Antoninus Pius Zodiac Coins

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

So, a while ago I made this infographic but I had completely forgot about it.

Basically I could not find a comprehensive picture of the zodiac coins by Antoninus Pius, so I decided to make one that included all the main varieties of the zodiac wheel reverse.

It is also interesting to note that these coins were represented in old illustrations as well, as we can see here:

Does anyone know where I can find similar coin depictions? I’m in love with this style! (This one is from “Les terres du ciel : voyage astronomique sur les autres mondes...ouvrage illustré”. (Paris : C. Marpon et E. Flammarion, Editeurs, 1884). Page 73: https://archive.org/details/terresduciel00Flam/page/73/mode/1up?view=theater)

Unfortunately, in order to assemble a full collection with acceptable-looking coins, we are in the order of 30k-50k at least, due to rarer signs seldom hitting the market, especially in good conditions! 

Do you have any of them? 🙂 

———

For more info:  
  
Start from 827 to 864, and click the right arrow to see all the zodiac coins and the slight differences between them:  

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4.4/827  
  
I tried to include the main varieties, but there are subtle differences among certain coins (in some of the obverses, Antoninus Pius is wearing a cuirass, in others he isn’t). Or, for example, there is a different variety of Libra: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4.4/862, or others where the sign is facing right instead of left or vice-versa.  
 

————

Does anyone know the meaning of L H on the reverses?

Edited September 5, 2024 by AncientCoinnoisseur

[TIF]

While I'd love to have the full set, the expenditure for even low grade examples is prohibitive for me.  I have picked up a couple of well-priced examples over the years though.  These are two most readily available types, relatively speaking 🙂.

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
year 8, 144/5 CE
AE drachm, 33 mm, 22.9 gm, Zodiac series, "Venus in Taurus"
Obv: Laureate draped bust of Antoninus Pius right
Rev: bull butting left; above, diademed and draped bust of Aphrodite left; star before her; L H (date) in exergue
Ref: Emmett 1450.8
 

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
year 8, 144/5 CE
AE drachm, 32 mm, 22.43 gm, Zodiac series, Helios in Leo
Obv: Laureate draped bust of Antoninus Pius right
Rev: Helios (Sun) in Leo: Lion leaping right; above, radiate and draped bust of Helios and six-pointed star; [L H below]
Ref: Köln 1495-6; Dattari (Savio) 2968; K&G 35.278; Emmett 1530.8
Ex Thomas Bentley Cederlind

 

A CNG blurb about A-Pi's Zodiac series:

Alexandria saw an immense output of coinage during the eighth year of Antoninus Pius’s reign. The Zodiac drachms, mythological types, and a host of issues for the nomes appeared that year. One explanation for this activity centers on the celebration of the renewal of the Great Sothic cycle, the point when the star Sothis (Sirius) rises on the same point on the horizon as the sun. This cycle of 1461 years began early in the reign of Pius in AD 139, and apparently prompted a renewal in the ancient Egyptian religion, while the coin types also stressed the connections to the Greco-Roman Pantheon.

Emmett's book is light on plates and also light on background beyond basic attribution but he does devote some space to this fabulous series:

 

Edited September 5, 2024 by TIF

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

@TIF wonderful acquisitions, these coins are not easy to find (and Antoninus Drachmae from Alexandria are notoriously worn down to a flat surface).

Still no indication of what ‘L H’ means? It says (date) in parentheses, but I fail to understand how that is a date. Any help would be appreciated 🙂 

[-monolith-]

@TIF I copied your post from Cointalk way back when. I'm so glad you put this together. The entire set in VF+- condition would cost at least $750,000 - $1,000,000, so out of my budget.

[TIF]

Happy to explain about Alexandrian dating, or to let Keith Emmett explain 😄.  The dates represent regnal year of the emperor.  Here's a handy table from Emmett's book:

And further info on dating:

Edited September 5, 2024 by TIF

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

@TIF Ooh, now it’s clear, thank you so much!!!

[Amarmur]

I have an interesting antoninus Pius Tetradrachm with a Phoenix which has been said to inspire the famous zodiac series. Issued in 139 AD, which coincides the start of the cycle.

[Valentinian]

3 hours ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

Does anyone know the meaning of L H on the reverses?

This was answered above, but the simple version is
"L" is the Egyptian symbol meaning "year" and "H" is "8" in Greek.
 

[Homer2]

Thanks for posting this again @AncientCoinnoisseur and please more posts like this. Soaking up as much knowledge as possible, and I'd love to find some examples of these.

[DonnaML]

Great thread! Here's my only coin from the Zodiac Series -- the Leo. As @TIF points out, it's one of the more common types. It's obviously not in great condition; otherwise I could never have afforded it! Still, at least the design is reasonably clear.

Antoninus Pius AE Drachm, Zodiac Series, Sun in Leo (day house), Year 8 (144-145 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, ΑYΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ ΑΔΡ ΑΝΤѠΝƐΙΝΟϹ ϹƐ-Β ƐYϹ (legend begins at 8:00) / Rev. Lion springing right; above to left, bust of Helios, radiate and draped; above to right, 8-pointed star; L H (Year 8 ) below.  RPC IV.4 Online 13547 (temp.) (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/13547 ); Emmett 1530.8 (ill. p. 74A); BMC 16 Alexandria 1084 at p. 127 (ill. Pl. 12); Milne 1813-1815 at p. 44 (No. 1815 has same obv. legend break as this coin, i.e., ϹƐ-Β ƐVϹ); Dattari (Savio) 2968; K&G 35.278 (ill. p. 173); Köln (Geissen) 1495.  Purchased 25 Oct. 2021 from Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger, Frankfurt, Germany; ex Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger, Auction 428, 28 Apr. 2021, Lot 555; ex Heidelberger Münzhandlung Herbert Grün e.K., Auction 79, 10 Nov. 2020, Lot 1284.* 33 mm., 20.95 g.

*See Classical Numismatic Group, Triton XXI Catalog (“The Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection of the Coins of Roman Alexandria,” Jan 9. 2018), Lot 124, p. 68 (available at https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=349280):
“The Great Sothic Cycle was a calendrical cycle based on the heliacal rising in July of the star Sirius (known to the Greeks as Sothis) and lasting approximately 1460 years. According to ancient Egyptian mythology, in a Golden Age, the beginning of the flooding of the Nile coincided exactly with the rising of Sirius, which was reckoned as the New Year. Only once every 1460 years did Sirius rise at exactly the same time. Thus, the coincidence of this along with the concurrent beginning of the flooding of the Nile gave the event major cosmological significance by heralding not just the beginning of a new year, but the beginning of a new eon. This event also was thought to herald the appearance of the phoenix, a mythological bird which was reborn every 500 to 1000 years out of its own ashes. According to one version of the myth, each new phoenix embalmed its old ashes in an egg of myrrh, which it then deposited in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis. So important was the advent of the new Great Sothic Cycle, both to the realignment of the heavens and its signaling of the annual flooding of the Nile, that the Egyptians celebrated it in a five-day festival, which emphasized the important cosmological significance.

In the third year of the reign of Antoninus Pius (AD 139/40), a new Great Sothic Cycle began. To mark this event, the mint of Alexandria struck an extensive series of coinage, especially in large bronze drachms, each related in some astrological way to the reordering of the heavens during the advent of the new Great Sothic Cycle. This celebration would continue throughout Pius’ reign, with an immense output of coinage during the eighth year of his reign in Egypt, which included this coin type, part of the Zodiac series.” 

I have seen no explanation of why it took five years to issue this series after the beginning of the new Cycle. It should be noted that the Zodiac series is based not on the ancient Egyptian “Decan” system of 36 star groups (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decan), but on the 12 Greek (originally Babylonian) signs, and depicts associated Greco-Roman deities -- although the additional “Zodiac Wheel” coin (see Triton XXI catalog, Lot 124) depicts Isis and Serapis at the center of the reverse.

In total, according to Emmett, there are 16 basic drachm types in the Antoninus Pius Zodiac Series, all issued in Year 8 of his reign, listed and depicted in Emmett at p. 74A: Ares (Mars) in Aries [ram] (Emmett 1461.8), Aphrodite (Venus) in Taurus [bull] (E. 1450.8), Hermes (Mercury) in Gemini [with the twins represented by Herakles and Apollo rather than the Dioscuri] (E.1576.8), Selene (Moon) in Cancer [crab] (E.1681.8), Helios (Sun) in Leo [this coin] (E.1530.8), Hermes (Mercury) in Virgo [Demeter] (E.1575.8), Aphrodite (Venus) in Libra [female holding scales] (E.1452.8), Ares (Mars) in Scorpio [scorpion] (E.1460.8), Zeus (Jupiter) in Sagittarius [centaur as archer] (E.1693.8), Kronos (Saturn) in Capricorn [capricorn] (E.1598.8), Kronos (Saturn) in Aquarius [youth swimming with amphora] (E.1451.8), and Zeus (Jupiter) in Pisces [two fish] (E.1692.8). There are four additional coins variously depicting Helios and Selene, Serapis and Isis, or Serapis by himself in the center, surrounded by either one circular band showing the Zodiac, or two bands showing respectively the Zodiac and the five planets together with the Sun and Moon (Emmett 1705-1708). 

I also have this coin, with a Dattari pedigree; the type has been interpreted as a precursor to the Zodiac Series:

Antoninus Pius, Billon Tetradrachm, Year 6 (142-143 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, ΑΝΤⲰΝΙΝΟϹ - ϹƐΒƐVϹƐΒ around (beginning at 1:00) / Rev. Phoenix standing right, crowned with circular nimbus [halo], ΑΙ - ⲰΝ [= Aion, Greek equivalent of Roman Aeternitas, also symbolizing the cyclical nature of “time, the orb or circle encompassing the universe, and the zodiac” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aion_(deity))]; across lower fields, L - Ϛ [Year 6]. 23.5 mm., 12.7 g.  Dattari (1901 ed.) 2431 at p. 153 (this coin) [Dattari, Giovanni, Monete imperiali greche, Numi Augg. Alexandrini, Catalogo della collezione (Cairo 1901)]; Dattari (Savio) 2429 & Pl. 117 (this coin) [Savio, A. ed., Catalogo completo della collezione Dattari Numi Augg. Alexandrini (Trieste, 2007)] [numbering different because of error: illustrations of 2431 and 2429 switched on Pl. 117]; RPC IV.4 Online 13506 (temporary) (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4/13506); Emmett 1419.6; Milne 1734 at p. 42; BMC 16 Alexandria 1004 at p. 117 (rev. ill at Pl. XXVI) [“Phoenix (Numidian crane)”], K&G 35.180 (obv. var., draped), SNG Fr. Alexandrie II 2267 (obv. var., draped). Purchased from Naville Numismatics Auction 72 (27 Mar 2022), Lot 341; ex Dattari Collection.*

*The phoenix on the reverse of this coin, accompanied by the legend “ΑΙⲰΝ,” clearly relates to the beginning of a new Great Sothic Cycle early in the reign of Antoninus Pius, as most famously reflected in the Zodiac coinage issued in his eighth year. See footnote above.

Edited September 5, 2024 by DonnaML

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

Künker in 2021 had the entire collection in pristine condition for sale [Page 65] Along with other stunning Antoninus Pius Drachmae. Someone sold his entire collection I guess!

 

EDIT: The whole Zodiac collection sold for ~150.000€ hammer, so over 200.000$ ! 
 

they even have a video for each coin!

Edited September 5, 2024 by AncientCoinnoisseur

[TIF]

1 hour ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

EDIT: The whole Zodiac collection sold for ~150.000€ hammer, so over 200.000$ ! 
 

I just finished looking up the hammers but you beat me to it.  In USD, $173,009.  With 20% BP (higher with VAT for EU customers), a whopping $207,611.

[Al Kowsky]

10 hours ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

So, a while ago I made this infographic but I had completely forgot about it.

Basically I could not find a comprehensive picture of the zodiac coins by Antoninus Pius, so I decided to make one that included all the main varieties of the zodiac wheel reverse.

It is also interesting to note that these coins were represented in old illustrations as well, as we can see here:

Does anyone know where I can find similar coin depictions? I’m in love with this style! (This one is from “Les terres du ciel : voyage astronomique sur les autres mondes...ouvrage illustré”. (Paris : C. Marpon et E. Flammarion, Editeurs, 1884). Page 73: https://archive.org/details/terresduciel00Flam/page/73/mode/1up?view=theater)

Unfortunately, in order to assemble a full collection with acceptable-looking coins, we are in the order of 30k-50k at least, due to rarer signs seldom hitting the market, especially in good conditions! 

Do you have any of them? 🙂 

———

For more info:  
  
Start from 827 to 864, and click the right arrow to see all the zodiac coins and the slight differences between them:  

https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4.4/827  
  
I tried to include the main varieties, but there are subtle differences among certain coins (in some of the obverses, Antoninus Pius is wearing a cuirass, in others he isn’t). Or, for example, there is a different variety of Libra: https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/4.4/862, or others where the sign is facing right instead of left or vice-versa.  
 

————

Does anyone know the meaning of L H on the reverses?

A.C., Thanks for the informative post 🤩!

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

Interesting topic and presentation - thanks. I've bid on a couple of these types but so far unsuccessfully.

[Coinmaster]

8 hours ago, DonnaML said:

The phoenix on the reverse of this coin

Hi @DonnaML, great topic indeed! The bird on your coin looks more like an Egyptian goose than a reborn phoenix to me. 😅

[shanxi]

The Hadrian types that show all the animals of the zodiac in a circle resemble  the Chinese zodiac charms, which are probably a thousand years younger.:

Charm
Left : The animals of the Chinese zodiac, in picture and writing, ornaments
Right : Two dragons with pearl, two fishes
Material: Ae, 64.2mm, 49.36g
Literature: Grundmann 168 var.
Signs of wear due to many years of wear.

Edited September 6, 2024 by shanxi

[dougsmit]

In case anyone missed the point, the Greek numerals were just the alphabet but included three letters that were dropped before classical times (6, 90, 900).  The part folks have trouble with is they had different letters for 1-9 than 10-90 and 100-900 so there was no need to keep columns straight or use zeros to hold positions.  Learning to multiply in Greek numerals is a bit of a challenge.  

[Heliodromus]

15 hours ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

Künker in 2021 had the entire collection in pristine condition for sale [Page 65] Along with other stunning Antoninus Pius Drachmae. Someone sold his entire collection I guess!

Wow! Stunning is the only word for it - amazing collection (not only the zodiac series).

 

[-monolith-]

16 hours ago, TIF said:

I just finished looking up the hammers but you beat me to it.  In USD, $173,009.  With 20% BP (higher with VAT for EU customers), a whopping $207,611.

Seems like a  bargain; with some overtime I can cover that.