seth77

A small 13mm 2.14g brassy 'leaded bronze' unit minted at Lampsacus in Mysia for Augustus:

And who's that on the reverse?

It's the ithyphallic Priapus with his erection, luckily preserved in full despite the overall worn and corroded condition of the coin.

43 minutes ago, Orange Julius said:

 

Mark Fox has been a contributor on the FORVM discussion board and has always been very helpful there as a resource.

Yes, I remember him from FAC circa 20years ago. I remember his posts along with Curtis Clay's, Pat Lawrence's and Jochen's were real gems. I had to really grow and learn to appreciate them. Mark Fox was also the one to announce the coinage of Taenarum/Tainaron last year.

 

49 minutes ago, Orange Julius said:

Interesting! Can you link the article? I’d like to give it a look. I’ll see if I have any of these coins.

 

I can do you one better, check your PM.

One of the inspirations for my interest in coins comes from numismatic literature. Whenever I get the chance I either read online or buy periodicals and articles from throughout Europe to Israel and the US. My favorite type of articles is what I have been also trying to emulate in my entries here and in my papers for numismatic periodicals: interesting pieces of puzzle with questions and (less often) answers regarding dating and the historical implications of certain coinages.

An article that I have read the past month caught my interest not only for the subject matter but also for the periodical outlet that published it: 'Two numismatic puzzles from 1st century Sestus' by Mark Fox in 'Archaeology of the first millennium A.D. IV. Nomads and the autochtonous in the first millennium A.D.' (Istros, 2015), pp. 33-47. A numismatist from the US featured in an Eastern European (Romanian) publication. Surely a result of one of the great feats of the internet age -- fast interconnectivity and access to information for all interested parties. As I have mentioned a few times, I consider the local researchers to be the best when it comes to latest info, theories and finds regarding particular types. At the same time, internet, ebay and (in the last few years) biddr have given us all a chance to be as close as the 'locals' in numismatic research, as Mark Fox proves beyond any doubt in his research.

So, a few days after reading his fun article, browsing the inventory of one of my favorite auction houses, lo and behold one of the coins Mr. Fox focuses in his paper:

AE18 4.48g copper unit minted c. 70-81?
[Δ]OMI[TIA]N[O]Σ KAIΣAP; laureate head r.
ΣHΣ - TIwN; lyre/cithara
RPC I 1739 / RPC II 358
double die-match with RPC II 358A

It's a very interesting coin from an area of the Thracian Chersonesos less prolific during the Imperial age. It was assigned in RPC (RPC I) to Augustus (initially). BMC on the other hand had it assigned to Domitian. M. Fox in his aforementioned article suggests that the coin is actually minted for Domitian, and notes that it was likely minted early during his reign.

Another possibility, even more likely considering the characteristics emphasized by M. Fox -- the form of the ethnic name on the reverse and the shape of the cithara, both very similar to Sestos issues for Vespasian (RPC II 358) -- coupled with the early form of sigma (Σ) instead of the regular (C) that is even used on the coinage of Vespasian, would suggest an issue very close to 70AD, so possibly minted for Domitian as Caesar rather than as Augustus (after 81).

Without the paper to take up the problem of assigning this unremarkable coin in a context more suitable for its characteristics and as such, closer to its true attribution, I likely would've not become interested in this spec and my knowledge in 'provincial' or 'Greek Imperial' numismatics would have been poorer.

There is that and then there is our colleague @Prieure de Sion who has got his material underappreciated and undersold. 

1 minute ago, Bonshaw said:

Thanks for the info about this being the first Manuel billon issue. I glanced through and noticed a denier, William of Villehardouin, Principality of Achaia, 1245-1278. Shall I do that next week?

Ah, that really is promising.

I really like the way your dad recorded everything with such attention to detail, like a professional historian. This period is not really in my focus, I am interested in mostly post-1204 -- breakaway Greek states after the 4th Crusade and Latin Empire + Palaiologan age. But I could add something on this coin: it's the first billon issue for Manuel c. 1143-1152.

35 minutes ago, Heliodromus said:

I grew up in the UK, and we had wrestling on TV too, but very different. I'm pretty sure it was also mostly fake, but no "characters" and not a fraction as entertaining. When I think of the American WWE the sterotypical image that comes to mind is Randy "Macho Man" Savage being interviewed by "Mean Gene". There were also the occasional feats of unfakable strength that were interesting such as Hulk Hogan body slamming the 500lb Andre the Giant (and it turns out badly injuring himself, although he didn't show it at the time).

 

Even his moniker Paul Bearer is funny.

In related news, I seem to have been missing out by not being up to date with this thing.

Had no idea who the guy was and had to go look for him on Google lol. The whole Wrestling scene is something from American culture that is totally unfamiliar to me. I will use that gif on my whatsapp and other gif-supporting comm apps even if no one gets the reference just because it's funny regardless, by its own self lol.

Just now, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

GIPHY, and Wrestlemania XX.  It's Paul Bearer during the Undertaker's entrance.

Ah, across the pond things.

12 hours ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

And that's if the economy doesn't go south.  I work in the financial industry, and let's just say it's looking very 1929...  October's traditionally when the market goes south, if it does.  The various algorithms and other factors have made the market so artificial that it might not. 

I can confidently say that's how it's looking on the consumer and the commercial mortgage side, though. Cue the theme (one of the all-time great themes, by the way).  I'm not too sad about the mortgage part, but I'd rather the consumer have less of a hard time. 

Heck, if I didn't have a paid off house and cars, I'd be in a world of hurt, myself. 

 

What is that gif from I'd like to use it in my day-to-day online communications.

Probably Goa'uld nearby, Jaffa Kree!

Great coins but damn the cat in that gif is beautiful.

31 minutes ago, ambr0zie said:

No, but knowing we are fans of the same auction house, I checked to see if it's recent. 

From that auction I picked my glorious Marius and 2 very nice Faustina II imperials (very nice on a serious note). 

I also like Laodicea provincials and I have 2 of them. A Macrinus and a Pius, Macrinus being also a very good deal. 

They work well together too, showing the two phases of the base metal mint: Greek local/provincial and Latin colonial.

36 minutes ago, ambr0zie said:

And an unexpected price! Congratulations!

Were you following this?

The ΔΕ (with or w/o SC) base metal coinage is known mostly from Antioch. Here is one from Laodicea ad Mare:

It's a Latin coinage, Laodicea had been minting Latin language currency since the reign of Septimius Severus, who conferred it the status of Latin colonia and metropolis. It is also of the same general specs as the small denomination ΔΕ / SC inside wreath minted at Antioch. It's also a very interesting reverse which can be interpreted either :

1. at face value - as Heracles and Dionysus standing nude wrestling with each other, with each of their attributes - the club and the thyrsus behind them

2. symbolic -- the athletae facing in a traditional wrestling contest, reenacting the wrestle between the 2 gods for a prize

It's possible that this coinage was struck periodically on certain local or regional sporting events involving (also) Greco-Roman martial arts.

From the Dictionary of Roman coins:

This was a rather unexpected win.

Possibly weights from Roman scales?

Pamphylia is under-represented in my 'provincials' but here is one that I like a lot:



Artemis Pergaia cult statue inside distyle temple from the time when coinage turned from late Hellenistic period to early Imperial c. 50-30BC.

I used to gamble when I was young but I always went for the safer bets, like Blackjack and crapshoot.

Exceptional result

2 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

I don't actually post that much anymore - but I don't want to withhold this coin. When many people think of a bracteate, they think of a small, delicate coin. Not so this bracteate with a diameter of around 42mm. I am very excited about the beautiful specimen.

Friedrich II, Vogt of Oldesleben (1189-1216 AD); Reign: Sacrum Imperium Romanum (HRR Holy Roman Empire); Mint: Frankenhausen; Date: c. 1210/1215 AD; Nominal: Brakteat (Bracteate); Material: BI Silver; Diameter: c. 42mm ; Weight: 0.64g; Reference: Berger -; Reference: Leschhorn 4374; Reference: Fd. von Seega 382; Reference: Slg. Bonhoff 1234; Reference: Slg. Löbbecke 802; Obverse: Count riding on the right with raised sword, shield and banner, six-pointed star in the field on the right.

 

 

I steer clear from these because I am afraid of the damage they might suffer en route but wow, what an extraordinary coin.

31 minutes ago, Bonshaw said:

Great idea - here is the Alexandria Nero tetradrachm envelope:

And receipt:

The three other coins on this receipt will feature later in this thread, if the interest keeps up. Thanks for your help tracking down information.

This would likely be a very interesting package deal: all 4 coins from this purchase with the full paperwork - envelope and invoice/receipt exactly as they were purchased in 1969.

When the central theme of the coin is decently preserved, even these awkward coins command some premium. Here the LE III P on the reverse is highlighted by the earthen filling and can be easily read. As a consequence, the hammer price on it was 240EUR:

Those auctions are great and I follow them regularly, but it's very easy to lose perspective and end up in bidding wars for something that you wouldn't have expected to see in that particular venue. I have noticed strong prices in everything that is not characteristic for their auctions whenever it appears there - Spanish provincial, 3rd-4th century Western mints, even French feudal (in the very rare instances when they have such material in auction).

Oh man it was you who bought that one...

Just a suggestion, if your dad kept old paperwork that came with buying the coin, you could also add pics of those old tags/receipts to the thread. It would be interesting to see the amount paid for the coins in the 60s for instance.