A masterpiece can sometimes be in master-pieces: My new Herakleia ad Latmon/Athena has never looked better + a mystery monogram

[Ryro]

I often mock the wave of wealthy new ancient collectors that just want shiny, pretty silver and gold coins. But this one had been "speaking to me" for weeks. The horses racing off Athena's helmet, Pegasus, the little Nike and club (a reference to their namesake) on the reverse, and that stone cold look in her EYE made it a must have! And the price was right. 😊

As you can see, she's not all pretty though. A strange countermark behind her head (I've searched ac search and wild winds and cannot find another example with this countermark. Any help is appreciated) caused the coin to chip. Adding allure and affordability for me. 

IONIA, Herakleia ad Latmon. Circa 140-135 BC. AR Tetradrachm (33mm, 11.50 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Helmeted head of Athena right / Club; below, Nike advancing left, holding wreath, flanked by two monograms; all within oak wreath. Lavva, Silberprägung, Group III (unlisted dies); SNG Copenhagen 781; SNG von Aulock 1978. Chipped.very fine

Here are the city walls that remain at Herakleia ad Latmon:

Herakleia was known for their love of Athena (despite their name being after her half brother). Here are the remains of their temple of Athena:

Here are a couple other masterfully engraved coins of mine that ended up in master-pieces:

Bruttium, Kaulonia. Circa 525-500 BC. AR Nomos (31 mm, 6.63 g).

Obv. Apollo advancing right, holding branch aloft in right hand, left arm extended, upon which a small daimon, holding branch in each hand, runs right; KAVΛ to left; to right, stag standing right, head reverted.

Rev. Incuse of obverse, but daimon in outline and no ethnic.

Noe, Caulonia Group A, 1 (same dies).

Rare. Cracked in three parts, otherwise, very fine/fine

Purchased from Auctiones gmbh March 2021

 

Ptolemy II Philadelphos, 285-246 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 28 mm, 13.00 g, 12 h), Sidon, RY 32 = 254/3 BC. Diademed head of Ptolemy I to right, wearing aegis around neck. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ Eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt; to left, ΣI above monogram of MT; to right, ΛB. CPE 524. Svoronos 739. Crystallized, double struck and with some edge chipping, otherwise, about extremely fine. Purchased from Leu Numismatiks Aug 2021

 

 

Please share your masterpieces, chipped coins, Athena looking good, Herakleia 

Edited March 11 by Ryro

[Romismatist]

Hey @Ryro, The countermark looks kind of like an upside-down kantharos. Some of the Tarentine obols have this same style (not my coin, although I have several of this type: 

[JAZ Numismatics]

The countermark looks like an anchor, which suggests it's Seleucid, which fits the timeline of the coin and the northward expansion of the empire in the 2nd century BC. In their push for Greece, the Seleucids were particularly interested in securing the coastal cities of Anatolia, like Herakleia ad Latmon.

Edited March 12 by JAZ Numismatics

[Deinomenid]

Chipped, yes.  Just a little. And very recently purchased from a house much  in the news on these pages. I'm not  wholly sure  if it was  in some baron's ancestral loot pile but... What can I say,  I love Velia's coins, am intrigued by the theories about what happened to make them produce these  fourreés and it's  interesting to see "into" the coin.

By the way @Ryro I do think your first coin genuinely  IS beautiful - that's an amazing helmet etc.

 

Lucania, Velia Fourreé Drachm. Circa 440/35-400 BC. Head of nymph to left / YEΛH, owl standing to left on olive branch, head facing. Williams 190 (O119/R146); SNG ANS 1271; HN Italy 1272. 2.66g, 18mm, 6h. Good Very Fine; plating has broken away completely to reveal the core along one side of the coin.

 

 

 

Edited March 12 by Deinomenid
typo

[Roman Collector]

Cool coin, @Ryro! An enigmatic and interesting coin indeed! I love the horses galloping right off Athena's helmet. I'm afraid I don't have any coins of THAT Heraclea, but only the Heraclea on the Propontis in Thrace which was formerly known as Perinthus. But I DO have coins with flan chips and Athena looking good!

Here's a flan chip for you.

Faustina I, AD 138-140.
Roman Æ as, 7.67 g, 24.2 mm, 1 h.
Rome, AD 150 or later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, veiled and draped bust, right.
Rev: AETERNITAS S C, Aeternitas, seated left on starry globe, extending right hand and holding transverse sceptre in left hand.
Refs: RIC 1159b; BMCRE 1555-56; Cohen 23; Strack 1266; RCV 4639 var.

And Athena looking good!

Troas, Sigeion, c. 335 BC.
Greek Æ 12.2 mm, 2.37 g, 5 h.
Obv: Head of Athena facing slightly right, wearing triple crested helmet and necklace.
Rev: ΣΙΓΕ, owl standing right, head facing; crescent to left.
Refs: BMC 17.86,7-10; SNG von Aulock 7637; SNG Ashmolean 1214–6; SNG Copenhagen 496–8; Sear 4145.

[Ryro]

23 minutes ago, JAZ Numismatics said:

The countermark looks like an anchor, which suggests it's Seleucid, which fits the timeline of the coin and the northward expansion of the empire in the 2nd century BC. In their push for Greece, the Seleucids were particularly interested in securing the coastal cities of Anatolia, like Herakleia ad Latmon.

You've nailed it! Don't ask how I didn't put that together. 

 

Ps, I miss your auctions where are they taking place?

[kirispupis]

That's a gorgeous pickup! I noticed it at the auction today and remarked how pretty it was (and luckily didn't bid since it's too late for my collection)

As far as I can tell, they only started minting coins in the new city. The older Latmos didn't mint any we can attribute. Per Wikipedia, it was briefly called Pleistarcheia after Pleistarchos, so here's one of his coins (under Kassander), though it was not minted in Pleistarcheia as far as we know.

 

I do have one coin from another Herakleia.

BITHYNIA, Herakleia Pontika.
Dionysios, 337-305 BCE
AR Drachm 4.4 gm, 12h, 18mm
Obv: Head of young Dionysos, left. Rev: Naked Herakles erecting a trophy.
SNG.vAul.6936

 

[Ryro]

7 minutes ago, kirispupis said:

That's a gorgeous pickup! I noticed it at the auction today and remarked how pretty it was (and luckily didn't bid since it's too late for my collection)

As far as I can tell, they only started minting coins in the new city. The older Latmos didn't mint any we can attribute. Per Wikipedia, it was briefly called Pleistarcheia after Pleistarchos, so here's one of his coins (under Kassander), though it was not minted in Pleistarcheia as far as we know.

 

I do have one coin from another Herakleia.

BITHYNIA, Herakleia Pontika.
Dionysios, 337-305 BCE
AR Drachm 4.4 gm, 12h, 18mm
Obv: Head of young Dionysos, left. Rev: Naked Herakles erecting a trophy.
SNG.vAul.6936

 

Thanks, my man!

As much I I despise Kassander, the helmet type is a must for any Macedonian collector. And yours is fantastic

 Here's my best:

Kassander

(316-297 BC). Ae. Uncertain Macedonian mint.

Obv: Helmet left.

Rev: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / KAΣΣANΔΡOΥ.

Spear head.

SNG München 1035; HGC 3.1, 999.

Condition: Very fine.

Weight: 3.98 g.

Diameter: 18 mm.

Purchased from Numismatik Naumann April 2022

[AETHER]

In lamens terms, that shit is amazing 

[shanxi]

9 hours ago, Ryro said:

Please share your chipped coins

Nice portrait, but.....

Balbinus
AR Denarius,Rome, AD 238
Obv.: Laureateand drapedbust right
Rev.: Victory standing facing, head left, holding wreath and palm
Ag, 1.56g, 20.4mm
Ref.: RIC IV 8, RSC 27
"Crystallised", fragile and broken

 

[NewStyleKing]

A lovely member of the Stephanophore or wreath bearing family of ,generally tetradrachm sized coinage struck mid-2nd century  . These coins are proud civic pieces....see the Great Transformation by Andrew Meadows on academia. edu.

From absent friends: the Gaziantep Hoard Houghton & Meadows on academia.edu

 Heracleia ad Latmon. This substantial coinage appears to have been struck from around 30 obverse dies, which makes it as large as or larger than the coinages of Cyzicus, Aegae or Smyrna, all of which are represented in the Gaziantep hoard.30 Taken at face value, this evidence suggests that the issues of Heracleia must post-date the autumn of 143 BC

The horse protomes of the Heraklia coins reminds me of...... on this pseudo Athenian Newstyle by marcus Lucullus on this Sullan coinage.  Stephanophores are lovely coins  but even the common Myrhina and Kyme examples have ballooned in price-shame  Athens NewStyles are, of course, stephanophores. And since the start date is c 164 BC, they come at the near beginning of the wreath bearing issues.

Anyone like to take up the baton and read up on and write about the wreath bearing issues?

Edited March 12 by NewStyleKing

[Ryro]

4 hours ago, shanxi said:

Nice portrait, but.....

Balbinus
AR Denarius,Rome, AD 238
Obv.: Laureateand drapedbust right
Rev.: Victory standing facing, head left, holding wreath and palm
Ag, 1.56g, 20.4mm
Ref.: RIC IV 8, RSC 27
"Crystallised", fragile and broken

 

I feel ya. Here's mine:

Did the chubby old guy go around taking bites out of his coins or something?

 

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Ooh, that portrait!  Even with one good eye (the other one is slowly coming back) I can see that.  That one's a keeper.

Did crystallization cause the chipping, not the countermark?  That would also account somewhat for the weight, although maybe 3 grams would have been lost due to breakage?

 

Electrum histamenon nomisma, DOC III-2 3b, Wroth BMC 7, Morrisson BnF 56/Cp/AV/01, Ratto 2051, SBCV 1881, Sommer 56.3, gVF, scyphate, broken, 1/3 missing, Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) mint, weight 2.812g, maximum diameter 30.23mm, die axis 180^o, 1078 - 1081 A.D.; obverse Christ seated facing, throne without back, nimbus cruciger with no pellets in cross, wearing pallium and colobium, raising right hand in benediction, gospels in left hand, IC - XC (Greek abbreviation: Ihso�s Xrist�s - Jesus Christ) flanking head; reverse +NIKHFP ∆EC TW ROTANIAT, Nicephorus standing facing on footstool, bearded, wearing crown and loros, holding labarum with cross on shaft and globus cruciger, all inside double border; from the Robert Wachter Collection;   Ex Forum

 

Crystallized Hadrian:

 

 

[Ryro]

6 hours ago, NewStyleKing said:

A lovely member of the Stephanophore or wreath bearing family of ,generally tetradrachm sized coinage struck mid-2nd century  . These coins are proud civic pieces....see the Great Transformation by Andrew Meadows on academia. edu.

From absent friends: the Gaziantep Hoard Houghton & Meadows on academia.edu

 Heracleia ad Latmon. This substantial coinage appears to have been struck from around 30 obverse dies, which makes it as large as or larger than the coinages of Cyzicus, Aegae or Smyrna, all of which are represented in the Gaziantep hoard.30 Taken at face value, this evidence suggests that the issues of Heracleia must post-date the autumn of 143 BC

The horse protomes of the Heraklia coins reminds me of...... on this pseudo Athenian Newstyle by marcus Lucullus on this Sullan coinage.  Stephanophores are lovely coins  but even the common Myrhina and Kyme examples have ballooned in price-shame  Athens NewStyles are, of course, stephanophores. And since the start date is c 164 BC, they come at the near beginning of the wreath bearing issues.

Anyone like to take up the baton and read up on and write about the wreath bearing issues?

Beauuuuuutiful new style!

I know if another coin tetradrachm group of the Stephanophore type:

Edited March 12 by Ryro

[NewStyleKing]

I don't think they are Stephanophore's...but I think it's an oak wreath..I have never read of them being in the Wreathed list!  I wish someone would find the list! The Tauro poulos? macedonian coins are terrific.

Oak wreaths from Numiswiki

Edited March 12 by NewStyleKing

[thejewk]

A small chip, corrosion and a big old flan crack couldn't stop me from going for what I think is a lovely portrait on this Faustina II under Antoninus Pius.

Your new coin is lovely Ryro.

[NewStyleKing]

Someone has taken a bite out of Isis. May the goddess fire thunderbolts at them!

Athens New Style Tetradrachm c 83/2 BC

Obs : Athena Parthenos right in tri-form helmet
29 mm 16.82 gm

Thompson issue 82 Thompson catalogue:ll69a
Rev : ΑΘΕ ethnic
Owl standing on overturned panathenaic amphora
on which month mark Θ control ΔI below
2 magistrates : ARCHITIMOS DEMETRI
RF symbol : Isis 

 wearing kantharos and holding rattle

 

All surrounded by an olive wreath

[Edessa]

My deal is test cuts. If I can find an otherwise desirable coin with a test cut at a discounted price, I have a hard time passing on it. It's probably a super-weakness rather than a super-power, but there it is.

Cilicia, Issos. Circa 385-375 BC. AR Stater (22mm, 8h). Obv: Bust of Athena right, wearing triple crested Attic helmet and beaded necklace. Rev: Ba'al standing facing, head left, with phiale in right hand, grounded lotus scepter in left; PNKS (in Aramaic) to left. Ref: Casabonne Type 5; SNG BN 415 (same obverse die). NGC Very Fine, test cut, die shift. Ex Heritage Auction 232305 (1 Feb 2023), Lot 61071. 

Thraco-Macedonian Region. Siris, circa 525-480 BC. AR Stater (21mm, 9.90g). Obv: Ithyphallic satyr standing right, grasping hand of nymph fleeing right; three pellets around. Rev: Quadripartite incuse square divided diagonally. Ref: AMNG III 14 (as Lete); SNG ANS 955-61 (as Lete), HGC 3, 531 (“Lete”). Good very fine but with deep test cut. Ex N Naumann Auction 90 (7 Jun 2020), Lot 107. 

[ominus1]

..my most favorite chunky one...and one i'd LOVE to have, but ain't cheap even chunked!..