Post your latest ancient!

[Hrefn]

I posted my recent acquisitions in this thread.

 

[Victrix]

Had this absolute steal for 20 euros. Such a pleasing obverse.

[CPK]

3 hours ago, Victrix said:

Had this absolute steal for 20 euros. Such a pleasing obverse.

That was a steal! What a great portrait.

[jdmKY]

This is the seller’s photo as I have not received this yet. When I saw this on the auction site my thought was that this is an aureus of Caesar struck by L Munatius Plancus in 45 BC. The description was in Italian and I noted the word “quinario”. Applying my superb linguistic skills, I eventually deduced that this meant quinarius in English. This coin was the much rarer gold quinarius or half-aureus. This was the only example of that denomination that was issued during the Republic. I don’t often see these offered for sale so I was pretty happy to have picked it up.

[Limes]

One of my latest additions deserves its own thread. But I've noticed there are quite a few threads already about this issue and the same reverse by other emperors. So I'll briefly point out this thread by @ValiantKnight and just show my issue below. I'm really happy having added this lovely albeit worn specimen to my collection. It fits neatly with my other three 'ancient wonder coins'. Four more to go. 

 

Hadrian
Rule:  117 - 138 AD
Drachm, 34 mm, 26,09 gr
Mint: Alexandria, Egypt
Obv:  AVT KAIC TPAIAN AΔ[PIANOC CЄB], laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right
Rev: Isis Pharia standing to right, holding billowing sail with both hands; to right, the Pharos of Alexandria surmounted by two Tritons, each blowing a trumpet; between them is a lantern surmounted by a statue, holding situla and sceptre; entryway below on left; L IH (date) above 
Ref: RPC Online 5895, Dattari 1768 (via webarchive.org)
Ex: Romancoinshop, 2024

 

[MrMonkeySwag96]

 

Sassanian Kingdom, Shapur II 309-379, Silver Drachm 3.67g, 20mm Crowned and draped bust right within a circle Fire altar with the head of Ahura Mazda, right, in the flames, an attendant to each side. Gobl Ia/6a

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4 by MrMonkeySwag96

[singig]

This is my first coin from Tomis , it has an old 18K gold mark on the shoulder of the emperor :)

Septimius Severus, AE28, 4 Assaria of Tomis, Thrace. 
A K L CEP CEYH?OC P, laureate head right / 
MHTR PONT TOMEWC, emperor in military dress, standing right, right foot on captive, holding sceptre and parazonium, erecting trophy, another captive (or Pontos) sitting left, at foot left. Delta in exergue. Varbanov 4795 , Moushmov 1885.

[CPK]

I have a number of new coins I need to photograph and post, but for now here is one of the latest, a very nice portrait sestertius of Severus Alexander - which some of you may recognize because it has the added distinction of being from the @Julius Germanicus collection (whom I must thank for generously offering me the PDF of the coin's Sear Certificate!)

SEVERUS ALEXANDER, AD 222-235
AE Sestertius (31.74mm, 21.57g, 12h)
Struck AD 225. Rome mint
Obverse: IMP CAES M AVR SEV ALEXANDER AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Severus Alexander right
Reverse: IOVI VLTORI, Jupiter enthroned left, holding Victory and resting on spear; S C in exergue
References: RIC IV 560 var. (bust cuirassed), RCV 7969

A scarce type with a particularly fine early portrait. Richly toned orichalcum color.

"This attractive sestertius (worth one-quarter of the silver denarius) is dated by Carson (in BMCRE) to AD 225, the year following Alexander’s rededication of Elagabalus’ temple of Sol Invictus to Jupiter Ultor (the ‘Avenger’). It would seem that this structure was actually Domitian’s temple of Jupiter Victor in the northeastern corner of the Palatine, which had been rededicated by Elagabalus to the eastern sun god of which he had been the chief priest in his native Emesa. In an attempt to erase the memory of Elagabalus’ disgraceful regime, the temple was hurriedly restored to Jupiter early in the reign of his successor, hence the change in the god’s title to the ‘Avenger’."

- David R. Sear, COA historical & numismatic notes

 

[Lelouch]

Another little octopus bought from Pavlos Pavlou on Vcoins, but this time it is not Syracusan. Infact the mint, obverse, and value are all debated.

It was previously often attributed to Eryx, but HGC 2 949 reattributes it to Motya and this CNG listing which says "Puglisi (p. 252), the majority of finds of this issue have been in the vicinity of Motya".

The obverse is always listed as female head, as it really isn't certain at all. It could be Arethusa as Motya has had other coins like tetradrachams as seen on Wildwinds which claim to be Arethusa. It does look similar to the Arethusa obverse of the Syracusan Octopus Onkia. Otherwise maybe a local nymph, but I couldn't find any related to Motya.

For the value both hexas and onkia are suggested in various listings. I definitely think it is an onkia due to its resemblance to the Syracusan Octopus Onkia. As mentioned by Calciati "It is difficult to distinguish between this issue and the similar issue of Syracuse: the latter beeing more accurate in style and struck on better metal."
The main difference I can tell is the one from Motya has often a bit fatter of head.

Updated this coin a bunch on Numista, hopefully it will help someone else in the future.

SICILY. Motya. Circa 400-397 BC. Onkia (1.69g, 12.5mm, 4h) - Female head to right, hair loosely gathered at the top of her head / Octopus

[Kali]

Constantius I (305 - 306 A.D.)

Egypt, Alexandria Potin Tetradrachm
O: ΦΛA KWNCTANTIOC K Laureate, draped, cuirassed bust r., seen from.
R: Elpis advancing l., holding flower and raising skirt, date L - Δ = Year 4 = 295/6
Alexandria Mint
 6.75g
19mm Emmett-4185/4 (R1), bust var. of Cologne-3353
Ex Peter Lowrek Collection
Ex. HJB 228th Bid or Buy Sale, Lot 621

[AncientNumis]

From the London Coin Fair yesterday:

PHOENICIA. Byblos. 'Aynel, circa 350-316/5 BC. 1/16 Shekel (Silver, 0.68g). Two hoplites, holding shields, on galley left, prow ending in lion's head; below, hippocamp left, NO above. Rev. 'YN'L MLK GBL ('Aynel, king of Gebal' in Phoenician) Lion attacking bull to left.

[seth77]

The Δ Ε inside wreath coinage with Latin obverse legends is certainly related to the SC inside wreath of Antioch. The interest in these otherwise mundane issues was inspired by Barbara Lichocka's paper 'Delta-epsilon issues of Elagabalus and Severus Alexander'. They are very similar to both Antioch an Laodicea local issues, but tend to be a bit heavier:

6.46g

 

7.76g

A theory that is explored in the aforementioned paper is that, because of many such coins coming from Cyprus, a minting operation for these coins, either employing Laodicea/Antioch mint masters or Syrian coast produced dies, did take place on the island. With the Δ Ε marking they were likely intended to circulate among all the eparchies like the coinage from Antioch or Laodicea.

[Bonshaw]

I didn't know it was possible to get a "deal" at a Nomos auction, but I feel like this was a good pickup at Obolos 33.  I saw many other coins hammer very high and was surprised that I got this.

It is an AV 1/12 stater (hemihekte), light standard. In general AV lion/bull coins are beyond what I want to spend, but this little one came for 750 CHF (including the buyer's fee), which is $878 USD. It is worn, but still a very clear bull-confronting-lion portrait, and I haven't seen anything of this quality go for less than ~$2000 in a long time. I like having an example to provide historical context for earlier electrum hemihektes under Alyattes.

Nomos is pretty trustworthy, but I'll send this to NGC for their assessment of authenticity. The photo looks legit as far as I can tell, and the weight is right.

Lydia, AV 1/12 stater, light standard, 6 mm, 0.67g. Forepart of lion to right, confronting forepart of a bull to left. I won't put down the date, since I don't know how to tell apart Kroisos and Achaemenid examples of light-standard coins (the auctions always say Kroisos, of course).

This is the Nomos photo as I haven't received the coin yet.

I like how the lion and bull are both quite clear. The lion is really in the bull's face. The bull looks quite startled.

The reverse punch seems to be a die match to this 2020 Heritage coin,

https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6945861

but the HA reverse punch is more worn. It is not an obverse die match, however.

 

Edited Friday at 12:39 AM by Bonshaw

[AETHER]

Yet to arrive..

 

SCARFACE NERO

Silver Hemidrachm, Cappadocia, Caesarea Mint, 16mm, 1.7 grams
Obverse: NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GERMANI, Laureate head of Nero right. (?)
Reverse: Victory seated right on globe holding wreath in both hands.
RPC 3645 // Sydenham 82 (?)

[shanxi]

A new Faustina II denarius

The denarius with VENVS GENETRIX seated is quite rare (only one specimen in Reka Devnia hoard, disregarding the hairstyle), and usually you find the type with Beckmann hairstyle 7, e.g. the BM example:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1937-0607-26

or the only example on acsearch.

 

This is with Beckmann hairstyle 9. Maybe there is second example somewhere but I was not able to find it.

 

Faustina II

Obv: FAVSTINA - AVGVSTA draped bust r., Beckmann hairstyle 9

Rev: VENVS - GENETRIX on l. and r., Venus seated l. holding Cupid or Victory? and scepter.

Ex Curtis L. Clay Collection; ex Ancient Auction House

A rare type; only one specimen in Reka Devnia hoard.

Ref.: CRE 239 var. (hairstyle), BMCRE 173 var. (hairstyle)

 

 

Edited Sunday at 04:24 PM by shanxi

[shanxi]

Another Faustina II denarius

This coin is not a rarity, in CRE it's an [S], scarce, but I liked it for the elegant style of the reverse.

 

Faustina II

Obv: FAVSTINA – AVGVSTA,  Bust draped r., wearing stephane whose upper edge is ornamented with a row of pearls, Beckmann hairstyle 7

Rev: S - A - LVS on l. and r., Salus standing l. offering patera to snake rising from altar at her feet, and holding long scepter.

AR, 2.94g

Ex Curtis Clay Collection

 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by shanxi

[Phil Anthos]

1 hour ago, shanxi said:

Another Faustina II denarius

This coin is not a rarity, in CRE it's an [S], scarce, but I liked it for the elegant style of the reverse.

 

Faustina II

Obv: FAVSTINA – AVGVSTA,  Bust draped r., wearing stephane whose upper edge is ornamented with a row of pearls, Beckmann hairstyle 7

Rev: S - A - LVS on l. and r., Salus standing l. offering patera to snake rising from altar at her feet, and holding long scepter.

AR, 2.94g

Ex Curtis Clay Collection

 

 

And a nice provenance as well.  🙂