lot 484; 14.05.2022

Some fantastic provenances in this thread for sure.  My eBay purchases generally don't come with a lot of background to them, but this one was kind of interesting.  No plates, but a fraternity gift letter from the 1950s:

Calabria, Tarentum AR Nomos
ΛYKΩN Magistrate
(c. 280-272 B.C.)
Helmeted, nude warrior on horse right, spearing, crowned by Nike flying left, ΣI behind, ΛYKΩN under horse / Taras astride dolphin left, holding kantharos and trident, GU in right field.
Vlasto 730; SNG ANS 1096.
(6.18 grams / 19 mm)

Provenance: Presented as gift to (Army) Chaplain Luther W. Evans for naming Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity magazine The Tidewater-Blue Ridge Teke in 1958 (see letter from Harry Donnelly and Sept. 1958 article in The Tidewater-Blue Ridge Teke, page 3)

Thank you so much @seth77 @Roman Collector @Al Kowsky for the clarifications, additional information and encouragement.  

3 hours ago, seth77 said:

The obverse legend is also a bit odd innit. The Lanz spec reads clearly AV KAICAR ANTWNINOC but are there other dies with this titulature? Usually Caracalla post-198 is reffered to as Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (with several abbreviations) and then Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus, so what up with the strange emphasis on Caesar while Caracalla is obviously already Augustus?

The legate is certainly Sicinnius Clarus, dated to +/- 202 because of the coinage minted for Plautilla. With this obverse legend, your coin is likely pre-wedding, as the coinage of Plautilla minted by Clarus has full titles, so possibly 201?

The reverse die that would attribute your coin has to be a very wide and have the full ΠΑΥΤΑΛΙΑϹ in the well-defined exergue. This feature appears more in the coinage of the 2nd century - Marcus Aurelius, Commodus.

This is the kind of detail I was hoping to find - thanks again @seth77.   Severan titular stuff is definitely something I need to learn more about.  My knowledge about Provincials could at best be described as fledgling - my bewilderment over that CAR for example - I'm so used to seeing the "KAI" abbreviation on these the CAP threw me for a loop (thanks again @Roman Collector).  

2 hours ago, Roman Collector said:

It may well be limited to a single obverse die. 

I was starting to suspect the same thing - I think Pautalia was a fairly robust coin-issuing entity but this obverse bust just isn't turning up very often. 

The lot this came in consisted of two coins - barely a "lot" - but the seller threw in a cute little Caracalla from Trajanopolis as a freebie (I really, really like this seller).  The other coin in the purchase is also from Thrace and also apparently fairly scarce.  Thanks to finding a die-match in Corpus Nummorum, it wasn't nearly as difficult to attribute since I could just use the CN example.  Here it is:

Septimius Severus Æ 27 Hadrianopolis, Thrace (c. 193-211 A.D.) ΑV Κ Λ ϹΕΠΤΙ ϹΕVΗ[ΡΟϹΠ], laureate head right / ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Hermes, nude standing left, holding purse and caduceus; at his feet, ram. Jurukova 207; Varbanov 3374; Corpus Nummorum type 5927. (11.25 grams / 27 x 26 mm) eBay Jan. 2024      

Die-Match Obverse and Reverse: Corpus Nummorum type 5927; Jurukova p. 152, nr. 207; Varbanov p. 278, nr. 3374

Similar Type:  CNG E-Auction 323; Lot 212; 26.03.2014 has cuirassed bust with possible hegemon name T. S. Barbarus (196-198 A.D.)

Here is mine again with the CN example obverse-reverse die-match - this is the only other example anywhere I could find:

https://www.corpus-nummorum.eu/types/5927

Well, this one made my head spin and this post might be a bit granular for general interest, but I'm locked down in a "polar vortex" with slippery sidewalks to boot, so I'm going to share today's adventure in ancient coin attribution sleuthing.

From an un-attributed lot from eBay came this big low-grade Æ from Pautalia issued for Caracalla.  It has some issues, as you can see (har), but although I was able to find three obverse die-matches, I could not find a reverse type to match this one, which is where the journey begins.  Here's my coin (13.83 grams / 27 x 26 mm): 

***

 As usual I started digging around the Internet, acsearch, etc. to try and figure it out.  I was fairly certain it was Caracalla - what I found a little peculiar was the CAP part of the inscription - does anybody knows what that stands for?  Surely not CARacalla - as that was a nickname and not found on coins.  Anyway, after digging, I found no matches to the reverse type - but several obverse die-matches.  

My primary source was a post on FORVM by member archivum, who had a similar attribution to mine, same obverse die, but a reverse figure he couldn't figure out. 

"Caracalla, Pautalia, Thrace, magistr. Sicinnius Clarus, AE 27, 13,72g, Laur. cuir. bust r. / ? standing nude l. with staff, chlamys draped on l. arm. Though this coin's reverse legend is lost, it is clearly from the same obverse die as scarce Sicinnius Clarus issues Varbanov 4956-4957 (coins pictured below). The staff actually looks like a trident, but this is an untypical pose for Poseidon, and Pautalia had no marine access; the figure may also be wearing a Phrygian cap. Any theories on whom this reverse represents?"

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=111264.0

In his query, "archivum" helpfully posted three obverse die-matches to his coin, with Asclepius and Homonoia reverses.  He also guided me in the right direction with the hegemon, Sicinnius Clarus - whose name is visible (mostly) on mine (more about him below).  Another FORVM member ("clueless") posted one with what looks like Athena on the reverse, but had no idea what it was. 

All of these obverse die-match mine.  Here they are (less the Homonoia types - which see below):  mine; Asclepius; Minerva/Athena?; Neptune?: 

***

The FORVM query also included one with a Homonoia reverse.  After doing some more digging, I tracked down the Homonoia reverse, which came from a CNG auction which was a Varbanov plate coin:  "–; Varbanov 4957 corr. (this coin illustrated); Mouchmov 4247."  This in turn seems to be the example coin in Wildwinds - rather confusingly, the Varbanov number changed between CNG/Wildwinds, despite being the same coin. 

Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. (same coin as Wildwinds) Electronic Auction 344; Lot 265; 12.02.2015 THRACE, Pautalia. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ (27mm, 16.77 g, 7h). C. Sicinius Clarus, hegemon. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Homonoia standing left, holding cornucopia and sacrificing with patera over lighted and garlanded altar to left. SNG Copenhagen –; Varbanov 4957 corr. (this coin illustrated); Mouchmov 4247. Good VF, green-brown patina, minor roughness on the reverse. From the Dr. George Spradling Collection.  https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3318281

Wildwinds (same coin as CNG) Caracalla, AE28 of Pautalia, Thrace. (AY KA)ICAP ANTWNINOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / HG (CIKIN KLA)POU OUL PAUTALIAC, Homonoia standing left by altar, holding patera and cornucopiae. Varbanov 4940 var (legends); Moushmov 4247.  ebay sale 1999

 https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/thrace/pautalia/t.html and https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/ric/caracalla/_pautalia_Moushmov_4247.txt

On acsearch I also found another obverse die-match with Homonoia reverse:

Münzen & Medaillen GmbH (DE) Auction 15; Lot 161; 21.10.2004 Description SLG. J. - P. RIGHETTI, TEIL IV THRAKIEN PAUTALIA. No.: 161 Schätzpreis/Estimate: EUR 75.- d=27 mm  Caracalla, 197 - 217. Bronze des Q. Sicinius Clarus, 202 - 205. Drap., gep. Büste mit L. n. r. Rv. OULPIAC PA YTALIAC HG CIKINIOU KLAROU Homonoia im langen Gewand frontal stehend, Kopf mit Kalathos n. l., in der Linken Füllhorn haltend, mit Patera in der Rechten über einem Rundaltar zu ihren Füssen opfernd. 14,80 g.  Ruzicka, P. 139, 521var. (Variante der Av. - Legende). Selten. Dunkelbraune Patina. Knapp sehr schön

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=194364

The Münzen & Medaillen GmbH (DE) coin is also on a FORVM member's gallery (rennrad12020) here: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=3126&pid=60093

Here are photos of all the Homonoia reverses with obverse die-matches; the CNG/Wildwind example is shown three times because one of them had Varbanov notes, and the Wildwinds coin, though the same as the CNG/Varbanov example, has a very different color, but I am pretty sure it is the CNG example.  The bottom coin is from the Münzen & Medaillen auction (FORVM rennrad12020 not shown):

***

So what (who) is that reverse type?  Here is a photo with my "enhancements" showing what I can make out - a figure standing left, holding a sceptre (not a cornucopiae as Homonoia does in the die-matches), altar at left.  Here is the reverse on mine, with some "enhancements" I made showing what of the reverse figure I can make out.  Note that the bronze disease'd area has been cleaned up since this photo was taken:

These characteristics generally match one from Pautalia issued for Commodus that I found, with Hera on the reverse:

THRACE. Pautalia. Commodus, 177-192. Pentassarion (Bronze, 29 mm, 16.16 g, 12 h), struck under the legate Caecilius Maternus. ΑVΤ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡ ΑYΡ ΚΟΜΟΔΟC Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Commodus to right. Rev. ΗΓΕ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΤΕΡΝΟY ΟYΛΠΙΑC ΠΑYΤΑΛΙΑC Hera standing left, holding patera in right hand over altar at her feet to left, and long scepter in left. RPC IV.1 Online, 8864 (temporary). Ruzicka 190. Very rare - only one specimen noted in RPC Online. Of fine style and with a green patina with earthen highlights. Very fine.

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=8070464

So Hera seems to be a good guess, if not fer sure.  

***

And now for some information on the guy whose name is on the reverse of these coins, Quintus Sicinnius Clarus.  As it turns out there is an article on the guy on Bulgarian Wikipedia (you got to love the Internet, really).  Here it is in the English translation:

"Quintus Sicinnius Clarus (in Latin : Quintus Sicinnius Clarus , in Greek : Κόϊντος Σικίνννιος Κλᾶρος) was a Roman governor of the province of Thrace ( legatus Augusti pro praetore Thraciae ) at the time of Augustus Septimius Severus in the period 201-204 . He came from the noble Roman family of Sicinius

He participated in the issuing of coin issues through the city government of Hadrianopole (now Edirne ), Augusta Traiana (now Stara Zagora ), Pautalia (now Kyustendil ) and probably Anchialo (now Pomorie ). Clarus is the last governor of Thrace whose name appears on the coins of the city governments of the province. Participated in welcoming the imperial family to the province in 202 on his return from Antioch to Rome. He organized the founding of the Emporium Pizos marketplace near the present-day village of Dimitrievo in 202."

https://bg-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Квинт_Сикиний_Клар?_x_tr_sl=bg&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Квинт_Сикиний_Клар

This really cool broken inscription in Greek is part of the article:

 Also, I found an old Harlan J. Berk auction on Internet Archives with additional information, which I think references the inscription above:

"Full text of "Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. 181st Buy or Bid Sale"

An inscription proves that Sicinnius Clarus was governor of Thrace during the consulship of Septimius and Caracalla, i.e. in 202 AD. Coins of Plautilla naming Clarus at several mints prove a similar date: Clarus’ governorship must have overlapped with Plautilla’s years as Augusta, between her engagement and marriage in 202 and her fall and exile early in 205."

https://archive.org/stream/harlanjberkltd180181harl/harlanjberkltd180181harl_djvu.txt

The full text of the inscription came up in a Google Books result, but I'll spare you the details.  

***

Whew.  That was exhausting.  But fun too (for me anyway).  So as far as I can tell, my new coin is unpublished/unlisted, but of course there are probably some others floating around out there.  In any case, this obverse die was used for a variety of reverse types, apparently, none of them common (the Homonoia is the only type I could find with more than a single example).  A special issue?  The portrait is rendered in a fine style, finer than the typical Provincial of the era, I think. 

If anybody has any ideas on this reverse type, or what CAP means in the obverse legend, or anything else about Sicinnius Clarus, I'd be thrilled to hear them.  Feel free to share mystery coins, stuff from Thrace issued by Sicinnius Clarus etc.  

Late in the reign of Commodus, stars started appearing on his coins in a somewhat haphazard way.  I recently got one.  Below is my efforts to attribute it, with notes on the stars (any corrections or clarifications welcome on this mess!) - Herodian's comments on a comet at that time from an Agora auction:

Commodus Denarius (192 A.D.) Rome Mint L AEL AVREL COMM AVG P FEL, laureate head right / P M TR P XVII IMP VIII COS VII P P, Fides Militum standing left holding standard and cornucopiae, star in right field RIC III 234; BMCRE 318-321; Cohen RSC 583/583a. (2.56 grams / 17 x 16 mm) eBay Dec. 2023 

Note:  Three types in OCRE:

RIC III 232:  No star, std. right

RIC III 233:  No star, std. left

RIC III 234:  Star, standing left

For some reason, many auctions with stars cite RIC 233.  Also, Wildwinds cites RIC 233 only, "star in left or right field, or no star.  RIC 233, RSC 583-583a,  BMC 316-317"

British Museum citations are confusing:  RIC 234 is not cited at all, though four of them match (with star)

BMCRE numbers/stars: 

316:  No star (RIC 232); this seems to be an error; Fides is standing left like all the others; OCRE says she should be  standing right on RIC 232. 

317:  Star left (RIC 233)

318-321:  Star right (RIC 233)

"The presence of the star on some coins issued late in Commodus' reign is referred to in BMC merely as a good omen, however Herodian records that a comet appeared at that time." Agora Auctions

 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=3706449

Very interesting, RC.  Indeed, a while back I bought a Faustina II denarius I was hoping just had some crud on it (seller's photos were not clear).  But no, it is a giant pit, turned green, and so a base metal core.  But rather than a limes, it sure seems to be a fourree - plated rather than debased. 

Faustina II    Fourrée Denarius (176-180 A.D.) 4th post. issue Rome Mint DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed, draped bust right / CONSECRATIO, altar-enclosure with door in front and antefixae ("horns" per RIC) on corners. RIC III Marcus Aurelius 746; BMCRE 725-27; Cohen 75. (2.58 grams / 17 x 16 mm) eBay Aug. 2022 $12.00

Here's a close-up of the pit: 

Great coin @DonnaML.  And your write-up, as always, is very informative.  For the first time in a long time, I actually have one of your featured Republicans.  Mine might qualify for Worst of Show - Centering Category:

I've been following your travails here @Nerosmyfavorite68 and I wanted to say I'm very sorry to hear about your troubles with this great coin.  And I agree, there's no excuse for mailing an ancient coin in a "floppy" envelope, even if padded.  

Since I bottom feed off eBay, I sometimes get shoddy packaging like this, but surprising to say, perhaps, not very often.  I don't think anything has shown up broken yet, but I've lost a couple of sestertii that were shipped loose, without being secured at all, in a standard, un-padded envelope.  The coin shifts around within the envelope, finally causing one of the seams to split.  The Post Office delivers the envelope, but without the coin.  This makes it difficult to resolve with the seller because the tracking correctly shows it was delivered - yeah, the envelope, but not the coin.  Not the Post Office's fault.  But there might be some interesting items underneath the PO mail sorting machinery.  

But that's eBay - my expectations are low.  There's no excuse for a "real" auction house to ship anything like this, not for the fees they charge.  

Interesting coin @seth77.  I just got one of these and it took me a long time to attribute it because I had a real hard time finding the magistrate - there were a lot of them!  Finally, I did get a magistrate match and figured it out.  I think this is a "late period" too, since the star in the reverse field seems to have a later date (per the auctions, etc. I looked at):  

Ionia, Smyrna     Æ Homereion Megakles, Magistrate (c. 74-50 B.C.) Laureate head of Apollo right / ΣMΥΡNAIΩN |  [M]EΓAKΛHΣ poet Homer seated left, resting chin on right hand, scroll in left, transverse scepter behind, star in left field Cf. Milne, Autonomous 379-380 (13.00 grams / 23 x 22 mm) eBay Dec. 2023                

Notes:  Found only one specimen for magistrate MEΓAKΛHΣ (Megakles); not a die-match:

Roma Numismatics Limited E-Sale 16; Lot 121; 28.02.2015 Cf. Milne, Autonomous 379-380.

CNG (drachm):  "magistrate Megakles is only known for Milne’s period XVII coinage, and the obverse die link to the drachms of Apollonios of this period confirms this placement."

Nice grouping.  That Lysimachos tetradrachm is my favorite, if only because I wanted one for a long time.  Someday...

I also voted for Pompey - I agree, that is a cheap way to get his portrait.  I blundered onto one in '22:

I've had really good luck with distilled water, rather to my surprise.  Mostly I use it on AE coins for crud and bronze disease, but the few silver coins I've soaked do not seem harmed.  

A Vespasian tetradrachm recently came my way with some doubling - note the "ghost chin" and what appears to be two sets of lips.  Vespasian was a good kisser, all the ancient sources agree!

I am not sure how only part of the strike could be doubled, or if this is a die-clash or some other technical malfunction.  

Some very attractive coins.  Here's my Malta crown...

Interesting discussion.  Like many, I do like a nice sand patina, but how to tell real from fraudulent is beyond me.  

Recently I got a budget sestertius of Hadrian with a rather dramatic sand patina.  I thought about soaking to see if it will come off, but I like it so much as is I don't want to mess with it.  In my limited experience, seeing a big Imperial (not Provincial) AE like this with a sand patina is fairly unusual, so it may well be a fake "enhancement" of the surfaces.  The coin seems to be legit, as I found a few die-matches from reliable places:

That squiggly line in Minerva's shield is a snake.  

RIC II Part 3 (2^nd ed.) 668 (old RIC II 611b); BMCRE 1254; Cohen 1067.

1 hour ago, ambr0zie said:

Also the Π characters do not seem identical. 

Maybe.  Sometimes on ancient double strikes there is a kind of blurring or elongation effect.  And note the two hair buns and the two Π characters are in the same orientation to each other.  But I don't know for sure!  

Interesting tet, @ambr0zie, 

My first thought about the doubled reverse legend is that it is a double-struck/die-shift going on.  Note the doubling of Poppaea's chin (not a "double chin" as part of the portrait's rendition, but a "ghost" chin beneath) which is matched on her ponytail or bun or whatever that is her hair is bunched in at her neck.  She might also have two ears on the same side of her head, like a Picasso?  My uneducated guess is that the strike caused this doubling, including the extra Greek P in her name.  I'm not sure about Nero's hair style type.  

I got two poor specimens of this type last year; for some reason, a lot of Egyptian material has been showing up on eBay, including a lot of poor condition stuff I can afford. My tetradrachm collection has expanded greatly.  

As far as I can tell these are both Year LΙ (10) = (63-64 A.D.) RPC I 5275 (Average weight 12.26 grams; Specimens 17); Dattari (Savio) 196; Geissen 157; Emmett 128.10; Kampmann/Ganschow 14.78; Milne 217.

C. Considius Paetus also issued coins in 46 B.C., probably for Caesar's triumphs - I believe this is the very first Roman Republican coin I ever got, way back in '88:

Roman Republic      Denarius C. Considius Paetus (46 B.C.)  Rome Mint Laureate head of Apollo right / Curule chair with wreath, C•CONSIDIUS above, PAETI in exergue. Crawford 465/1b; Considia 3; Sydenham 990a. (4.01 grams / 16 mm) McDaniels  May 1988

An interesting year for sure.  The huge triumph celebrated by Caesar in 46 BC was the occasion for a lot of coins being issued, many of them wretchedly struck.  I have a couple: 

Carisius biga and quadriga:

Carisius moneyer's instruments - 

Mn. Cordius Rufus - Dioscuri & Venus:

Mn. Cordius Rufus - dolphin

An interesting discussion for sure.  I just got a scarce sestertius of Lucius Verus from an eBay lot and I thought I was looking at two reverse die-matches - but nope, it was only one.  Same coin, one of them had a bunch of green removed; not sure it qualifies as "tooling" or "cleaning" but I thought it might pertain to this discussion.  

Here's mine (on top) with two others (CNG auctions the same coin):

The auctions for the cleaned/uncleaned coin are here - there must be a mistake with the weights - 21.11 grams before the green was removed then 27.81 grams after the cleaning!  I thought cleaning made them lighter: 

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=312637

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=238690

For what it's worth, I preferred the pre-cleaning green version (it doesn't appear to be BD - if it is BD, then cleaning is a good thing, of course).  I'm also guessing both versions had some reverse smoothing as well.  

For those wondering, the coin in question is a Lucius Verus sestertius (cuirassed bust) RIC III Marcus Aurelius 1430; Cohen RSC 191; Banti 121.  That's Parthia sitting on shields feeling sad.  This seems to be a scarce coin - other than the CNG example above, I found one other, an obverse die-match to mine:

Also a CNG auction:  https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=4112935