3 new Macedonian Shield Coins: A real beauty, an early cutie and a rare AF Seleucid!

[Ryro]

A GREAT day at the auctions, even if I had to chase one coin far. It was worth it. 

I purchased two Seleucids. One very rare, and one not, but sure is a beauty. And then a more than likely lifetime Alexander with a very cool monogram. 

I'll start with the very rare and bad ass looking coin of Seleukos l.

There were two on the block of this incredibly rare type. With the first of the two having been stripped of its patina, this was the one that I wanted more. As the size tells us, this is a quarter unit. The smallest unit of the bronze MSCs. Very uniquely it has nothing in the shield boss, not even a pellet. 

*an aside, I believe the photographer has made a mistake with the anchor upside-down. My understanding is that the anchor, as if it were an arrow, should point up. They would have been accustomed to seeing the anchor on the side of the ship pointing up. Not at the bottom of the Sea pointing down

Seleukos I Nikator, 312-281 BC. Ae (bronze, 1.72 g, 13 mm), Antioch. Macedonian shield. Rev. BAΣΙ ΣΕΛΕΥ Anchor, flukes upward. SC 26; HGC 9, 111. Very fine. Very rare.

The Alexander coins with the thunderbolt in the boss are some of the earliest per Liampi. As well, this coin has the BA below the helmet bushels. Later they are always above and flanking. Add to this the stars in-between the half shields, when more often than not it is the five pellets. 

Of course, it's worth a chuckle to note the oblong shape of the flan of the coin making it look more like a Boeotian shield:

Alexander III 'the Great', 336-323 BC. Ae (bronze, 4.70 g, 17 mm), uncertain Macedonian mint. Macedonian shield. Rev. B - A Macedonian helmet. Nearly very fine.

And lastly, one of the more common Seleucid MSC types, but with such good detail you can not only see the elephants trunk and tusks, you can even enjoy Herakles club and the jawbone iconography that these coins give us!

Antiochos I Soter, 281-261 BC. Ae (bronze, 5.31 g, 20 mm), Antioch. Macedonian shield decorated with Seleukid anchor. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟY Elephant walking right. SC 339. Very fine.

 

I must say, it was a good day all around for me. If you have anything similar, shields, elephant's, anchors, Seleucids, new coins or anything that made you smile today, please share!

Edited April 15, 2023 by Ryro

[Roman Collector]

Coingratulations, @Ryro , on three Macedonian shield marvels! I had a mixed day at the auctions. On one target, the bidding went into the stratosphere ...

... but I was successful on the other and I even bought a Hadrian snack.

But not to stray too far afield, but nothing says "Seleucid" like a bottle cap with an elephant! This one is ex-Houghton:


Laodike IV, wife and sister of both Seleucus IV and Antiochus IV.
Selucia in Pieria, 175-164 BC.
AE 3.33 gm; 15 mm.
Obv: Veiled bust of Laodike IV, r.
Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ, elephant head l.; prow.
Refs: Houghton, CSE 113 (plate coin); Forrer 183.

[kirispupis]

Those are nice pick up! I’ve had some okay success at auction. On one I bid on three coins, was murdalized on two but win the third - a nice Nikomedes II tet (only one Bithynian king left now)

At another auction I won all of my top targets except one, then shortly afterwards a better copy came up on vcoins for less than I bid, so I was happy about that.

I would post photos, but I’m currently in Greece on a spotty connection.

[Curtisimo]

Excellent new additions @Ryro!

I can add some shields and Seleukids (one you might recognize 😉) but no elephants.