seth77

I agree 100% with @ambr0zie. At this point most quotas for intra-EU shipping from biddr auction houses are disrespectful towards would-be buyers. How are you going to charge 15 to 30EUR registered letter from AT, NL or DE to 2-3 countries away when I know for a fact from getting the same postal service from ebay at c. 5-6EUR? What is the added value that you bring when asking 5-6 times the postal fee for the same basic service? That is why I keep giving business to the good guys: those who answer emails, who are reliable to keep their service transparent cost-wise and are predictable with their ETA. The whole Covid situation has been great for unscrupulous individuals and businesses in providing a cover for their predatory practices and in encouraging an overall lack of respect towards the collector.

Gesundheit, Donna. I had it a few times, most recently in 2023. I'm not sure if it's the same strain now, but aside from fever, the strain from 2023 was particularly hard on my mood and psyche, probably because of the fatigue and drowsiness. So, whatever you do, if you feel like bad thoughts circle you these days as you struggle with the physical symptoms, treat them as symptoms too and try to keep them at bay if you can't just chase them out. I hope you recover soon and completely.

@Furryfrog02 if you dont have access to RIC VII, you can always check Nummus Bible database. In fact they are right now searching for a pic of your exact coin, which means that it is probably rare.

Short-haired milf Mamaea from Antioch:

Thank you, that one an a couple of Mamluks are similar, especially with the hexagram design. Since I can't read Arabic it's the inside of the hexagram that I have been focusing on, and it doesn't fit what I have seen. The more I look at what's in the hexagram the more it looks like 𐍀P.

Excellent Mamea 😘😘

Alexander as Caesar dated to the fifth year of Elagabal, c. September 221 to mid March 222:

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I know of Zeno and Mamluk was one of my first thoughts. Unfortunately I could not find it, as I can't read any of the legend. I am also unsure of the calligraphy, as most of the Islamic coins I have seen have a much more elegant lettering and style, but since I know nothing about these coins, this might be wrong.

Up?

I have considered Coropissus too, but taking into account the reverse legend and the spacing between the letters it seems less likely. I can't help it but think that the key to positively id this is the pediment underneath the bust on the obverse. Has anyone seen something similar before?

This coin was added to an order in November as more-or-less fun identification challenge: AE26mm 10.77gg copper-based alloy, possibly orichalcum (brass) laureate bearded bust r. - placed on supporting base Zeus standing facing, slightly left, holding something in his right hand over eagle at his feet and long sceptre in his left hand; possibly chlamys hanging over left shoulder; fragments of legend. But I could not make a positive identification. Closest I think I am is Tium in Bythinia for Marcus Aurelius. But I am far from certain. Aspects taken into consideration: - this is an as-sized coin - the overall style might be Bythinian, Mysian or even Achaean(?) - the emperor is likely one of the following: Marcus Aurelius, Commodus or Severus, less likely: Aelius or Lucius Verus - the effigy seems to be positioned on a base, similar to the pediment of statuary busts - the reverse legend might be T I A N - [...] but that is just my interpretation of the fragmentary lettering - the figure might be Zeus Syrgastes or similar? When I take all this into consideration, the closest identification seems to be Marcus Aurelius from Tium. But such a coin is not in RPC. Could someone help out? Has anyone seen this statue-like bust type, placed on a base? Thanks for looking!

Everybody knows the Imperial issues of Antoninus Pius with young Marcus Aurelius, but here is a Syrian Imperial (probably Antioch minted) unit from the S - C series: AE22mm 9.41g Very similar in style and module to the Laodicea ad Mare coinage with Pius and Tyche from around 140.

It is probably the anchor flanked by A - N countermark, see here for more: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/countermark/493

I also think that your variant fits better: no sign of the lion headdress, the angle between head and back of the neck fits, the two extremes of the neck truncation look nothing like the lion headdress type, the lettering is there and it does look like ΠΡ.

These two scyphate cast flans from Olbia ca. 400-350BC, with diademed and taenia-wearing Demeter / eagle catching 'dolphin' in its talons: They are very red. I think that the aquatic creatures on neither these nor the Istros coinage are supposed to be dolphins but rather sturgeon.

Very happy to add another Julia Iotape, this time in clear yellow orichalcum and nice smooth wear: - nice and heavy at 26mm 14.29g - no countermark - portrait with the plain band diadem seems to be from the earlier issues - likely also from the 60s - Group II-III(?) cf. Butcher

Sorry. Next up a building on either ancient or medieval coinage?

Amalric King of Jerusalem 1163-1174, Holy Sepulchre denier ca. 1164 to before 1170:

6. Iulia Mamaea from Edessa This coin makes a good pair with the one posted by @Curtis JJ above. AE26mm 8.64g brass (orichalcum) (multiple) assarion, minted at Edessa ca. 231-2. ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΜΑΜΕΑ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΗ; draped bust right wearing stephane [ΜΗΤ Κ]ΟΛ ƐΔƐϹϹΗΝⲰΝ; Tyche of the City seated on basis, left, holding grains; wearing turreted crown; flanking it on either side: star and flaming altar; below, river god swimming, right RPC VI 7846 temp Notes: The reverse type with Tyche between two altars and stars seems to be late in the issues of Edessa for Alexander -- RPC 7814 and 7815 both show military busts, likely associated with the eastern campaign of 231-2. Since Mamaea was present during the campaign it is to be expected that coinage was struck for her too at the Syrian and Mesopotamian mints which struck at this time, like in the case of Hierapolis-Bambyce above.

Siscia seems to also have had a distinct style, with thinner emperors, giraffe necks and awkward arms on the obverse, besides the singular symbol markings on the reverse. But I was sold on the patina, which is even more radiant irl.

This blueish patina:

Eastern European communists used to wear those silly hats back in the day. They were almost like a distinctive adherence to the Party lol.

This is where I noticed the general of these: https://www.lateromanbronzecoinforum.com/index.php/topic,389.msg937.html#msg937. The ones from CGB look better but I think that they are more advanced products of the same or very similar forgery operation, counting on the consideration that style and texture is not really something that people observe in these grotty AE4s or even siliquae of the 5th early 6th century.

I am almost certain they are fake. Seem to be the evolution of the Emporium Hamburg with a twist of 2014-15 ebay fantasy Germanic and late Roman (Eraric monogram AE4 and invented siliquae of the likes of Sebastianus etc).

This coin was extremely underappreciated by the auction houses and collectors alike. Just check out the high relief effigy of Mamaea on the obverse and the heavy green patina underneath the "desert" filling. VID_20240207_195130~2.mp4