Ryro Posted January 13 · Supporter Share Posted January 13 (edited) One of the many treats of collecting ancients is that you may get a coin for one reason and then fall down a rabbit hole, that turns into a well, and then a hole in some old man's sock, that then transforms into luge you slip down that makes you love your new coin for a completely different reason. Take this holy coin I bought primarily on account of the erosion. It doesn't have any signs that it was caused by BD. Was the flan struck with air bubbles? What caused it? CILICIA, Tarsus. Trajan Decius. AD 249-251. Æ (34mm, 21.7 g, 6h). Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind; П П across field / Fisherman (Dictys or King Polydectes?) standing right, holding long pole from which is suspended a basket over shoulder, facing Perseus standing left, holding head of Medusa and harpa. SNG France 1759-60 (same dies); SNG Levante -. Near VF, brown surfaces. But that's not even why I'm writing on this coin. I'm writing about the weird and wild reverse. I need to pause to give a big shot out here to my bro-zie @ambr0zie who nailed the identity of this rarely seen coin in about one minute with his amazing eye for provincial mints and their artistic styles. I initially thought Perseus harpa was Zeus holding a thunderbolt🥸 A little bit about Perseus: Though, Zeus was his father. A simple fisherman Dictys and his wife helped raise and take care of Perseus and his mother when they landed on Seriphos. After leaving home Perseus and mom, Danae, "sailed" to Seriphos in a chest: (Perseus, look out for that bird that's shitting directly above you!) Dictys raised Perseus just as if he was his own son. Despite not getting the hot sexin from Danae. Dictys brother, King Polydectes, on the other hand wanted that hot loving from Danae in a BAAAAD way. (Hot mom alert!) But Perseus was always getting in the way. Leaving the king practically no other option than to send Perseus to the impossible and surely fatal task of retrieving the severed head of the gorgon, Medusa. Yadda, yadda, things you already know... With help from Athena, and using his shield as a mirror, so as not to look into the frosty the stone-man making eyes of the once beautiful wretch, Perseus does exactly what he is tasked. More on that old story here, Pontos. Amisos c 85-65 BC. Bronze Æ, 30mm., 18,18g. Helmeted head of Athena right, helmet decorated with griffin / AMIΣOY Perseus standing holding harpa and head of Medusa, at feet, body of Medusa, monograms to both sides.VF Sea 1166-76 Takes the head back to turn King Polydectes and pals to stone. (And look at those shiny sneakers, eh) Philip V (221-179 BC). Tetradrachm. Uncertain Macedonian mint. Obv: Head of Perseus left, wearing winged helmet surmounted by griffin's head; harpa in background; all in the centre of Macedonian shield. Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ. Club right between legend in two lines; all within wreath right. SNG München 1125; HGC 3.1, 1056. Condition: Fine. Weight: 16.91 g. Diameter: 30 mm. Purchased from Numismatik Naumann November 2021 Perseus then gives the kingdom to dad, Dictys. And alls well that ends in multiple murders and severed body parts. So then, back to the coin's reverse. Not one description that I found ventures a guess as to whom Perseus is facing, they just say fisherman. I have to assume it's daddy Dictys. But why show the head of snakes on the brain Medusa to him? Or is he holding the head low to avoid getting dad stoned? Could the king have been a fisherman like his brother and is Perseusstoning the king? If so, I can't find any other image if Polydectes as a fisherman. A recap of our conundrum; Who is the fisherman? Why show dad Medusa's head?? And why couldn't Sir Mixalot lie about liking big butts??? Thanks for sticking with me and please share your coins of Perseus, eroded/holy ancients, Medusa, thoughts and our anything else adding to the discussion. Edited January 13 by Ryro 17 1 1 5 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Collector Posted January 13 · Patron Share Posted January 13 Way cool, @Ryro!!! I have a Trajan Decius from Tarsus but its reverse design isn't nearly as interesting as yours. This old write-up I posted elsewhere will help you understand the inscription on your coin. Trajan Decius. AD 249-251. Roman provincial Æ 32.5 mm, 18.74 g, 6 h. Cilicia, Tarsus, AD 249-251. Obv: ΑV ΚΑΙ Γ ΜЄϹ ΚVΙΝ ΔЄΚΙΟϹ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹ, Π Π, radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Rev: ΤΑΡϹΟV ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛЄΩϹ Γ Β, Α Μ Κ. Artemis standing right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow and arrow; at feet on either side, deer standing left and dog running right with raised paws, head left. Refs: RPC 1346; SNG Levante 1156 ; SNG France 1754; SNG von Aulock 6065; SNG Cop 33; Ziegler 808.16.33; Lindgren III, 926. 15 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted January 13 · Member Share Posted January 13 I am glad I could help! It's simply impossible to allow a coin with enough details without attribution - especially one with a special reverse. My example of the popular Amisos 30 mm, 18,30 g. Pontos, Amisos. Time of Mithradates VI Eupator. Ӕ. Circa 105-90 or 90-85 BC. Helmeted head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Pegasos / AMI - ΣOY - Perseus standing left, holding harpa and head of Medusa, whose decapitated body lies at his feet; monogram to left and right. SNG BM Black Sea 1169-72; HGC 7, 238. Tarsos provincials are very interesting - they liked BIG, chunky bronzes and their reverses are artistic. A Maximinus Thrax with the Three Graces Otacilia Severa with Athena reverse And of course one cannot forget the older coins, suchs as this one from time of Mazaios Or an interesting drachm from Antiochus Euergetes My favorite Medusa coin - unfortunately very damaged but with one of the most beautiful depictions of Medusa. 11 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted January 13 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted January 13 Very interesting write-up. I'm afraid my knowledge of the mythology is less than yours, so all I can add are a few gorgons. Macedon, Neapolis Circa 375-350 BCE AR Hemidrachm 1.75g, 13mm, 10h Facing gorgoneion, with tongue protruding Head of nymph to right; [N]-E-O-[Π] around; all within incuse. SNG Copenhagen 227-8; SNG ANS 453; HGC 3.1, 588. Ex J. Greiff Collection Boeotia, Koroneia Circa 400-350 BCE AR Obol 11 mm, 0.81 g Boeotian shield Rev. K (retrograde) - O Gorgon's head facing, of Classical style. BCD Boiotia 171a (same reverse die). BCD Boiotia II 578 (this coin) Ex Dr. Paul Peter Urone Collection Ex BCD Collection Ex Classical Numismatic Group 2006 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteB Posted January 13 · Member Share Posted January 13 Severus Alexander. 222-235 AD. Tarsos, Cilicia. Æ38 mm, 23.51 gm. Obv: ANT ...AYP CEV ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟC CEB; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust, right. Π-Π on either side. Rev: ΑΛΕΞ CΕ ΑΔ.....ΠΑΤΡOΩC(center of field) TAPCEΩ(Ν) in ex. Perseus standing right, holding harpa and small statue of Apollo Lykeios. Before him, the fisherman Dictys, who saved him and raised him from boyhood, standing left, holding fish and basket on either end of a long rod. Like SNG von Aulock 6046, for Gordian III. Roughly similar to SNG France , Cilicia, 1574, and cross-referenced to Waddington "Inventaire Sommaire" 1347 (same coin). BMC__; SNG Cop__. Possibly unpublished. 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted January 13 · Supporter Share Posted January 13 Excellent and enjoyable thread, enjoyed that. Hadrian with reverse of Perseus holding head of Medusa RPC Volume: III №: 2958 Reign: Hadrian Persons: Hadrian (Augustus) City: Tyana Region: Cappadocia Province: Galatia-Cappadocia Denomination: Æ (15 mm) 3.80 g. Issue: Year 20 (AD 135/6) Obverse: ΑΥΤΟ ΚΑ ΤΡ ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹΕΒΑϹΤ; laureate head of Hadrian, right Reverse: ΤΥΑΝΕΩΝ ΤΩ ΠΡ Τ ΙΕΡ ΑϹ, ΕΤ - Κ (in field); Perseus standing facing, holding head of Medusa and harpa Reference: Ganschow 1014b Specimens: 10 (Zero in the core collections) 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor LONGINUS Posted January 14 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted January 14 Great post @Ryro and remarkable coin! When I read the word “Gorgon” and saw the holes in your coin I couldn’t help but think of the caustic effect alien blood has on metal in the sci-fi movies. I began to wonder if Gorgon blood could be equally destructive. 😉 8 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted January 14 · Supporter Share Posted January 14 RR denarius , PLAVTIVS with Medusa / Aurora... 8 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted January 14 · Patron Share Posted January 14 (edited) one (similar) of your bottom bronze..:) Edited January 14 by ominus1 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seth77 Posted January 14 · Member Share Posted January 14 One of my favorite mini-coins: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Snible Posted January 14 · Member Share Posted January 14 Here is another fisherman coin: Trajan Decius. AD 249-251. AE33, 18g. The reverse inscription is TARCOU MHTROPO LEWC / AMK / ΓB. A M K Γ B is a boast of Tarsos that means "First (A is the Greek numeral one), Greatest, and Most Beautiful city of the three provinces." 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Factor Posted January 16 · Member Share Posted January 16 (edited) Here is my Perseus, from Ptolemais. Second known and the only one in private hands. https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/6/8762 Ex Harlan J. Berk, Ltd. 83rd Buy or Bid Sale (10/1994) lot 930. Edited January 16 by Factor 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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