Captch Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 21, 2023 I'm showing off a Constans nummus I won at auction last month. I just cracked its slab this morning and I'm so tickled with the quality of the reverse. I bid on the coin because I loved the phoenix on the reverse. The phoenix was a typical design for Fel Temp reverses, though some coins feature phoenixes standing on a globe rather tha a stack of rocks What are your favorite bird coins? RIC VIII Sisica 241 Draped, diademmed bust of Constans, facing right. DN CONSTANS PF AVG. Radiate phoenix atop a pyramid of rocks. FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Gamma officina, Sisica (SIS) mint, type 3 mint mark in exergue. 26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 21, 2023 Nice! Here is my example of the type - I like the color and the overall style a lot! In older times, people were able to hold a phoenix, for example Faustina I Another coin with a bird I like a lot it is my smallest coin in the collection, a hemitetartemorion, 5 mm and 0,08 g (!) I will not post eagles as they are very often found on ancient coins (although many are extremely interesting) and I will just post my ostrich - one of the most interesting coins in my collection. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughie Dwyer Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 21, 2023 Nice coin. Here's mine - it is heavily cleaned by the previous owner but, overall, not too bad of a coin. The photo is not great either! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captch Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 57 minutes ago, ambr0zie said: In older times, people were able to hold a phoenix, for example Faustina I Once you're divine you can have all sorts of fun, I guess. 58 minutes ago, ambr0zie said: it is my smallest coin in the collection, a hemitetartemorion, 5 mm and 0,08 g (!) I want to say that's from Miletus, is that correct? I love these little coins - I can't imagine how they were at all useful. Your ostrich is really nice too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captch Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 @Hughie Dwyer, @ambr0zie It's always so funny to me how wildly inconsistent the late empire coins are. These coins were only made for about two years in Sisica, but we each have different combinations of mintmarks and characters after the mintmark. Surely there wasn't that much turnover in diemakers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 21, 2023 The most common & iconic bird seen on ancient coins is the eagle. My favorite Roman coin depicting an eagle is pictured below ☺️. The eagle is depicted holding a wreath in his beak & his talons are gripping the leg of a sacrificial animal. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captch Posted March 21, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted March 21, 2023 43 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said: My favorite Roman coin depicting an eagle is pictured below ☺️ Eagle coins don't normally speak to me because they're such a common motif. But this one is really nice. The details on the snake and legs are especially gorgeous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrefn Posted March 21, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted March 21, 2023 Here is a pair of eagles (not to be confused with paralegals.) Constantius I from London. I have always thought they resembled ravens. But then, I would. Hrefn is Old English for raven. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayAg47 Posted March 22, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 22, 2023 Not an ancient coin, but the bird on your follis looks highly similar to this 19th century hamza bird on a Cambodian coin. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted March 22, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted March 22, 2023 There’s the eagle from the Roman aquila, as copied on this Celtic coin:Verica Minim, AD10-40Silchester or Chichester, Atrebates tribe. Silver, 7mm, 0.35g. Wine cup; REX above. Eagle right; VERICA COMMI F around (S 159). 10 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotwheelsearl Posted March 22, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 22, 2023 3 hours ago, ambr0zie said: In older times, people were able to hold a phoenix, for example Faustina I Don't worry, they still could in the modern age. This coin is neat because the phoenix is of the nearly exact same type as the one on the mount. Coincidence? 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted March 22, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted March 22, 2023 Fun thread idea! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted March 22, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted March 22, 2023 Swan Asia Minor, Aeolis, Kyme Pseudo-autonomous issue AD 117-161. (Hadrian or Antoninus Pius) Obv: ΚYΜΑΙ, Head of Athena right Rev.: ΕΠΙ ΙΕΡΩΝVΜΟV, swan standing, right AE, 15 mm, 2,61g. Ref.: RPC IV.2, 211 (temporary), BMC 101, MG 272, no. 224 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted March 22, 2023 · Member Share Posted March 22, 2023 (edited) 12 hours ago, Captch said: I want to say that's from Miletus, is that correct? I love these little coins - I can't imagine how they were at all useful. Your ostrich is really nice too. There were discussions about this type. Some attributions are indeed Miletus such as https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2686053 or Mylasa https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=2580363 A very interesting thread here Other interesting birds I have - recently posted but I don't think anybody could hate this eagle who really wanted to appear in the picture with Helios (this one is definitely Mylasa) Another swan Here's a small raven on the upper side of the obverse on this Dyrrhachion drachm Probably the most iconic ancient bird on coins is the owl, but I do not have a popular Athens coin, except a hemiobol Also have a Seleukid owl Edited March 22, 2023 by ambr0zie 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captch Posted March 22, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 @Ryro that's quite the regal eagle on your third coin. @ambr0zie thanks for the links. I am very partial to the coins of Rhodes, so that's an awesome find. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted March 24, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted March 24, 2023 A chicken on 3rd century BCE aes grave from Hatria... Rooster on Ae from Cales , Campania... Eagle on denarius of Vespasian... Another rooster on Ae from Teanum Sidicinum , Campania... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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