expat Posted July 14, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2023 I think we will find,in coins of all nations and denominations, an unreal depiction of the eyes. Post your coins of bizarre, out of proportion or just downright odd looking eyes. I was just reading about Marty Feldman and his permanently missaligned eyes, which has prompted this thread. To start things off JAIME I. (1213-1276 AD). Spanish States Obverse: ARAGON., bust of King Jaime, crowned and draped, left. Reverse: IACOBVS REX., cross of Caravaca. 1.09g. 18mm. 14 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AETHER Posted July 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 14, 2023 Classic Owl has strange eyes, both Athena and the owl. Ex Roma 14 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted July 14, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted July 14, 2023 Arkadia, Tegea 4th-3rd Century BCE AE 15.91mm 3.73g Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right Reverse: TEΓE, owl standing left, head facing, palm branch before BCD Peloponnesos 1727 Ex BCD Collection Purchased April 1979 Kings of Characene. Hyspaosines Charax-Spasinu mint Dated SE 189 (124/3 BCE) AR Tetradrachm 31mm, 16.20 g, 12h Diademed head right / Herakles seated left on rock, holding club on knee; monogram to outer left, ΘΠP (date) in exergue. Assar fig. 13; Alram 491 var. (date); Sunrise 463; cf. DCA 479 (for type; date unlisted) 13 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted July 14, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2023 Julian II Contemporary Imitation Siliqua, 361-363Imitating Arles. Silver, 16mm, 1.63g. Pearl-diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right; D N FL CL IVLIA-NVS P F AVG. VOT X MVLT XX within wreath, dot in medallion at top; CONS in exergue (cf RIC VIII, 312). From the West Norfolk/Grimston Hoard 2018. Portable Antiquities Scheme: NMS-963FF1. 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Kowsky Posted July 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 14, 2023 Maximinus II, Daia with the bulging eyes had Graves disease. 13 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor jdmKY Posted July 14, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted July 14, 2023 Not sure what’s going on with these eyes! 13 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AETHER Posted July 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 14, 2023 @kirispupis Hyspaosines is 100% an alien 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulla80 Posted July 14, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2023 (edited) Licinius: more on the life and times of this coin here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/the-battle-of-milvian-bridge Edited July 14, 2023 by Sulla80 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted July 14, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 14, 2023 I'll share but warn you: DO NOT look into her eyes: In hand this one can steal your soul as well CILICIA. Uncertain. Circa 400-350 BC. Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.58 g, 1 h). Female head facing, turned slightly to left, wearing earrings, necklace and flowing hair. Rev. Facing head of Bes. Göktürk 44. SNG Levante 233. SNG France 486. Fine metal and attractive on both sides. Very fine. 13 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinoLR Posted July 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 14, 2023 A funny Constantine, from Alexandria 11 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentinian Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 If we look among Byzantine coins, we can find some poor renderings of eyes: 29-28 mm. 10.10 grams. Maurice, year 10 = 591/2. Sear 518. Struck at Cyzicus. 11 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapphnwn Posted July 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2023 Just to be clear THIS IS NO LONGER MY COIN For many years I owned this coin Constantine I Ae Follis Alexandria 325-326 AD Obv Head right laureate Rv Campgate RIC 34 18 mm 3.5 grms What always attracted me to this coin is the large full facing eye which dominates this image. It is as if Constantine is looking directly at the viewer. The eye appears even bigger when compared to the very tiny mouth, 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocatarinetabellatchitchix Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 Exactly 20 years ago, a series of counterfeit coins of the Emperors, Justinian, Julian, Valens etc. were scattered in batches of uncleaned coins by Bulgarian counterfeiters. They were easily recognizable by their large eyes. For your pleasure, here are some of them. 10 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parthicus Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 The Sasanian king Hormazd IV (579-590) tends to have a weird, giant "fish-eye": 11 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted July 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2023 ..this Herennius Etruscus provincial is my halloween special...^^ 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edessa Posted July 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2023 Celtic. Northeast Gaul. Leuci. Circa 100-50 BC. Potin Unit (18mm, 5.49g, 4h). Boar Standard series. Boviolles (Meuse) mint(?). Obv: Celticized male head to left on raised disc. Rev: Boar standing left; fleur-de-lis below. Ref: Castelin 582-593; LT 9078; CCCBM III 412-424. Ex Heritage Weekly Auction 24 May 2018, Lot 64005. 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Limes Posted July 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2023 I always thought the eyes of this Hadrian portrait were out of this world. 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alwin Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 THEODOSIUS I Siliqua TRPS Treveri, 388-392 S 4176 - C 57 - RIC IX 94b DN THEODOSIVS PF AVF, Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right VIRTVS ROMANORVM, Roma seated left on cuirass, holding crowning Victory on globe and reversed spear 9 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted July 15, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted July 15, 2023 Bug eyes....or grey aliens??? Justin II (565-578 A.D.) and his bride 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewomack Posted July 15, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted July 15, 2023 As others have already said, Byzantine coins have some of the best (strangest) eyes. I love the "evil eyes" on this follis of Phocas. Phocas (602-610), Æ Follis (33mm, 11.79g), Cyzicus, Dated RY 4 ? (605/6); Obv: δN POCAS+PERPAVG, Crowned bust facing, wearing consular robes and holding mappa and cross, small cross to left; Rev: Large XXXX, ANNO above, II/II (date) to right, KYZA, Sear 665 And the extreme eye pointillism of this follis of Justin II and Sophia: Justin II & Sophie (Year 5, 569 - 570), Æ Follis, 31.4mm, 11.83g, Nicomedia, Obv: DN IVUSTINUS PP AVG Justin II and Sophie seated facing forward, each with nimbus, holding globus cruciger and cruciform scepter; Rev: ANNO U, large M surmounted by cross, with B below, NIKO in exergue, Sear 369 This follis of Theophilus has one of my all time favorite pairs of eyes (they are out of alignment, but in a pleasing way): Theophilus (AD 829-842) Æ Follis; Constantinople mint; AD 830-842; Obv: ΘEOFIL bASIL; Half-length figure standing facing, holding labarum and globus cruciger; Rev: ΘEO / FILE AVG / OVSTE SV / hICAS in four lines; 28mm; 8.26 grams; Sear 1667 Saint Maurice was given a little eye cavity with a jingly bean pupil on this 11th century coin from Vienne: France ARCHBISHOPRIC OF VIENNE - ANONYMOUS AR Denier, 11th - 12th Centuries; Obv: .+. S. M. VIENNA. (Saint Maurice of Vienne), profile of Saint Maurice, facing left; Rev: MAXIMA. GALL (Grand Gaul) And this coin is just odd all around, though it would probably rank higher in a "strangest mouths" thread: Mittelalter Deutschland. Pfennig (1441). Leichte Prägeschwäche. Sehr schön-vorzüglich. Augsburg-Bistum u. Stadt (gemeinschaftlich). orMiddle Ages Germany. penny (1441). Slight embossing weakness. Very fine - extremely fine. Augsburg diocese and city (joint). 9 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted July 15, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted July 15, 2023 Overlarge eyes and pointing excessively upward. Although the job of engraving was to an absolute beginner judging by the ear, nose and mouth, Julian II AE3. 355-361 AD struck under authority of Conatantine II. DN IVLIAN-VS NOB C, bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust right / SPES REI-PVBLICAE, emperor standing left, helmeted and in military dress, holding globe and spear. Mintmark dot ΔSISV. RIC VIII Siscia 402. Rated rare. 14mm, 2.25gr Julian II, "The Apostate": Caesar 355-360 AD, Augustus 360-363 AD. The last true "pagan" emperor who revered the ancient gods until the day he died in 363 from a javelin wound fighting the Persians. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Collector Posted July 15, 2023 · Patron Share Posted July 15, 2023 I couldn't resist the big-eyed portrait of Constantinopolis on this one from Siscia. It gave me a Cheap Trick earworm, though ... Constantine I, AD 307-337.Roman billon centenionalis, 2.22 g, 17.8 mm, 6 h.Siscia, AD 334-335.Obv: CONSTAN-TINOPOLIS, bust of Constantinopolis, laureate, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak, left, holding reversed spear in right hand.Rev: Victory, winged, draped, standing left on prow, holding spear in right hand and shield in left hand; •BSIS• in exergue.Refs: RIC vii, p. 456, 241; Cohen 21; LRBC I 751; RVC 16469. 7 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wittwolff Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 The face of Licinius II. seems to have been half eyes, half the other stuff you would expect. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AncientOne Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 Cycloptic Macrinus. Mesopotamia, Nisibis. Macrinus AE15 Obv: KAIC MAKPEIN, Laureate head right. Rev: KOΛN ECIBI, Turreted and veiled bust of Tyche right. 7 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeandAcre Posted July 15, 2023 · Member Share Posted July 15, 2023 (edited) Yep, there are plenty other medieval coins with weird /Gigantor eyes, but the first one from here that comes to mind is too recent, as a repost to begin with. So here are a couple of Aksumite ones. Hataz, dated by Munro-Hay to c. 570. Sort of imitating contemporary and earlier Byzantine issues, but also with the still recent transition from Greek to Ge'ez (/proto-Amharic) legends. Ezana /Ezanas, c. 290-330. Pre-Christian issue. Munro-Hay points out the similarity here to the depiction of eyes in Pharoanic and (Ptolemaic/) neo-Pharaonic art. Still with Greek legends, this early: HZA [crescent] NAC; BACI/\EYC. (Edit:) Early Ptolemaic relief, c. late 4th- mid-3rd c. BCE. Edited July 15, 2023 by JeandAcre 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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