seth77

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

After mid 2nd century Thessaly becomes part of Macedonia, so the following coin is not de jure Achaean despite being still minted at Larissa (probably). Caracalla as Caesar (196-198) AE26mm 8.82g orichalcum (brass) triassaria, minted at Larissa, ca. 197. MAP AYR ANTΩ[NINOC]; youthful bust, laureate, draped cuirassed seen from back [KOINON] ΘΕCCΑΛΩN; Nike, holding wreath in right hand and reins in left, driving galloping triga right; below, Γ. BCD Thessaly 974.3 Notes: This is an interesting series of Thessalian coinage, marking the denomination both in the regular manner with Γ and by the carriage driven by Nike being a triga, instead of the more common biga for the diassaria and quadriga for the tetrassaria. This is also a very rare coin, from an early phase of minting for Caracalla, while still Caesar, showing him as a child-youth, possibly struck shortly before his elevation to Augustus in early 198. Similar specimens here and here (both obverse die-matches).

That is a great looking coin. Not sure what 'Hungarian empire' should mean. At this time the empire was that of the Habsburg family, which annexed parts of the Kingdom of Hungary after the disaster at Mohacs and a series of conflicts with local magnates under Zapolya Janos and his heir. But here's going back to the zenith of Hungarian power, the age of Mathias Corvinus: AR17mm 0.55g 500/1000 silver title good billon denar struck at Nagybanya mint 1468-70, under joint voivodeship of Transylvania by Pongrac Janos and Csupor Miklos. After years of poor quality coinage and official counterfeit-level debasement, Mathias introduced the quality billon denier which circulated a lot, both in Hungary proper and in the neighboring principalities. This one is very worn on the reverse but the obverse coat of arms with the Corvinus raven and Mathias name is very clear.

5. Mamaea from Hierapolis-Bambyce with Atargatis 'baalat Bambyce' This one is the pair issue for no. 3 above. Julia Mamaea Augusta AE27x25mm 14.5g copper multiple unit from Hierapolis-Bambyce ΙΟΥΛΙΑ MAMEA CEBACTH; draped bust right wearing stephane [ΘΕΑϹ ϹΥΡΙΑϹ] ΙΕΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ; Atargatis seated on throne between two lions, right, wearing kalathos, holding tympanum and leaning elbow on throne. RPC VI 30719 temporary The pairing of Atargatis and Mamaea in the context of the military campaign of Severus Alexander is very fitting. This coin has moved around between biddr auction houses and RPC mistakenly assigned it to 8137, an issue that is struck with the same reverse as no. 3 above for Alexander.

The one from Pylos does not load. Here is one from the series of coins minted mostly 202-5 in mainland Greece by a bunch of towns of the Peloponessos: Caracalla as Augustus AE22mm 4.56g copper assarion from Phigalia in Arcadia, BCD Peloponnesos 1656.1

This is such a distinct and elegant design. If you only want one special serpent, this type is the most desirable.

It's a denier of Ghent for the Counts of Flanders ca. 1259-1300 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=720046

I considered bidding on one of the Faustina grapes spec last week but in the end went for something else.

This is one of the more special Glykons, where the serpent god does look like intended - to show anthropomorphic features, like its Paphlagonian and Bithynian peers: Caracalla as Augustus (198-217) AE25mm 7.93g orichalcum multiple assaria (triassaria?), minted at Anchialus, ca. 202-4(?) AV K M [AV] ANTΩNINoc; laureate, cuirassed bust r. seen from rear OVΛΠΙΑNΩN ΑΓXIAΛEΩN; coiled Glykon serpent r, with anthropomorphic visage, long flowing hair and bifurcated tail. Unrecorded? This seems to be a very rare coinage that can be associated with the Severia Nymphaea games and festival thanks to the shared obverse die with this spec and this one from the British Museum. Known celebrations and games tied to the Severia Nymphaea in the 200s start with those in honor of Caracalla's wedding in 202 and proceed with similar games recorded from 204, 205, 206 (with coinage from Caesarea Cappadocia), 209-211 and were meant to show the harmony of the Severan dynasty. Considering the young features of the bust, it is likely that the coinage was minted close to Caracalla's accession as Augustus in 198 rather than at a later date. Septimius Severus (193-211) AE29mm 11.75g orichalcum unit (as?), minted at Caesarea Cappadocia, ca. 205 [AY KA]I Λ CЄΠ CЄOYHPOC; laureate head r.; circular countermark, possibly radiate figure - Helios(?) ΜΗΤΡΟΠ[O ΚΑΙϹ]ΑΡIAC / ƐΤ - IΔ / KOI - NOC; agalma of Mount Argaeus surmounted by star and flanked by two agonistic urns, each containing a palm branch ΦΙΛΑΔЄΛΦΙΟ in exergue. At both Caesarea Cappadocia and Anchialus in Thracia the Severia games seem to have been associated with local celebrations and festivals - the Philadelphia festival in Cappadocia (and Nicaea too) and a celebration of the nymphs at the Aquae Calidae/Nymphaeum resort nearby Anchialus. The Glykon reverse with an obverse used and possibly meant initially for the special issues dedicated to the games and festival at the Nymphaeum could mean one of two things: 1. the Glykon was itself associated in some way with the celebrations, either those in honor of the Imperial family or the local festival and games given for the wedding in 202 or subsequent events, or in more broader therms linking Glykon with the Nymphaeum of Anchialus 2. the pairing is not premeditated but rather the result of using a still valid obverse die for a coinage ulterior to the celebratory issues, this could be strengthened by the pairing of this obverse die with a city gate reverse here. Similar types for Septimius Severus, minted likely in the same issue (or at least closely related chronologically) here and here. Another aspect interesting to note is that at this time ca. 202-4 the Severans went twice through Thracia -- first the whole Imperial family moving towards Rome for Septimius decennalia (Herodian 3.10.1) and then in 204 when Caracalla seems to have been taken office in Byzantium for the Severan 're-Ktisis' of the city following its positioning for Niger in the civil war (D. Boteva 'Emperor Septimius Severus and his family members visiting the province of Thrace: A.D. 193-204') -- so there was an intense Imperial activity in the general vicinity of Anchialus as this coinage was being minted.

The zoomorphic fibula 😘😘

Someone pls help the hopeful, I'd also want to know what that "Celtic imitation" is w/o going through Dembski, Lanz Col. or C.Preda.

I think that much of this perceived abundance is also due to the fact that during the 380s was the last great influx of Roman silver currency to Britain, before the island was evacuated by the military and authorities. And since the UK laws are collector and dealer-friendly, these coins enter easily and legally all markets.

Great story and coins, I really like the one with Sulla in quadriga most. Bust something is missing: maybe that guy playing jazz on the carnyx.