Friends of the "Cimmerian Bosporus Stater"

[Prieure de Sion]

Hello...

months ago I got my first Elektron Stater of the Kingdom of Bosporus by chance. Since then, I've been infatuated with these little Electron coins. As they are not always well represented in auctions, I only have a very small collection consisting of three specimens. So you can't really call it a collection.

Here at CollecOnline - here I have also tried to gather some information: 
https://www.colleconline.com/de/collection-items/17017/munzen-antike-bis-romische-provinzial-cimmerian-bosporus-stater

Are there any other collectors from this area? I am always pleased when I discover one or the other stater in other collections. Unfortunately, it is not easy to get hold of literature. And if it is, it is usually in Cyrillic. 

 

Here are my three in order, gold stater of Septimius Severus with Sauromates II, gold stater of Elagabal with Rhescuporis II and yes, this is not a b/w picture, it is a stater where the silver content is higher (golden silver, white gold) of Severus Alexander with Divus Rhescuporis II or III. But as I said, this is not yet a collection. It is hard to find nice pieces at an acceptable price.

 

[Qcumbor]

I love those @Prieure de Sion, but you already know that from Colleconline

I can't but show mine again here 😊

Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 491 (194-195 CE)
BACIΛΕωC CAVPOMATOV (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Sauromates II right
Laureate head of Septimius Severus right. Star in right field. Retrograd VPA at exergue (year 491)
7,69 gr – 20 mm
Ref : MacDonald # 502/2, Sear # 5476 var

 

Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 513 (216-217 CE)
BACIΛΕωC ΡHCKOΥΠOΡIΔOC (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Rhescuporis II right, before, trident.
Laureate and draped bust of Caracalla right. ΓΙΦ at exergue (year 513)
7,63 gr – 18 mm
Ref : MacDonald # 556/3

 

Q

[Prieure de Sion]

14 minutes ago, Qcumbor said:

I love those @Prieure de Sion, but you already know that from Colleconline

Yes we connected us at CollecOnline... and I love you too... your bosporus coins 😄 

#1. I like both portraits. They are both so clear and distinct. 

#2. I don't have a Caracalla, so I envy you (positive). And your Caracalla is more beautiful than my Elegabal. I think my Elegabal is a bit rough. And your Caracalla is so beautifully even. 

 

But they are all interesting and beautiful coins from the Bosporus. You only see so few. 

[kapphnwn]

I like these staters as well. 

Av Stater of Rhoemetalkes131-132 AD Obv Bust of Rhoemetalkes right diademed and draped. Rv. Head of Hadrian right laureate Below date MacDonald 437/2 RPC 908 This coin illustrated 7.77 grms  20 mm Photo by W. Hansen

 When I acquired the coin back in 2004  it was described as being Hadrian with Cotys II  When I started to process the coin I noticed a problem. The legend did not match up. Most of the now standard references on this coinage were unavailable to me at this time however I was able to identify the king as Rhoemetalkes. This is where things remained until about the summer of 2019. I was involved in creating new computer generated identification cards to be placed in the flips housing my coins. Thus I had to revisit all my old work. I was looking for the likely mint attribution for this coin and could not find one in MacDonald. I then checked RPC and found that my coin was now the plate specimen. They also corrected the error as well.

Edited July 3, 2022 by kapphnwn
spelling error

[Prieure de Sion]

7 minutes ago, kapphnwn said:

Av Stater of Rhoemetalkes131-132 AD Obv Bust of Rhoemetalkes right diademed and draped. Rv. Head of Hadrian right laureate Below date MacDonald 437/2 RPC 908 This coin illustrated 7.77 grms  20 mm Photo by W. Hansen

Oh... 😍 what a nice Hadrian Porträt. A excellent fine coin. Congratulations. Applaus for that coin.

9 minutes ago, kapphnwn said:

When I acquired the coin back in 2004  it was described as being Hadrian with Cotys II  When I started to prpcess the coin I noticed a problem. The legend did not match up. Most of the now standard references on this coinage were unavailable to me at this time however I was able to identify the king as Rhoemetalkes. This is where things remained until about the summer of 2019. I was involved in creating new computer generated identification cards to be placed in the flips housing my coins. Thus I had to revisit all my old work. I was looking for the likely mint attribution for this coin and could not find one in MacDonald. I then checked RPC and found that my coin was now the plate specimen. They also corrected the error as well.

Ah ok, interesting...

[Charles H]

Interesting coins . I only have one 

Bosporan Kingdom, Eupator with Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus (154-172 AD), EL Stater

Stanisławski 363  MacDonald 470/6

[Prieure de Sion]

34 minutes ago, Charles H said:

Interesting coins . I only have one 

Only one ... ha ha ha ... he said ONLY one... ONLY...!

I'll give you my nose, or my ear - left right doesn't matter ... or do you want a finger for your rare beautiful coin?

 

😄 

[El Cazador]

I think I posted mine before, but here it is again

 

 

Edited June 23, 2022 by El Cazador

[Prieure de Sion]

On 6/23/2022 at 4:22 PM, El Cazador said:

I think I posted mine before, but here it is again

Oh cool & nice - a double Severan Porträt!

[El Cazador]

2 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Oh cool & nice - a double Severan Porträt!

Yeah, seems like we like the same stuff:)) 

[Prieure de Sion]

Yes! I got it. That's fine - my Sunday evening is safe - I can close the auction and get some ice cream outside in the garden 🙂
Won this Bosporus Stater yet with Naumann Auction.

Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Caracalla
Pantikapaion, Kingdom of the Bosporus
Elektron Gold Stater, 216/217 AD, MacDonald 556/2

Av: Draped bust of Rhescuporis II with diadema to the right. In front of it a club (attribute of Heracles), ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰϹ · PHCKOVΠOPIΔOC
Rv: Draped bust of Caracalla with laurel wreath to the right, ΓIΦ (Gamma 3 + Iota 10 + Phi 500 = BE 513)

 

[El Cazador]

9 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Yes! I got it. That's fine - my Sunday evening is safe - I can close the auction and get some ice cream outside in the garden 🙂
Won this Bosporus Stater yet with Naumann Auction.

Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Caracalla
Pantikapaion, Kingdom of the Bosporus
Elektron Gold Stater, 216/217 AD, MacDonald 556/2

Av: Draped bust of Rhescuporis II with diadema to the right. In front of it a club (attribute of Heracles), ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰϹ · PHCKOVΠOPIΔOC
Rv: Draped bust of Caracalla with laurel wreath to the right, ΓIΦ (Gamma 3 + Iota 10 + Phi 500 = BE 513)

 

Congratulations on your win, my only target was lot #250, it went slightly over what i was willing to spend

 

[Prieure de Sion]

24 minutes ago, El Cazador said:

Congratulations on your win, my only target was lot #250, it went slightly over what i was willing to spend

Oh that's fantastic. Gratulations. If you like ist - and I think so - you have spend the right 🙂 

[El Cazador]

33 minutes ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Oh that's fantastic. Gratulations. If you like ist - and I think so - you have spend the right 🙂 

I didn’t win it, was a bit rich on the expenses side

[Prieure de Sion]

oh 😞 

[Qcumbor]

1 hour ago, Prieure de Sion said:

Yes! I got it. That's fine - my Sunday evening is safe - I can close the auction and get some ice cream outside in the garden 🙂
Won this Bosporus Stater yet with Naumann Auction.

Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Caracalla
Pantikapaion, Kingdom of the Bosporus
Elektron Gold Stater, 216/217 AD, MacDonald 556/2

Av: Draped bust of Rhescuporis II with diadema to the right. In front of it a club (attribute of Heracles), ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰϹ · PHCKOVΠOPIΔOC
Rv: Draped bust of Caracalla with laurel wreath to the right, ΓIΦ (Gamma 3 + Iota 10 + Phi 500 = BE 513)

 

Glad you got it. It's the same reference as my example shown above, except for the club instead of trident on the obverse right field. Congrats on a great acquisition

Q

[Prieure de Sion]

15 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

Glad you got it. It's the same reference as my example shown above, except for the club instead of trident on the obverse right field. Congrats on a great acquisition

Yes I see it 🙂 you got the 556/3 club-version. 

15 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

It's the same reference as my example shown above, except for the club instead of trident on the obverse right field.

However, I am a little confused or sceptical about the MacDonald Type 556. The coin is assigned to Caracalla. But somehow the profile of the portrait reminds me more of Elagabal than Caracalla, if I'm honest.

 

218 AD – MacDonald 558/3 – Stater Bosporus – Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Elagabal

 

216 AD – MacDonald 556/2 – Stater Bosporus – Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Caracalla

 

But the date is actually clear on the Caracalla coin.

ΓIΦ = Gamma (3) + Iota (10) + Phi (500) = 513
Dated year 513 of the Bosporan era = 216/217 AD

So it "must" be Caracalla in the portrait. But the problem I have. It is one of the last Caracalla Bosphorus stater with 216/217 AD. So it is the last portrait of Caracalla!

Dated 212 AD:

Dated 213 AD:

Datet 215 AD:

 

 

Why do the Bosphorus Caracalla coins from 211 to 215 show a bearded Caracalla and just in the last year he is beardless?

And I don't know if I'm imagining it - the portraits from 211 to 215 show a different Caracalla type to me than our MacDonald 552/var. The MacDonald 552/var reminds me more of the features of the upcoming Elagabal coinage.

But the problem is. The date clearly shows 513 = 216/217 AD.

But maybe I'm looking at it completely wrong.

 

[Prieure de Sion]

It is not a stater. It is not an electron. But it had "Bosporus" written on it in the auction and I liked it. So I dared to bid. And I won it. But if I'm honest. I know it belongs to the "Cimmerian Bosporus" - but that's all I know. I have no idea (yet) what I actually got. But I thought it suited the collecting area. Maybe. I hope so.

(And now, unfortunately, I have to go offline - as punishment I have to set up my wife's rowing machine - I had to buy this for her as compensation for my orders).

 

Greek coins, BOSPORUS.
Pantikapaion. Perisad I
Tetrahalk 330 - 315 B.C.
Bronze. 6,53 g. 21.5 mm.
Vs: Head Pan (satyr) right.
R.: ПАN, forepart of griffin left, fish below.
 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Prieure de Sion

[UkrainiiVityaz]

 

Pantikapeum - Пантикапеум

 

The city state of Pantikapeum was quite possibly founded by Greeks from Miletos in Asia Minor, they possibly settled the Cimmerian Bosporus beginning in the 7th century BC. This city is located roughly near modern Kerch in Ukraine. Coinage with the satyr, Pan and the bull reverse with the legend PAN was issued beginning in the 3rd century BC.

A similar example with a curious feature of having a spur which was subsequently pushed back into the flan of the coin, this piece is also slightly off of centre.

[UkrainiiVityaz]

 

Phanagoria - Фанагория

Phanagoria was founded in the 6th century BC by colonists fleeing Asia Minor in the wake of the expansion of the Persian Empire. The city was located on what is now the Taman Peninsula in Russia, directly across and east from the Crimean Peninsula in what is now Ukraine. Phanagoria was a strategically located centre of trade and commerce and had a long lineage of rulers that continued to reign until ca. 108 BC when the ruler Paerisades V lost his kingdom to the Skythians.

This coin was one of the last issued under the original kingdom that flourished in that region, the King Paerisades V and is a dimunitive AE11 that has a portrait of a bearded Satyr on the obverse and a bow and arrow and the legend "ФА". In the first century Phanagoria became part of a client state of the Roman Empire under their Bosporan Kingdom.

[Prieure de Sion]

 

Lucius Septimius Severus Pertinax; Reign: Sauromates II under Septimius Severus; Mint: Pantikapaion, Bosporus, Kingdom of the Bosporus; Date: 196/197 AD; Nominal: Stater; Material: EL Gold; Diameter: 19mm; Weight: 7.66g; Reference: RPC IV.1 25095 (this coin); Reference: McDonald 540/2; Reference: Frolova, p. 175, pl. XXXI.35–7 and pl. XXXII.1–6; Rare: Specimens 1 (0 in the core collections); Obverse: Draped bust of Sauromates II wearing diadem, right; Inscription: ΒΑϹΙΛƐⲰϹ ϹΑΥΡΟΜΑΤΟΥ; Translation: Basileos Sauromatou; Translation: King Sauromates [II]; Reverse: Laureate head of Septimius Severus, right; to right, star; Inscription: ΓϞΥ; Translation: Gamma (3) + Koppa (90) + Ypsilon (400) = 493; Translation: Dated year 493 of the Bosporan era = 196/197 AD

 

RPC Online Plate coin: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/25095 

 

 

Tiberius Iulius Sauromates Philocaesar Philoromaios Eusebes (meaning: the emperor’s friend, friend of Rome, the pious), also known as Sauromates II, was a Roman client king of the Bosporan kingdom from 173/174 to 210/211 AD. Sauromates was the son (or grandson) and heir of the Bosporan king Eupator. Nothing is historically known about his mother. He took the title Sauromates II in honor of a paternal ancestor and former Bosporan king of the same name. Although his name „Sauromates“ indicates alleged Sarmatian ancestry through marriages to Sarmatian princesses, this does not necessarily mean that those who bore the title were actual Sarmatians. Despite his rather long reign, little is known about his reign and life. Surviving coins show the image of a very religious person. He especially promoted the goddess Aphrodite and her cult. In 193 AD Sauromates successfully ended a military campaign against the tribes of the Scythians and Sarmatians. An inscription from Tanais is dedicated to these victories and honors the king and his military successes. The campaigns began around 186 AD and triggered a financial crisis in the Bosporan kingdom. To improve the weakening economy of his kingdom, Sauromates II initiated a series of monetary reforms in 186 AD that gradually reduced the weight of his bronze coins over the course of a decade while increasing the circulation of the golden stater. In the last decade of the 2nd century AD, Sauromates coins increasingly featured the portrait of Septimius Severus (Septimius alone or together with members of the imperial family). It is not known whether this was an order from the Roman emperor to his client or whether the Bosporan king did it at his own request. Since the sources are somewhat ambiguous, the relationships are still not completely clear. Sauromates II married a historically unknown woman, from whose marriage at least one son was born. Sauromates II ruled until 210/211 AD then his, historically secured, son Rhescuporis II followed on the Bosporan throne. He in turn ruled together with his son Rhescuporis III until the year 227/228 AD. In this year both the father and the son died, so that now Cotys III succeeded him. It is now unclear whether Cotys III was another son of Sauromates II or of Rhescuporis II.

 

The Bosporan Era (BE for Bosporan Era or also AB for Latin Anno Bospori) was a calendar era (year numbering) which began in the Black Sea region and in parts of Asia Minor with the acceptance of the royal title of Zipoetes I of Bithynia in October 297 BC. This year marked the beginning of the census and thus the first year. Its origin was in the Bithynian Kingdom, was also used in the Pontic and longest in the Bosporan Kingdom. The Bithyno-Pontic era had already fallen into disuse in northern Asia after the Roman conquest in 63 BC. However, there is no evidence that it was suppressed by Roman authorities. Rather, local authorities probably preferred to adopt new epochs to commemorate their accession to the Roman province of Bithynia et Pontus. The province thus had several different dating systems in use. In contrast, the calendar era in the Bosporan Kingdom did not end until about 497/498 AD. The earliest inscriptions of the Bosphoran calendar era testify to the years 313 BE (17 AD) and 325 BE (29 AD) and mention the reigning king Aspurgus. The last inscriptions using the calendar era date back to 794 BE (497/498 AD). The first Bosphoran coins bearing the era date from the reign of Pharnaces II (son of Mithridates VI) in 55/54 BC. However, his kingdom was limited to the Cimmerian Bosphorus and the coins were more of the Pontic type. The first clear Bosphoran coins date from 281 BE (17/16 BC) and were issued by Queen Dynamis. The Bosporan coin series ended under the reign of Rhescuporis VI in 341 AD. The gold stater presented here is dated 493 BE. Starting from October 297 BC as year 0, the Gregorian calendar gives the year 196/197 AD.

  

I love these little Giold Staters - today DHL Express brought me another example of these great coins. 

[Edessa]

 

Kings of Bosporus. Rheskouporis II, AD 211-228, and Elagabalus. EL Stater (20mm, 7.65g, 11h). Dated Year 516 (AD 219/220). Obv: ΒΑCΙΛΕѠC ΡΗCΚΟΥΠΟΡΙΔΟC; Diademed bust of Rheskouporis right. Rev: Laureate bust of Elagabalus right; star before, date below. Ref: Anokin 636a (same dies), Frolova pl/XLVII, 37 (same dies - Rheskouporis III). Good Very Fine. Ex CNG 49 (17 Mar 1999), Lot 952, 

Kings of Bosporus. Kotys III, AD 227-234, with Severus Alexander. EL Stater (20mm, 7.49g, 1h). Dated Bosporan Era 525 (AD 228/229). Obv: BACIΛЄѠC KOTYOC; Diademed and draped bust of Kotys right. Rev: Laureate head of Severus Alexander right; ЄKΦ (date) below, pellet before. Ref: MacDonald 574/1; Anokhin 655; Frolova pl. LV, 11. Nice Very Fine, slight scratches in reverse field. Ex Atlantis.

Kings of Bosporus, Rhescuporis V with Constantine I (?), AD 314/5-341/2 or AD 342/3. BI Stater (19mm, 7.88g, 12h). Dated BЄ 621 (AD 324/5). Obv: BACIΛЄOC PICKOYΠOP; Diademed and draped bust of Rhescuporis V right, wearing taenia, wreath before. Rev: Diademed and draped bust of Roman emperor right (Constantine I?); AK-X (date) across field. Ref: MacDonald 680.2; Anokhin 770. About Very Fine, nice brown patina, minor roughness on obverse.

 

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Edessa

[Qcumbor]

Some wonderful additions to this thread lately folks !

Even though I already showed off my last Bosporus stater on the "Leu wins thread", I can't but post it again here (with my own picture this time), as I think it fully belongs in this thread

Bosporan kingdom – El stater, dated 420 (123-124 CE)
ΒΑϹΙΛΕⲰϹ ΚΟΤΥΟϹ (anticlockwise). Draped and diademed bust of Cotys II right.
Laureate and draped bust of Hadrian right. KY at exergue (year 420)
7,71 gr – 19 mm - 1 h
Ref : RPC III # 878 (this coin illustrated), Anokhin # 471,  MacDonald # 422

Provenance : Ex CNG e-auction # 454/236 (10-16-2019), Ex Eric (Okidoki) Ten Brink collection, Leu web auction # 26/2523 (07-10-2023)

 

Q

Edited August 13, 2023 by Qcumbor

[CPK]

Beautiful stater @Qcumbor!

[Prieure de Sion]

18 hours ago, Qcumbor said:

Even though I already showed off my last Bosporus stater on the "Leu wins thread", I can't but post it again here (with my own picture this time), as I think it fully belongs in this thread

The beautiful stater is very welcome here 🙂

I had also seen your coin at Leu and wanted to bid on it first. But I still had the Brutus denarius I wanted - so I had to decide. Good that I didn't bid - and very nice to know that you got the stater!