zanzi

It's been a bit over 6 hours China, Ming Dynasty, anonymous dated late 1500s AD Imitating earlier Northern Song Dynasty issue Obverse: Xian Ping Yuan Bao Reverse: Blank So-called 'Amoy Pitis' issued from the Quanzhou/Xiamen area of China, minted for trade with Indonesia and Vietnam kingdoms Found in Surabaya area, Java Next: another imitative coin

Wanli Emperor Ruled 1572 - 1620 This is called the first chopmark, occurring in the late 1500s or early 1600s. They're thought to be from Manila, Philippines and thus are called the Manila Chops. Next: anything considered a "first"

Thanks for the info! I can definitely see the tin in my coin, but not quite as much bronze. It's certainly a neat piece of my collection.

Thank you all for the lovely Lucilla coins, and of course Alegandron's interesting Hadrian limes denarius! It has a strong "cast" appearance to it. I have been trying to decide if mine is cast or die struck. I think it is die struck, but am really not sure. I'm still stumped on what kind of metal alloy it is. This is also the only limes denarius I could find for this particular Lucilla type, RIC 788. It's a purchase I am very happy with, that's for sure.

I've long wanted a female person (not deity) on a coin, but it wasn't quite a main goal for me, more of a "someday" goal. Recently I saw a Limes coin from Lucilla on eBay and decided it called out to me. I've always had an interest in ancient counterfeits, imitations, and fourees so the limes denarii have allured me but prior to this Lucilla coin I had not yet bought one. Lucilla was the daughter of Marcus Aurelius (re: my Cyrrhus provincial coin) and Faustina the Younger. Roman Empire - Empress Lucilla Limes denarius - 2.6 grams, 16.6x18.0mm, 1.8mm thick O: Lucilla right, hair waved and in a bun, LVCILLAE AVG ANTONINI AVG F R: Vesta left, holding a simpulum and palladium, to the left a lit altar, VESTA Ref: RIC III Marcus Aurelius #788 (OCRE) As a question for the members more informed than I, what would the metal be described as? It is clearly not bronze, nor silver, and I doubt even billon. Is it some kind of potin mixture? I'm not the most informed on metals but it reminds me most of pewter or maybe some kind of white metal. I would appreciate any opinions or information on this. As a callout for more coins, I'd love to see any other limes denarii or coins of Lucilla, or anything related!

Such a beautiful coin! I wish I was able to read Arabic, I think it would lead me to appreciate the calligraphy even more. Still, I do enjoy the artful designs. The only Ottoman coin I have is below, it was issued by the nephew of Mustafa II. It's in pretty poor condition (quite typical for its kind) so doesn't really exhibit nice calligraphy like Sulla80's coin. Ottoman Empire - Mustafa III AR para - 0.3 grams - 15mm, 0.4mm thick Islambol (Istanbul) Mint Frozen date of 1171 AH, but given Royal Year of 7, so 1177 AH = 1763-1764 AD Posted to Zeno.ru, 329055

This isn't ancient, but it's pretty old and I don't know enough about it to get it's own thread. It was a pretty impulsive $5 add-on to a few other coins I was already getting, but it seemed rare enough and I don't have any Dutch coinage this early so I threw it on. Dutch Republic, AE Duit City of Groningen, dated 1690 AD Size: 2.1 grams, 19.6 x 19.8 x 0.9 mm, pierced Obv: City name "Gro Ninga." in two lines within a quatrefoil Rev: Crowned shield with a two-headed eagle, 1690 date above, two rampart lions facing, floral below References: KM #46, also on Oriental Coins Database Zeno.ru as 332344 Ex. Don Erickson (DNECoins)

Thanks for sharing the comic, that got me to chuckle. I also appreciate the CoinTalk link about the dimple discussions. What a hot topic, there's plenty to read into there. It's quite interesting that amongst all the periods and places striking coins in the ancient world, there were only two who produced them in a way that made these dimples. Ptolemaic Egypt in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE, and Roman Provincial coins in the 3rd (and 4th?) centuries CE. Wish someone had left a how-to mint "For Dummies" for us. You said you have a "similar specimen", but I'm pretty convinced you have a die-match to my coin! Can anyone confirm or deny my suspicion? The letters in the exergue, as well as every detail of the serpent, all seem to match perfect. I'm not a die-matcher but I can't find any differences.

Very cool design here, the serpent looks much more natural and strike-ready than many others I've seen. Lovely coin!

Roman coins aren't much of a focus for me, but when I saw this green snake on eBay I knew it would be hard to talk myself out of it. I didn't make it far in that conversation. I also did not do proper research before the purchase, nor even look at the images too well, because it was not until after I hit Buy It Now that I realized the snake was nimbate, which led me down a whole rabbit hole. I had no idea there were serpent deities // cults in the Roman era but it was quite an interesting read. I'd recommend checking out the Wikipedia page for Glycon (Glykon). Further research gave me some doubts about the exact identity of the deified crawler, however. Does anyone have any information or opinions about the identity of this serpent? I don't exactly see the so-called "human face" on it, but it is certainly nimbate. Looking around elsewhere at holy serpents on provincial coins, it seems to be a pretty contentious subject where many automatically assume Glykon but other details point towards other serpents or an undetermined state. Another question, what is the term for the little holes in the middle of the coin? I know they are related to the coin's production, but I'm not sure what to call them. Dimples? Craters? There is a small one on Gordian's jawline and another on the body of Glykon (?). Roman Empire, provincial coin of Nicopolis ad Istrum, Moesia Inferior Undated but struck 241 to 244 AD Issued under Gordian III, under authority of Sabinius Modestus (Legatus Consularis), governor of Moesia Inferior Size: 13.7 grams, 28.1 x 29.5 x 3.2 mm Obv: Bust of Gordian right, surrounded by "ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΝΤ ΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟϹ ΑΥΓ" Rev: Nimbate serpent (Glykon?) right, body tangled with tail left, below a line, surrounded by "ΥΠ ϹΑΒ ΜΟΔΕϹΤΟΥ ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟϹ ΙϹΤΡ" References: RPC VII.2 #1307, AMNG 2104, also on Oriental Coins Database Zeno.ru as 332341 Ex. Don Erickson (DNECoins) I'd love to hear any thoughts on which serpent deity my coin represents, but also I'd love to see any other snakes or serpents, Glykon or not, on coins. Non-Roman is obviously welcome, as well. Thank you all.

Azurite, I think.

I think this coin counts, it's my first Nero. Nero - AE As - 62 to 68 AD - Rome Mint Copied from Numista Obverse: Head of Nero, laureate, right. NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP Translation: Nero Caesar Augustus Germanicus Imperator - Nero, Caesar, emperor (Augustus), victor over the Germans, supreme commander (Imperator) Reverse: Victory, winged, draped, moving left, holding in both hands shield inscribed S P Q R, surrounded by S C Translation: Senatus Populusque Romanus, Senatus Consultum - The Senate and the Roman People, Decree of the senate Next: another Nero

This might consider as large flan issue, it is called 3 cash by some, 2 cash by others, but it measures 33mm wide which is a bit more than the usual 25+- mm for Chinese cash. China (Song Dynasty) - 1119-1125 CE Xuan He Tong Bao (seal script) 33mm = 3 cash (or 2) = Hartill # 16.475 Shipwreck coin from an undisclosed ship in the Java Sea Next : a holed Eastern coin (cash type)

I'm curious, how big is this? You say it is a larger AE.

Here is my latest coin, a Parthian drachm of Artabanus II. This is my second Parthian coin alongside my first, a drachm of Mithradates II. Neat how you can see the design simplify and become more "Persian looking".