Pompey Magnus lifetime portrait.

[JayAg47]

Pompey Magnus has finally reached the shores of Australia after being kicked out from Spain and wandering for 40 days in the ether. Lucky for him this time no one is here waiting for his head. 

A budget bronze issue I came across on ebay, the seller described it as Pompey but I thought it must've been missattributed given it's was cheap. At first the hairstyle looked like that of Otho's wig, but the distinctive quiff screamed Pompey! 

I think this coin must have been minted between 64/63 BC to 48 BC, the time between the founding of Pompeiopolis to his assassination. Sextus Pompey couldn't have issued them because he only controlled Sicily, and no city would want to gain the wrath of Caesar/Octavian/Antony by issuing coins of an enemy after this death. 

Obv: Head of Pompey the Great right; A behind.
Rev: ΠΟΜΠΗΙΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ.
Nike advancing right, holding palm frond and wreath; two monograms to right. Countermark in the center. 4.62g.

Looks much better in hand! 

[CPK]

Neat coin! I have a very similar type which I will post up as soon as can take some better photos - unfortunately I'm too busy at the moment.

[Marsyas Mike]

On 9/12/2023 at 7:54 AM, JayAg47 said:

Pompey Magnus has finally reached the shores of Australia after being kicked out from Spain and wandering for 40 days in the ether. Lucky for him this time no one is here waiting for his head. 

A budget bronze issue I came across on ebay, the seller described it as Pompey but I thought it must've been missattributed given it's was cheap. At first the hairstyle looked like that of Otho's wig, but the distinctive quiff screamed Pompey! 

I think this coin must have been minted between 64/63 BC to 48 BC, the time between the founding of Pompeiopolis to his assassination. Sextus Pompey couldn't have issued them because he only controlled Sicily, and no city would want to gain the wrath of Caesar/Octavian/Antony by issuing coins of an enemy after this death. 

Obv: Head of Pompey the Great right; A behind.
Rev: ΠΟΜΠΗΙΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ.
Nike advancing right, holding palm frond and wreath; two monograms to right. Countermark in the center. 4.62g.

Looks much better in hand! 

Nice find, @JayAg47.  I found one of these on eBay last year - it was in an unattributed lot so it was cheap.  It is most likely posthumous, but I did have some trouble attributing it, since there were so many varieties and mine is so worn...

Pompey the Great (era)    Æ 18 Soloi-Pompeiopolis, Cilicia (c. 50 B.C.-50 A.D.) Bare head of Pompey the Great right / [ΠOMΠHIOΠOΛITΩ?], Nike advancing right, holding wreath; ΔI [ΛΑ ?] in right field. SNG France 1213-1217; SNG Levante 880-882 var. (5.50 grams / 18 mm) eBay June 2022 

Attribution:  Many varieties of this type; most online sources are vague about attribution.  Reverse legends missing, except ΔI in right field.  Some with ΔI also have ΛΑ below.  See: Numismatik Naumann Auct. 42; Lot 576; 03.04.2016; Roma E-Sale 31; Lot 212; Nov. 2016 (asiaminorcoins.com); Artemide Aste 45E; Lot 242; Dec. 15-16, 2018. 

 

 

[Finn235]

Nice catch!

I picked up one a couple years back - these seem to often go under the radar unlike the Caesar portrait provincials which alway attract the deep pocket bidders. Here's mine, I'd have to go back and figure out where I bought it from and for how much.

As Mike said, I've seen these attributed as being anything from lifetime issues to as late as Flavian.

[CPK]

On 9/12/2023 at 11:17 PM, CPK said:

Neat coin! I have a very similar type which I will post up as soon as can take some better photos - unfortunately I'm too busy at the moment.

Completed as promised.

I'm afraid I overpaid for this coin, but oh well, it's got a nice portrait!