MAGNA GRECIA LUCANIA PAESTUM

[Ancient Aussie]

Recently received another of these interesting Greek coins depicting a double story building in Paestum, southern Italy, having already owned (this one below) one I am always on the lookout for better quality reverse (building) as most I have seen are a bit shabby.

So along comes this the obverse is not any better but more detail on reverse.

MAGNA GRECIA
LUCANIA
PAESTUM (Poseidonia)
Bronze semis. Circa 90-44 BC.
16.2mm, 3.9gm.
Obv: Female head right; MINEIA • M • F behind.
Rev: Two-story building; P-S flanking upper floor, S-C flanking lower.
Crawford, Paestum 38b; HN Italy 1258.
Rare.

Please share any Southern Italy coins as would love to see them.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Ancient Aussie

[Limes]

Interesting coin, I have not seen it before. Do you know the story behind the building on the reverse? Or is it a general display and adoration of the ancient skyscraper? 

[Ancient Aussie]

11 minutes ago, Limes said:

Interesting coin, I have not seen it before. Do you know the story behind the building on the reverse? Or is it a general display and adoration of the ancient skyscraper? 

From what I understand this is the rare instance of a woman signing as the sponsor of a coinage issue. Mineia is also known from contemporary inscriptions as a major benefactor of the city of Paestum. The building, a public structure of some sort, may be another of her donations to the city, and it is even conceivable the female head is a portrait of Mineia herself.

[Deinomenid]

That would be great if so!

I  have  this one from Paestum under its earlier name Poseidonia.

As a complete aside, as a child  I saw a wedding blessing take place at  one of the temples there. It was an almost magical sight. (To clarify, I mean I saw this  fairly recently. I am not exceptionally long-lived.)

Northern Lucania, Poseidonia, Nomos, c. 445-420, ποmεsδα, Poseidon standing right, casting trident, chlamys draped over shoulders, rev. bull standing left on single exergue line, ποmε (retrograde) above, 8.09g.

[Ancient Aussie]

2 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

That would be great if so!

I  have  this one from Paestum under its earlier name Poseidonia.

As a complete aside, as a child  I saw a wedding blessing take place at  one of the temples there. It was an almost magical sight. (To clarify, I mean I saw this  fairly recently. I am not exceptionally long-lived.)

Northern Lucania, Poseidonia, Nomos, c. 445-420, ποmεsδα, Poseidon standing right, casting trident, chlamys draped over shoulders, rev. bull standing left on single exergue line, ποmε (retrograde) above, 8.09g.

Fantastic coin with great detail of Poseidon. Yes I visited a couple of years back, magical place fantastic temples and what about that huge swimming pool in amongst the temples.

[Ryro]

So cool! I love the buildings on yours!

Here is a beautifully rendered and very rare coin from there. I purchased from one of @Severus Alexander's AMAZING auctions

LUCANIA, Thurium as Copia (193-150 BCE) AE As. 9.40g, 22mm.
Obv: Laureate head of Janus
Rev: COPIA in right field; Cornucopia, caduceus and I (mark of value) in left field.
HN Italy 1935. Very rare. cf. CNG E-Auction 374, 11.05.2016, lot 9 (hammer 260 USD); same dies as NAC Auction 84, 20.05.2015, lot 564 (hammer 2250 CHF)
Very rare and in fine style.
Purchased from AMCC3 July 2021