porphyrogenita

Did you know that French artist Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), the guy who painted Liberty Leading the People (as seen below)... ...also drew some studies of ancient coins? They're super cool to look at and I found images online for everyone's viewing pleasure! According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Delacroix developed his style of modeling by studying Greek and Roman coins in the collections of his friends Louis Auguste Schwiter and P. L. J. Casimir, duc de Blacas." (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/336618?exhibitionId={794db332-ad42-4bb9-b81e-2d1d602d947f}&amp%3Boid=336618&amp%3Bpkgids=519&amp%3Bpg=0&amp%3Brpp=100&amp%3Bpos=19&amp%3Bft=*&offset=100)

Roman Empire; Julia Mamaea (222-235) AE sestertius, 17.85 g obv: IVLIA MAMAEA AVGVSTA, diademed & draped bust right rev: VENVS VICTRIX S-C, Venus standing left holding helmet & sceptre, shield at feet ref = Sear (Roman) 8235 next: a crab!

It's a Google sheet! If you go to the top menu while in a sheet and click "Insert" and then "Image", you can add images either within or over cells. Here's an example of how I fill mine out (minus the provenance and cost columns) featuring one of my sigloi!

When I was starting out collecting ancients I spent a lot of time looking up different ways to track my collection inventory. I finally landed on a custom spreadsheet (inspired by one I saw on CT if I remember correctly) I fill out whenever I buy/sell a coin, which works well for my purposes but I'm curious what other people are doing (I've also got some sheets tracking the stats of my whole collection, progress on sub-collections, and my (slightly unrealistic) wishlist if anyone's curious to see those)! :))

I've been toying with the idea of starting a Justinian I type set, but I already have a follis mint set underway so a type set might just be too much Justinian! :)) Constantinople, Byzantine Empire; Justinian I (the Great), 527-565 AE 40-nummi/follis, 24.3 g obv: DN IVSTINIANVS PP AVG, helmeted, cuirassed bust facing holding cross on globe and shield, cross to right rev: large M, ANNO to left, cross above, regnal year to right (year 12 = 538/539), officina letter below (∆ = 4th officina), mintmark CON ref = Sear (Byzantine) 163 I also have a Google doc where I list collections I may or may not start in the future, with some examples being: - infamous/notorious ancient women - Quintus Pomponius Musa denarii - lesser known female rulers of antiquity (wrote an article on this one!)

Achaemenid Empire, Artaxerxes I Longimanus / Darius II (465-404 BC) AR siglos (5.4 g) obv: Persian king/hero in kneeling-running stance right, dagger in right hand and bow in left, quiver with arrows over shoulder rev: incuse punch & countermark (countermark = #50 (Imperial Persian Coinage by Obol International)) ref = SNG Copenhagen 1035 / Carradice type IVa next = Greek Muse(s)!

Reminds me of this coin from Thurii, but it doesn't look like an exact match (maybe it'll work as a jumping off point though!) Thurii, Lucania (c. 260 BC) AE hemiobol (4.49 g) obv: ΘOYΡIA, wreathed head of Demeter left rev: ΠAΡME above bull butting left, fish in exergue ref = SNG Copenhagen 1514

I've been looking for one of those forever, congrats on the purchase!! :))

Thank you for the opportunity to do a write-up and congrats to the winners!! :))

Achaemenid Empire, Artaxerxes I Longimanus / Artaxerxes II Mnemon (465-358 BC) AR siglos (5.6 g) obv: Persian king/hero right in kneeling position with quiver, holding a spear in his right hand and the bow with his left rev: incuse punch ref = SNG Copenhagen 1029 / Carradice type IIIb next = non-Roman, non-Cleopatra female ruler!

This post is all about appreciating patinas, so feel free to reply with some of your favorite examples of patinated coins! Roman Empire, Crispina (178-191) AE sestertius (21.5 g) obv: CRISPINA AVGVSTA, draped bust right rev: CONCORDIA S-C, Concordia seated left with patera and cornucopiae ref = Sear (Roman) 6004 The above has my favorite patina out of all of my coins because I think it looks like an oil painting. I haven't been able to capture the beauty of it with my camera yet, so I'm currently using the former listing's photo since it's incredible and showcases the colors very well :))

Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 BC) AE diobol (15.0 g) obv: diademed head of Zeus Ammon, right rev: ΠTOΛEMAIOY BAΣIΛEΩΣ, eagle with spread wings standing left on thunderbolt, shield and M monogram in left field ref = Svoronos 576 NEXT = turtle!

link = Julia Domna Roman Empire, Julia Domna (193-211) AE sestertius (27.1 g) obv: IVLIA DOMNA AVG, draped bust right rev: VENERI VICT S-C, Venus leaning on column, nude to below waist, seen from behind standing right, holding palm branch & globe ref = Sear (Roman) 6631

link = taenia Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-204 BC) AE triobol (34.2 g) obv: horned head of Zeus Ammon right, wearing taenia with basileion rev: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, eagle with closed wings standing left on thunderbolt, cornucopiae bound with royal diadem to left, ΛΙ in exergue ref = Svoronos 1128 / Lorber I.II #B494

link = Greek pottery types + incuse reverse Thebes, Boeotia (368-364 BC) AR stater (12.0 g) obv: Boeotian shield rev: amphora with two ivy leaves on each handle, KA–BI in field, all within incuse circle ref = Hepworth 61 / SNG Copenhagen 339 (fun fact: this coin was sold as being "[f]rom the collection of a Southern Pathologist", which is incredibly vague!)