Benefactor robinjojo Posted November 10, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Posted November 10, 2022 This is my most recent addition to my very spotty collection of new style owls. While this coin does fill in a hole, the entire number of gaps resembles a piece of swiss cheese. The coin arrived today after a slight shipping delay from CNG. They've been very busy, this being "high season" for auctions, so shipments have slowed down, I've been told. This owl has an interesting reverse. How rare or scarce it is, I don't know. This is a Thompson 757d owl. Thompson has this to say about the reverse: "In the right field of the Herakleides-Eukles reverses there is an elaborate and somewhat puzzling symbol. A draped female figure with wings stands before an amphora on a low base. Her left hand holds a cornucopiae while her right is extended over the mouth of the amphora. This symbol has been variously described : Nike sacrificing with a patera, winged Tyche dropping a vote into an amphora, Nike crowning an amphora, and Nike holding a cornucopiae and dropping a voting pebble into a vase on a base. Uncertainty regarding the object in the right hand is inevitable in view of the small scale of the drawing and there is, furthermore, a lack of consistency in the representation. In some cases the woman seems to be holding ears of grain, as Nos. 751b and 753c (PLATE 82) and, even more clearly, No. 783b (PLATE 86). On other dies she has a rounded object which I think must be a patera (Nos. 756a and 757b of PLATE 82)." I doubt that the winged figure on the reverse is Tyche, and the figure on the reverse is winged. I've never seen a winged version of her, but someone might be better informed. I think the figure is meant to be Nike, holding a cornucopia, and since we just had a general election I go for the interpretation that she is drooping a vote pebble into an odd shaped amphora. I can't think what else that object could be. The coin is quite nice, with much detail, but it has been cleaned to a bright surface by someone with the cleaning zeal, making photographing it a challenge for me. I apologize for the marginal quality - still on a very long learning curve. This coin has a bold M for the month on the amphora as well as ΣO control below. Athens, new style tetradrachm, c. 165-42 BC, struck 106/5 BC. From CNG eAuction 525 lot 206. Thompson 757d 16.73 grams Since I am at best a rank armature when it come to new styles, any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks 14 Quote
Benefactor kirispupis Posted November 10, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Posted November 10, 2022 Nice coin! Not going to even speculate on the answers to your questions because we have an expert here on these coins and I'm sure he'll see this. 🙂 However, I can show off my own owl that I recently received also from CNG. When I redo my photography setup, I'm definitely going to have to revisit this one because it's way too reflective. EGYPT, Achaemenid Province. Artaxerxes III Okhos. As Pharaoh of Egypt 343/2-338/7 BCE AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 15.07 g, 9h) Imitating Athens. Head of Athena right, with frontal eye, wearing earring and crested Attic helmet decorated with three olive leaves over visor and a spiral palmette on the bowl Owl standing right, head facing; olive spray and crescent to left, “Artaxerxes Pharaoh” in two-line Demotic A script to right. two test cuts on either side, obv. punch. Van Alfen Type I, 1–5 = Price, More 147–9; O. Mørkholm, “A Coin of Artaxerxes III” in NC 1974, pl. I, 7–8; cf. Meadows, Administration 329; Mildenberg, Münzwesen 124. Ex CNG I also have another owl that just shipped today from CNG. This one is a "mini-owl" but is a type I've been after (and lost) for some time now. It's one of a record four pri-1 coins I picked up at that auction and I'm anxious to receive + share it. It's a Judean owl minted by Hezekiah. 11 Quote
Benefactor robinjojo Posted November 10, 2022 · Benefactor Author Benefactor Posted November 10, 2022 I really like that Artaxerxes III Okhos owl. It has real character and the inscription on the reverse is quite clear. I'm really looking forward to seeing your Judean owl. 1 Quote
NewStyleKing Posted November 10, 2022 · Member Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) The thing about this coin is that the same coin design and 2 leading magistrates appear again after 1 years gap 58 107/6 Winged Tyche & Amphora A HERAKLEIDES - EUKLES 1 59 106/5 No Symbol THEODOTOS - KLEOPHANES 60 105/4 Winged Tyche & Amphora B HERAKLEIDES - EUKLES 2 N A drachm obverse die links A with "No Symbol". Various obverse links A or B to other coins. B is also intercalary.N Weird eh? But the boring NewStyles are like that! Much more interesting than the OldStyle quotidian, boring banal badly struck crapped flanned OldStyle The example above is what I call Type A and Thompson (l) I never collected either myself! Edited November 10, 2022 by NewStyleKing 3 Quote
Benefactor robinjojo Posted November 10, 2022 · Benefactor Author Benefactor Posted November 10, 2022 11 hours ago, NewStyleKing said: The thing about this coin is that the same coin design and 2 leading magistrates appear again after 1 years gap 58 107/6 Winged Tyche & Amphora A HERAKLEIDES - EUKLES 1 59 106/5 No Symbol THEODOTOS - KLEOPHANES 60 105/4 Winged Tyche & Amphora B HERAKLEIDES - EUKLES 2 N A drachm obverse die links A with "No Symbol". Various obverse links A or B to other coins. B is also intercalary.N Weird eh? But the boring NewStyles are like that! Much more interesting than the OldStyle quotidian, boring banal badly struck crapped flanned OldStyle The example above is what I call Type A and Thompson (l) I never collected either myself! Thanks! I don't collect the new styles to any great extent, not to mention systematically. The acquisition process is quite random and episodic for me. The strike and centering of this coin were main features that caught my attention. I wish that I had more time and resources (time and funds) to pursue this segment of Athenian coinage, but I've found the competition for really high grade example too intense at auctions and on dealers' price lists. I guess this is just the old law of supply and demand kicking in, as is often the case with ancient and modern coins. 1 Quote
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