When collections intersect

[kirispupis]

Yesterday, I was going through my collection of mint stamps from Russia and the 14 former Soviet republics, when I came across something interesting from Georgia.

It was of course the coin at the top that drew my interest. The type looked familiar! And sure enough...

Kolchis, Phasis
Circa 425-325 BCE
Hemidrachm AR 11 mm, 2.12 g, 1 h
Female head to right.
Rev. Head of a bull to right.
HGC 7, 215. Hind 7. SNG BM Black Sea 1014. SNG Copenhagen 98

 

Phasis was an ancient city on the Black Sea in modern day Georgia. It was mentioned in connection to Jason and the Argonauts, but archeologists today aren't exactly sure where it was.

The type illustrated on the stamp is slightly different but I believe from the same city and rough time period. I also believe the orientation of the reverse is wrong and makes it look like some evil pig rather than a bull.

I bought this sheet some time ago and little did I realize at the time that I'd own an example of the earliest coin depicted! The only thing is I'm not sure how much longer I'll have these stamps, as I'm considering selling them in order to buy more coins. 🙂 

Please share your examples where different hobbies intersect!

[Alegandron]

DALI of KOLCHIS (Associated with Artemis)


Kolchis 5th-4th C BCE BI hemidrachm 11.5mm 1.8g Archaic female head - Georgian goddess Dali - Bull head border SNG Cop 98

She was the Hunting Goddess of the Kolchis / Colchis area 
(think Jason and the Golden Fleece). 
She was described as a beautiful nude woman with golden hair and glowing skin...

(She is not nude here...)

[ambr0zie]

I collect Romanian banknotes (or used to collect, as in the last 5 years I added just 3 examples). 

Many have the image of Trajan or other Roman motif. 

Here is the reverse of a very rare one, and highly desirable even in this shape (better in hand as this was a test for my scanner)

 

Upper right - Roma, upper right, Ceres, central figure is Trajan. 2 representations very common in Roman numismatrics. 

 

Another scarce banknote showing the shewolf and twins 

Medallions in the lower part - Trajan and the Dacian king Decebalus (not present on any coins)

Another desirable banknote with this image 

The she-wolf is very common motif on coins - here is one of my favorite coins where it's not the "main motif"

 

I collected banknotes long before starting with ancient coins, but I find these images very attractive. 

[ominus1]

that

thats NEAT....well i've found that my different COIN collections of the different ruling families/kings/emperors intertwine...for example, 2 Medici's gals were queens of France...not to mention Habsburgs in the fray....i find it very interesting...:)

[Herodotus]

Unfortunately, I've yet to properly photograph this coin, so it's shown as I received it.

KOLCHIS, Phasis. (425-325 BC). BI Half Siglos – Hemidrachm.
O: Head of Artemis Dali in archaic style to right.
R: Head of bull right; within linear circle.

[Ryro]

What a cool find. That's fun!

Here's an old hobby of mine intersecting with ancients. I did a write up on the old site about it a couple of years ago. Note the year in Roman numerals:

Augustus

SYRIA, Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ As 24mm,. Struck circa 27-25 BC. Bare head right / AVGVSTVS within laurel wreath. McAlee 190; RPC I 4100. Good VF

Augustus

Ae Diobol,

24 MM 8.65 GR

AE Diobol Year 41 = 11/12 AD, Egypt, City of Alexandria. Head R. Rs. LMA in the oak wreath. L.

Edited October 28, 2024 by Ryro

[airhead1983]

I’m a huge reptile freak.  I have three geckos including probably the world’s oldest golden gecko at 24 years.  If I could fit more into my small apartment, I would in a heartbeat.

 

This love of reptiles inspired me to start a small collection of reptiles on ancient coins.

Here is a gift from @ominus1 - a Cherronesos hemidrachm with a lizard on the reverse.

Now, if only I could find stuffed animals on ancients. 🤔 

Erin

[AncientCoinnoisseur]

I have two interesting ‘crossovers’. I collect banknotes as well and an Italian one has a nice reference to two coins I’ll never own:

Another cool one comes from the world of books: basically Aldus Manutius (1449–1515), one of the greatest Italians printers and humanists, used a coin from Titus as his ‘logo’:

He was shown this coin by cardinal Pietro Bembo, showed his coin to Erasmus of Rotterdam, who wrote about it in one of his books! My dream is to get Erasmus’ book where he mentions the coin, in an edition printed by Aldus Manutius, but it’s in the thousands range, so a tad too expensive for now 🙂 Here my coin:

And a digitally colored version as a bonus:

[DonnaML]

18 minutes ago, AncientCoinnoisseur said:

I have two interesting ‘crossovers’. I collect banknotes as well and an Italian one has a nice reference to two coins I’ll never own:

Another cool one comes from the world of books: basically Aldus Manutius (1449–1515), one of the greatest Italians printers and humanists, used a coin from Titus as his ‘logo’:

He was shown this coin by cardinal Pietro Bembo, showed his coin to Erasmus of Rotterdam, who wrote about it in one of his books! My dream is to get Erasmus’ book where he mentions the coin, in an edition printed by Aldus Manutius, but it’s in the thousands range, so a tad too expensive for now 🙂 Here my coin:

And a digitally colored version as a bonus:

In turn, the quality-paperback publisher Anchor Books, founded by Doubleday in 1953, took its original logo from Aldus Manutius. See https://www.publishinghistory.com/anchor-books-doubleday.html , with an illustration of a 1954 cover with the logo of an intertwined anchor and dolphin on the lower left. I believe the dolphin has since disappeared!

Edited November 4, 2024 by DonnaML

[LONGINUS]

On 10/28/2024 at 8:08 PM, airhead1983 said:

I’m a huge reptile freak.  I have three geckos including probably the world’s oldest golden gecko at 24 years.  If I could fit more into my small apartment, I would in a heartbeat.

This love of reptiles inspired me to start a small collection of reptiles on ancient coins.

Here is a gift from @ominus1 - a Cherronesos hemidrachm with a lizard on the reverse.

 

Great to see your post, Erin. Best wishes to you, for the holidays and the New Year! —DR

[airhead1983]

Thanks @LONGINUS!

I hope the same for you! 😃

Erin